Rising From the Crypt: The Thing from the Grave
I may have left you hanging for a little longer than normal, but I’ve returned with gifts! First is a new edition of Rising from the Crypt, of course. Second, I present to you the best part of “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.” Of course I’m speaking of Teri Hatcher, and in lingerie, no less!
That’s right gravediggers and undertakers, Rising is getting sexy for this review!
Tales from the Crypt
Season 2 Episode 6 “The Thing from the Grave”
Directed by Fred Dekker
Starring Miguel Ferrer, Teri Hatcher, and Kyle Secor
Originally aired: May 8th 1990
Sourced from: Tales from the Crypt #22
At only about twenty minutes long, this episode goes by quickly, but they tell a solid enough story in that time. Teri Hatcher stars as a model, Stacy, who’s manager/boyfriend Mitch, played by the perennial bad guy Miguel Ferrer (trust me, Google him and you’ll know exactly who he is, even if you can’t name any of his movies off the top of your head). Mitch is an over-protective, jealous prick piece of human scum, and Stacy’s photographer sees all the danger signs. Devlin (way too cool of a name for a photographer) (Kyle Secor) offers Stacy safety after Mitch threatens him during one of their photoshoots.
Devlin gives Stacy a key to his home, suggesting she go there if she feels like she’s in danger from Mitch. Later that same night, she arrives at his home and the two begin an affair. Unfortunately for them, Mitch followed Stacy and becomes aware of their actions. Devlin gives Stacy a necklace that he received from an old blind woman, proclaiming his love for Stacy and that he’ll protect her no matter what.
While understandably upset, Mitch’s reaction is still unreasonable. He tricks Stacy into leaving Devlin’s place, thinking she was going to meet Devlin elsewhere so they can run away together. Getting Devlin alone, Mitch shoots him dead out of jealousy, and buries him in the nearby woods.
Stacy later returns to find Mitch in Devlin’s home. Knowing this can’t mean anything good, she tries to leave, but Mitch forcefully prevents her. Tying Stacy to the bed in her lingerie, Mitch confesses to killing Devlin and burying him in the woods nearby. When it seems like things are going to take a turn to an even darker place for Stacy as Mitch begins to undress while leering at her restrained body, Devlin returns from the dead, climbing out of his grave.
Returning to the house, Devlin interrupts whatever Mitch had in mind, drawing the cur outside. Surprising the half-dressed Mitch, Zombie-Devlin attacks him and drags him into the grave he just emerged from, keeping his promise to protect Teri Hatcher.
On to the rating…
If I did half foot grades this would have scored a perfect middle of the road 3 ½ feet deep, however since I don’t, we’re going with the weaker of the two grades since the show should be better, and an episode with a barely dressed Teri Hatcher, and villainous Miguel Ferrer really should have been one of the better episodes of the series.
The story wasn’t anything spectacular or all that original, but it was well serviced by the actors involved. The episode could have been better served had they given it time to develop, however in rushing the episode, they were unable to do so. I’m not saying a nude scene would have earned a better rating, but with Teri Hatcher at her most attractive, it wouldn’t have hurt.
Miguel Ferrer was the best part of the episode, but the character’s actions and motivations were too exaggerated. But then again, he was engaged to Stacy, so who knows how any of us would have reacted in a similar situation. Devlin was playing homewrecker in this situation and was technically in the wrong, sleeping with a spoken for woman, but in the end a) Teri Hatcher and b) she should have broken it off with her fiancé first.
Regardless, this wasn’t the worst episode of the season so far, but it certainly wasn’t one of the better ones. One of the best parts of the episode were the special effects for the Zombie-Devlin. I hope the series keeps up that quality.
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