R.G. Armstrong

Welcome to the Friday The 13th The Series rewatch. Each day throughout October, we’ll watch one episode of the seminal 1987 television series and tackle the highs, the lows and Micki’s hair (of course). Now step into Curious Goods and peruse our cursed antiques, won’t you?

https://youtu.be/lEZgYhwDudc

S01E05: “Hellowe’en”

Wikipedia Plot Summary: The evil spirit of Uncle Lewis (R.G. Armstrong) crashes a Halloween party at the shop and seeks to re-enter the living world.

Director: “The Poison Pen” helmer Timothy Bond returns for his second episode
Writer: Bill Taub tackles his second Uncle Lewis episode after penning the pilot
Famous Guest Star: Outside of Armstrong, the only other guest star is midget Victoria Deslaurier as Greta, who doesn’t have a lot of acting credits to her name

The Amulet of Zohar

Cursed Antique of the Week: There are kind of two — the crystal ball and the Amulet of Zohar — though by default of being the only item that leaves Curious goods, I suppose the Amulet is the main object

Setting: A mortuary

Best Death: There’s actually only one death in this episode, so Greta the midget demon wins by default, even if her accidental death by chair leg is patently ridiculous and underwhelming

Quirkiest Add-On: Greta’s trap for Jack (Chris Wiggins) — a gated prison located in a generic-looking alleyway — fills me with so many questions

Character Bits: Jack was secretly in love with Uncle Lewis’ wife, Grace

80s Fashion Closet: OMG I’ve been so excited for this episode because of the fantastic 80s Halloween costumes and “Hellowe’en” did NOT disappoint. Obviously I preferred Micki (Louise Robey)’s Bride of Frankenstein look the most because it is all dramatic eye make-up, chunky silver belt, plunging neckline and sheer puffy sleeves

Kissing Cousins Incest Watch: Thankfully the outdated gendered comment flirtation that began last episode is put to rest here. In reality, the looming threat of Uncle Lewis basically eliminates the sexual tension between the cousins, aside from some very tight clutching when his ghost first appears

Halloween costumes/episodes are always welcome

What Works…

Following on the heels of the series’ best episode yet, “Hellowe’en” is another fun entry in the Friday The 13th The Series canon. It’s got a fun hook with the opening Halloween party, a nice returning guest in Armstrong’s Uncle Lewis and a large enough threat that everyone winds up playing a role in its resolution.

At this point in the series, it’s clear that the cast and crew are settling into their roles. The writing is starting to play to the actors’ strengths and the visual aesthetic of the series that Fruet established in the pilot episode has gelled (in addition to the recent inclusion of the slasher movie POV shot, which is now consistently incorporated in).

“Hellowe’en” also brings back the more sophisticated visual effects from the pilot. Uncle Lewis’ transformation from ghost to physical manifestation after touching the amulet is well done and there’s even a brief glimpse of a fireball right before his final showdown with Jim in the mortuary.

Plus: the sight of Louise Robey geting stunned by Greta’s demon powers before she levitates horizontally in the air to wind up in that coffin? <chef’s kiss>

Jack’s alleyway prison is an episode low point

What Doesn’t Work…

The episode’s biggest sin is that it starts off incredibly strong and then squanders its potential with a fairly middling second act. The Halloween party offers us a glimpse of the broader community, introduces a few potential new clients/characters and has loads of atmosphere (particularly the sequence where the mist oozes out of the crystal ball and the entire foundation of the building shakes like an earthquake). And then…Jim goes on a loooooong walk with a little girl and winds up locked in the most makeshift alley prison you’ve ever seen.

I get that Friday The 13th The Series is working on a fixed budget (and the special effects in this episode probably aren’t cheap), but damn if that alley prison isn’t the worst looking thing the show has ever created! And then leaving Chris Wiggins stranded in this sub-plot for a whole act — dealing with idiot passerbys and talking aloud to himself? It’s unforgivable! It also feels perfunctory, as though writer Taub couldn’t think up a more creative way to sideline Jim long enough for Uncle Lewis to pull a fast one on the dumb cousins and get the A-plot going.

The other complaint — which also likely relates to the budget — has to do with the endless chase scenes around the mortuary. By this point in “Hellowe’en” the action has picked up and everyone is back in the mix, but the lack of set dressing in the mortuary and the repetitive chase scenes are boring. The formula is as follows: Uncle Lewis directs Greta to take out the cousins, she wanders the halls, opens doors, and either captures them or they run away. Rinse/lather/repeat.

The fact that Greta is killed in a bizarre accident (she fatally impales herself offscreen on a broken chair leg) is especially disappointing. I’ll concede that part of my sadness is due to the fact that I liked Greta as a character and hoped that she might recur as a villain. RIP Greta.

Who’s down for a satanic ritual involving body swapping?

Stream of Consciousness Musings

Ryan’s friend Larry (David Matheson) is an idiot, but a lovable idiot. I do appreciate the visual reference to the opening of Carpenter’s Halloween in this first scene in Micki’s bedroom
Let’s dish on these costumes: as previously discussed, Micki is the Bride of Frankenstein. Jack is Merlin, I’m guessing? And Ryan is, what…a court jester?
It is unsurprising that Jack can perform magic and knows how to read Tarot Cards. Alas, the scene where he pulls a plum out of a partygoer’s cleavage has NOT aged well. That’s basically sexual assault, Jack, so maybe don’t, ok?
Upon discovering the crystal ball, Larry says: “Well if it had three holes, I could bowl with it.” I hated myself for it, but I did chuckle
I do enjoy how much Micki assumes Ryan is at fault. The minute that the shop begins to shake, she blames him. “What’s going on, Ryan? What did you do?”
The description of Ryan’s punch made me physically gag: “He made up something orange and brown.”
Hey, the black cat from the pilot briefly reappears!
There’s a bit too much exposition in the (maybe made up?) story about Uncle Lewis’ role in the accidental death of his wife, but I could barely pay attention because THERE’S AN ENTIRE SECTION OF THE STORE THEY’VE NEVER SEEN BEHIND THE BOOKCASE?! The secret room reveal is one of the greatest, weirdest, funniest parts about “Hellowe’en”
Directly from my notes: “Jack baits a couple of local idiots to pull open the gates using their pickup truck, then uses his “magic” to disappear”. The fact that this whole storyline takes 15 minutes is unforgivable
My favourite line of the entire episode (and maybe the series to date) is Micki’s lament that Uncle Lewis set them up because “he knew we’d have soft hearts!” I still don’t know how Robey managed to deliver that both earnestly and with a straight face
Micki’s levitation by Greta works not only because Robey’s facial expression is hysterical, but because it is genuinely unexpected. I’m always down for a midget pulling pranks on fully grown adults (see also: Don’t Look Now)
Two ridiculous moments: There is clearly no one inside the coffins when Jack pulls them off the conveyor belt. And then — in another moment that hasn’t aged well — Jack full-on smacks Micki across the face to knock her out of her trance
It occurred to me during the climax that this is the first time that we’ve seen Uncle Lewis and Jack interact! I would have liked more fireball tossing and less dramatic line reading, but as a first time encounter, this suffices
The “it’s secretly already dawn” twist feels like a hammy horror movie resolution, so I approve of its use here to dispel Uncle Lewis. Hopefully that’s not the last we’ve seen of him
The suggestion that there’ll be more shenanigans in two weeks when Friday the 13th occurs is enough to prompt an eyeroll from me, but I’m still kinda psyched? What’s coming next?!

I’m taking a quick one day breather to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, so I’ll see you back here Tuesday for Friday The 13th The Series episode six: “The Great Montarro” (whatever the hell that means)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNlVfJo1Z_g

https://youtu.be/2oLm5C1Or-w

S01E01: “The Inheritance”

Wikipedia Plot Summary: When Micki Foster (Louise Robey) and her cousin, Ryan Dallion (John D. LeMay), inherit an antique shop from their late Uncle Lewis Vendredi (R.G. Armstrong), they soon meet an old friend of Lewis’ named Jack Marshak (Chris Wiggins). He reveals to them that their inheritance comes with a devil’s curse.

Director: William Fruet, who is credited with multiple episodes of War of the Worlds, Goosebumps and Poltergeist: The Series
Writer: Bill Taub, who also wrote several episodes of Dallas and Relic Hunter
Famous Guest Star: Future Avonlea star (as well as mega talented director) Sarah Polley stars as devilish child Mary Simms

Sarah Polley is the real villain of “The Inheritance”

Cursed Antique of the Week: Veda, the talking doll who murders on command

Setting: The suburbs (shudder!)

Best Death: There’s actually only one death, but for my money the near death of Mary’s babysitter (Esther Hockin) — by telekinetic records, possessed stuffed animals and strangulation by skipping rope – is the most silly and fun

Quirkiest Add-On: There’s a random black cat hanging around in Uncle Vendredi’s car whose sole purpose is to scare Micki

Character Bits: Micki leaves behind a fiancé Lloyd (Barclay Hope). Since this is a pilot, I’ll be curious to see if Lloyd ever returns

80s Fashion Closet: Compared to where the series takes Micki’s looks, particularly her red mane, this is pretty understated. Still, I can’t help but love the 80s fashion on display the first night that she arrives at Vendredi’s shop: is she wearing a bathrobe or a trench coat? Who can tell?! The worst offender, however, has to be Ryan’s sales day look, which includes a button up shirt, tie and shorts(!) This outfit is criminal

Kissing Cousins Incest Watch: Aside from a few lines when Ryan protests Micki’s desire to sell the store and high tail it out of there to get back to Lloyd, the premiere doesn’t lean too hard into inappropriate cousin territory

Uncle Lewis (R.G. Armstrong) plummets to Hell

What Works…

As a pilot, “The Inheritance” is pulling double duty to establish both the premise and characters. The cold open, which introduces Veda the evil doll and the cursed object shop, goes a long way towards developing the series’ trademark dark, mischievous tone.

Fruet’s direction during this extended opening sequence — when shop owner Lewis Vendredi is plagued by ghosts before he is electrocuted and dropped down an elevator shaft to Hell — is particularly well done. Fruet keeps the camera moving, swooping and diving around the atmospheric ruins of the basement, to create a sense of excitement and unease. This opening sets the standard and acts as the blueprint for all of the action sequences to come.

The banter and camaraderie between Micki and Ryan debuts in slightly muted form, but that is understandable since they don’t know each other very well. Veda the doll and entitled brat Mary (Polley) is a good first case for the pair: it offers some mild scares (Fruet makes good use of the doll’s eyes) but it is also resolved relatively easily, leaving additional time to fully introduce the core cast and firm up the premise.

Plus Polley is (unsurprisingly) great at playing a petulant little girl. Mary is a terror in her own right and it’s a joy watching her get her comeuppance in the climax. Hmmm…maybe this is why I shouldn’t have kids.

Veda murders Mrs Simms (Lynne Cormack)

What Doesn’t Work…

Let’s be honest: dolls can be freaky, but they’re very rarely scary. Veda enables Mary’s worst qualities, but the malicious child is far more unsettling than her animated doll. At the end of the day, Veda is more of a master manipulator than a figure of terror, which is what makes the scene when Veda smothers (chokes?) Mary’s stepmother Irene (Lynne Cormack) so laughable. It’s clearly an actress holding a doll and screaming. That’s funny, not scary.

The same can be said of the climax, which finds Micki and Ryan battling Mary for Veda on an out of control Merry-Go-Round. Fruet does his best to make the entire playground sequence threatening, shooting from low angles and clouding the sky over with some primitive late 80s FX, but none of this can disguise the fact that it takes an eternity for two adults to pry a doll out of a young girl’s hands.

The fact that Veda essentially becomes dormant immediately afterwards and is easily placed back in the Curious Goods vault without incident also feels like a lost opportunity. There’s easily room for one last scare…but nothing happens. It’s a mildly underwhelming way to end the first case.

One final, minor quibble: Jack is essentially introduced and then sits out the rest of the episode. While Micki and Ryan are our defacto leads, the pilot episode doesn’t have a grasp on how best to utilize the third (older) member of the cast and it shows.

Just grab the damn doll, Micki (Louise Robey)!

Stream of Consciousness Musings

I love that the pilot episode literally opens on a dark and stormy night
Why would Mr and Mrs Simms bring a small child into an antique store and then expect her NOT to touch anything? Honestly, they brought this nightmare down on themselves
My notes when Mary first appears on screen: “OHMYGAWD is that Sarah Polley?!?!”
“Nothing’s for sale in here!” Well that’s just a terrible business model, Uncle Lewis
The flaming hooves footsteps coming down the stairs after Uncle Lewis and the demonic laugh is a nice touch
The switch to 80s sitcom music as Micky packs is a jarring transition, but I kinda love it
Is Ryan’s “turbulence” reference about Micki’s hair? I am SO psyched for her increasingly ridiculous hairstyles
The whole sequence when Micki gets locked in the vault with Veda, then winds up opening the trap door to reveal the hidden manifest in the ceiling is bizarrely convoluted
Good comedy: Ryan tells Micki that they’re selling the store over his dead body. Smash cut to the exterior of the store with sale signs all over the windows
Jack’s introduction as a hooded figure sneaking through the store at night is odd. It also suggests that maybe Micki and Ryan should learn how to lock a fucking door
Our demon terminology for the episode is “Dusins”, which describes Uncle Lewis’ devil worship/pact in exchange for wealth and immortality. The more you know!
Jack: “You don’t break a pact with the Devil.” Ryan: “You don’t? Why?” I mean, Ryan, come on man…
The episode ends with the store being renamed Curious Goods and a (re)confirmation of the show’s premise to reclaim every cursed item that they sold. But where to begin? CLIFFHANGER (dum dum dum)

See you back here tomorrow for Friday The 13th The Series episode two: The Poison Pen!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGgTLgLPg_o&t=3s

Friday The 13th The Series Rewatch: S01E05 – “He Knew We’d Have Soft Hearts!”

Friday The 13th The Series Rewatch: S01E01 “So Much For Innocent Playthings”