''The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs'' is an American variety streaming television series created by

Joe Bob Briggs John Irving Bloom (born January 27, 1953), known by the stage name Joe Bob Briggs, is an American syndicated film critic, writer, actor, and comic performer. He is known for having hosted ''Joe Bob's Drive-in Theater'' on The Movie Channel fr ...

, Austin Jennings, and Matt Manjourides for Shudder. Briggs was known for hosting ''Joe Bob's Drive-in Theater'' and '' MonsterVision,'' and so Shudder decided to have him host a standalone marathon of horror movies of his choosing. The positive reception exceeded their expectations, resulting in a continued partnership. The series has four seasons and thirteen specials, with more on the way. The show follows Briggs as he hosts two or more films alongside Darcy the Mail Girl (Diana Prince), with cameos by production designer Yuki Nakamura, music supervisor John Brennan, and the occasional guest. The hosted segments include Briggs' "Drive-in Totals," as well as fun facts, rants, singing, comedy, interviews, awards, and performances.

Production

Over 17 years after the cancellation of '' MonsterVision'',

tweeted that Shudder had shown interest in reviving the series. An official announcement was made on June 25, 2018, that Briggs would be returning in a 24-hour marathon for the Shudder TV live feed. On July 13, Shudder aired ''The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs'' ("July 2018 Marathon"), featuring ''

Tourist Trap A tourist trap is an establishment (or group of establishments) that has been created or re-purposed with the aim of attracting tourists and their money. Tourist traps will typically provide overpriced services, entertainment, food, souveni ...

'', ''

Sleepaway Camp ''Sleepaway Camp'' (released as ''Nightmare Vacation'' in the United Kingdom) is a 1983 American slasher film written and directed by Robert Hiltzik, who also served as executive producer. It is the first film in the ''Sleepaway Camp'' film ser ...

'', ''

Rabid Rabies is a viral disease that causes encephalitis in humans and other mammals. Early symptoms can include fever and tingling at the site of exposure. These symptoms are followed by one or more of the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, ...

'' (1977), '' The Prowler'', ''

Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama ''Sorority Babes in the Slimeball Bowl-O-Rama'' (also known as ''The Imp'') is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by David DeCoteau, loosely based on the classic short story ''The Monkey's Paw''. Notable for scream queens Linnea Quig ...

'', ''

Daughters of Darkness ''Daughters of Darkness'' is a 1971 erotic horror film directed by Harry Kümel and starring Delphine Seyrig, Danielle Ouimet, John Karlen and Andrea Rau. Plot Stefan Chilton, the son of an aristocratic British family who was raised in the Uni ...

'', ''

Blood Feast ''Blood Feast'' is a 1963 American splatter film. It was composed, shot, and directed by Herschell Gordon Lewis, written by Allison Louise Downe from an idea by Lewis and David F. Freidman, and stars Mal Arnold, William Kerwin, Connie Mason, ...

'', '' Basket Case'', ''

Re-Animator ''Re-Animator'' (also known as ''H. P. Lovecraft's Re-Animator'') is a 1985 American comedy horror film loosely based on the 1922 H. P. Lovecraft serial novelette "Herbert West–Reanimator". Directed by Stuart Gordon and produced by Brian Yuzn ...

'', '' Demons'' (1985), ''

The Legend of Boggy Creek ''The Legend of Boggy Creek'' is a 1972 American docudrama horror film about the "Fouke Monster", a Bigfoot-type creature that reportedly has been seen in and around Fouke, Arkansas since the 1940s. The film mixes staged interviews with some lo ...

'', ''

Hellraiser ''Hellraiser'' is a 1987 British supernatural horror film written and directed by Clive Barker, and produced by Christopher Figg, based on Barker's 1986 novella ''The Hellbound Heart''. The film marked Barker's directorial debut. Its plot invol ...

,'' and '' Pieces''. The movies contained several interruptions for Briggs's "Drive-in Totals," insider stories, and rants. These segments also included Darcy the Mail Girl (Diana Prince), who showed up in movie-themed outfits to banter with Briggs and brought messages from fans, as well as live-tweeted with viewers. The show's guests were

Felissa Rose Felissa Rose Esposito, better known as simply Felissa Rose (born May 23, 1969), is an American actress and producer. Rose has amassed over 100 film credits, and is best known for her work in the horror genre, for which she is recognized as a s ...

from ''Sleepaway Camp'' and

Lyle Blackburn Lyle Blackburn (born Robert Lyle Steadham; October 23, 1966) is an American musician and author. Blackburn has authored four books and either narrated or produced several documentary films related to cryptids, and has been a speaker at multiple c ...

for ''The Legend of Boggy Creek''. Following the success of the "July 2018 Marathon," on September 5, 2018, Shudder announced the decision to greenlight two more specials for 2018 and a regular series beginning in 2019. For

Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in the United States, Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Philippines. It is also observed in the Netherlander town of Leiden ...

, Briggs hosted "Joe Bob's Dinners of Death" on November 22, 2018, cementing the shows format. Featured movies included ''

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' is a 1974 American horror film produced and directed by Tobe Hooper from a story and screenplay by Hooper and Kim Henkel. It stars Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow and Gunnar Hansen, w ...

'' (1974), '' The Hills Have Eyes'' (1977), '' Dead or Alive'' (1999), and '' Blood Rage'', with special guest

Michael Berryman Michael John Berryman (born September 4, 1948) is an American character actor. Berryman was born with hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, a rare condition characterized by the absence of sweat glands, hair, and fingernails; his unusual physical ...

, who played Pluto in the second film, and a phone call with "mangled dick expert" Felissa Rose. Next, Briggs hosted "A Very Joe Bob Christmas" on December 21, 2018, which was centered around ''Phantasm'', '' Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead'', '' Phantasm IV: Oblivion'', and '' Phantasm: Ravager''. Guests included franchise hero

Reggie Bannister Reginald Horace "Reggie" Bannister (born September 29, 1945) is an American musician, actor, producer, writer, and activist. He is known for his role as Reggie in the ''Phantasm'' film series. Biography Bannister is known for playing the gun-t ...

and ''Phantasm: Ravager'' special effects makeup coordinator Gigi Bannister. On February 28, 2019, Shudder announced that ''The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs'' series would formally premiere on March 29, 2019, consisting of nine weekly double features live every Friday night. The first episode premiered with ''

C.H.U.D. ''C.H.U.D.'' is a 1984 American science fiction horror film directed by Douglas Cheek, produced by Andrew Bonime, and starring John Heard, Daniel Stern, and Christopher Curry in his film debut. The plot concerns a New York City police officer a ...

'' and ''

Castle Freak ''Castle Freak'' is a 1995 American direct-to-video horror film directed by Stuart Gordon. The film stars Jeffrey Combs as John Reilly, an American recovering alcoholic who inherits an Italian castle when a distant relative passes away. John s ...

'' (1995), alongside guests Barbara Crampton, who played Susan Reilly in ''Castle Freak'', and Felissa Rose, the returning "mangled dick expert." On April 16, 2019, Darcy began holding weekly contests to see who could guess both films being hosted. Ahead of the ''Season 1'' finale, on May 22, 2019, Shudder announced their decision to renew the series for a second season. On October 7, it was announced that Briggs would return with a special titled "Joe Bob's Halloween Hootenanny" on October 25. Briggs hosted ''Halloween'' (1978), '' Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers'', and '' Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers'', with a phone call from Tom Atkins. On the day of the Halloween special, Briggs announced that on December 13, he would be hosting his next Shudder special, "Joe Bob's Red Christmas." Briggs hosted the movies '' Black Christmas'' (1974), ''

Jack Frost Jack Frost is a personification of frost, ice, snow, sleet, winter, and freezing cold. He is a variant of Old Man Winter who is held responsible for frosty weather, nipping the fingers and toes in such weather, coloring the foliage in autumn, ...

'' (1997), and '' Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2''. Darcy and Briggs honored Dinosaur Dracula with the first "Silver Bolo Award." On March 24, 2020, Briggs announced that the second season of ''The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs'' would premiere on April 24. From this point onward, seasons would consist of ten weekly double features every Friday. The premiere of ''Season 2'' aired '' Chopping Mall'', with guest

Kelli Maroney Kelli Maroney is an American film and television actress. She appeared in the films ''Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982), ''Night of the Comet'' (1984), and ''Chopping Mall'' (1986), and also appeared on television in the soap operas ''Ryan' ...

who played Alison Parks, and '' Bloodsucking Freaks'', with co-host

Chris Jericho Christopher Keith Irvine (born November 9, 1970), better known by the ring name Chris Jericho, is an American-Canadian professional wrestler and singer. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of the Jerich ...

. Later in the second season, Darcy reinstated the ''MonsterVision'' weekly caption contest for this series. "Week 8" saw the world premiere of ''Hogzilla'', starring Briggs, and featured Darcy listing the "Drive-in Totals." On July 14, 2020, Shudder announced that the series would return for a third season in 2021, along with a "Summer Sleepover" double feature on August 14. Briggs and Darcy hosted ''

Slumber Party Massacre II ''Slumber Party Massacre II'' is a 1987 American black comedy slasher film written and directed by Deborah Brock, and produced by Roger Corman. It is the second installment in the original ''Slumber Party Massacre'' trilogy, and stars Crystal B ...

'' and ''Victor Crowley'' in their pajamas.

, Adam Green,

Kane Hodder Kane Warren Hodder (born April 8, 1955)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905–1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com is an Americ ...

, Brian Quinn, and

Tiffany Shepis Tiffany Shepis (born September 11, 1979) is an American actress from New York City, who has been involved in film-making since the age of 16. She is popularly known as a " scream queen" in several horror films. Career Shepis got her start playi ...

joined them as guests for the second film. On August 20, Briggs confirmed that the next special would be held on October 23. The team hosted "Joe Bob's Halloween Hideaway," where they showed ''Haunt'' and ''Hack-O-Lantern'' from a new cabin set. On November 10, Briggs announced that there would be another special premiering on December 11, titled "Joe Bob Saves Christmas." During this special, Briggs and Darcy auctioned items for

The Trevor Project The Trevor Project is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1998. Focused on suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth, they offer a toll-free telephone number wher ...

, The National Women's Law Center, The Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, and the Organization for Autism Research on

eBay eBay Inc. ( ) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that facilitates consumer-to-consumer and business-to-consumer sales through its website. eBay was founded by Pierre Omidyar in 1995 and became ...

, while hosting ''Dial Code Santa Claus'' and '' Christmas Evil''. On January 19, 2021, Briggs announced that he would be hosting a Valentine's Day special with Darcy titled "Joe Bob Put a Spell on You" on February 12. Briggs and Darcy hosted ''

Tammy and the T-Rex ''Tammy and the T-Rex'', also known as ''Tanny and the Teenage T-Rex'', is a 1994 American science fiction horror comedy film directed by Stewart Raffill and written by Raffill and Gary Brockette. The film, which stars Terry Kiser, Ellen Dubin, ...

'' followed by ''

The Love Witch ''The Love Witch'' is a 2016 American comedy horror film written, edited, directed, produced, and scored by Anna Biller. The film stars Samantha Robinson as Elaine Parks, a modern-day witch who uses spells and magic to get men to fall in love ...

'', featuring an interview with director

Anna Biller Anna Biller is an independent American filmmaker who has directed two feature films. Biller considers herself a feminist filmmaker and consciously explores feminist themes throughout her work, including exploring the female gaze in cinema. She i ...

. On February 23, Briggs tweeted that the third season of ''The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs'' would premiere on April 16, and would be hosted at the cabin set.

Eli Roth Eli Raphael Roth (born April 18, 1972) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. As a director and producer, he is most closely associated with the horror genre, having directed the films '' Cabin Fever'' (2003) and ''Hoste ...

served as the co-host for both films during the ''Season 3'' premiere, which featured ''Mother's Day'' (1980) and ''

The House by the Cemetery ''The House by the Cemetery'' ( it, Quella villa accanto al cimitero) is a 1981 Italian horror film directed by Lucio Fulci. The film stars Catriona MacColl, Paolo Malco, Ania Pieroni, Giovanni Frezza, Silvia Collatina and Dagmar Lassander. It ...

''. On April 19, Shudder premiered "Just Joe Bob" on their streaming service, which features a permanent archive of Briggs' segments and commentary without the films. On June 24, 2021, Shudder announced that ''The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs'' had been renewed for a fourth season, along with additional holiday specials. On September 1, Briggs tweeted that he would be hosting a Halloween special with Darcy titled "Joe Bob's Halloween Hoedown" on October 8. On September 8, Darcy revealed that the Silver Bolo Award was discontinued by Shudder going forward due to controversy following Ghastly Grinning turning it down during the previous season. On October 8, Briggs and Darcy hosted ''

Angel In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles inclu ...

'' (1984) and '' Terror Train'' for this year's October special, alongside guests

David Gordon Green David Gordon Green is an American filmmaker. He directed the dramas ''George Washington'' (2000), '' All the Real Girls'' (2003), and '' Snow Angels'' (2007), as well as the thriller '' Undertow'' (2004), all of which he wrote or co-wrote. In ...

and

Jason Blum Jason Ferus Blum "Jason Ferus Blum was born in LA in 1969 to Shirley Neilsen, an art professor, and Irving Blum, an art dealer" (; born 1969) is an American film and television producer. He is the founder and CEO of Blumhouse Productions, whic ...

. On October 22, Briggs and Darcy revealed that they would be hosting "The Last Drive-In: The Walking Dead" on October 29, where they would watch the first two episodes of ''The Walking Dead'' Season 1 with guests

Greg Nicotero Gregory Nicotero (born March 15, 1963) is an American special make-up effects creator, television producer, and director. His first major job in special effects makeup was on the George A. Romero film ''Day of the Dead'' (1985), under the tutel ...

and Carey Jones. On November 17, Briggs tweeted that his team would be hosting a Christmas special titled "Joe Bob Ruins Christmas" on December 17. That night, Briggs and Darcy auctioned items for First Book, the

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to be the voice of victims and survivors of domestic violence. Based in Denver, Colorado. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence ...

, the National Greyhound Foundation, and the Appalachia Service Project, while hosting '' Ice Cream Man'' and '' 'Gator Bait''. On January 19, 2022, Shudder announced that Briggs and Darcy would be returning to celebrate Valentine's Day with a special titled "Joe Bob's Heartbreak Trailer Park" premiering on February 11. During the special, Briggs and Darcy hosted ''Black Roses'' (1988) alongside The Boulet Brothers, and ''Frakenhooker'' with guests

Frank Henenlotter Frank Henenlotter (born August 29, 1950) is an American film director, screenwriter and film historian. He is known primarily for directing horror comedies, especially '' Basket Case'' (1982), ''Brain Damage'' (1988), and ''Frankenhooker'' (199 ...

and James Lorinz. Then, on March 16, Shudder reported that the fourth season of ''The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs'' would premiere on April 29, celebrating their 100th movie on the platform. This season premiere featured Briggs and Darcy hosting their 100th film, ''

Night of the Living Dead ''Night of the Living Dead'' is a 1968 American independent horror film directed, photographed, and edited by George A. Romero, with a screenplay by John Russo and Romero, and starring Duane Jones and Judith O'Dea. The story follows seven pe ...

'' (1968), with guest host

Svengoolie ''Svengoolie'' is an American hosted horror movie television program. The show features horror and science fiction films and is hosted by the eponymous character Svengoolie, who was originally played by Jerry G. Bishop from 1970 to 1973, before ...

, as well as the first movie that Briggs ever reviewed on his column, ''

Antropophagus ''Antropophagus'' (also known as ''Anthropophagus: The Beast'', ''The Savage Island'', and ''The Grim Reaper'') is a 1980 Italian horror film directed by Joe D'Amato and co-written by D'Amato and George Eastman, who starred in the film as a cann ...

'', with guest mail girl Honey Michelle Gregory. Later, on June 30, Shudder green-lit a fifth season of the series along with additional holiday themed specials. This was followed by an announcement on August 12 that the next holiday special, "Joe Bob’s Haunted Halloween Hangout," would be held on October 21. That night, Briggs and Darcy were joined by Cassandra Peterson for '' Elvira's Haunted Hills'', as well as

Jill Schoelen Jill Marie Schoelen (born March 21, 1963) is an American former actress. She is best known for ''Chiller'' (1985), '' The Stepfather'' (1987), '' Cutting Class'' (1989), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (1989), '' Popcorn'' (1991), '' Rich Girl'' (1 ...

for '' Popcorn'' (1991). On November 17, it was revealed the Briggs and Darcy would be returning for a Christmas special titled "Joe Bob's Ghoultide Get-Together" on December 16.

Episodes

Season 1 (2019)

Season 2 (2020)

Season 3 (2021)

Season 4 (2022)

Specials

References

External links

Official website
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs 2018 American television series debuts 2010s American horror television series 2010s American variety television series 2010s American television series 2020s American horror television series 2020s American variety television series Horror movie television series American horror fiction television series Horror fiction web series Midnight movie television series English-language television shows Shudder (streaming service) original programming Television shows filmed in Texas Television shows filmed in New Jersey