Though cornball & cheesy it may be, this is not a show I would consider dreadful (see garypage's comment). Being cornball & cheesy is part of what makes this show so fun. I mean the fact that people would do pretty much anything for a few thousand dollars in itself is entertaining. But some of the stuff they have had contestants go through on this show is kinda twisted. So far, I haven't seen anything that I'd be afraid to try; but unlike Fear Factor, where some of the challenges seemed more fun than frightening, I've yet to see an 'obsticle' in this show that I could possibly consider pleasant, let alone fun. No offense to Fear Factor, I really liked that show, but a show about Fear/Panic having 'unpleasant' challenges seems more realistic to me. Long story short, I think it's a good show. But you should watch it at least once to determine for yourself.
8 Reviews
You can sort of see why this one didn't last long
gridoon202410 August 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"Estate of Panic" lasted only one season and six episodes; I managed to view even fewer, four - those that are available on YT. Its short life span is not really surprising: the show is simply too repetitive. Snakes, worms, shrinking rooms, electric shocks, flooding water - even in the four episodes I saw, it empties out its bag of tricks too soon. There is also a bit too much screaming, especially from some of the lady contestants; parts of the show might be better watched with the sound switched off. On the plus side, the concept of the "last to leave" and the "one with the least" being eliminated in every room IS clever; it creates a delicate balancing act that the players must nagivate their way around. And Steve Valentine does do a great job as the creepy, sarcastic, vaguely vampire-y host. 6/10.
Screams and chaos
Husskade3 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
It's cheesy, it's slightly silly. It definitely takes its source material from Fear Factor but is far more chaotic.
And for me that's where the problem lies. It's the chaos....it's almost impossible to follow what's going on properly because the camera is swooping around or sand is falling from the ceiling or something else is blocking the scene.
On the other hand there's some serious quite disturbing moments where you do wonder just how panicked people actually are and it stops being a game. There's the shrinking room scenario (shades of so many horror films) where the ceiling ends up so low it's worrying.
My favourite was the 'glue' floor, knee deep glue and the poor woman stuck in it and her plaintiff 'I can't move' will stay with me.
I actually liked Steve Valentine....his profound amusement at tormenting the contestants is brilliant. He's the sophisticated version of TJ Lavin.
Must add though...I do hope someone paid the clean up crew and the animal wranglers the big bucks because it must have been hell to sort out the sets afterwards.
Overall it's a good fun watch...it's definitely different but for me the chaos robs it of that indefinable something that makes it a great show.
And for me that's where the problem lies. It's the chaos....it's almost impossible to follow what's going on properly because the camera is swooping around or sand is falling from the ceiling or something else is blocking the scene.
On the other hand there's some serious quite disturbing moments where you do wonder just how panicked people actually are and it stops being a game. There's the shrinking room scenario (shades of so many horror films) where the ceiling ends up so low it's worrying.
My favourite was the 'glue' floor, knee deep glue and the poor woman stuck in it and her plaintiff 'I can't move' will stay with me.
I actually liked Steve Valentine....his profound amusement at tormenting the contestants is brilliant. He's the sophisticated version of TJ Lavin.
Must add though...I do hope someone paid the clean up crew and the animal wranglers the big bucks because it must have been hell to sort out the sets afterwards.
Overall it's a good fun watch...it's definitely different but for me the chaos robs it of that indefinable something that makes it a great show.
Very entertaining! Great hosts!
seanbreeden20 November 2008
I have seen two episodes so far and I really like it. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows on TV. The host (Steve Valentine) is slightly evil and the butler Rupert is the creepy silent type. I like Steve Valentine's insane heartless millionaire performance for this show.
Just when I think I've seen it all, this show surprises me. Even though I know its a game and the rooms are carefully constructed for the show, I can't help but to be impressed with how scary they have made everything. My hat is off to the set designers!
Another big plus for me is that the contestants seem down to earth and real, which is something that appeals to me when watching a reality show.
I look forward to seeing the next episode!
Just when I think I've seen it all, this show surprises me. Even though I know its a game and the rooms are carefully constructed for the show, I can't help but to be impressed with how scary they have made everything. My hat is off to the set designers!
Another big plus for me is that the contestants seem down to earth and real, which is something that appeals to me when watching a reality show.
I look forward to seeing the next episode!
A hybrid of horror and competition reality TV... awesome!
peterdfinn22 August 2009
This is a show that was broadcast on Syfy (then called the Sci Fi Channel) for six episodes. For some reason, a lot of people really dislike it. But I am a fan of horror movies and a fan of some competition reality shows, so this was right up my alley (this is also why I liked 13: Fear Is Real). Basically, seven people come to a mansion and visit three rooms in the house. These rooms are rigged with various things that are designed to scare them (for example, snakes, floods, electric shocks, etc.). But there is also cash hidden in these rooms. The contestants try to grab as much money as they can. But they shouldn't stay too long because the last person in the room gets locked in and is out of the game. When the remaining contestants have returned, the money is counted, and the one who brought back the least is also out of the game. One of the things I like about this show is that, unlike a lot of other competition reality shows, each episode is self-contained (that is, each episode has a new set of contestants). This show isn't on anymore, but you can watch the episodes on YouTube and Hulu. You can also buy episodes from iTunes. I would definitely check this out.
UPDATE: I recently saw Zondra from Episode 1 in an infomercial. And I recognized her instantly. How much of a coincidence is that?
UPDATE: I recently saw Zondra from Episode 1 in an infomercial. And I recognized her instantly. How much of a coincidence is that?
What a brilliant show!!! Two rooms discussed, not much of a spoiler..
trcer117 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
What a great original game show. Steve Valentine is perfect in his role as the host, raised in an ungodly estate. Each show the creators come up with new creative rooms for the contestants to muck through in a mad dash for the cash. The "Electric Room": The cash is wrapped in metal connecting to the electrical grid. That was brilliant! They just weren't being shocked as they crawled throughout the room, they knew for each wad of cash they would try to unroll they were going to get shocked every second spent trying to unroll it. The balloon room, how creative was that. The "Kitchen": with the faux linoleum floor which is some sort of glue paste that all the contestants get totally stuck in. The girl is down on all fours crying and begging for help because she can't pick up her hands or feet. As soon as one week's episode ends I eagerly await the next, wondering what new rooms the contestant will face. I hope Sci-Fi doesn't wait till the fall for the next season. Have it ready by the spring!!
Funnier than I remembered
robwilldoit21 July 2020
Dreadful. A cornball, cheesy show with a smarmy unfunny and unscary British host...
garypage15 November 2008
"Fear Factor" will never go down in the annuals of being a great television series. It will probably never be fondly remembered by anyone twenty years from now, but "Fear Factor" had its good moments from time to time with Joe Rogan actually displaying some empathy towards the contests if the situation called for it. Joe Rogan had a heart if he wanted to show it.
But the British host of "Estate of Panic" lacks any sort of semblance to a real human being as he "pretends" to own a haunted house that dim-witted contests blunder through in an attempt to earn some money. The funny/scary lines that he spouts out are neither funny nor scary. (Count Floyd from SCTV almost seems like a real person compared to whoever it is Steve Valentine is trying to portray.) The stunts the contests go through are neither interesting nor horrific.
I guess the big tip-off should be that the show's writers couldn't even bother coming up with a name for the host of the show and he is merely listed as "Estate Host." At least, the silent butler in the haunted estate has a name, but he adds absolutely nothing to the show and he probably would have been better off being nameless in this mess of a show.
But the British host of "Estate of Panic" lacks any sort of semblance to a real human being as he "pretends" to own a haunted house that dim-witted contests blunder through in an attempt to earn some money. The funny/scary lines that he spouts out are neither funny nor scary. (Count Floyd from SCTV almost seems like a real person compared to whoever it is Steve Valentine is trying to portray.) The stunts the contests go through are neither interesting nor horrific.
I guess the big tip-off should be that the show's writers couldn't even bother coming up with a name for the host of the show and he is merely listed as "Estate Host." At least, the silent butler in the haunted estate has a name, but he adds absolutely nothing to the show and he probably would have been better off being nameless in this mess of a show.
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