Monsters: The television series

Monsters was a horror anthology television series that ran from 1988 to 1991.

Richard P. Rubinstein the producer of the show, and the former producer of Tales from the Darkside. The year Darkside ended, Monsters began and gave more of a dedication to horror rather than the science fiction and fantasy that was often featured on Tales from the Darkside.

As the name implies, each episode featured a different monster as the antagonist. Sometimes it was the inner monster of a character, but this series featured a variety of creatures like mutated bugs, trolls, lab rats, beasts, vampires, and demons.

The intro of the show set the creepy mood by showing a grotesque humanoid suburban family deciding what to watch on television.

Check out the intro to Monsters. The synthesizer riff has a Tales from the Darkside feel to it.

Like most horror anthologies, Monsters was known for its special guest stars. Deborah Harry, Laura Branigan, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, and Gina Gershon have all made appearances on Monsters.

Here are some memorable episodes from the series.

Reaper

A man in a retirement home makes a deal with the Grim Reaper agreeing to deliver deaths in exchange for more life.

The Moving Finger

Based on a story by Steven King, this terrifying tale is about a long bony finger coming up out of a sink that only one man can see.

Pool Sharks

A vampire woman is challenged by a pool shark in a bar. The stakes are high, and it is unclear who is hunting who.

Fools Gold

A construction foreman leads two workers into a cave full of gold in the basement of an office building. The gold is guarded by a deadly troll.

Mannikins of Horror

After suffering a mental breakdown, a former surgeon is committed to an asylum. He begins obsessively creating clay manikins that are taken away by his doctor. The manikins come to life and take vengeance.

A Bond of Silk

A posh newlywed couple dives into bed in their hotel suite, only to realize they are trapped in a spider’s web.

Jar

A remote inn keeper sells monsters stored in mason jars that when released into the light will kill, devour its victim, and self dissolve in seconds.

The Space-Eaters

While two friends are playing chess during a thunderstorm, a man knocks on the door with a hole in his temple claiming that something has eaten his brain. After the man dies, and his skull is x-rayed and the creature inside him communicates with the two claiming that they are next.

The Offering

A man is hospitalized for a severe concussion after a car accident. When he wakes, he tries to convince his doctor that his mother is the host of a giant bug-like creature’s larva.

The complete series of Monsters is available on DVD. The box set includes all 72 episodes on nine discs.

You can also catch Monsters on NBC Universal’s horror themed channel Chiller in weekday marathons.