New Starz show takes place in ‘haunted’ CT

Over the years, Connecticut has been a constant source of inspiration for the horror movie community. From the haunted hallways of Yankee Pedlar Inn found in “The Innkeepers” to the shores of the fictional Crystal Lake in “Friday the 13th: Part 2,” Connecticut’s horror roots run deep.

Starz’s new horror-comedy show, “Shining Vale,” set in Connecticut, is adding to the state’s reputation as a horror capital.

“Shining Vale,” which premiered March 6, tells the story of a couple going through marital troubles; they purchase a mansion in the fictional town of Shining Vale, Conn. But just as they begin to settle into their new home, haunted happenings begin to surround the family. Slowly, the couple, portrayed by Courteney Cox and Greg Kinnear, realize the home has a grisly history, and only Cox’s character, Pat, can see the ghost of a supposed killer.

Despite not being filmed in Connecticut (but rather the Warner Bros. lot in California), the town of “Shining Vale” bears a similarity to the rural towns of Litchfield

County. Context clues from the trailer and the show description could place the town of Shining Vale in a similar part of the state as the fictional Stars Hollow from “Gilmore Girls.”

“We shot the first episode in South Pasadena, where we found this amazing house; then, somehow, they managed to create this whole universe on the lot. Just the transformation of that has been amazing,” Kinnear told the Boston Globe.

Also starring Sherilyn Fenn (”Twin Peaks”) and Mira Sorvino (”Mighty Aphrodite” and “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion”) in recurring roles, the new series pays homage to the classic horror genre while interjecting comedic elements similar to CBS’ “Ghosts,” according to Deadline. Though horror elements are prevalent throughout its story, the first two episodes of “Shining Vale” deliver on its promise of a horror-comedy, with plenty of raunchy jokes to counteract the haunts.

The eight-episode series airs on Sundays. According to IMDB, there is no news as to whether this will be a limited series or if the show will have a second season.

Michael Kovac / Getty Images From left, Judith Light, Dylan Gage, Gus Birney, Jeff Astrof, Mira Sorvino, Merrin Dungey, Courteney Cox, Greg Kinnear and Alysia Reiner attend the “Shining Vale” premiere in Los Angeles on Feb. 28.