Tales From the Crypt is one of the greatest TV anthologies of all time, especially within the wide world of the horror genre. For generations, this classic ode to '80s and '90s horror originally from HBO has wormed its way into the hearts of audiences, cementing these grisly stories in their psyches for years to come. Introduced by the decrepit Crypt Keeper, voiced by John Kassir, each episode tells a different terrifying tale that often offers shocking twists and life lessons that come far too late.
The anthological progression of Tales From the Crypt continued to keep viewers interested and expecting a new spooky setup each time they turned on the TV, allowing for lots of creative liberties and a constantly evolving cast. Audiences were excited to hear the news of a modern reboot, but it unfortunately never got off the ground. While the original series was full of terrifying premises and many gruesome moments, there are a few episodes that stand out for their scare factor and expert storytelling. Let's look back at the best episodes of Tales From the Crypt, ranked.
9 S5/E1 - "Death of Some Salesmen"
Judd (Ed Begley Jr.), a traveling salesman in the business of ripping off unsuspecting people, ends up knocking on the wrong door during an unsuspecting work day. Instead of making a fake cemetery plot sale and scamming his clients as usual, he ends up fighting for his life in a scenario straight out of a nightmare. Tim Curry makes an appearance as all three members of the Brackett family – Ma, Pa, and Winona – who exact their revenge on unsavory solicitors like Judd, with a house full of corpses to prove it.
8 S3/E2 - "Carrion Death"
Within a sweltering desert landscape, an escaped killer (Kyle MacLachlan) runs for his life from both a police officer and a hungry vulture. Eager to escape his consequences, the criminal eventually shoots the cop, but the two are still handcuffed together after the cop gulped down the key. With the convict dragging his captor's dead body across the sand, the vulture comes too close for comfort at the sight of fresh meat. This grueling episode ends with the bird getting the best meal of his life.
7 S2/E10 - "The Ventriloquist's Dummy"
When a young ventriloquist (Bob Goldthwaite) seeks success, he comes into contact with an industry icon (Don Rickles) who he hopes can teach him the tricks of the trade. Billy is soon horrified to learn the secrets behind Mr. Ingles' accomplishments – his shriveled twin, Morty, who is very much alive. Attached to Mr. Ingles' arm, covered by bandages, until the reveal, Morty pulls all the puppet strings behind the scenes. This episode is a shocking instance of bizarre body horror, much like the unbelievable twist in Malignant.
6 S1/E2 - "And All Through the House"
Retold in the first Tales From the Crypt movie, this episode combines happy holidays with harrowing horror. On Christmas Eve, Elizabeth (Mary Ellen Trainor) murders her husband, which leaves her unable to call for help when an escaped psychiatric patient dressed as Santa (Larry Drake) goes on a murder spree with an axe. When he shows up at her house, he soon becomes much closer than she realizes when her young daughter happily lets him in.
5 S4/E7 - "The New Arrival"
This season 4 episode follows Dr. Alan Goetz, an on-air child psychologist (David Warner) with dismal ratings, who visits seasoned caller Nora in hopes of helping her daughter Felicity. But the situation is more dire than the doctor originally feared: Felicity has been dead for years and remains wreaking havoc from beyond the grave. This story is somewhat similar to The Sixth Sense with its two main roles reversed, making for a truly sad and scary tale.
4 S3/E4 - "Abra Cadaver"
"Abra Cadaver" is a bloody revenge fantasy. Research assistant Martin (Beau Bridges) is still reeling from the results of an underhanded prank played by his brother Carl (Tony Goldwyn), who is now a highly respected surgeon. Martin decides to even the playing field by giving Carl an experimental serum that causes the brain to believe the body is dead, without actually killing Carl. A review from Nathan Rabin reads, "It’s another killer episode where death is less a prank gone awry than an awful fate you cannot, and perhaps should not be able to escape."
3 S3/E14 - "Yellow"
Set in World War I, this third season episode exemplifies the true terrors of war with an unexpected scare factor. Lieutenant Kalthrob (Eric Douglas) works under his father, General Kalthrob (Kirk Douglas) – a real-life father-son pair. When the lieutenant requests to be discharged from the army, the general witnesses his cowardice on the front lines and calls for his death by a firing squad execution. With a truly tragic ending, viewers are kept guessing whether the father will show mercy at the last moment – but true to his original word, he doesn't.
2 S4/E6 - "What's Cookin'"
"What's Cookin'" serves up some unsuspecting characters with a side of screams. Fred (Christopher Reeve) and Erma (Bess Armstrong) run a failing restaurant until they adopt a new steak recipe at Gaston's (Judd Nelson) suggestion. Eventually enmeshed in murder, the owners take things a little too far after their newfound success that hinges on a taste for human flesh. A Medium review stated that "Reeve brings his Superman charm to the role, as he’s just a nice guy who finds himself stuck in this situation. Nelson gives an appropriately insane performance."
1 S2/E16 - "Television Terror"
Finally, this season 2 installment follows a tabloid journalist (Morton Downey Jr.) looking for his next shocking story. He and his crew investigate a haunted house, capturing more than just cheap and manufactured scares on camera. The episode results in an excellent example of a found footage freak show, displaying just how far some people will go to raise their ratings. With some genuine jump scares and an increasingly bleak atmosphere, "Television Terror" takes the cake as one of the best terrifying Tales From the Crypt.