Darkroom (1981)

On a whim, I went looking for this show. I hadn't seen it since it first aired, back when I was in first grade, but I remembered it. Oh, but I remembered it...

Surprisingly, there weren't that many episodes. After re-watching the series, I realized that some of these tales were ones I mistakenly thought were Twilight Zone (the 80s version, obviously), or Night Gallery. We'll come back to those shows later in the month, but it's interesting to me how the genre of "thriller" shows all blend together after a while.

Now, I assure you, if there were any other way to get a hold of this show, I'd provide it. It's not on DVD, so you can't buy or rent it, and that's the only reason I'm willing to post links to the videos themselves. If there's another way, we like to take the legal option.

	Episode One	Broadcsting
01	"Closed Circuit"	A TV newsman (Robert Webber) finds he is being replaced -- by his projected image. The subject was handled better in this episode than inLooker.
02	"Stay Tuned, We'll Be Right Back"	A man (Lawrence Pressman) discovers his child's crystal radio is receiving clear broadcasts -- from 1942.
	Episode Two	False Identities
03	"The Bogeyman Will Get You"	A teenager (Quinn Cummings) believes she's discovered a vampire (Randolph Powell).
04	"Uncle George"	A poor couple (Claude Akins, June Lockhart) try to find someone to pose as their late uncle, whose pension they can't afford to lose.
	Episode Three	Dolls and Action Figures
05	"Needlepoint"	A woman (Esther Rolle) uses voodoo to avenge her granddaughter's death.
06	"Siege of 31 August"	A farmer (Ronny Cox) is tormented by his memories of war when his son's toy soldiers come to life.
	Episode Four	The Mob
07	"A Quiet Funeral"	A quiet funeral is the setting for a double-crossed forger's revenge.
08	"Make Up"	A magic makeup case transforms a loser (Billy Crystal) into a winner. Sadly, the transfer obscures the final shot on this story, but you should already know what the punchline is.
	Episode Five	Inhuman Things
09	"The Partnership"	An old man's eerie partnership allows him to live well in a crumbling town.
10	"Daisies"	A filandering botanist develops a machine that reads the thoughts of daisies.
11	"Catnip"	A ruthless young man (Cyril O'Reilly) is stalked by a demonic black cat.
	Episode Six	Language
12	"Lost in Translation"	An archaeology professor (Andrew Prine) seeks power over others through a magic formula.
13	"Guillotine"	A 19th-century Frenchwoman tries to save her lover from the guillotine.
	Episode Seven	Acts and Lies
14	"Exit Line"	An aspiring actor (Stan Shaw) takes revenge on an acerbic critic (Samantha Eggar).
15	"Who's There?"	A husband (Michael Lembeck) sets a trap for his unfaithful wife (Dianne Kay).
16	"The Rarest of Wines"	Son (Henry Polic II) is unhappy about what he received in the will of his recently deceased mother.

As you can see, horror anthologies were the morality plays of the 80s. I'm sure the consistent lesson of "Don't be a douche" was the only reason my folks ever let me watch stuff like this.

Enjoy! I'll be back on Thursday with a special treat.