Now that I have looked at all the films in the Nightmare franchise, and a load of knockoffs too, I thought that I would explore the TV show… all of it. For those not in the know, as Freddy Mania was kicking off, after the release of A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 and before Nightmare 4 was released in 1988, they made a Freddy Krueger-based TV show called Freddy’s Nightmares. Instead of the show being about Freddy killing teenagers (as the episodes would get very samey and repetitive), the idea of making an anthology series came about instead. Each episode would be its own story, but those stories would take place in the fictional town of Springwood, where Freddy is from and where the films are set.
Only a handful of episodes of Freddy’s Nightmares feature Freddy (still being played by Robert Englund) as a character within the story. I think it’s something like Freddy being in only 8 of the 44 episodes. However, While Freddy is not the focus of the stories, he does introduce each and every one of them in a Tales from the Crypt/Cryptkeeper kind of way (a year before the Tales from the Crypt TV show existed) and usually by making some of those Freddy-like jokes that had become synonymous with the character by then. It’s also suggested that Freddy himself is responsible for the events in the stories, even if he is not directly involved.
Freddy’s Nightmares only lasted for two seasons, each with 22 episodes, and the show aired between 1988 and 1990. While most of the episodes are stand-alone, some of them work as sequels/prequels. As they are all set in Springwood, there are often references to some episodes within others to help sell the fact that this all takes place in the same town and forms some kind of continuity. For every episode (except the first one), Freddy’s Nightmares had an interesting and unique two-tier story narrative. The episodes had two parts to them and while they had two different stories, part one would connect to part two and part two would often reference events from part one… if that makes any sense.
Right now, for this part of my retrospective, I’m going to watch and cover every episode of Freddy’s Nightmares. I’m even going to offer my personal opinion of each one too. Who knows, there may even be a few surprises and bits of trivia thrown in. Also, if the now massively famous Johnny Depp can get his break with the first A Nightmare on Elm Street film, maybe some now-famous faces will appear on this show too.
SEASON ONE
No More Mr. Nice Guy
Starting with a pre-burned Freddy in court and on trial for the many child murders he committed – after being caught by Lutienent Timothy Blocker, just as Freddy was about to kill his twin daughters, Lisa and Merit. Due to an oversight by the police, Freddy is free to go. Some of the parents of the murdered Elm Street kids track Freddy down and burn him alive, headed up by Timothy. However, Freddy comes back for revenge.
Starting with a pre-burned Freddy in court and on trial for the many child murders he committed – after being caught by Lutienent Timothy Blocker, just as Freddy was about to kill his twin daughters, Lisa and Merit. Due to an oversight by the police, Freddy is free to go. Some of the parents of the murdered Elm Street kids track Freddy down and burn him alive, headed up by Timothy. However, Freddy comes back for revenge.
As I said, this is a kind of prequel to the film as it covers Freddy’s trial, being set free and his eventual death at the hands of the angry parents. However, none of the characters from the first film are in this or even mentioned. In the first film, Nancy Thompson’s mom hints that she and Nanacy’s dad were part of the group who killed Freddy – but the Thompson family are not even referenced here. Also, in this show, Freddy is set free because he was not read his rights when he was arrested. In the film, he was set free because the search warrant that was used to find evidence at his place was not signed. So there is some slight retcon here, but the basics are still the same. Instead of Nancy and her family in the film, this story follows the mother, father and twin daughters (who were almost Freddy’s victims) of a different family, the Blockers, who Freddy comes back to seek his revenge on.
This first episode is the only one of the show that doesn’t have the unique two-tier story narrative and is a kind of prequel to the first film, only slightly retconned. I like to think of this show existing on a different timeline to the film series. Honestly, this is not a bad episode and one of the few that features Freddy as a main character. I believe this is the first time we see a pre-burned Freddy. Though Robert Englund is in Nightmare 2 without make-up, he plays a bus driver – not Freddy. It’s also the first time we see Freddy’s death… the initial one. This episode was directed by Tobe Hooper, a name that classic horror fans should recognise. Freddy’s Nightmares doesn’t have the budget that the films had, and it often shows too. You get to see some blood and several killings, but just nothing as graphic as the movies.
It’s a Miserable Life
Story 1
Story 1
Bryan is working the graveyard shift at Beefy Boy, a drive-thru/fast-food burger place owned by his father. While Bryan wants to get out of his father’s restaurant and Springwood altogether, his father has other plans. Brayn has a dream that someone robs Beefy Boy and shoots him in the head and this leads to him having several bizarre visions. However, that dream of being shot in the head was no dream and as Bryan is killed his girlfriend, Karyn also gets shot as the killer makes his escape.
Story 2
Karyn is taken to the hospital and put under anaesthetic to remove the bullet. Now sedated, Karyn begins to have bizarre visions herself, including some of the man who shot Bryan and her. The doctor keeps telling her that her parents are on the way to the hospital. Only one problem, Karyn’s parents died in an accident a while back.
Story 2
Karyn is taken to the hospital and put under anaesthetic to remove the bullet. Now sedated, Karyn begins to have bizarre visions herself, including some of the man who shot Bryan and her. The doctor keeps telling her that her parents are on the way to the hospital. Only one problem, Karyn’s parents died in an accident a while back.
This is an average episode that leans quite heavily into the nightmare aspect of the franchise, with both Bryan and Karyn having these bizarre visions. The overall story is okay and some of the visions are well done (for a low-budget TV show), but I think it is a bit of a missed opportunity to really delve into the world of nightmares. It is worth noting that Karyn is played by Lar Park Lincoln, who also played Tina in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood. A little Freddy and Jason crossover there.
Killer Instinct
Story 1
Chris is an up-and-coming track star in high school. She has talent, but she is still trying to come to terms with the death of her mother, herself an Olympic medallist on the track. To help Chris feel better about herself, she is given a crystal amulet by her coach, an amulet that used to belong to her mother. This crystal allows whoever holds it to make their thoughts come true, Chris’ rival, Nickie gets hold of the crystal and uses it to kill Chris.
Story 2
With her rival dead, Nickie can go on to become the high school’s newest track star. However, Nickie’s guilty conscience gets the better of her as she starts to see Chris everywhere. Her parents think she is on drugs as Nickie begins to lose her grip on reality. Then there is Chris’ boyfriend who knows what Nickie did. With things unravelling, Nickie is pushed to kill again.
This was the first episode of Freddy’s Nightmares that I ever saw. It was on TV late at night and I caught it just randomly flicking through the channels. Because this was the first episode of the show that I saw, I do have a bit of a soft spot for it. Both of the stories are pretty good, there’s some decent gore and you get one of the better and more solid episodes of the show. I guess I had better mention that Chris is played by Lori Petty, who has gone on to have a pretty good career in films and TV since.
Freddy’s Tricks and Treats
Story 1
It’s Halloween and medical student, Marsha is studying for an important anatomy exam as her friends are busy having a party. While she tries to study, she keeps getting interrupted by her friend, Mark. Wanting some peace and quiet, Marsha goes to the college morgue where they have cadavers that can be practised on. The security guard tells her the story of Freddy Krueger, which Marsha laughs off as nonsense. Then, Freddy lets Marsha know that he isn’t nonsense and drives her to the brink of insanity.
Story 2
Fellow medical student, Zach has created a machine that can record people’s dreams on tape to be played back. Marsha volunteers herself to be Zach’s guinea pig and lets him record her as she sleeps. The two keep pushing how far they can go and Freddy is not too happy about his dream realm being used for medical research and entertainment.
Fellow medical student, Zach has created a machine that can record people’s dreams on tape to be played back. Marsha volunteers herself to be Zach’s guinea pig and lets him record her as she sleeps. The two keep pushing how far they can go and Freddy is not too happy about his dream realm being used for medical research and entertainment.
Mariska Hargitay plays Marsha, who would later find fame as Olivia Benson in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, she also played a hooker in Leaving Las Vegas. So there’s another now famous star that had a run-in with Freddy early in their career. This is one of the better episodes that explores dreams and features Freddy as one of the main characters. There’s a blend of blood and gore, mixed with a touch of psychological horror. I think that this could’ve made for a feature film in the main franchise if it had a bit more work done to it. The premise is certainly better than the majority of the sequels we did get.
Judy Miller, Come on Down
Story 1
Judy Miller is a typical suburban housewife who often dreams of being on a TV gameshow and winning some big money. Judy lives with her overbearing husband, Tom in his parent’s house and Tom’s parents are just as overbearing as he is. Desperate for a better life with Tom and away from his parents, Judy’s dream eventually comes true and she wins $1 million.
Story 2
Now millionaires, Judy and Tom send Tom’s parents away and the married couple now seem very happy. With a million dollars to spend, Judy’s life is getting better and she hires a maid to help out with the cleaning. But, when the maid turns up, she is strangely familiar and has a terrible message about the happy couple’s future.
Story 2
Now millionaires, Judy and Tom send Tom’s parents away and the married couple now seem very happy. With a million dollars to spend, Judy’s life is getting better and she hires a maid to help out with the cleaning. But, when the maid turns up, she is strangely familiar and has a terrible message about the happy couple’s future.
This is one of those very average episodes that uses the old “careful what you wish for” idion as its driving force. The moral that money can’t buy happiness is the main theme here and this is just a tad predictable. There’s very little in the way of horror and this one leans more towards the surreal, especially with what’s going on in Judy’s life. Here’s a bit of trivia for you though. The maid is played by Susan Oliver in her last screen appearance before her death in 1990. Susan also played Vina in The Cage, the pilot episode for Star Trek. The image of Susan in green makeup became so iconic that a documentary of her life was made in 2015 called The Green Girl.
Saturday Night Special
Story 1
Lonely singelton and insurance salesman, Gordon is desperate to get himself a girlfriend, so he joins a dating video agency. While filming his tape, he lies about everything and makes himself out to be a much more successful man than he really is. The lies work and he lands a date with a beautiful woman called Lana. Their date goes well, at first. But when Lana learns that Gordon has lied about himself, she decides to teach him a lesson.
Story 2
Lana works with her roommate, Mary. Now, Mary is not as attractive or as confident as Lana. Wanting to feel better about herself, Mary uses the same plastic surgeon that Lana does and with her new-found beauty, Mary gets the chance to secure a big deal at work. However, she soon learns that beauty is only skin deep.
Lana works with her roommate, Mary. Now, Mary is not as attractive or as confident as Lana. Wanting to feel better about herself, Mary uses the same plastic surgeon that Lana does and with her new-found beauty, Mary gets the chance to secure a big deal at work. However, she soon learns that beauty is only skin deep.
This episode starts out quite good, but it nosedives pretty quickly. Both stories end up being damp squibs that don’t really go anywhere. There’s just a lot of nothing going on that makes this one forgettable. One of the lesser episodes of the series with both stories being quite weak.
Sister’s Keeper
Story 1
Lisa and Merit, the twin sisters from the first episode, are coming to terms with the aftermath of their father’s death. Lisa is coping better than Merit, who starts to have nightmares about Freddy. Merit’s peers think that she is going crazy with all this talk about the definitely dead Freddy. To see just how her sister is being treated in school, Lisa decides to pretend to be Merit, and Merit pretends to be Lisa. The siblings learn a lot about each other lives, especially when Freddy turns up in both of their dreams.
Story 2
Story 2
With both sisters now being hunted by Freddy, they come up with a plan to work together to take Freddy down. However, having two playthings in the dream world gives Freddy a bit more power and getting rid of him proves to be harder than the sisters first thought.
This one works as a direct sequel to the No More Mr. Nice Guy episode and the two episodes work as their own little Nightmare movie. This episode also delves into the whole dream thing more than the others and you do get some pretty good horror vibes from it (for a low-budget TV show). Sister’s Keeper is one of the better episodes and it has a pretty decent and very downbeat ending.
Mother’s Day
Story 1
A new family moves into Elm Street (I think they move into the house where Lisa and Merit from the previous episode used to live). Billy is the son and his mother remarried an overbearing hunter called Al. Al is very protective of his belongings, especially his hunting gear. Billy’s mother and Al go away to Mexico for their honeymoon, leaving Billy home alone. A friendly neighbour, Barbara introduces herself to Billy. When Barbara learns that Billy has the house to himself, she thinks it would be a great idea to have a party – which goes very wrong.
Story 2
Barbara’s mother, Shelly is a hard-nosed local radio psychologist who spends most of her time telling the residents of Springwood how to live their lives. When Barbra calls her mother for advice on a very important matter, she is ignored because Shelly cares more about her career than her daughter. Meanwhile, Shelly is being hounded by a caller who claims that he is going to commit murder, a murder which Shelly is dragged into as an accomplice, which threatens to ruin her career.
Barbara’s mother, Shelly is a hard-nosed local radio psychologist who spends most of her time telling the residents of Springwood how to live their lives. When Barbra calls her mother for advice on a very important matter, she is ignored because Shelly cares more about her career than her daughter. Meanwhile, Shelly is being hounded by a caller who claims that he is going to commit murder, a murder which Shelly is dragged into as an accomplice, which threatens to ruin her career.
I quite enjoyed this one. The first story is a bit hit-and-miss with a pretty predictable plot, but it’s okay. The second story is much better and offers a bit more of a psychological horror angle as Shelly starts to lose her grip on reality. An interesting tale of what happens when you ignore your loved ones and put your career ahead of your family.
Rebel Without a Car
Story 1
Young, rebellious teenager, Alex is desperate to leave Springwood and make something of his life. Working at Beefy Boy (the events of the It’s a Miserable Life episode are referenced), Alex dreams of owning his own classic car and driving away from Springwood for good. Alex’s girlfriend, Connie has just been given a full scholarship to Springwood College and wants to stay. Meanwhile, Alex finds an old, abandoned rust bucket ’60s Chevrolet Camaro and he restores it back to its former glory. However, the car comes complete with its own ghost, the previous owner who died in a crash and Alex soon meets the same fate.
Story 2
Now in college, Connie is coming to terms with Alex’s death and trying to fit in with a sorority, Omega Kappa Pi. The rather snooty sorority has no time for Connie and turns her away. When Omega Kappa Pi begin to have cashflow problems and they have to get rid of their cook and cleaner, there’s suddenly room for Connie to join. The other members of the sorority, use Connie as their skivvy and push her further and further into doing their menial tasks. There’s only so much hazing that even a nice girl like Connie will put up with.
Now in college, Connie is coming to terms with Alex’s death and trying to fit in with a sorority, Omega Kappa Pi. The rather snooty sorority has no time for Connie and turns her away. When Omega Kappa Pi begin to have cashflow problems and they have to get rid of their cook and cleaner, there’s suddenly room for Connie to join. The other members of the sorority, use Connie as their skivvy and push her further and further into doing their menial tasks. There’s only so much hazing that even a nice girl like Connie will put up with.
This is another episode where the second story is the stronger of the two. The first one is pretty good and a slightly different take on the haunted car idea that Stephen King already did so well. The second tale is like a twisted version of Cinderella with the downtrodden nice girl getting her revenge, only a lot more bloody than even the Brothers Grimm could come up with. Overall, this is one of the better episodes and is worth a watch.
The Bride Wore Red
Story 1
Gavin is soon to be married to Jessica. Wanting a last night of freedom, Gavin has a bachelor party with some friends. At the party, Gavin meets a mysterious stripper. Waking up on his sofa after the party, Gavin and Jessica finally get married, only that mysterious stripper turns up at the wedding. Gavin wants to know why and he tracks her down to the bar where he had his bachelor party. The stripper invites Gavin back to her place in a test of fidelity.
Story 2
With their marriage going well, Gavin and Jessica are invited round to Jessica’s parents for dinner. Before going, Jessica picks up a married man in a bar and takes him to a cheap motel. However, it’s not for what you may think. Jessica has a twisted hobby of picking up married men, and then exposing the cheating husbands to their wives. This is due to Jessica having a childhood trauma of the time she saw her father cheating on her mother that she has been forced to keep a secret into adulthood. At the family dinner, that childhood secret and Jessica’s twisted hobby collide.
Despite some interesting ideas, this episode is pretty weak. Neither of the two stories are done particularly well and both are pretty bland in terms of content, as well as feeling rather disjointed. An all too dull and uninteresting episode that could’ve had some potential with some better writing.
Do Dreams Bleed?
Story 1
Move over Freddy – there’s a new killer in town, The Springwood Chopper. A young American football player, John found The Chopper’s last victim and now he keeps having dreams about the killer, but never gets to see his face. Being haunted by his nightmares, John’s football coach, Coach Harris starts to worry and wants to know exactly what John dreams about. After having a nightmare where The Srpingwood Chopper murders his girlfriend, Roni, John believes that she will be the next victim. Roni stays over at John’s for the night and The Springwood Chopper turns up to kill her. However, Coach Harris just so happens to be there too and stops the killer before he can attack… who is revealed to be John.
Story 2
With John committed in hospital – he doesn’t remember killing anyone, Coach Harris is suspiciously pushing John to recall his crimes. Meanwhile, Roni now starts to have dreams about The Springwood Chopper and she begins to believe that John is not the killer after all. It does seem a bit strange that Coach Harris just so happened to be there that night to stop John. The Chopper kills another victim, which does make John look innocent… only he escaped from the hospital. The Chopper comes back to try to kill Roni again, and…
With John committed in hospital – he doesn’t remember killing anyone, Coach Harris is suspiciously pushing John to recall his crimes. Meanwhile, Roni now starts to have dreams about The Springwood Chopper and she begins to believe that John is not the killer after all. It does seem a bit strange that Coach Harris just so happened to be there that night to stop John. The Chopper kills another victim, which does make John look innocent… only he escaped from the hospital. The Chopper comes back to try to kill Roni again, and…
This one is pretty good. It is kind of obvious that Coach Harris is the real Springwood Chopper and that he tries to push the blame onto John. The episode never really makes any secret of that as it non-too-subtly makes Coach Harris out to be the good guy – while obviously setting him up to be the bad guy. But the ending is a really good twist of the knife that shows nothing is really ever fair in Springwood.
The End of the World
Story 1
Amy is a young woman whose mother died in an accident when Amy was a little girl. Since losing his wife, Amy’s father has turned to alcohol. Talking to her doctor, Dr. Clark, Amy tells him that she has been having a recurring dream about somebody getting hurt. It turns out that the dream is of her mother’s death and that Amy was responsible too. Amy learns that she can change things in the dream and those changes affect her life. The changes also create a new timeline and Amy is the only person who remembers the original timeline. Amy tries to save her mother from dying several times, and each time she does, things change in her life – not always for the better.
Story 2
The CIA learn of Amy’s dream manipulation talent and they recruit her to enter the dreams of a government employee on a military base who has the launch codes for a nuclear missile. Said employee plans on launching the missile to hit America, and the CIA needs Amy to stop him by using his own dreams against him.
The CIA learn of Amy’s dream manipulation talent and they recruit her to enter the dreams of a government employee on a military base who has the launch codes for a nuclear missile. Said employee plans on launching the missile to hit America, and the CIA needs Amy to stop him by using his own dreams against him.
Wow! What a great first story. It’s kind of like The Butterfly Effect film 15 years before it existed. It is a little rough around the edges, but the first story is really fantastic and very unique, using dreams as an effective storytelling device. I’d even say that it could be the best story in the whole show… then the second story starts. It’s just not very good and woefully dull. I know that Freddy’s Nightmares had this dual story device, but the two stories usually felt connected. These two feel vastly different in tone and style. A brilliant first story and a pretty bad second one. James Bond (George Lazenby) even plays the doctor in this one.
Deadline
Story 1
Peter is a high schooler who has a job at a local newspaper, thanks to the fact that his father is the paper’s publisher. Peter wanted to take the summer off and see more of the world, meet people and write about their lives. Instead, he’s stuck in Springwood and has the unusual job of writing people’s obituaries. When Peter writes these obituaries, he is transported into the bodies of the people who died and experiences exactly what happened. Peter is forced to write one obituary too many and his last one about a stockbroker killing himself causes Peter to meet the same fate.
Story 2
Emily, who also worked at the same newspaper as Peter, is having nightmares after two of her friends died in a car accident. Emily’s dead friends seemingly visit her regularly and Emily asks what happened during the crash. It turns out that it wasn’t just Emily’s friends who died in the crash.
This is a pretty mediocre episode. Neither story is really bad, but they’re not very good either. It’s worth noting that Emily is played by Page Hannah, who is the sister of Daryl Hannah and that their brother, Don Hannah was in the first A Nightmare On Elm Street film. There’s a bit of pointless trivia for you.
Black Tickets
Story 1
Rick and Miranda are a young couple wanting to get away from their overbearing parents. They decide to elope and leave Springwood for good. Things go wrong when their car breaks down, then Rick is hit by a van. Needing help, an elderly couple stops but instead of offering assistance, they rob Rick and Miranda leaving them with nothing. Finally, the young couple have a bit of luck when a tow truck driver takes them to a motel. Only that motel is not exactly the most hospitable of places to be and even more problems begin.
Story 2
Now living together and doing okay for themselves, Rick and Miranda face a new challenge when Miranda becomes pregnant. Worried about how being pregnant and becoming a mother will affect her life and career, Miranda starts to have a series of bizarre visions that push her to the brink of insanity.
Now living together and doing okay for themselves, Rick and Miranda face a new challenge when Miranda becomes pregnant. Worried about how being pregnant and becoming a mother will affect her life and career, Miranda starts to have a series of bizarre visions that push her to the brink of insanity.
The first story is a bit of a disjointed mess that doesn’t seem to tell any kind of a coherent story. I couldn’t even tell you what the point was or what happened. The second tale is a bit more entertaining and explores the perils of teen pregnancy – but it’s still a pretty poor yarn. The overall episode is very forgettable. It was nice to see Bill Moseley playing the tow truck driver and adding some genuine horror credentials to the episode. I guess I had better mention that Rick is played by Brad Pitt. I think this must’ve been the first thing I ever watched with Brad in it, only he was far from being famous back then so it’s not as if I would’ve realised. If you want some top-notch piranhas in a hot tub eating the flesh of your hand acting, then Brad provides. So that is both Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt who had some help in their acting careers from Freddy. Oh, Brad also appeared in the TV show 21 Jump Street which starred… Johnny Depp.
School Daze
Story 1
Steven is a student at Springwood High School, and he’s not exactly excelling when it comes to his work and a failing grade is common. Steven is called to the principal’s office, but he’s not told why. As he waits, Steven drifts off to sleep and this kickstarts a surreal dream sequence of events where Steve tries to discover just why he has been called to the principal’s office. The dream leads him to an underground group of rebellious students who want to kill the principal and Steven learns that the teachers are making robot students. Even Steven’s best friend, Matt has been turned into a robot.
Story 2
Now following Matt, he begins to worry about an upcoming SAT exam. The stress starts to get to Matt and he begins to have bizarre visions of people asking him confusing SAT-style questions in the midst of normal conversation. Being told by all around him that the SATs are important for his future, Matt then sees what it would be like if he got good results and bad results. When it comes to the day of the test, Matt stayed up so late revising the night before that he falls asleep and fails his SAT exam. It looks like he has ruined his life, or has he?
Now following Matt, he begins to worry about an upcoming SAT exam. The stress starts to get to Matt and he begins to have bizarre visions of people asking him confusing SAT-style questions in the midst of normal conversation. Being told by all around him that the SATs are important for his future, Matt then sees what it would be like if he got good results and bad results. When it comes to the day of the test, Matt stayed up so late revising the night before that he falls asleep and fails his SAT exam. It looks like he has ruined his life, or has he?
I quite liked the first story. It’s a little predictable and doesn’t really surprise, but it does a good job of building tension and a dark atmosphere. The second tale never really does anything. I get that it was going for a pressure of kids in school thing, but it just never really works. A pretty okay and uneven episode.
Cabin Fever
Story 1
Very nervous flyer, Carl boards a plane heading into Springwood. Carl’s multi-millionaire father has recently passed away and left his fortune and business to his son. The stress of running that business and flying starts to get to Carl as he begins to hallucinate. Sue, Carl’s girlfriend and flight attendant, does her best to calm him down, but nothing seems to work. As Carl’s hallucinations get worse, it looks like he might not make it off the flight alive.
Story 2
Drowning her sorrows in a bar, a very drunk Sue finds a man called Jim and goes home with him. Jim lives in a very secluded cabin in the woods and is a keen animal hunter. Waking up from the night before, Sue learns that it is not just animals that Jim likes to hunt and she finds herself fighting to survive.
Drowning her sorrows in a bar, a very drunk Sue finds a man called Jim and goes home with him. Jim lives in a very secluded cabin in the woods and is a keen animal hunter. Waking up from the night before, Sue learns that it is not just animals that Jim likes to hunt and she finds herself fighting to survive.
What you get with this episode are two stories that are not bad, but don’t quite get to the level of them being as good as they could’ve been. I think, with a bit more care with the writing, this could’ve been one of the great episodes. Instead, it just ends up being a decent one. Both stories have great ideas that just needed a bit more time in the oven to cook them properly. Still, this does have some pretty good trivia attached to it. This episode was directed by Robert Englund himself and Sue is played by Lezlie Deane. Robert also directed Lezlie in the film 976-EVIL where she played a character called Suzie. Then, Lezlie would go on to appear in Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, which was supposed to be the last ever Freddy film and where Lezlie doesn’t play a character called Sue/Suzie.
Love Stinks
Story 1
At a house party, Adam hooks up with a pretty girl called Loni. However, Adam is already seeing another girl called Laura, who he has trouble saying that he loves her. After some advice from his friend Max, Adam tells Loni he loves her just to get her into bed. While Loni says that their hook-up is just that and will have no commitments, that’s not exactly how things work out as Loni goes a bit Glen Close from Fatal Attraction and she soon becomes very problematic.
Story 2
The Beefy Boy Burger place (featured in a few previous episodes) has been sold and is now a pizza joint called Cheesy Boy. Max has finished school and he wants to spend the summer partying, but his mother has other plans. Max’s mother has him work at the new pizza place under his uncle, Ralph who is the manager. Ralph is fresh out of business school and very much a stickler for the rules, he pushes Max to try to teach him some responsibility. Forced to work the dead night shifts, Max comes up with a way to bring some money into the restaurant. Ralph becomes a bit jealous that Max has made Cheesy Boy successful and shuts him down. Soon, Ralph comes up with his own unique pizzas that soon become very popular.
The Beefy Boy Burger place (featured in a few previous episodes) has been sold and is now a pizza joint called Cheesy Boy. Max has finished school and he wants to spend the summer partying, but his mother has other plans. Max’s mother has him work at the new pizza place under his uncle, Ralph who is the manager. Ralph is fresh out of business school and very much a stickler for the rules, he pushes Max to try to teach him some responsibility. Forced to work the dead night shifts, Max comes up with a way to bring some money into the restaurant. Ralph becomes a bit jealous that Max has made Cheesy Boy successful and shuts him down. Soon, Ralph comes up with his own unique pizzas that soon become very popular.
This is a really good, campy episode. The first story is like a more twisted version of Fatal Attraction, there’s even a take on the whole bunny boiling scene. The second tale is rather predictable, but still really good fun. This is one of the better episodes of the show with two good stories that offer up some tongue-in-cheek horror/comedy. The fact that Ralph is played by horror fan favourite, Jeffrey Combs is an added bonus.
The Art of Death
Story 1
Talented young artist, Jack has a crush on a girl, Joan at his school and he often draws pictures of her. But he’s too afraid to ask her out, especially as she is already seeing a popular high school jock who bullies Jack. In order to help boost his confidence, Jack’s friend Pete starts his own underground comic and asks Jack to provide the artwork. Jack uses his art to get back at his bully, but that just pisses him off and Jack’s bullying gets worse. Then Jack draws The Phantom a comic book hero who comes to life.
Story 2
Joan (following the events of the first story) suffers from claustrophobia. Under doctor’s orders, she goes home to relax, where she becomes very anxious. Being home alone, Joan’s claustrophobia begins to get the better of her. When a friend of a friend calls around, Joan’s soon anxiety worsens.
Joan (following the events of the first story) suffers from claustrophobia. Under doctor’s orders, she goes home to relax, where she becomes very anxious. Being home alone, Joan’s claustrophobia begins to get the better of her. When a friend of a friend calls around, Joan’s soon anxiety worsens.
This is one of those uneven episodes. The idea of the first story is pretty good, but it’s poorly executed. Then there’s some awful acting from the guy playing The Phantom who keeps doing this annoying evil villain laugh. I felt that the second story was a tad more interesting, but still didn’t quite hit the right spot. It’s an okay episode with some good ideas that never seem to come together properly.
Missing Persons
Story 1
Gina is called upon to do a spot of babysitting at the Franklin’s hosue. As soon as Ken and Cindy Franklin leave Gina to look after their two “angels”, they become very obnoxious and demanding. Causing Gina all sorts of troubles as the kids tournament their babysitter. When she was younger, Gina was overweight and used to over-eat due to her anxiety issues. As the stress of babysitting two terrors builds, Gina’s anxiety comes back, and so does her appetite.
Gina is called upon to do a spot of babysitting at the Franklin’s hosue. As soon as Ken and Cindy Franklin leave Gina to look after their two “angels”, they become very obnoxious and demanding. Causing Gina all sorts of troubles as the kids tournament their babysitter. When she was younger, Gina was overweight and used to over-eat due to her anxiety issues. As the stress of babysitting two terrors builds, Gina’s anxiety comes back, and so does her appetite.
Story 2
Ken Franklin (from the previous story) is tired and overworked, he wishes that he could wake up as somebody else, and that’s exactly what happens too. Now in the body of Vinny, a known criminal, Ken still remembers his real life while stuck in the body of somebody else. Ken soon learns that the real Vinny is living his life while Ken is living Vinny’s. Vinny has everything too, a sports car, a big house and a beautiful girlfriend, so Ken starts to enjoy himself… until he learns that there are people out to kill Vinny (him).
Ken Franklin (from the previous story) is tired and overworked, he wishes that he could wake up as somebody else, and that’s exactly what happens too. Now in the body of Vinny, a known criminal, Ken still remembers his real life while stuck in the body of somebody else. Ken soon learns that the real Vinny is living his life while Ken is living Vinny’s. Vinny has everything too, a sports car, a big house and a beautiful girlfriend, so Ken starts to enjoy himself… until he learns that there are people out to kill Vinny (him).
I quite like this one. Both stories are good and both with their own little stings in the tale. The first one has some good makeup work as Gina transforms from the slim and pretty girl that she is, into a literal hog due to over-eating. The ending is quite good too. Then you have the second story, which is much more surreal and bleeds in aspects of the first tale. I do think that this second yarn is the weaker of the two, but the way that both are melded together works well. Not an outright great episode, but definitely one of the more memorable of Freddy’s Nightmares.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
Story 1
Michael is a grown man and a bit of a layabout who loves sitting around watching movies. Michael’s girlfriend, Linda (who works in a video store) wants him to get a job. Eventually, Michael lands a very unusual job of working in the sewers, the fact that he has a deep-rooted fear of the dark makes him rather nervous about his new vocation. Oh yeah, there’s also a bloody huge monster living in the sewers and Michael sets about taking it out to cure his nyctophobia.
Michael is a grown man and a bit of a layabout who loves sitting around watching movies. Michael’s girlfriend, Linda (who works in a video store) wants him to get a job. Eventually, Michael lands a very unusual job of working in the sewers, the fact that he has a deep-rooted fear of the dark makes him rather nervous about his new vocation. Oh yeah, there’s also a bloody huge monster living in the sewers and Michael sets about taking it out to cure his nyctophobia.
Story 2
Meanwhile, at the video store that Linda works at, her boss, Murray is a bit of a sleaze and treats his staff poorly. Murray agrees to sell some self-help tapes, but not before tying them out himself to see if they work. He begins to have a series of bizarre dreams that show him the error of his ways, but ends up being trapped in his own personal nightmare.
Meanwhile, at the video store that Linda works at, her boss, Murray is a bit of a sleaze and treats his staff poorly. Murray agrees to sell some self-help tapes, but not before tying them out himself to see if they work. He begins to have a series of bizarre dreams that show him the error of his ways, but ends up being trapped in his own personal nightmare.
I do like both of these tales, but they lack any real punch. Both are quite lax, but are still kind of entertaining, regardless. A distinctly average episode with one great redeeeming factor, Dick Miller is in this one and he’s an amazing character actor who is always worth watching. Sadly, no longer with us though.
Identity Crisis
Story 1
Architect, Buddy is turning 40 and aside from struggling to come to terms with that, he’s having a bit of a rough time with his son, John. Buddy is more of a ’60s hippy-type who wants to save the whales, but John is more money-focused and the two often clash. Given the job of designing a new bank that is to be built where a local nature spot currently is, Buddy struggles with not only getting old, but also being forced to go against his own moral compass and feels that he is being made obsolete. That’s on top of fears that his own son is out to kill him.
Story 2
Christina (high school friend of John) feels like she doesn’t quite fit in with her family. Her tastes are very different to her mother’s and they don’t even look alike. Christina suspects that she may have been adopted and decides to try to seek out the truth. But, just maybe, ignorance is bliss and the truth is best left buried, especially if your father is…
Christina (high school friend of John) feels like she doesn’t quite fit in with her family. Her tastes are very different to her mother’s and they don’t even look alike. Christina suspects that she may have been adopted and decides to try to seek out the truth. But, just maybe, ignorance is bliss and the truth is best left buried, especially if your father is…
This is a pretty good episode. The first yarn about getting old and possibly becoming obsolete certainly hits me differently watching now as a 48-year-old compared to when I first saw this as a teenager. The second tale is also a pretty good one with some nightmarish visuals as Christina realises that she may not be who she has been brought up to be. Two good stories and one of the better episodes of the series.
Safe Sex
Story 1
Dana and Nicholas are a couple of high school, nerdy virgins wanting to get the attention of girls. Nicholas is not really bothered about the kind of girl he wants, but Dana has a very specific girl on his mind. Caitlin is a bit of an outcast, a loner and a goth – oh and she has a fascination with Freddy Krueger too. Dana is under therapy as he tries to explain his attraction to such an unusual girl. When Dana does get the girl of his dreams, it doesn’t end well. Who would’ve thought that a girl with a Freddy fascination could be deadly?
Story 2
After Dana’s funeral, Nicholas turns his attention to Caitlin himself. Meanwhile, Caitlin sees the same therapist that Dana was under and she opens up about her Freddy interest. Caitlin becomes concerned that Freddy is trying to get at her through her dreams. When the two do come face to face and when Caitlin meets her hero, she soon wishes that she hadn’t.
The fourth of the eight episodes to feature Freddy in the stories and this episode is the weakest of the Freddy-centric ones so far. It’s not terrible, it’s just rather mediocre. The main problem with these Freddy episodes is that you know he will kill and win in the end, so there are no surprises. I think the idea of someone having a Freddy fascination is a good one, but this episode just doesn’t really do much with it.
Well, that is season one of Freddy’s Nightmares. Overall, it’s not a bad season. It is a bit of a mixed bag and you can go from a good episode to a rather poor one. You can even go from a great story in an episode to a bad one in the same episode too. It’s a rather bumpy journey, but season one is pretty decent with more highlights than lowlights. I’m going to cut this one into two parts. This article is getting a little long and taking a break seems like a good idea. So, my retrospective look at season two of Freddy’s Nightmares will be coming up next.
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