On August 30, Joe Bob Briggs and Darcy the Mail Girl will bring the latest season of The Last Drive-In to a close with Nightmareathon, a dusk-to-dawn marathon with six films celebrating six seasons and six years of the show.
Bloody Disgusting has an exclusive first look at the special’s key art and trailer, along with a chat with Briggs and Darcy.
The Joe Bob Briggs revival started in 2018, when he broke the internet with The Last Drive-In. What was planned to be a one-time special for the legendary horror host turned into one of Shudder’s flagship programs.
“I thought we were filming a one-off,” Briggs says. “We had no money and no real resources. We were just doing what we could.”
“I thought we were just gonna have one last goodbye special for you,” adds Darcy, “which you deserved because we lost you unceremoniously. And this has been a long goodbye!” The duo share the first of many laughs throughout our interview.
Briggs remains surprised by the camaraderie among The Last Drive-In‘s fanbase — lovingly dubbed the Mutant Fam — that lovingly rallies together around the show.
“I’ve done many shows, but I’ve never been associated with a show where the audience feels so much like they are part of creating the show — which they are! Because we listen to what they say and what they want.”
“To a point,” Darcy adds with a giggle.
“It’s very gratifying to me that so many people care about so much of what we do, down to details that we don’t necessarily know are important until they tell us that they are,” Briggs continues. “That’s the most interesting thing about this whole six-year ride.”
“That’s what was amazing about the first marathon,” Darcy says. “All these people finding each other at the same time, and a lot of them still, every frickin’ time we’re on, hang out with each other online. I just think it’s very cool to think there’s going to be who-knows-how-many people watching all at the same time talking to each other.”
The show’s sixth season adopted a biweekly format of single features, resulting in more overall movies spread out over a longer period, but the new schedule came with growing pains.
“I don’t like the biweekly format,” Briggs admits. “I make jokes about it. ‘Put it on the schedule with all your other fortnightly things that you do.’ But it’s difficult. People are always asking, ‘Is this a Joe Bob week?’ I think I’ll use my nonexistent influence with Shudder to suggest that next season we may go to a little bit of a different format — if we have a next season.”
“We have gotten complaints about them not having double features,” Darcy notes. “But I personally like that, because you’re not as tired. Let’s be fair; two is exhausting as much as you talk. No offense,” she assures Joe Bob.
“But also we get to pay so much attention to that one movie, which I really love. Because sometimes, if it’s two, it’s rushed because it’s taking so long — because certain people talk about hair dryers or whatever,” she playfully taunts Briggs’ penchant for rants.
Briggs is quick to respond when asked about a highlight of the season. “I liked doing National Grilled Cheese Day. It’s the ultimate comfort food. We were showing Toxic Avenger, and we had Lloyd Kaufman on.”
“He was talking about grilled cheese for months,” Darcy recalls. “He was like, ‘I can’t wait for Grilled Cheese Day. This is gonna be so great!’ I’m so happy so many people played along, because he was so excited for grilled cheese.”
The cohosts coyly avoid spoiling any of the surprises that they have in store for Nightmareathon, but Briggs hints at one of the special guests that will be joining the fun.
“Well, we’re gonna be up all night,” he smirks, suggesting that Briggs’ longtime friend and beloved USA Up All Night host Rhonda Shear may be dropping in.
He divulges that one little-known film will be a “big surprise” for Nightmareathon viewers. “There’s no connection between the six movies. The six movies are all over the lot, so we’re just gonna be ping-ponging around emotionally with stuff that we’re watching.”
Darcy’s description of the special is reminiscent of something out of a movie that might pop up on The Last Drive-In. “It’s like a big, long, stupid party where, at the end, everybody’s insane and just having the best time — with awesome scary movies.”
A rare modern example of appointment viewing, The Last Drive-In offers a “freewheeling family atmosphere,” as Briggs puts it.
“We have very lowbrow stuff and then we occasionally have very highbrow stuff on our show. We get both of those audiences. I’m always amazed when I get an email from a professor or one of those fancy European critics that writes the liner notes for the DVDs. It’s very interesting, because we’re making boob jokes and fart jokes,” he chuckles.
The Last Drive-In: Nightmarathon premieres Friday, August 30 at 9pm ET on Shudder TV and AMC+ TV and will be available on demand on both platforms on September 1.
The post Joe Bob and Darcy Reflect on 6 Years of “The Last Drive-In” and Preview Their ‘Nightmareathon’ [Interview] appeared first on Bloody Disgusting!.