Salvadore1

Item #: SCP-4031

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: The nature of SCP-4031's transmission makes it difficult to contain. All devices containing a program infected by SCP-4031, such as DVDs and VHS tapes, are to be immediately recalled using a front company. Any program suspected of SCP-4031 infection is to be pulled from all television channels, as well as from streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. Anyone outside of the Foundation will be prohibited from viewing the program until such time as SCP-4031 has left the program and the show has returned to normal. One D-class that has undergone psychological screening is to view one episode of the SCP-4031-affected series every day until one of the two conditions for its departure has been met. In order to minimize risk of psychological damage or of SCP-4031’s existence being leaked, only one person is to view each affected series. Any D-class found breaking these rules should be administered Class-A amnestics and assigned to maintenance of a Keter-class SCP. In addition, Class-A amnestics are to be administered via gaseous distribution in every area where the SCP-4031-infected program has been viewed.

Description: SCP-4031 is an anomalous effect that targets television series. It is impossible to know whether a series has been affected by SCP-4031 until the appearance of SCP-4031-1. SCP-4031 seems to have no preference or pattern in what type of show it targets; it has been known to affect shows of all genres, both live action and animated, and both completed and in-progress series. However, its effects appear to be restricted to episodic, scripted programs, meaning movies, livestreams, and improvised videos such as “Let's Plays” cannot be targeted.

The show will proceed as initially written for an random amount of time, which can be anywhere from several episodes to several seasons. After this period of normalcy is complete, one recurring character (hereafter referred to as SCP-4031-1) will disappear for one episode; any lines SCP-4031-1 would normally speak will be replaced with silence, and they will not be seen in their scripted positions. The plot will proceed as normal, and all other characters will be unaware of any change. SCP-4031-1 can be a main character or a supporting character, as long as they appear more than once in the series.

SCP-4031-1 will return at the beginning of the next episode and act normally, though one minor physical feature will be different: for example, they may be slightly taller or shorter, or have a slightly different hair or eye color. The show will proceed as scripted, though other characters will show signs of slight discomfort around SCP-4031-1. Over the course of this episode and the next, SCP-4031-1 will gradually begin to mutate into a monstrous form, hereafter referred to as SCP-4031-2. SCP-4031-2 will often have sharp teeth or claws and be significantly larger than it was, and usually appears similarly to an animal or insect, albeit more deadly; despite this change in appearance, SCP-4031-2 will always keep the face of the original character it mutated from, though it will often be distorted, stretched, and/or cut and bleeding.

During the next episode after this change, SCP-4031-2 will select one character at random and, at a random point in the episode where that character is on screen with SCP-4031-2, violently attack them, resulting in their death. It will then consume the body completely, leaving no trace of the dead character.

SCP-4031-2 will repeat this pattern- two episodes of dormancy and one episode of killing a character- until either (1): all other recurring characters are dead, or (2): the series reaches its most recent episode. During the two dormant episodes, SCP-4031-2 will speak its normally scripted lines in an echoing, gravelly voice that sounds the same no matter which character has turned into SCP-4031-2. However, these lines will sometimes be slightly different: a varying amount of scripted lines in every dormant episode will contain words or phrases that have been observed to appear in a majority of SCP-4031-affected series. These words and phrases are as follows:

1. “Hungry.”

2. “Let me out.”

3. “Freedom.”

4. “(Noun or verb related to the plot) doesn't/don't work.”

5. “I require (item, usually food or drink).”

6. “[REDACTED]”

SCP-4031-2 will also often repeat the names of the characters it is speaking to. During the third episode in the sequence, wherein it becomes violent, the other characters will usually attempt to flee or fight back; however, SCP-4031-2 demonstrates superhuman speed, senses, and strength, and appears immune to injury. SCP-4031-2 will always kill its target by the end of the episode regardless of how the target reacts, and will often repeat the above words and phrases, altering them to fit the characters’ reactions to it: for example, “Running doesn't work,” or “I require flesh.”

Once one of the two aforementioned conditions are met, SCP-4031-2 will revert back to its original form upon the airing of the next episode of the series. If the series has reached its end, it will revert once any other episode is aired. All dead characters will be alive and uninjured, and will proceed as if the events caused by SCP-4031 never occurred. Once this has taken place, SCP-4031 can be said to have left the series, at which point it is now safe to be released for public viewing.

Viewers of programs affected by SCP-4031 have reported nausea, nightmares, and an intense craving for raw meat, though no other abnormal behavior by said viewers has been documented.

Incident Log 4031-1: On the 13th of March, 19XX, SCP-4031 began targeting the situational comedy program Seinfeld, starting from S5E8, “The Barber”. Elaine Benes, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, was the character targeted to become SCP-4031-2, and so did not appear as scripted in this episode. By S5E9, “The Masseuse”, she had reappeared, though her normally curly hair was now straight. Her form as she mutated into SCP-4031-2 was feline in nature; its fur was light grey, matted, and frequently stuck upwards, and it had exceptionally large and sharp claws. Its first target was George Costanza, played by Jason Alexander, in S5E11, “The Conversion”. SCP-4031-2 attacked when it, George, and Jerry Seinfeld were all in the latter's apartment; it attempted to pounce on George, who screamed and ran to the doorway, but was intercepted by SCP-4031-2's pounce. SCP-4031-2 then used its claws to [REDACTED] George and ate his corpse, occasionally muttering “Freedom” or “Let me out”. In the next episode, S5E12, “The Stall”, her famous line “I don't have a square [of toilet paper] to spare,” was replaced with, “Sparing a square doesn't work,” and when SCP-4031-2 received this same response from the character of Jerry Seinfeld's girlfriend, it responded, “I require a square.” In S5E14, “The Marine Biologist”, SCP-4031-2 targeted Jerry Seinfeld, played by the comedian and actor of the same name, who was attacked during the final scene in Monk's Diner where the three living main characters were gathered together; he seemed paralyzed by fear, as he did not run or fight. In S5E17, “The Wife,” it killed Cosmo Kramer, played by Michael Richards, who attempted to fight back using a nearby knife. Due to the significant amount of recurring characters in the series, SCP-4031-2 continued its pattern until the end of the series. This was the first documented appearance of SCP-4031-2.

Incident Log 4031-2: On the 4th of April, 20XX, the animated children's program Garfield was targeted by SCP-4031. The character who became SCP-4031-1 was the title character, Garfield the cat; upon his reappearance, the stripes in his fur were now white instead of their usual black. His form as SCP-4031-2 was similar to a centipede, with black scales and many long & spindly legs. Garfield first targeted Nermal and Arlene (his feline rival and love interest, respectively), followed by several minor recurring characters. SCP-4031-2’s final target before exiting this program was Jon Arbuckle, Garfield’s owner. SCP-4031-2 initially approached Arbuckle, repeatedly stating “Jon, I require lasagna”; when Arbuckle refused, SCP-4031-2 flew into a rage and attempted to attack him. Arbuckle then hid behind a couch, but SCP-4031-2 sniffed him out, and when Arbuckle fought back, wielding a shotgun, SCP-4031-2 stated, “Bullets don’t work, Jon,” and promptly terminated him.

[Incident Log 4031-2 Addendum: Level 3 Access or Higher Required] [Collapse Incident Log 4031-2 Addendum] The usual containment procedures were utilized to deal with this incident. However, due to a clerical error, one affected person, an artist named William Burke, was not accounted for, and was able to avoid the amnestics. He has since drawn pictures of the SCP-4031-2 Garfield with captions featuring dialogue from the program and posted them on social media. Foundation agents are currently working to have these pictures taken down, Burke amnesticized, and any physical copies of the art destroyed.

There have been at least XX other recorded incidents of SCP-4031 infection; however, as the Foundation was successfully able to contain these incidents using the outlined procedures and nothing of particular note took place, they have not been documented here to avoid redundancy.