‘Radio Rental’ is an eclectic archive of strange but true scary stories
Are you missing the world before Netflix? When Blockbuster ruled every street corner and the person at the front counter was either a greasy teenager or a creepy middle-aged man who always suggested weird films? Yeah, us too. But we aren’t too concerned, because “Radio Rental” is giving us even weirder experiences.
When you enter “Radio Rental,” you’ll meet the shopkeeper of the world’s most eclectic video store, Terry Carnation. You may recognize his voice, as it is eerily similar to Dwight Schrute, an equally bizarre character played by Rainn Wilson. He explains to you the name of his shop “Radio Rental:” Cockney slang for going mad. Inside the shop is an assorted array of diverse underground films, but it is most famous for its true scary story archive.
Each episode features two true stories that range from near death experiences to utterly dreadful occurrences. It’s a truly unique format, but every story is told by the person to whom these experiences happened. The first episode is from a man on the infamous American Airlines flight 63 from Charles De Gaulle to Miami. It is now known as Richard Reid’s 2001 shoe bomb attempt. Our narrator was on the flight with his father and brother, trying to make their way to family back in Nicaragua. He describes the experience, from the smell of smoke in the cabin to the screaming and fighting in the cabin. In those moments, the people on that plane (so shortly after the World Trade Center attacks) were not sure what was happening, but they knew it wasn’t good.
It wasn’t until they landed in Boston, where they had been diverted, that they learned just how dire the situation was. It had already hit international news, but our narrator knew the circumstances were life and death when the plane was being escorted by fighter jets into Boston. Because if that plane had been hijacked, it would have been shot out of the sky.
The second story was not as newsworthy, nor as adrenaline pumping, but still just as dreadful. And it only proves why you shouldn’t mess with strangers on the Internet: you never know when they may arrive on your doorstep.
From run ins with serial killers to people who turned out to not be who they said they were, “Radio Rental” will give you the creeps. Served up in a unique format, every episode will leave you wanting more. So come on in, but watch your step, you probably don’t want to end up on this show.
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