‘Tales from the Darkside’ Retro Recap: ‘The Tear Collector’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

One particularly difficult lesson that we have to learn in life, is that not everyone has our best interests in mind, and what makes that lesson so painful to learn is simple. In that, we are taught from a very early age that people are for the most part… inherently good, and if they exhibit kindness toward us, and genuine care, especially if we or others are in need, we should trust that person. Because surely, they have to represent to the best of us and have a good heart and are eager to do the right thing whenever applicable. But alas, it doesn’t take long for us to learn in adulthood… that our parents' teachings are nothing more than a pipe dream, and that kindness isn’t always exhibited by a great human being.
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For there are unsavory people out there who know that being good toward others, builds trust and if they can gain ours, they can accomplish a goal or benefit their own agenda. Granted, these types of human trash are far and few between out there, and don’t represent the majority. But they exist and our painful interaction with them, one that takes us for a ride… teaches us the lesson in question and a great deal about the world and how to exercise caution with trust… regardless of the kindness someone exhibits. If anything, this lesson and the moment we learn it is top of mind today, simply because it is precisely what the next episode of Tales from the Darkside takes the time to put on display.

A feat that ‘The Tear Collector’ accomplishes by introducing us to a sweet woman named Prudence who… struggles with her emotions. For she tends to cry at the drop of a hat and that has left her sheltered unfortunately, to the point where she only has a handful of close friends. But a chance encounter with a handsome and dashing man named Ambrose Cavender opens her eyes to so much. In that, there are forces in this world she doesn’t understand, and that people will indeed take advantage of you to further their own agenda. For under the guise of healing and comfort, Ambrose collects Prudence’s tears to feed something otherworldly within and once their transaction for her tears is complete, Prudence will have to decide… to either leave her tears, and a part of herself, with this man’s ancient and mysterious collection of tears… or take charge of the moment and stand tall in the face of a man that has used her. 

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Which is… the perfect plot to explore/re-live the moment we learn that all-important lesson. For Prudence really doesn’t have a clue what the world is about and Ambrose totally takes advantage of her naivety and promises her the world… for those tears. A move that really puts on display how people like Ambrose in this world, say whatever they must and offer every charm they can to get what they want, and how easily we are sucked into such wiles when we are young and naïve and hopeful of our parents’ lesson. But thankfully, this ends happy when Prudence opts to take charge and teach him a powerful lesson, putting her far ahead of most of us. Since this lesson tends to end with us looking the fool, as we recover from the time we lost with that person, and the shame of being played like a fiddle. 
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But while this story does indeed encapsulate a moment, we’ve all experienced or will in life, there are still a bevy of wonderful horror elements present within this tale. For Ambrose, is clearly some kind of being that feeds off of sorrow. Making him a creature akin to something from Stephen King’s work, since some of his most famous monsters feast and dine upon emotions, and the unknown revolving Ambrose’s origins and what becomes of the person who completes the collection process, leaves a genuine sense of horrifying unease hanging over this story. Since there is mild implication that the tears are all that are left of those who give them to this mysterious monster and properly complete his collection process, allowing for our imaginations to run wild at the possibilities. 

In the end, this is just… a supremely unique and supremely engaging episode. Largely because of how it is mired in mystery and horrifying implications, but more so because… it features a wonderfully complete journey for Prudence. Since she grows before our eyes and comes to see the world for what it is and adapts to it and its quirks like the rest of us do. Giving us… a hopeful ending of sorts, one that reminds us that things get better as we learn and grow, which is unexpected for this series since it loves to scare and shock with endings. But that just speaks to the show’s versatility really, and as an added bonus, this is another episode filled to the brim with big names. Since Jessica Harper (Prudence) is horror royalty thanks to her performance in 1977s Suspiria, and Victor Garber (Ambrose) has been in well… everything, and there’s even a blink and you’ll miss it cameo from Eric Bogosian as the angry vagrant. And well… now that we’ve reached the end of this fascinating tale, it is time to our attention to a twisted one, that focuses on the cruelty we are capable of. Until next time, try to enjoy the daylight.

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