Welcome to Late Night Retro Television Reviews, a feature where we review some of our favorite and least favorite shows of the past! On Wednesdays, I will be reviewing Monsters, which aired in syndication from 1988 to 1991. The entire series is streaming on YouTube.
This week, we have an episode directed by Tom Noonan and starring Ed Lauter! Come discover what’s eating Malcolm….
Episode 3.13 “Malcolm”
(Dir by Tom Noonan, originally aired on December 23rd, 1990)
When he was younger, Malcolm (Ed Lauter) was a romantic who played the clarinet. Now, he’s just a boring old businessman. When his wife (Carole Shelley) asks him to play the clarinet again, he collapses in pain. Their doctor (Farley Granger) discovers that Malcolm has what appears to be a tumor in his stomach. Of course, the glowing tumor is actually alive. It’s a weird, giant worm that gives Malcolm his musical talent. The worm is removed but now, Malcolm has lost his talent. One night, the worm shows up again….
This was an odd and moody episode, which I guess is not surprising as it was directed by Tom Noonan, a director and actor who specializes in the odd and moody. Moving at its own deliberate pace, the episode benefitted from a good performance from Ed Lauter, a good deal of atmosphere, and some Cronenbergian body horror. The worm was obviously a stand-in for the self-destructive nature of many artists. The worm gives Malcolm his talent but it also has the potential to eat him from the inside. When the worm returns, Malcolm makes his decision and the whole thing plays out like a moody nightmare.
In other words, this was a good episode, one that was willing to be both surreal and a bit grotesque. Tom Noonan and Ed Lauter made for an excellent combination.
Through the Shattered Lens 