Tales From The Crypt “The Secret”

Wait, Larry Drake came back after playing a psychotic Santa?  Did anyone else appear in more than one episode?

Eh, maybe.

So, this kid  Theodore is an orphan at an orphanage, a bit older than the others there, but still an orphan.  He’s too old to be cute or something, but when the rich Colberts adopt him, his life may be on the rise!

OK, something happened to his parents that the older woman running the orphanage says he can never be told.  That sure sounds ominous.

OK, here’s the thing: I remember this episode and it’s twist, so seeing the little plot details that came first, that’s kinda nice.  Theodore is a werewolf, the Colberts are vampires, and Larry Drake is the ultimately kind-hearted butler Tobias.  Knowing that, when Theodore slips out of the orphanage one night and is found the next day covered in dirt on the front stoop, the full moon visible during a scene transition…yeah, it first.  When the Colberts go out during day-for-night shots, it’s…well, I guess its obvious.

Actually, this episode, the second season finale, feels kinda subpar.  Like, I don’t think anyone was trying all that hard.  The vampire costumes for Mr. Colbert is basically a Spirit Halloween Dracula costume.  Theodore’s werewolf form is much bigger than his regular body, but he doesn’t wreck his clothes.  But the Colberts were going to kill him to make Tobias immortal, something he changed his mind about after spending time with the kid, the only one who spent time with the kid.  I guess Drake gives the best performance in the cast, but it didn’t do much for me.

It was nice seeing the werewolf bite Mrs. Colbert’s head off before chasing down Mr. Colbert.

What about the Cryptkeeper?  He’s sitting in a statue’s lap, wearing Theodore’s coonskin cap for some reason.

Notable Names:  Larry Drake is back, but Mrs. Colbert was played by Grace Zabriskie, and she was a cast member on Twin Peaks.