Sarah O'Donell
Isn’t it peculiar how Found Footage is more prevalent in movies than on TV? After all, most of the recovered footage we encounter in reality is from True Crime TV and investigative journalism, not films. That was, of course, before the internet transformed the entire globe into a never-ending live stream of Found Footage horror.
Interestingly, several high-profile TV shows recognized the narrative potential of the Found Footage format and dabbled in POV filmmaking during their tenure. Today, we’re celebrating these trailblazers by spotlighting six outstanding Found Footage episodes from non-Found-Footage TV shows.
For this list, we’re zeroing in on traditionally shot (or animated) shows that only briefly flirted with Found Footage. So, fully POV shows like Siberia, The River, or The Lost Tapes won’t be included.
Before we dive in, don’t hesitate to share your favorite televised Found Footage examples in the comments below if you think we’ve overlooked a particularly entertaining one.
Now, let’s get to the list…
6. “S.C.A.L.E.” – Godzilla: The Series
Tristar’s 1998 Godzilla remake might be remembered as one of the worst entries in the King of the Monsters’ extensive filmography, but even the film’s harshest critics have to admit that its animated spin-off series (produced by the same team behind the equally badass Men in Black show) was a fantastic homage to the Kaiju classics of old.
Godzilla: The Series even experimented with presenting a Kaiju attack through diegetic cameras nearly a decade before Cloverfield. However, I’d argue that the shorter runtime and added monster battles make Season 2’s S.C.A.L.E. a much more entertaining experience.
That being said, it’s a damned shame that this remains the only official Found Footage take on Godzilla. I’d love to see this premise fleshed out into something a bit more theatrical in the monster’s future.
5. “Bitten” – Supernatural
Episodes that focus on new characters instead of the beloved regulars can be a huge gamble on TV (especially on a show as actor-centric as CW’s Supernatural). However, 2012’s Bitten actually contains one of the better stories from the program’s later years. And much like the best episodes from back in SPN’s heyday, this stand-alone tale is heavily inspired by popular genre cinema – more specifically, Found Footage movies!
Following an aspiring filmmaker dealing with the aftermath of a Werewolf encounter, Bitten tells a refreshingly low-stakes werewolf yarn. It’s so well made that it makes me wish the Supernatural writers had invested in the anthology format instead of getting lost in the show’s extended mythology.
And if you like this one, don’t forget to check out the show’s ghost-hunting episode, Season 3’s iconic Ghostfacers.
4. “Television Terror” – Tales From the Crypt
Ahead of its time, Tales from the Crypt’s season 2 episode Television Terror is a rare example of televised Found Footage that predates the success of The Blair Witch Project. This episode presents itself as a live recording of a sleazy journalist reporting on a haunted house in Los Angeles, which quickly spirals into a genuinely terrifying depiction of ghost-hunting gone awry.
Featuring a plethora of classic haunted house tropes and Found Footage clichés (that technically hadn’t been invented yet), I’d recommend Television Terror to fans of films like Late Night with the Devil, WNUF Halloween Special, and BBC’s controversial classic Ghostwatch.
3. “Sleep No More” – Doctor Who
Despite the whimsical premise of a two-hearted alien traveling through time and space from inside a magical blue box, BBC’s long-running Doctor Who is no stranger to genre frights. In fact, many of the show’s best episodes function like stand-alone horror movies – and 2015’s Sleep No More is no exception.
Starring Reece Shearsmith as a scientist onboard a futuristic space station orbiting Neptune, this unique episode sees the researcher compiling and narrating a collection of in-universe footage explaining how a horde of “Sandmen” have taken over the station. Not only is this an entertaining sci-fi yarn that explores The Doctor’s relationship with his then-companion Clara from a unique perspective, but it also features an appropriately meta twist that will likely appeal to die-hard Found Footage fans.
2. “Cops” – The X-Files
Something was undoubtedly lost when The X-Files moved production from Vancouver to Hollywood after their big screen debut. However, the latter half of the show still boasts some gems. Case in point: Cops, a satirical crossover with the reality TV show of the same name.
Following Mulder and Scully as they attempt to track down a shape-shifting monster while being followed by a reality TV crew, this memorable episode features some of the all-time best banter between our charismatic leads. It’s even more entertaining when you remember that at least some viewers must have missed the iconic intro and watched the whole thing thinking it was real.
1. “The Scooby-Doo Project” – Scooby-Doo
The cultural impact of The Blair Witch Project is hard to overstate. From online forums to comedy sketches, everyone was captivated by this peculiar little horror film. However, I believe the best testament to the film’s popularity can be found in a late addition to the iconic animated series Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!
Produced by three passionate Cartoon Network animators who thought that the Scooby gang was especially well suited for a Blair Witch spoof, The Scooby-Doo Project evolved from a mere promotional bumper to a full standalone episode combining live action recordings with retro animation.
While I could rave about this legendary Halloween special for hours, I think it’s best if you do yourself a favor and simply watch the whole thing immediately.
