A PLACE THAT IS JUST AS REAL BUT NOT AS BRIGHTLY LIT. A DARKSIDE

One of the most prominent anthology series of the 1980s, “Tales from the Darkside” featured new stories of horror, fantasy, the occult, and science fiction every week. In addition to being scared to death, viewers would always learn an important lesson from each episode. In a decade packed with excellent anthologies, “Tales from the Darkside” stood out by being the only one to regularly provide viewers with truly unsettling and disturbing stories.

The goal of George A. Romero’s “Tales from the Darkside” was to bring the style of Romero and Stephen King’s “Creepshow” to television. There were initial intentions to adapt the popular “Creepshow” into a weekly anthology series. Romero allegedly failed to acquire certain Warner Bros. intellectual rights while at Laurel Entertainment. Instead, they created a series with the same level of fear and occasional camp as “Creepshow,” as well as the same spirit and freshness. Creepshow was then made into a television series years later in 2019 on Shudder.

George A. Romero, riding high on the success of his anthology horror film Creepshow from 1982, decided that television was the ideal medium in which to pursue his unique brand of horror. However, Romero preferred a focus on storyline over the comic book style of Creepshow or the fantastical wonder of The Twilight Zone. The anthology series Tales From the Darkside premiered in October 1983 with the help of Stephen King and Clive Barker and was picked up for syndication in early 1984.

It’s only fitting that the first episode of “Tales from the Darkside,” “Trick or Treat,” aired on Halloween, October 29, 1983. Gideon Hackles, played by Barnard Hughes, is a rich old miser who keeps his town in chronic debt in this film directed by Bob Balaban and written by George Romero. On Halloween, he opens up his haunted mansion to the people of the community, promising them prizes and debt relief if they can make it through unscathed. He thinks he’s safe to take advantage of the townspeople for another year, but things turn on him when an old hag shows up at his door. On Halloween, retribution and payback take the form of what he initially believes to be a prankster.

Fantastic, “Trick or Treat” set the bar high for a season full of excellent episodes. “Tales from the Darkside” featured a slew of famous authors from the horror genre, many of whom reworked classic works or contributed original stories. The works of Stephen King, Harlan Ellison, and Clive Barker were all featured. Many of the episodes were written by co-creator George Romero.

After accumulating 90 episodes, “Tales from the Darkside” was cancelled in 1988, but it continued to air in syndication for many years as a staple of late-night programming until making the transition to cable. Although Romero’s screenplay for the 1990 anthology film “Tales from the Darkside: The Movie” is considered a cult masterpiece, the series itself faded into obscurity for a while before making a comeback, which is currently being hailed by fans even to this day.

Episodes Recommendations –

10. The Geezenstacks (S03.E05)

9. Monsters In My Room (S02.E12)

8. Trick or Treat (Pilot Episode)

7. Seasons of Belief (S03.E11)

6. The Circus (S03.E01)

5. Halloween Candy (S02.E05)

4. The Last Car (S02.E19)

3. Inside the Closet (S01.E07)

2. Ursa Minor (Season 2, Episode 10)

1. Family Reunion (Season 4. Episode 16)