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List of Tales from the Darkside episodes

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This is an episode list for the 1980s anthology series Tales from the Darkside.

Season One

# Title Summary Original Air Date
00 Trick or Treat (Pilot) A hated and spiteful old man offers trick-or-treaters the chance to search his house for their parents' mortgages, only to terrify them with animatronic "spirits." Unfortunately for him, the old man finds himself the victim of a particularly frightening trick-or-treater.
Guest starring Barnard Hughes as Gideon Hackles, written by George Romero and Franco Amurri.		 October 29, 1983
1 The New Man Alan Coombs, a bad-tempered recovering alcoholic, meets a young man named Jerry who claims to be his son. Coombs insists that he's never seen or met Jerry before, but Jerry says otherwise.
Based on a short story by Barbara Owens and adapted by Mark Durand.		 September 30, 1984
2 I'll Give You a Million An offer to buy a friend's soul goes a bit too far, especially when the seller returns to reclaim the goods.
Written by Mark Durand and David Spiel.		 October 07, 1984
3 Pain Killer A man suffering excruciating back pain visits Dr. Roebuck, who prescribes a miraculous cure. However, the man doesn't discover the true price of the cure until later.
Written by Haskell Barkin.		 October 14, 1984
4 The Odds A shady bet handler meets the luckiest man he may ever know, who has a hand in the bet handler's past and an eye on his future as well. Confident that he can outwit the man, the handler makes a wager that may cost him more than he had bargained for.
Written and directed by James Sadwith.		 October 21, 1984
5 Mookie and Pookie A teenage girl discovers that her recently deceased twin brother's spirit lives on in a computer, but no one will believe her. When she tries to fulfill her brother's last wish by inputting data into his computer, her parents begin to get worried.
Written by Dan Kleinman.		 November 4, 1984
6 Slippage A man discovers that he is literally slipping from existence.
Written by Mark Durand.		 November 11, 1984
7 Inside the Closet A young woman taking up board in an elderly man's house insists that there is something lurking inside of the small, locked closet in her bedroom.
Directed by Tom Savini.		 October 21, 1984
8 The Word Processor of the Gods A man discovers his new word processor is more powerful than he could ever have imagined: everything he types into it becomes real.
Based on the short story by Stephen King and adapted by Michael McDowell.		 November 25, 1984
9 A Case of the Stubborns Grandpa refuses to believe that he is dead.
Written by James Houghton and guest-starring Christian Slater as Jody and Brent Spiner as the Reverend.		 December 02, 1984
10 Djinn, No Chaser A couple finds a lamp which turns out to hold a genie, who is extremely annoyed at being trapped for thousands of years.
Based on a story by Harlan Ellison and adapted by Haskell Smith and guest-starring Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.		 January 13, 1985
11 All a Clone by the Telephone An answering machine with a will of its own helps out a TV writer and gradually begins to take over his life.
Written by Haskell Barkin.		 January 20, 1985
12 In the Cards A tarot reader who attracts business by giving out only good predictions finds herself stuck with a new deck of cards--one which makes terrible predictions come true.
Written and directed by Ted Gershuny		 January 27, 1985
13 Anniversary Dinner An elderly couple take in a girl escaping from her boyfriend, just in time for their 25th anniversary dinner.
Story by J.D. Pass, adapted by James Houghton.		 February 03, 1985
14 Snip, Snip Confident that he is about to win the lottery, a man studying the black arts quits his job, only to find out that he has lost to a woman.
Written by Howard Smith and Tom Allan.		 January 10, 1985
15 Answer Me A ringing telephone with a life of its own bothers a woman in the room next door.
Written by Michael McDowell.		 February 17, 1985
16 The Tear Collector A young woman who can't stop crying meets a man who collects tears.
Written by Geoffrey Loftus and John Dimmer and guest-starring Victor Garber.		 January 24, 1985
17 The Madness Room A wife and her friend plot to scare a rich man to death in the cursed "Madness Room."
Written by Thomas Epperson.		 May 05, 1985
18 If the Shoes Fit... A politician's world is transformed.
Co-Written and directed by Armand Mastroianni, also co-written by David Gerrold (as N. Ward).		 May 12, 1985
19 Levitation A teenager talks a once-famous magician into performing his greatest feat of levitation, with disastrous results.
Written by David Gerrold.		 May 19, 1985
20 It All Comes Out in the Wash A laundromat offers to wash away the sins of its clients.
Written by Harry Jacobs.		 May 26, 1985
21 Bigalow's Last Smoke A man is imprisoned in his own home and subjected to psychologically intense experiences designed to force him to stop smoking cigarettes.
Written by Michael McDowell.		 June 09, 1985
22 Grandma's Last Wish An elderly woman makes one request of her unsympathetic family, who want to put her in a nursing home against her will.
Written by Jule Selbo.		 June 16, 1985
23 The False Prophet A superstitious woman travels by bus to Texas on the advice of a psychic machine. Before she reaches her destination, however, she comes across another machine that warns her against continuing on her way.
Written by Jule Selbo.		 August 4, 1985

Season Two

# Title Summary Original Air Date
24 The Impressionist The government brings in a failing comedian to try to communicate with an alien.
Written by Haskell Barkin.		 September 26, 1985
25 Lifebomb A life insurance company keeps its payouts low with a life-saving medical device with a price.
Written by Michael Kube-McDowell.		 October 06, 1985
26 Ring Around the Redhead A man sentenced to Death Row for a murder tells his story of a redhead... from another dimension.
Written and directed by Ted Gershuny.		 October 13, 1985
27 Parlor Floor Front A young couple learns that their tenant is a voodoo practioner. The wife sees the tenant as a danger and attempts to drive him out of the building, blaming him for various mishaps.
Written by Carole Lucia Satrina.		 October 20, 1985
28 Halloween Candy A misanthropic old man torments trick-or-treating children and is visited by a terrifying goblin demanding candy.
Written by Michael McDowell, directed by Tom Savini.		 October 27, 1985
29 The Satanic Piano A musician in a creative slump buys a revolutionary machine that reads the thoughts of a person and transforms it into music. However, the piano comes with a very high price, one which the musician may not be willing to pay.
Written and directed by John Harrison.		 November 03, 1985
30 The Devil's Advocate The rude host of a late-night radio show is so good at his job that he may even be offered a postion from a new employer.
Written by George A. Romero and guest-starring Jerry Stiller.		 November 10, 1985
31 Distant Signals A director is approached by a mysterious investor who asks him to complete a previous series, which was cancelled before the final episodes were shown.
Written by Ted Gershuny.		 November 17, 1985
32 The Trouble with Mary Jane A family offers $50,000 to whoever can rid young Mary Jane of the demons possessing her.
Written by Edithe Swensen.		 November 11, 1985
33 Ursa Minor A little girl's teddy bear causes trouble for her family.
Written and directed by Ted Gershuny.		 December 01, 1985
34 Effect and Cause A women lives life backwards, experiencing events before they happen.
Written by Michael Kube-McDowell.		 December 08, 1985
35 Monsters in My Room A little boy who fears a witch and a living buzz saw are in his room finds they are all too real.
Written and directed by James Sadwith and guest-starring Seth Green.		 December 22, 1985
36 Comet Watch A man and his henpecking wife gets unexpected guests when Sir Edmond Haley and a young lady from the long-ago past on the night Halley's Comet appears.
Written by Harvey Jacobs and Jule Selbo.		 January 02, 1986
37 Dream Girl A group of people discover that they are trapped in a co-worker's dream.
Written and directed by Timna Ramon.		 January 19, 1986
38 A New Lease on Life A man gets the modern, fully-equipped apartment of his dreams in exchange for providing his new landlady with lots of garbage.
Written by Harvey Jacobs and Michael McDowell.		 January 26, 1986
39 Printer's Devil A writer learns that his new agent can make his novels succeed, and all he needs is a small sacrifice.
Written and directed by John Harrison.		 February 02, 1986
40 The Shrine A woman competes against a little girl for the affection and attention of her own mother.
Written by Jule Selbo.		 February 09, 1986
41 The Old Soft Shoe A salesman hits on an attractive woman at a motel and is subsequently pursued by another angry, jealous woman.
Written by Art Monterastelli.		 February 16, 1986
42 The Last Car A young woman on her way home for college rides the last car of a train and discovers bizarre passengers.
Written by Michael McDowell.		 February 23, 1986
43 A Choice of Dreams A mob boss with a terminal illness is offered the chance to experience his dreams after death.
Written by James Houghton.		 May 4, 1986
44 Strange Love A doctor makes a late-night house call to fix a woman's leg and discovers that his patient and her husband are vampires with plans to trap him.
Written by Edithe Swensen and guest-starring Marcia Cross.		 May 11, 1986
45 The Unhappy Medium A recently deceased preacher leaves a video-taped will which tells his family that he will send them a sign.
Written by Edithe Swensen.		 May 18, 1986
46 Fear of Floating A man who levitates whenever he lies tries to enlist in the Army, while hotly pursued by a young pregnant girl and her angry father.
Written by Donald Wollner and guest-starring Yeardley Smith.		 February 23, 1986
47 The Casavin Curse A family learns that their great-grandfather murdered his wife, resulting in a curse upon the family line.
Written by Edith Swensen.		 July 13, 1986

Season Three

# Title Summary Original Air Date
48 The Circus An investigative journalist who doesn't fear blowing whistles attempts to close the curtain on a circus he fears is only blowing smoke.
Written by George A. Romero.		 September 28, 1986
49 I Can't Help Saying Goodbye A family notices that people keep dying after their young daughter Karen says goodbye to them; apparently, she can sense the impending death.
Written by Jule Selbo, guest-starring Alison Sweeney.		 October 05, 1986
50 The Bitterest Pill The uncle of a mistreated boy develops a miraculous pill which increases brain power and memory, and comes to the boy's parents for financing; the boy takes the prototype and finally gets power over his parents.
Based on the short story "The Richest Man in Levittown" by Frederick Pohl, adapted by Michael Kube-McDowell.		 October 12, 1986
51 Florence Bravo A couple moves into an old house in which a woman murdered her cheating husband, and the past incident begins to repeat itself.
Written by Edithe Swensen.		 October 19, 1986
52 The Geezenstacks A little girl is given a dollhouse by her uncle, who tells her that he found it when the previous owners suddenly abandoned their home, leaving only the dollhouse behind. The girl's father soon notices that whatever happens to the new dolls happens to their family.
Based on the short story by Frederic Brown and adapted by Nancy Boyle.		 October 26, 1986
53 Black Widows A young woman discovers the reason for her mother's mysterious reclusiveness and a dark family secret.
Written by Michael McDowell and guest-starring Theresa Saldana.		 November 02, 1986
54 Heretic A thief sells a stolen painting from the Spanish Inquisition to a wealthy art collector, who soon regrets his purchase when he discovers the world within the painting.
Written by Edithe Swensen.		 November 09, 1986
55 A Serpent's Tooth A mother's warnings and threats begin to come true.
Written by Edithe Swensen.		 November 16, 1986
56 Baker's Dozen A voodoo witch opens a bakery, sells magic cookies and partners up with an unscrupulous advertising agent.
Written by George A. Romero.		 November 23, 1986
57 Deliver Us From Goodness A saintly woman tires of her goodness and seeks a fall from grace.
Story by Suzette Haden Elgin, written by Jule Selbo.		 November 30, 1986
58 Seasons of Belief Two rowdy kids who don't believe in Santa Claus demand a story during Christmas, and their mean parents decide to tell them a different kind of Christmas story, a horrific tale of the monstrous "Grither."
Written and directed by Michael McDowell, story by Michael Bishop.		 December 29, 1986
59 Miss May Dusa A woman who has no memory of her past befriends a saxophone player and slowly uncovers the truth behind the deaths she's accidentally caused everywhere she's been.
Written and directed by Richard Blackburn.		 January 18, 1987
60 The Milkman Cometh A milkman (whom no one has ever actually seen) grants wishes to people if they leave him a note with their discarded bottles. When a man eventually wishes for another child, he discovers that there are some things that you should be careful about wishing for.
Written by Donald Wollner.		 January 25, 1987
61 My Ghostwriter - The Vampire A horror writer discovers a real vampire in the coffin he bought for inspiration, and makes a deal with him to provide material for his novels.
Story by Scott Edelman, written by Peter O'Keefe.		 February 01, 1987
62 My Own Place A yuppie gets his first apartment -- with an unexpected roommate.
Written and directed by Ted Gershuny, co-written by and guest-starring Perry Lang.		 February 08, 1987
63 Red Leader A wealthy and unscrupulous businessman strikes a deal with the Devil.
Written by Edithe Swensen.		 February 15, 1987
64 Everybody Needs a Little Love A divorced and lonely man talks to and dotes over a mannequin, while his friend begins to get concerned about his mental stability.
Based on the short story by Robert Bloch, adapted and directed by John Sutherland, and guest-starring Jerry Orbach.		 February 22, 1987
65 Auld Acquaintances Two ancient witches fight over an amulet yet again.
Written by Edithe Swensen.		 March 01, 1987
66 The Social Climber A young shoemaker's assistant finds that he can actually live other people's lives by walking in their shoes.
Written by Ellen Sandhaus.		 March 08, 1987
67 The Swap A woman decides to murder her wealthy husband for his money but her plans go horribly awry.
Written by Dick Benner.		 May 03, 1987
68 Let the Games Begin An angel and a devil fight over a dead man's soul.
Written by Peter O'Keefe.		 May 10, 1987
69 The Enormous Radio A couple purchases a new radio which transmits their neighbor's private discussions.
Written by Guy Gallo, story by John Cheever, and guest-starring Christine Estabrook.		 May 17, 1987

Season Four

# Title Summary Original Air Date
70 Beetles An Egyptologist ignores a sarcophogus' warnings and unearths a curse.
Written by Robert Bloch and based on his short story.		 September 27, 1987
71 Mary, Mary An isolated woman who fears the world turns to her dolls and mannequins for friendship.
Written by Jule Selbo.		 October 04, 1987
72 The Spirit Photographer A photographer decides to take photographs of ghosts.
Written by Mark Patrick Carducci and Brian Thomas Jones.		 October 11, 1987
73 The Moth A dying woman is convinced that after death her soul will be trapped in a moth.
Written by Michael McDowell.		 October 18, 1987
74 No Strings A cruel mob boss forces a ventriloquist to string up his defeated rival as a puppet and holds a one-man show.
Written and directed by David Odell.		 October 25, 1987
75 The Grave Robber A group of archaeologists unearth an Egyptian tomb and awake the mummy within, who forces them to compete for their lives.
Written by Harvey Jacobs and Donald Wollner.		 November 01, 1987
76 The Yattering and Jack A demon harasses a man, but cannot physically touch him.
Based on the short story of the same name by Clive Barker (episode written by Barker as well).		 November 08, 1987
77 Seymourlama A nerdy and spoiled young boy is proclaimed the religious leader of a nation, but his parents want to know what the catch is. Written by Harvey Jacobs and Donald Wollner and guest-starring Divine. November 15, 1987
78 Sorry, Right Number A woman receives a bizarre and frightening phone call and figures out its meaning too late.
Written by Stephen King.		 November 22, 1987
79 Payment Overdue A heartless debt collection agent is harassed by a delinquent client from beyond the grave.
Written by Dick Benner.		 February 14, 1988
80 Love Hungry An overweight woman goes to drastic measures to lose weight, but finds herself even more attached to her food than ever before.
Based on the short story "Food for Thought" by Roberts Gannaway. Written and directed by John Strysik, co-written by Jule Selbo.		 February 21, 1988
81 The Deal A screenwriter makes a deal with Satan.
Written by Granville Burgess and Allen Coulter.		 February 28, 1988
82 The Apprentice A woman goes to work for a museum and transported to the past and forced to work as a near-slave.
Written by Ellen Sandhaus.		 May 01, 1988
83 The Cutty Black Sow On Halloween, a boy is warned by his great-grandmother about the Cutty Black Sow, a Celtic demon which steals the souls of those who die on All Hallow's Eve, and tries to prevent it from getting hers.
Written by Michael McDowell.		 May 08, 1988
84 Do Not Open This Box A couple finds a box with "Do Not Open This Box," but the wife ignores this warning and opens it anyway, finding the box empty. A strange man appears and promises the couple anything in exchange for the box, as long as it hasn't been opened. The wife gets many presents from the man before eventually handing the empty box back and discovers the penalty for ignoring warnings.
Written by Franco Amurri and directed by Jodi Foster.		 May 15, 1988
85 The Family Reunion A man guards his sick son closely and has sole custody, while the boy's worried mother desperately wants to be reunited with her child.
Written by Edithe Swensen, directed by Tom Savini, and guest-starring Patricia Tallman.		 May 22, 1988
86 Going Native An alien visitor studies human nature as a photographer.
Written and directed by Ted Gershuny and guest-starring Alison Sweeney.		 June 19, 1988
87 Hush A child innocently builds a device that eats sound in order to make his mother happy, but soon loses control of the creepy machine (which silences things by sucking out their energy and killing them).
Written by John Sutherland.		 July 10, 1988
88 Barter A parody of I Love Lucy, an alien comes to a family's door asking for ammonia and hilariousness ensues.
Written by Jule Selbo		 July 17, 1988
89 Basher Malone A religious wrestler and his mother content against a crooked fight manager, played by Vic Tayback, who holds ties to a devilish opponent.
Written by Peter O'Keefe.		 July 24, 1988

Technical data

  • Episodes: 90
  • Runtime: 21 minutes
  • Sound: mono
  • Aspect ratio: 1.33 : 1
  • Series premiere: September 30, 1984
  • Last episode: July 1988
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