Since this show was made independently instead of under the auspices of a major television network, the producers behind this program had more opportunities to tell an often interesting and usually entertaining array of unusual stories that were more dependent on atmosphere and plenty of clever and quirky writing over big name guest stars and flashy special effects. Moreover, this series gave viewers a rare chance to see such character actors as Vic Tayback, Danny Aiello, Keenan Wynn, Eddie Bracken, and Barnard Hughes really sink their teeth into juicy lead roles. Better still, the most memorable episodes benefited tremendously from the presence of a neat and novel monster: The tiny little creature from "Inside the Closet," the titular lethal spirit in "The Cutty Black Sow," the noise-eating vacuum cleaner-like contraption in "Hush." The frequently use of a single set due to budgetary constraints tended to work in this show's favor, with a strong sense of suffocating claustrophobia providing an extra unsettling edge. Granted, this series did suffer from admittedly threadbare production values and the comic episodes were decidedly hit or miss, but overall it was an extremely enjoyable show that offered proof positive that offbeat stories and inspired idiosyncratic writing can and do count a great deal more than a bunch of fancy-schmancy tricked-up razzle-dazzle slickness.
Review of Tales from the Darkside
