"Tales from the Crypt" Retro Recap: "Television Terror"

Written by Scotty

What is it that keeps you glued to the television these days?  It is a sound crime drama, or a spin-off of a Marvel story, or a reality series that has high hopes that a contestant will be eaten by a crocodile?  Everyone has their own thing that keeps them entertained to the tube these days, but one thing that all of the shows that capture your imagination is the excitement of what will come next.  I hate to say it, but if a show does not have some sort of excitement in it, it does not get the ratings and ends up being cancelled before the next season can start.

Shock journalist Horton Rivers has one goal in his life and that is to get the highest ratings possible.  With his producer, slash lover Samantha working in the booth, he his satisfied that he will be able to keep himself at the top.  Even though he is a prima donna and takes out all of his shows downfalls on the staff, he knows that they have been put there to make him even better.  And with his current investigation, he knows he will be back on top in no time.

Arriving at the Ritter house where Ada Ritter killed many of her male patrons, Horton wants to see if the house is really haunted like all of the stories have said over the past five years.  With advice from a psychic to steer clear of the home, since pure evil is lurking inside, Horton goes about his business and gets in the front door.  With no power in the building, Horton has to depend on the light from the camera to illuminate everything seen and unseen so he can bring all of the secrets of the house to the viewers at home.  With nothing happening on the main floor, or in the basement where the murders took place, the show goes to commercial, but that is when whatever in the house comes alive.

Hearing someone upstairs, Horton and his camera man go to investigate and find it too quiet, but when the camera starts to have a transmission issue, Horton has to check out a dripping sound that is coming from the bathroom.  Seeing a man with a slit throat, Horton tries to get his camera man to admit he saw the same thing, but all he could see was an empty bathtub.  But then the entire upstairs erupts with activity, as the chandelier starts to sway and all of the doors open and close with no one behind them.  Capturing some of this for the fans at home, Horton finds a blood trail that leads to his camera man’s final resting place.  Knowing that there is something supernatural happening around him, Horton calls for help from his crew, but the ratings are too high for them to pull him out.  Fighting for his life, Horton comes face to face with all of the men that were killed in the house, along with the homeowner, Ada herself.  Knowing she only wants to kill him, Horton yells and screams for his life making for great television, but these ghosts are real and Ada is looking to make him her next victim. 

I am one that loves a good haunted house story and this one has all of the right elements.  With the house coming alive, I was surprised to see all of the deceased working together after what had happened in the house five years earlier.  Horton only wanted to be on top and making sure that his staff knew this, his dream came true, but at what price?  Without getting help, Horton is faced with bringing the truth to the masses and has succeeded at his job and for that, he is a star in everyone’s eyes.  Starting Morton Downey Jr. as Horton Rivers and Dorothy Parke as Samantha, you can see two aspects of their relationship as Horton is telling her that she can be replaced, along with Samantha coming to life as the show has reached its new ratings plateau.  Until next time kiddies, Stay Scared.  

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