TalesfromtheDarksideSeason1

Tales from the Darkside Season 1 (1983-1985)

This is another of those shows that I remember trying to catch on syndication back in the days before TiVo made this sort of thing easy. This half hour long anthology series was a little different from the other shows that followed that format in that it just seemed to be darker. Many of the episodes end on a down note, which I think is sort of cool and appropriate for what is supposed to be a horror show. The episodes from season one, including the pilot that sold the series into syndication are for the most part solid with a few exceptions.

Highlights to look out for are I’ll Give you a Million which stars the late great Keenan Wynn as an elderly businessman who buys the soul of one of his equally unscrupulous peers for a million dollars. What he doesn’t know is that there was already a lean on that property and there will be hell to pay. Another great episode is Word Processor of the Gods, which is based on a Stephen King short story (more great talent involved in the show!). What happens when a miserable writer is able to rewrite his life with a magical word processor? Lets just say he makes liberal use of the delete key. Levitation is a cool story of a washed up magician and the kid that at first idolizes him then taunts him. Never ever anger an elderly magician with a heart problem; it won’t end well for you. Inside the Closet is a cool story and boasts the best creature from season one. That shouldn’t be too surprising considering that the director of this episode is Tom Savini. Not only does the creature that stars in the episode look good but there are several killer scenes that reminded me of the fears I had as a kid. The monster in the closet and the hand under the bed reaching for the foot are great images. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again that Savini not getting more directing gigs is a damn shame. But my favorite episode of season one is called The Odds. This stars Danny Aiello as a bookie named Tommy Vale who has a problem. He hasn’t had that many customers lately and the one that he does have is on a killer winning streak that is liable to break him. Tom Noonan (Monster Squad) plays the mysterious gambler who offers a bet for double or nothing on the exact time of Tommy’s death. This is a great episode that is well written and has an amazing cast.

Low lights for me include an episode about a crooked politician called If the Shoe Fits that I just didn’t like. Also All a Clone by the Telephone disappointed me by wasting an excellent cast (Harry Anderson and Dick Miller) on a lame story about an answering machine. Also the episode Answer Me about a killer telephone just fell flat.

I’ve already mentioned some of the talent involved in season one, but I’d like to mention a few more. A very young Christian Slater shows up in A Case of the Stubborns. The episode Mookie and Pookie stars another young up and comer Justine Bateman. Other actors that appear in episodes are Vic Tayback (The New Man), Bruce Davidson (Word Processor of the Gods), Carol King (Snip, Snip), and the one that had my inner Argento nerd screaming Jessica Harper from Suspiria (The Tear Collector).

Not everything that you remember watching when you were younger holds up well. There are many shows that as an adult I look at now and wonder what the heck I was thinking. But Tales from the Darkside is not one of those shows. I found myself just as entertained as ever by this show. Tales from the Darkside is a must own for horror fans and I highly recommend it.

3 ½ out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer