“Open up! I have more tales to feed you!”
The Crypt Keeper (voiced by John Kassir) has opened his home again and he’s spinning tales of horror and terror. From cheating spouses, to pushy salesmen, to an ice cream man with a secret, to a mummy’s curse, to a photographer that is past his prime, the Crypt Keeper’s tales are dangerous and no one comes out unscathed.
Airing from October 1993 to December 1993, HBO’s Tales from the Crypt continued to be a successful anthology series and helped usher in the age of HBO’s dominance in cable television. The series was often commended for its effects and look and in this run Tim Curry was nominated for an Emmy for his performance in “Death of Some Salesmen” and “Well Cooked Hams” also was noted for its make-up and costumes.
“Oh Mummy!”
The earlier seasons of Tales from the Crypt were filled with so-so actors and must larger directors. By this point in its run, the series has decent actors and guest-stars but so-so director. The stories in the grouping range from the great “People Who Live in Brass Hearses” to middle run stories like “Oil’s Well That Ends Well”. With half-hour episodes it isn’t too bad if you get a stinker, but it is a disappointment when you can tell it isn’t going to be a good one (and it usually is pretty quick).
One problem I have with this season is it seems like there is a plethora of cheating spouses and often those stories don’t involve monsters. I kind of like the monsters and ghouls stories on Tales from the Crypt rather than the thriller-suspense stories. Even with this complaint, the episodes involving no creatures still manage to play it clever (like in “Till Death Do We Part”).
Tales from the Crypt was just a fun series and continues to be fun even five years into its run. This season has a number of fun cameos by actors and even has an appearance of the Crypt Keeper’s “voice” John Kassir in Oil’s Well That Ends Well”. Check it out for a fun, creepy time.
Tales from the Crypt–Season 5 Complete Episode Guide:
“Death of Some Salesmen”
5.1 Death of Some Salesmen Airdate: 10/02/93
A con artist salesman named Judd (Ed Begley, Jr.) preys on the newly widowed. When he ends up at the wrong address and meets a couple family targets (all played by Tim Curry), Judd finds the tables are turned when his greed gets the best of him. Adapts The Haunt of Fear #15.
“As Ye Sow”
5.2 As Ye Sow Airdate: 10/02/93
Leo Burns (Hector Elizondo) thinks his young wife Bridget (Patsy Kensit) is cheating on him. When one private detective (Adam West) fails him, Leo hires a new detective G.G. Devoe (Sam Waterston) in the hopes that he’ll get the truth. When the detective leads Leo to a priest named Father John Sejac (John Shea), Leo sets out to stop the affair. Adapts Shock SuspenStories #14.
“Forever Ambergris”
5.3 Forever Ambergris Airdate: 10/02/93
Dalton (Roger Daltrey) is a famous wartime photographer who has lost his touch. When Randolph (Paul Dooley) orders Dalton to take a young photographer named Ike (Steve Buscemi) on his next assignment with a troop led by Rock (Marshall Bell), Dalton grows jealous of Ike’s talent and his young wife Bobbi (Lysette Anthony). Rumors of a city of the dead leads Dalton to make the ultimate betrayal, but his actions have consequences. Adapts Tales from the Crypt #44.
“Food for Thought”
5.4 Food for Thought Airdate: 10/06/93
A sideshow performer named Connie (Joan Chen) can read the mind of her co-performer and husband Zambini (Ernie Hudson) but finds him controlling and demanding. When Connie dreams of escape with the bodybuilder Johnny (John Laughlin) from the show, Zambini kills him in a fit of passion…but Johnny has another admirer that wants revenge. Adapts Tales from the Crypt #40.
“People Who Live in Brass Hearses”
5.5 People Who Live in Brass Hearses Airdate: 10/13/93
Billy DeLuca (Bill Paxton) and Virgil DeLuca (Brad Dourif) plan the robbery of an ice cream man named Mr. Byrd (Michael Lerner) who put Billy away. When Billy and Virgil’s plan fails, they find Mr. Byrd has his own secrets. Adapts The Vault of Horror #27.
“Two for the Show”
5.6 Two for the Show Airdate: 10/20/93
Andy Conway (David Paymer) kills his wife Emma (Traci Lords) when she learns she’s leaving him after having an affair. When Officer Fine (Vincent Spano) takes up interest in Andy, Andy has to think fast to cover his tracks. Adapts Crime SuspenStories #17.
“House of Horror”
5.7 House of Horror Airdate: 10/27/93
Henderson (Jason London), Waters (Keith Coogan), and Arling (Wil Wheaton) are all pledging the toughest fraternity. At the menace of Les Wilton (Kevin Dillon) and Sparks (Peter DeLuise), the pledges head into a haunted house near the campus to impress a new sorority led by Mona (Meredith Salenger). Sparks and Les fake the horror, but a real killer might be inside the home. Adapts Tales from the Crypt #21.
“Well Cooked Hams”
5.8 Well Cooked Hams Airdate: 11/03/93
A magician named Miles Federman (Billy Zane) finds his performance failing and seeks a new way to entertain. When an old magician named Kraygen (Martin Sheen) brings Miles the hope of a trick that can impress everyone, Miles decides he’ll do whatever he needs to do to get it. Adapts Tales from the Crypt #27.
“Creep Course”
5.9 Creep Course Airdate: 11/10/93
Reggie Skulnick (Anthony Michael Hall) is struggling with his archaeology course taught by the tough Professor Finley (Jeffrey Jones). Reggie seduces Stella Bishop (Nina Siemaszko) in order to steal a paper, but Stella finds that Professor Finley and Reggie have some secrets of their own. Adapts The Haunt of Fear #23.
“Came the Dawn”
5.10 Came the Dawn Airdate: 11/17/93
Roger (Perry King) picks up a mysterious woman (Brooke Shields) who calls herself Norma on a stormy night. When he goes back to his cabin with her, a night of passion might turn into a night of death. Adapts Shock SuspensStories #9.
“Oil’s Well that Ends Well”
5.11 Oil’s Well That Ends Well Airdate: 11/24/93
Jerry (Lou Diamond Phillips) and Gina (Priscilla Presley) set out to con a group of men (Alan Ruck, Noble Willingham, Steven Kahan, Rory Calhoun) into investing into an oil field under a graveyard, but who’s conning who? Adapts Tales from the Crypt #34.
“Half-Way Horrible”
5.12 Half-Way Horrible Airdate: 12/01/93
A company led by Roger Lassen (Clancy Brown) works on a new preservative that could change the world. As the company prepares to premiere the preservative, the members of the ill-fated South American expedition that discovered it begin to die under mysterious circumstances. Adapts The Vault of Horror #26.
“Till Death Do We Part”
5.13 Till Death Do We Part Airdate: 12/08/93
An affair with the young husband (John Stamos) of a rich woman (Eileen Brennan) leads a waitress named Lucy (Kate Vernon) to trouble. Adapts The Haunt of Fear #12.
Related Links:
Tales from the Crypt—Season 1 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Tales from the Crypt—Season 2 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Tales from the Crypt—Season 3 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Tales from the Crypt—Season 4 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Tales from the Crypt—Season 6 Review and Complete Episode Guide
Tales from the Crypt—Season 7 Review and Complete Episode Guide
