Step 1 : Introduction to the question "What made for television movie starring Tara Reid was a surprise hit in 2013?"
...Sharknado is a 2013 American made-for-television sci-fi disaster film about a water spout that lifts sharks out of the ocean and deposits them in Los Angeles. It is the first installment in the Sharknado film series. It first aired on the Syfy channel on July 11, 2013, and stars Tara Reid, Ian Ziering, John Heard and Cassie Scerbo. The over-the-top premise and theatrics of the film quickly earned it a cult following. Five sequels were produced: Sharknado 2: The Second One, Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, Sharknado: The 4th Awakens, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming, and The Last Sharknado: It's About Time.