"Tales from the Darkside" (1984)TV series 1984-1988

Directors:

Richard Blackburn
Allen Coulter

Writers:

Franco Amurri (writer) (episode)
Mark Patrick Carducci (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

30 September 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Fantasy

Plot:

Each episode of this TV series depicts a short, strange tale...with a twist! With eerie stories vaguely...

Plot Keywords:

Anthology

Awards:

2 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sun. July 27	5:00 AM	SCIFI	The Deal	#4.12
Sun. July 27	5:30 AM	SCIFI

Cast

Paul Sparer	...	Narrator (9 episodes, 1984-1988)
Catherine Battistone	...	Telephone Voice / ... (8 episodes, 1984-1988)
John Marzilli	...	Gad / ... (4 episodes, 1985-1987)

Runtime:

30 min (92 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:15 (some episodes) | Iceland:16 | USA:TV-14 | UK:PG (some episodes)

Company:

Laurel Entertainment Inc.

Trivia:

Famed horror writer Stephen King contributed two stories to the series: "Word Processor of the Gods" and "Sorry, Right Number." Both have subsequently been reprinted in the author's anthology works.

Quotes:

[opening narration]
Narrator: Man lives in the sunlit world of what he believes to be reality. But... there is, unseen by most, an underworld, a place that is just as real, but not as brightly lit... a Darkside.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Operation Double 007 (#6.8)" (1993)

"The height of televisual art."

The premise which inspired "Distant Signals" is guaranteed to ignite the inspiration of anyone who has loved the characters of a TV series. Mr. Smith (Lenny Von Dohlen), an otherworldly visitor, approaches the creator of a 1965 detective series (David Margulies) which was canceled in mid-season. This "fan" offers him $2 million - in gold - to write and direct six more episodes, including a vital series finale, which will remove the wandering hero from "limbo." Darren McGavin, with heartbreaking pathos, portrays the actor who is physically and metaphysically transformed from an aging dead-drunk bartender into his former self as a mythic star. This peculiarly "impossible," yet patently real idea glows with magic and life as an example of how a mere half hour installment of a small screen anthology can represent "the height of televisual art."