In 1989, cable network HBO helped resurrect the horror anthology series with their take on the infamous 50's EC Comics, Tales From The Crypt and for the first two years of the shows existence it easily stood above similar products such as Monsters and Tales From The Darkside. But by the third season it was starting to show some cracks as the stories seemed to mostly lack the morbidity and horror that drew people to the show in the first place. And it's this downward trend that would continue right up until it's final, seventh, season.

That's not to say that the third season of the show isn't any good, but it certainly kicked-off to an uninspired start with "Loved To Death" (which has writer Andrew McCarthy using a potion to make his neighbour love him with the expected side effects) and sets the tone for this season's focus that seems to be more on black humour than actually attempting to build any sort of suspense. Which is really too bad since the balance between the two in the earlier seasons is what made it enjoyable. Sure, all the chintzy "twist" endings are translated from the source material, but most of them just aren't as fun as they could have been (although the ones in "Abra Cadaver" and "Top Billing" are enjoyable).

HBO has again gathered together some well-known names to helm the episodes (and even gave Michael J. Fox the chance to direct with his contribution, "The Trap"), the Cryptkeeper continues spouting his cornball dialogue, and there's some decent grue on hand (and a few glimpses of skin), but this season of Tales From The Crypt just isn't as consistent or entertaining as the first two.

However, there are some inspired performances within the fourteen episodes that make up the 1991 season with Beau Bridges perfect in "Abra Cadaver", John Astin hamming-it-up in "Top Billing" (he turns in a performance very similar in tone to the ones he did as Professor Gangreen in the Killer Tomatoes sequels), and Kyle MacLachlan as a hardened criminal in "Carrion Death" (which also supplies a gruesome moment involving his eyes).

Episode wise, my personal favourites in this set were the Tobe Hooper directed "Dead Wait" and it's pleasingly gross voodoo mayhem, as well as "The Reluctant Vampire" which twists vampire legends for laughs, has Malcolm McDowell in a good turn as a hesitant bloodsucker, and even gives familiar genre actor Michael Berryman (he of odd looks who is most famous as one of the cannibalistic brood in Wes Craven's 1977 flick The Hills Have Eyes) a chance to be the hero.

On the flipside of that coin the weakest episodes turn out to be "Split Second" (despite Brion James as the hot tempered boss of a group of lumberjacks) and "Deadline" which is just too dull and generic to work out. And the season even ends with "Yellow", a World War I story that's so far away from being horror (or even thriller) you almost wonder why it's here apart from the producers wanting to try for something broader in scope.

If you're a fan of this show, you'll find something here to enjoy, but if you're a newcomer and want to see why this show was so popular back when it originally aired you're probably better off picking up the second season - just be prepared for a slew or ridiculous and dopey twists because, after all, that's really what this series is all about. (Chris Hartley, 4/3/06)

Directed By: Various.
Written By: Various.

Starring: Various.

Picture Ratio: Full Frame.

Picture Quality: The transfers here are pretty clean and only suffer from a few scattered moments of grain, but this set generally looks a slight step above broadcast standard with so-so clarity, a bit of fuzziness, and a general look of "bleh". It's nothing special at all.

Extras: With each new season set comes a few new featurettes and the third season continues the trend as we're given two featurettes: one containing panel footage from the recent San Diego Comic Con mixed with interviews looking back on season three, the other being the complete footage of said panel as they talk about the series in general and field questions from the audience. They're pretty interesting, even if the first featurette seems a little bit slim.

Also included here is "Crypt Jam", which is basically our host The Cryptkeeper rapping over a 90's hip hop beat while a bunch of people dance wildly in the background and clips from the season's episodes play. It's really bad, but good for a cheap laugh.

I don't usually talk much about the packaging, but Warner has disappointed here. The first two seasons came in nice embossed covers with fold-out packaging and for this third season they've elected to go with 2 slimline cases (housing 3 discs), got rid of the embossed Cryptkeeper, and made the damn box taller so it looks odd on the shelf beside the other 2 series boxsets. Bah!