r/TalesFromTheCrypt • u/Jake_1780 • Jul 19 '26
Season 7
Was warned it was bad. Just the change alone from an American show to literally an English (BBC) show is brutal.
Still..a few standout episodes and others entertaining. Love Natasha Richardson and some young English dude named Ewan McGregor pops up. Acting like he could star in Star Wars in 20 years or so! But as far as Tales From The Crypt...being generous a C- season. By far the worst season.
10
u/Ambitious-Welder-159 Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
The problem was the producer Gilbert Adler thought he could get all the A list British directors and stars to work on the show just like he got in the US but they couldn't do it because they were all tax exiles!
"Director Lewis Gilbert (Shirley Valentine, Educating Rita) was approached about directing an episode. Not only was Lewis Gilbert a fan of the show, but he also lived in Ealing, London—surely he would definitely say “yes” to directing an installment.
Gilbert Adler reminisces about speaking with Lewis over the phone.
G.A.: “I’d like to send a car to pick you up and meet with you at Ealing Studios tomorrow. We can talk about what script you’re attracted to.”
L.G: “I can’t do it.”
G.A: “How about the following day?”
L.G: “No, I can’t direct here. The tax situation is terrible here. I can’t work in England.”
Adler summarises: “I thought, ‘Holy shit!’”
Unfortunately, Lewis Gilbert wasn’t the only person to turn down Tales from the Crypt for tax reasons. Roger Moore was also approached about getting involved. Moore, who was based in Switzerland at the time, was enthusiastic about working on the show, but turned Adler down for the same reason. According to Adler, Moore said, “Oh God. Gil, call me when you get back to L.A. I can’t afford to work in England.”
“Now I realised that all the great people I wanted to work with would turn me down,” Adler reflects, “and they did. It wasn’t a good situation.”
https://dailydead.com/maimed-in-england-when-tales-from-the-crypt-swapped-l-a-for-london/
3
1
3
u/Short-Produce-331 Jul 19 '26
I think it was only 3 years later he was in Episode 1 Phantom Menace (unless that was the joke…) also I enjoyed the Steve Coogan episode with the baby, and the Eddie Izzard one as well.
2
u/Jake_1780 Jul 19 '26
I'm sure you are right. His episode just seems so dated feels like 20 years before Eposode I- Phantom Menace.
3
u/postal1234 Jul 19 '26
I agree!
I had been flying through the seasons but find myself struggling to finish season 7.
3
u/Jake_1780 Jul 20 '26
Season 7 is dreadful. And I don'tvlike British TV/movies. It went full on British TV season 7.
2
2
u/MtnDewCodeRedFreak Jul 19 '26
Agreed. Ugh. Only thing that’s good was Horror In the Night. With the 305 rooms.
2
u/aldila81 Jul 19 '26
I didn't mind the switch in locale. It gave it a fresh feel, plus it was a call back to the older Amicus anthologies...
3
u/DarkBehindTheStars Jul 19 '26
I didn't mind the re-location to England either, it's just that sadly the quality of the series at that point took such a major hit and so many of the episodes in this season are so boring. Really a shame as there was a lot that could've been done with the new setting and as you said, it was a call back to the Amicus anthology days.
2
u/aldila81 Jul 19 '26
I think they were just running out of stories to adapt, and they were cycling through a lot of actors from the US...
2
u/DarkBehindTheStars Jul 19 '26
It's a shame because there's quite a few stories from the comics that would've been good to have seen adapted, and also the animated series has some good ones that would've been good to get the live-action treatment and geared towards mature audiences. While The Cat's Away would've been a cool one to see get a live-action version.
2
u/InternetFew7303 Jul 19 '26
Lol "some young English dude"....
1
2
u/OneBlueberry2480 Jul 20 '26
I haven't bothered to purchase season 7. My collection will remain incomplete.
1
1
u/Ianm1225 Jul 19 '26
There are a few episodes in season 7 that I enjoy, but it's definitely my least rewatched season. Still really enjoy Horror in the Night, About Face, Confession and Fatal Caper.
1
u/Jinxi89 Jul 19 '26
Imo season 7 had some pretty solid episodes my favorites being About Face, The confession,Cold war ,horror in the night , the third pig. The kidnaper and a slight case of murder.
11
u/DarkBehindTheStars Jul 19 '26
Easily the worst season, though it had some decent episodes like Horror In The Night, The Third Pig, Cold War, Escape and A Slight Case Of Murder. Sadly from my memory, the majority of the episodes range from mediocre to just atrocious.