Horror On TV: That 70s Show 2.5 “Halloween”

Posted on October 4, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Okay, so technically, this really isn’t horror. But who cares? It deals with Halloween traditions and, even more importantly, I loved That 70s Show.

This episode was originally broadcast on October 26th, 1999.

Horror on TV: The Twilight Zone 5.26 “Living Doll”

Posted on October 3, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s televised horror is the Living Doll episode of The Twilight Zone. This memorably creepy episode takes a look at what happens when a suburban jerk of a father (played by Telly Savalas) gets into a fight with his daughter’s doll, Talky Tina (voiced by June Foray). Things do not end well for one of them.

Seriously, don’t mess with Talky Tina.

This episode was directed by Richard Sarafain, written by Charles Beaumont, and originally broadcast on November 1st, 1963.

Horror on TV: The Twilight Zone 2.3 “The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank”

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today’s televised horror is an episode of The Twilight Zone called The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank. It examines what happens when, in the middle of his funeral, Jeff Myrtlebank (played by James Best) suddenly sits up in his coffin and asks what’s going on. Jeff’s friends and family are now torn between being happy to have Jeff back and being worried as they try to figure out what exactly Jeff has come back as. I like this episode, largely because it’s a good example of country gothic and, in many ways, I’m a gothic country girl. Plus, it has a really great ending!

This episode was directed and written by Montgomery Pittman and originally aired on February 23rd, 1962.

Horror on TV: The Twilight Zone 2.7 “The Nick of Time”

Posted on October 1, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Along with starting each day of October with a horror film here at the Shattered Lens, we’re going to end each day with a horror-themed television show.

While I had previously caught a few episodes of the Twilight Zone during one of the annual holiday marathons on SyFy, I didn’t truly appreciate the show until I first exchanged e-mails with my friend in Australia, Mark. Among other things, Mark expressed a very eloquent appreciation for The Twilight Zone and that inspired me to watch quite a few episodes that have been uploaded to YouTube and Hulu. Along with being an essential piece of television history, the best episodes of the Twilight Zone remain watchable and entertaining 50 years after they were first broadcast.

Considering the esteemed place that the Twilight Zone continues to occupy in American culture, it seems appropriate to feature it during Horror Month here at the Shattered Lens.

We start things off with an episode that was originally broadcast on November 18th, 1960. The Nick of Time tells the story of what happens when two newlyweds stop off at a small town cafe and the superstitious husband (William Shatner) starts to play with a memorably creepy fortune telling machine. Now, I should warn you that, since this episode is not available on YouTube, I’m having to embed it from Hulu. That means that you’ll have to sit through a few commercials but it’s still a good episode.

Enjoy!

Here’s the Trailer for Season 5 of The Walking Dead!

Posted on July 25, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here’s the action and zombie-packed trailer for Season 5 of The Walking Dead!

Trailer #2: True Blood Season 7

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Here’s the second trailer for the 7th season of True Blood. It appears that the world might be ending but that’s not going stop Lafayette from going out with style.

Celebrate life!

“Good Luck, Everyone”

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

I can still remember the day that my high school history teacher decided to teach us about World War I by showing my class the final episode of the classic BBC sitcom Blackadder Goes Forth. At first, I was just happy to get a chance to watch television in class but, by the end of the episode, I was simply devastated.

There’s something very appropriate about the fact that one of the best depictions of the futility and destructiveness of war came at the end of a comedy.

And during this Memorial Day weekend, as we pay respect to the men and women who have died in the course of fighting the countless number of wars that have been waged over the course of this country’s history, it seems to me that this final scene is far more eloquent about the costs of war than I could ever hope to be.

Trailer: True Blood Season 7

Posted on May 18, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

The final season of True Blood starts on June 22nd and I’m looking forward to reviewing it. Judging from this trailer from HBO … well, it’s kind of hard to judge much of anything based on this trailer. It looks like there’s going to be a lot of death and a lot of Sookie/Bill bathtub action. In other words, it’s True Blood!

Teaser: True Blood Season 7

Posted on April 20, 2014 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Another teaser clip for the final season of True Blood has been released and the emphasis is on action! Personally, I think this looks like a job for Buffy….