In an interview where Kris Straub is asked about fan sequels to Candle Cove, Straub decries the sequels due to indulging in what he views as unnecesary attempts to expand and explore the lore of Candle Cove and explain the origins of the titular show, explaining that the story's strength lies in its mystery. This unintentionally reveals the story's greatest weakness, and the reason so many seek out an explanation for the show's existence: Candle Cove the show, by itself, is not actually dangerous.
The realization that Cadle Cove is just a bizzare, creepy show a handful of children watched decades ago, nothing more, kills all tension in the story. The show isn't linked to strange dissaperances, suicides, murders, or insanity. At most, it caused one of the main characters some nightmares. The danger from the show is so incredibly mundane that the big reveal that it might only be viewable by children only creates massive Fridge Logic; why would a maliciously supernatural phenomena create a creepy puppet show just to scare a few random kids?
Nothing Is Scarier can only go so far to make something scary. After a certain point, there has to be something threatening, otherwise you're left with Nothing, no scary, just Nothing.
The Limits of Nothing Is Scarier
In an interview where Kris Straub is asked about fan sequels to Candle Cove
, Straub decries the sequels due to indulging in what he views as unnecesary attempts to expand and explore the lore of Candle Cove and explain the origins of the titular show, explaining that the story's strength lies in its mystery. This unintentionally reveals the story's greatest weakness, and the reason so many seek out an explanation for the show's existence: Candle Cove the show, by itself, is not actually dangerous.
The realization that Cadle Cove is just a bizzare, creepy show a handful of children watched decades ago, nothing more, kills all tension in the story. The show isn't linked to strange dissaperances, suicides, murders, or insanity. At most, it caused one of the main characters some nightmares. The danger from the show is so incredibly mundane that the big reveal that it might only be viewable by children only creates massive Fridge Logic; why would a maliciously supernatural phenomena create a creepy puppet show just to scare a few random kids?
Nothing Is Scarier can only go so far to make something scary. After a certain point, there has to be something threatening, otherwise you're left with Nothing, no scary, just Nothing.