Top 5 Tales from the Cryptkeeper Episodes Worth Revisiting | Crypt Keeper Speed-Art
Hey ghouls, I'm back with another Speed-Art! Recently, I brought one of horror's most iconic hosts back to life in my latest animation: The Evolution of the Cryptkeeper, covering his many appearances across comics, movies, television, and beyond.
But today, I want to revisit something a little different: Tales from the Cryptkeeper, the animated series from the 1990s!
Growing up, this cartoon was actually my introduction to the Cryptkeeper. Remember the 90s? It was a time when studios would take hard R-rated horror properties and turn them into cartoons for children. We had Rambo, RoboCop, and even The Toxic Avenger. And somehow, Tales from the Crypt got the Saturday morning treatment too!
Now, obviously, the animated series doesn't have quite the same bite as HBO's adult-oriented Tales from the Crypt, but that doesn't mean there aren't some entertaining little horror stories worth revisiting.
So today, I'm counting down five episodes of Tales from the Cryptkeeper that I think are worth checking out. These aren't necessarily the scariest episodes, but they're some of my personal favourites. And as always, there are plenty of spooky stories to exhume, so let's get into it!
5. Season 1, Episode 4 – Gone Fishin' / Little Body of Work
My first recommendation is Season 1, Episode 4, which actually features two separate stories. I like this format because neither segment really overstays its welcome.
The first story follows an uncle and his nephew going fishing together. The uncle, however, has a rather questionable approach to the hobby: he catches fish and then simply throws them in the garbage! Essentially, he's overfishing for absolutely no reason, and without spoiling the ending, he gets a fitting comeuppance in true Tales from the Crypt fashion.
The second segment, Little Body of Work, is basically a kid-friendly version of Stephen King's Christine, featuring a car that has a mind of its own. It's definitely the weaker of the two stories, but there's something amusing about seeing that sort of horror premise adapted into a Saturday morning cartoon.
It's a fun little double feature and a good example of what the first season has to offer.
4. Season 1, Episode 9 – Fare Tonight
Next up is Fare Tonight, from Season 1, Episode 9.
This episode follows two teenage girls who are obsessed with the paranormal. They're on the hunt for a secret society of vampires, armed with a homemade vampire detector and plenty of enthusiasm for all things supernatural.
It doesn't quite deliver the same satisfying comeuppance as some of the other episodes on this list, but I actually enjoy the friendship between the two girls. Plus, I'm a sucker — a bloodsucker, naturally — for classic horror monsters!
If you enjoy these characters, they actually return in a follow-up episode called The Weeping Woman in Season 2. So there's a little extra reason to check this one out.
3. Season 2, Episode 4 – All the Gory Details
Moving into Season 2, we have All the Gory Details. Now, I've seen this episode listed as the fourth, fifth, and even sixth episode depending on the source, so take that episode numbering with a grain of salt!
The story follows two reporters investigating a mad scientist who has created an entire society of Frankenstein-like monsters. The two reporters don't exactly get along, and much of the comedy comes from the older male reporter, who is clearly not the most competent person for the job.
Thankfully, the story still delivers the sort of classic comeuppance you'd expect from Tales from the Crypt.
Season 2 also introduces more segments featuring the Cryptkeeper arguing with the Old Witch and Vault Keeper, two characters from the original comics. While these little host segments offer more time with the Crypt Keeper, I find the Old Witch and the Vault Keeper to be dreadfully boring characters, and their rivalry is the least interesting part of the comics and this cartoon.
In addition, the actual stories are now much less connected to the original comic-book material, instead often being totally original stories and not adaptations. Personally, I think this takes away some of the darkness and twisted storytelling that made the first season enjoyable. Still, I wanted to include at least one Season 2 episode, and All the Gory Details is a good choice.
2. Season 3, Episode 2 – Imaginary Friend
Now, when it comes to Season 3, I feel like the series takes a pretty significant drop in quality. By this point, there's not quite as much horror, the animation style leaves a little to be desired, and the stories feel much more focused on delivering moral lessons.
That said, I still wanted to highlight Imaginary Friend, from Season 3, Episode 2.
The premise follows a young girl whose imaginary friend begins haunting her bully. It's a pretty interesting setup, and probably one of the more genuinely spooky ideas from this season.
There are some noticeable changes to the show's format by this point, too. The Cryptkeeper now regularly interacts with the main characters and helps get the stories started. Also, the Old Witch and Vault Keeper are never seen again - so I guess that’s good at least.
While Crypty made a few blink-and-you'll-miss-them appearances in earlier episodes, he's much more involved here.
I also suspect the animation budget took a hit around this time, because the overall presentation feels noticeably cheaper. Still, out of the episodes I've watched from Season 3, this is probably my favourite. Just don't go into this season expecting the same spooky atmosphere as the earlier episodes!
1. Season 1, Episode 1 – While the Cat's Away
And finally, taking the top spot is the very first episode of Season 1: While the Cat's Away!
This story follows two brothers who decide to break into a mansion to steal some money for a dirt bike. Unfortunately for them, the mansion belongs to none other than the Cryptkeeper himself, and there are some rather unpleasant creatures waiting inside.
I absolutely love this episode. It's one of those stories I remember watching countless times growing up, and it really captures what I enjoy about the animated series.
The two brothers have a classic little-brother/big-brother dynamic, the creepy mansion makes for a fun setting, and there are plenty of memorable moments throughout. In fact, several clips from this episode are reused in the show's opening sequence.
It's a great introduction to Tales from the Cryptkeeper, and if you've never watched the cartoon before, this is exactly where I'd recommend starting.
Final Thoughts
So those are my Top 5 Tales from the Cryptkeeper episodes that I think are worth revisiting!
Honestly, I'd probably recommend starting with the first season and seeing how you feel about the show from there. Season 2 is still pretty enjoyable, although I'm not particularly fond of the Old Witch and Vault Keeper interrupting the Cryptkeeper's hosting duties. I mean, this is Tales from the Cryptkeeper, after all! Let the Cryptkeeper do his thing!
And Season 3? Well, let's just say it's a bit of a drag.
But what do you think? What are some of your favourite Tales from the Cryptkeeper episodes? Or had you never even heard of this cartoon before clicking on this article? Let me know in the comments!
And if you haven't already, be sure to check out my animated video covering The Evolution of the Cryptkeeper, where I explore his designs across comics, movies, television, and more.
I know this Speed-Art is a little late for Halloween 🎃. Unfortunately, I caught a cold in the middle of October while finishing the Cryptkeeper animation, and I feel like I slept in every day for a week after releasing it. So I'm a little behind on these Speed-Arts!
And until next time, I've been Aaron, and I'll tell you something later!