"Tales from the Crypt" Retro Recap: "The New Arrival"

Written by Scotty

Having children and helping them cope with their problems is a very difficult thing for a parent to do. Not always being able to help with things that they never experienced as a child could be one of the main reasons for that, but is not only limited to it.  Some parents are just not able to help with the issues and have to call in for some extra help from a doctor.  There is no shame in asking for help and most of the time it helps even more getting an outsiders opinion on the matter.

Doctor Alan Goetz is a radio psychologist who is trying to help out all of the parents in radio land with their troubles.  With his method of ignoring the child’s spastic behavior, Goetz believes that his method is best and the only way to cure the family dynamic.  But his boss does not think that, and with the ratings on the show falling, she is looking to take over his timeslot and give it to someone with a little more pop.  While listening to this, while taking a call from his number one fan, Goetz decides that he will go back to his roots and head out to the home of his biggest fan, Nora, to see what he can do to help the child in need.

Rona, his boss is not too happy with the actions, but there is little she is able to do to stop him.  Arriving at the house, Rona gets a shock from grabbing the front door and the homeowner Nora has to apologize for the actions.  Being very thankful for Goetz to be in her house, Nora tries to explain everything that has been happing with the love of her life, but when her Felicity starts to bang her head against the wall once again, Goetz puts a stop to the mother's loving intention of bribing her daughter to stop it.  When the banging stops, Goetz knows that his method of ignoring the problem has worked and tries to leave by selling Nora a copy of his book, but as he finds out, she owns all the problem child books in the market. 

Needing to find a way to talk to Felicity, Goetz and his producer Bonnie head up stairs and investigate the trouble maker’s room.  With toys galore and other things around that could make the knocking sound, the two believe that they have found the problem, Nora has a double personality.  Looking around the room, they find Rona’s body and want to get out of the house before something else happens to them.  Getting locked into the room, the try to escape through the attic, but that is no good as the ceiling fan lowers and takes Bonnie’s head clean off.  Tied up and waiting in the attic, Goetz wakes up and speaks to Nora about her problem once again and asks to talk to the child, but when he sees Felicity again, his mind is blown on who is really behind the mask.

What a deranged tale that only gets worse as you follow along.  With a know it all doctor only trying to help a woman with her problem to save his job, it seems like his heart was not really in it.  That is a sad commentary to the way some doctors work these days, only doing it to gather a paycheck and no other reason.  But when the problem comes and faces him straight up, he tries to change his tune, but that could be because he thinks he will be able to escape his new dungeon.  Starring David Warner as Dr. Alan Goetz, Joan Severance as Rona, Twiggy as Bonnie and Zelda Rubinstein as Nora.  Some of my favorite talents from the previous years are all able to make me remember how much I love the horror in everyday life, along with a strange daughter that may or may not want anyones help after all.  Until next time kiddies, Stay Scared.

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