‘Amazing Stories’ (2020) Recap: ‘The Cellar’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

​There was a time, where anthology stories were quite the popular thing on television. Because there was something unique and refreshing about seeing a television series take the time to offer up complete stories with fresh characters and plotlines on a weekly basis and oddly enough, horror led the way in this particular style of storytelling. But eventually, NBC saw an opportunity to tell these kinds of tales in wholesome fashion and they tapped director/producer Steven Spielberg to bring a weekly prime-time anthology to life and just like that, Amazing Stories was born, and it was… magical. Because week in and week out, stories of the fantastical played out on the screen, and you never quite knew what kinds of twists and turns these stories were going to offer up.
 
But alas, the concept never quite caught on with everyday audiences and after two seasons, this fascinating series, disappeared from the airwaves. And oddly enough, its exit seemingly began the decline for anthology horror as well since those shows eventually went off the air on broadcast TV and gravitated instead to cable. But as time has gone on, our love of this style of show has slowly brought the anthology series back to life and as fate would have it, Amazing Stories has been given a brand-new opportunity to tell incredible tales once again on Apple TV+. And it just so happens that the series premiere of this new iteration of the show is actually quite good since it focuses on everything that made the series great in the first place.
 
After all, ‘The Cellar’ immediately pulls out the big guns by giving us a fish out of water story involving a man named Sam Taylor who unexpectedly travels through time thanks a strange set of natural circumstances and that’s really about as in line as it gets for this series. But while the science fiction aspect of the story works like a charm, and it is wonderful to be surrounded by fantastical storytelling once again, it doesn’t take long for the viewer to realize that this new iteration of the series is vastly different and better than its predecessor. Which may sound blasphemous in nature, but let’s be honest here. The original 80s series only ran for a half an hour, and that greatly hampered the 80s version from telling a fully realized and fleshed-out story, something that is rectified here.
 
For this particular episode runs for nearly a full hour and that allows for the script to unfold in natural and organic fashion and truly, the writing is what makes this episode work so well. Because this particular tale gives us a beautiful story involving two star-crossed lovers who truly don’t fit within their own respective time period. For Sam is a man who cannot focus since his modern life is full of too many choices, and dear Evelyn Porter is a turn of the century woman born too early since she dreams of a world where women are viewed as something more than an afterthought. And these two elements immediately suck you into the story because you want to see these lovers find a path forward where they can both have what they want and that leads to a powerful ending that won’t be spoiled here in the slightest.
 
Because it is something that needs to be experienced since it will move you and wow you since it is unconventional and unexpected, and the wonder of this story doesn’t end with its quality writing and overall structure. For the acting here is also top notch since Dylan O’Brien and Victoria Pedretti, who play Sam and Evelyn respectively, sell every single moment of a script that is in fact grounded in wild concepts and fine acting is something that the original also lacked from time to time. If anything, this really was one slick premiere, one that really does manage to impress with its overall quality and truly it does give this reviewer hope for a bold new era for this nearly forgotten series. Because if the stories that follow this one maintains this level of quality, then we are all in for one incredible ride, one that will ignite our imagination like never before. Until next time.  

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