The Tale of the Phantom Cab

Midnight Society

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Air Date: Saturday, August 15, 1992
Storyteller: Frank (Jason Alisharan)

Frame: We get introduced to the "Midnight Society," a group of kids who gather once a week in the woods by a roaring campfire to share their scary stories, as they are all united by a love of the dark. In this opening episode, Frank is introduced to the rest of the group when David (Nathaniel Moreau) brings him in, blindfolded, until he can prove himself to the rest of the group with his take on a scary story. By the end, spoiler alert, he's allowed into the group and would go on to become one of the show's mainstays.

Story: Buzz (Sean Vertigo) and his older brother, Denny (Jason Tremblay), get lost in the woods one night while exploring in an effort for Buzz to prove himself to Denny, who, in turn, thinks his little brother is kinda worthless. A stranger named Flynn (Brian Dooley) finds them and takes them to an eccentric man named Dr. Vink (Aron Tager), who lives in the woods. Vink informs them that he will help them find their way home if they solve one of his riddles. However, if they don't, they'll be left to take their chances and wait for a mysterious cab and its destination.

Review: Although it's not without a mildly creepy moment or two, the frustrating banter between the two brothers gets on the nerves, especially from Denny, who is quite the bully. Dr. Vink, on the other hand, would eventually become a beloved recurring character throughout the show, and he is definitely one of the few things carrying this episode. The show has many better and more memorable episodes to come. That said, this was still finding its footing, as technically the second episode ('Tale of the Twisted Claw', originally airing on Halloween night, 1990), so some of this can be excused. It proves to be a very middle-ground episode.

Final Rating: Nervous

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