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IrelandDead Meat returns to Crystal Lake, with Pamela in focus
The Friday the 13th prequel brings Linda Cardellini's performance and the Kill Count's own beginnings into the conversation.
Dead Meat
Story of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 714,274 views a day, 7.4 times a normal first day on this channel (96,030).
Crystal Lake Season 1 (2026) KILL COUNT
Dead Meat began its Kill Count series with Friday the 13th. Returning to that world for "Crystal Lake Season 1 (2026) KILL COUNT" gives James A. Janisse a different assignment: a prequel series, with viewers paying particular attention to the woman behind Jason Voorhees.
The upload drew roughly 569,000 views in its first 15 hours, already well beyond the channel's usual full-day audience for regular videos. Its comment section was nearly ten times as busy as a typical first day, too.
Much of that conversation centers on Linda Cardellini's Pamela Voorhees. Viewers discuss the series as Pamela's origin story, rather than simply an explanation of how Jason became a horror icon. Several focus on the contrast between her early maternal warmth and the character familiar from the original film. Others use the episode to make a broader case for Cardellini getting substantial leading roles.
The Kill Count is sponsored, and that arrangement is itself a recurring subject in the comments. Viewers point to the team's editorial freedom and behind-the-scenes access as the important parts of the partnership. Those details are their account of the arrangement, not a reason to treat the episode as an independent, unsponsored review.
For longtime viewers, there is also a very specific full-circle detail: the franchise that supplied Dead Meat's first Kill Count is now the subject of an official partnership. Several commenters remember exactly where the series started.
Published on Trari
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What viewers say
Kinda crazy how this channel started with Friday part 1, and now they're officially partnered with the series
@loselot6044See it on YouTubeThis show made me realize Linda Cardellini is in this weird area of not getting her flowers as an actress. She's been steadily working and is always been considered quite good, but much like Judy Greer, she's been relegated to side characters and "best friend" roles and never got many major roles to truly shine and show what she's capable of.
@Eviltwin531See it on YouTubeI admit I rolled my eyes when we were getting a Friday the 13th prequel, but learning it’s a Pamela origin story and not a Jason origin story is a huge relief.
@JoracleSee it on YouTube
5 more comments
An officially sponsored Kill Count on a recently released show where the team is given complete freedom? These are kinds of days that make grown men cry.
@SirAsdfSee it on YouTubeEarly access, no copyright claim, access behind the scenes, AND no restrictions for the review; sounds like the perfect reason to accept the sponsorship. Even being offered it in the first place speaks to how far yall have come with the channel, keep up the great work :D
@DPadGamerSee it on YouTubeIf Linda Cardellini doesn’t win an award for her performance in this show, they’re missing the opportunity to do so.
@GunnarBarkerSee it on YouTubeImagine how past James would feel if he saw how large and influential his channel would become. This is amazing!
@UnemployedLoserSee it on YouTubeI really hope that Crystal Lake get's a Season 2.
@Slayerzilla54See it on YouTube
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- Channel
- Dead Meat
- Subscribers
- 7,060,000 ▲ 10,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 10,536,304
- Channel views, pace per day
- 1,588,321 (on a normal day: 1,390,788)
- Video published
- October 25, 2026
- Video views so far
- 568,665 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 714,274
The numbers
Crystal Lake passed Dead Meat's usual first-day views well before its first day was complete. Comments also came in far above the channel's ordinary first-day total.
💡 Test your knowledge
Who played Pamela Voorhees in the original Friday the 13th?
Betsy Palmer played Pamela Voorhees in the 1980 film.