Fear Itself Episode 5: Eater

I’ve got to say after last week’s disastrous show I was prepared to despise this one from the start. But, this time I was happily surprised! Last night’s episode of Fear Itself, was entitled, ‘Eater.’ And well folks it was a hit, not a homerun totally, but for an hour-long show, it was darn near perfectly done.

The episode starred Elizabeth Moss and all 6' 11 inches of Stephen Hart. My first question is why isn’t Hart like a huge horror star; he looks like he was born to be a horror villain. Moss plays Bannerman a rookie officer and horror lover, which in this case is a good and bad thing. Because during certain situations during the episode, us as horror lovers, are thinking, she should know better. Anyway, Hart plays, like I mentioned yesterday an Ed Gein kind of dude, kills ya, skins ya and then wears ya. Only thing, Hart’s version is scarier, because of his looks. Creeeeepy. And he’s into voodoo. Not good for the officers.

Immediately we see the cops bring Hart in shacked and the Sergeant tells his cops about Hart’s murders. They make jokes and there are some nice Silence of the Lamb references, and more establishing of Moss as a horror fan. Then there is an awesome flashback scene, that’s just like butter. Really, Hart uses butter to cook the flesh of his victims. Maybe, he watches Paula Dean, but I’m not sure. They didn’t say. For some reason in this odd little town only three cops are left on duty to guard Hart. And in true Mayberry style they leave the key to the cell hanging on the wall by the door. Really?

Hart starts chanting a voodoo chant nonetheless and we already know this is going to end badly. We skip ahead a bit and Moss suddenly finds out her fellow cops are let’s just say not themselves. You probably will figure out what is happening early on, but director Stuart Gordon, shot the scenes so skillfully you won’t care. We are all going along on this adrenaline ride waiting for Moss and Hart’s next moves. I found myself pulling for Moss and without telling you the ending you will cheer for her, because she fights like hell for her life. I guess being a horror lover can pay off in these situations. Ha! So, Freddy, Jason bring it, I can take ya!

Now, there was a couple of unnecessary moments, for instance there was this scene where Moss goes and changes her shirt revealing her character is sleeved out with tats. Not sure what that was about, they never tell us. Maybe on the DVD release of the show we’ll find out. There was also a body moving from the cell to the floor, which I can’t clarify without giving away a big twist. But, let’s just say there was no reason to move it to the floor, not sure what the purpose of that was.

I won’t tell you the ending, but again Gordon, did an excellent job of establishing it early and he did it skillfully without beating us over the head with these clues like Landis mistakenly did last week. My hat is off to Gordon and the writers. One of which is actor and Christina Applegate’s ex-husband, Johnathon Schaech. Hot and talented Johnathon Schaech.

Overall the fifth episode was awesome good fun. I give it 8/10 if I were rating it. It was cleaver and well written and just gory enough. Good job, the episode managed to entertain cynical old me.

Next week no episode, so I’ll probably be watching Swingtown. But, now I must watch Stuart Gordon’s Re-Animator, he’s my new horror friend.