History Recap / TalesFromTheCryptS1E2AndAllThroughTheHouse

!!Tropes:

->'''Crypt Keeper:''' Ho-ho-ho, kiddies! Just your old pal, the Crypt Keeper, having a little holiday fun. Why else would I be in this getup... unless there was a ''Claus'' in my contract? (''cackles'') In fact, I've got some Christmas goose for you... goose''bumps'', that is! Yes, indeedy. A little terror tale, chock-full of holiday ''fear''. I mean "cheer", of course. So, get a gander of a Yuletide yelp-yarn that goes a little something like this: "Twas the night before Christmas... '''And All Through the House'''."

On Christmas Eve, Elizabeth Cayman attacks her husband Joseph with a fireplace poker, caving his skull in. After putting her young daughter Carrie Ann to bed to keep her from seeing the aftermath, she calls her lover Vic to tell him that Joseph is dead and they can split his estate. Elizabeth drags Joseph's corpse outside in order to throw him down their well, missing a radio bulletin about an escaped mental patient dressed in a Santa Claus suit who has killed several women in the area.

Joseph revives just long enough to try to strangle Elizabeth before falling dead. As she prepares to throw him down the well, the killer attacks; Elizabeth fends him off with an icicle and an axe from the woodpile before locking herself inside the house. She calls 911, but stops upon realizing that Joseph's body is still lying outside in the snow. The killer breaks through a window to get at her again, but she knocks him unconscious with the axe and he too falls into the snow. Elizabeth learns about him and his weapon of choice through a call from the police advising her that a patrol car will be coming through the neighborhood to check on everyone.

Deciding to frame the killer for Joseph's murder, Elizabeth buries the axe's blade in Joseph's head. The front door of the house blows shut, locking her out, and she drops her keys down a storm drain, forcing her to dig Joseph's set out of his pockets in order to get back inside. While calling 911 to report the murder, she sees that both the killer and the axe are gone, realizing that Carrie Ann, who was expecting Santa to come, is in danger. She races to get Joseph's gun from the closet, but it is out of reach on the top shelf and she becomes trapped as the killer climbs toward Carrie Ann's window. Elizabeth breaks out of the closet and finds Carrie Ann standing happily alongside the killer, whom she believes to be Santa and has let inside. Elizabeth screams in horror as the killer advances slowly toward her and asks, "Naughty? Or nice?"

* AxCrazy: The deranged killer dressed as Santa Claus is a literal case, as his weapon of choice is an axe.
* TheBadGuyWins: The killer finally gets to plant his axe in Elizabeth's head, thanks to Carrie Ann letting him inside.

* EurekaMoment: After being informed over the phone that the killer's weapon is an axe, Elizabeth suddenly realizes (as she's holding it to defend herself after knocking the killer out with it) she can make him a scapegoat for Joseph's murder.

* GigglingVillain: For most of the episode, the killer is laughing like a looney bird while swinging his axe to try and kill Elizabeth. {{Subverted|Trope}} in the end, where he delivers a chilling PreMortemOneLiner.
* JumpScare: At one point, Elizabeth turns around, only to run into a criminally-insane Santa wielding an axe.

* TooDumbToLive: While Elizabeth ''does'' deserve credit for making sure to prop open the front door as she goes to bury the killer's axe in Joseph's head, she also ''loses'' said credit for using an umbrella stand that's easily toppled over by a swift breeze.

->'''Crypt Keeper:''' (''having discarded his Santa suit and clutching the killer's axe'') Well, how was that for a ''scream'', boys and ''ghouls''? Oh, don't worry about little Carrie. This particular Santa preferred ''older'' women... in ''pieces'', that is! (''cackles'') Well, it just goes to show ya: be ''very'' careful of what you ''axe'' for for Christmas. You might just '''get it!''' (''cackles'')

->''(a door is heard opening as snow is blown into the crypt, the door is then closed by the Crypt Keeper, wearing a Santa suit and mask and carrying a bag over his shoulder)''
->'''Crypt Keeper:''' Ho-ho-ho, kiddies! Just your old pal, the Crypt Keeper, having a little holiday fun. Why else would I be in this getup... unless there was a ''Claus'' in my contract? ''(briefly cackles)'' In fact, I've got some Christmas goose for you... goose ''bumps'', that is! Yes, indeedy. A little terror tale, chock-full of holiday ''fear''... I mean "cheer", of course. So, get a gander of a Yuletide yelp-yarn that goes a little something like this: "Twas the night before Christmas... '''And All Through the House'''."

On Christmas Eve, Elizabeth Cayman attacks her husband Joseph with a fireplace poker and caves his skull in. After putting her young daughter Carrie Ann to bed and keeping her from seeing the aftermath, she calls her lover Vic to tell him that Joseph is dead and they can split his estate. Elizabeth drags Joseph outside in order to throw him down the well on their property, not hearing a radio news bulletin about an escaped mental patient dressed in a Santa Claus suit who has killed several women.

Joseph revives just long enough to try to strangle Elizabeth before falling dead. As she is about to throw him into the well, the killer attacks; Elizabeth fends him off with an icicle and an ax from the woodpile and locks herself inside the house. She calls 911, but stops upon realizing that Joseph's body is still lying outside in the snow. The killer breaks through a window to get at her, but she knocks him unconscious with the ax she has brought in and he too falls into the snow. Elizabeth first learns about him and his weapon of choice - an ax - through a call from the police advising her that a patrol car will be coming through the neighborhood to check on everyone.

Deciding to frame the killer for Joseph's murder, Elizabeth buries the ax blade in Joseph's head. The front door of the house blows shut, locking her out, and she drops her keys down a storm drain and has to dig Joseph's set out of his pockets in order to get back inside. While calling 911 to report the murder, she sees that both the killer and the ax are gone and realizes that she is in real danger. She races to get Joseph's gun from a closet, but it is out of reach on the top shelf and she becomes trapped inside as the killer climbs toward Carrie Ann's bedroom window. Elizabeth breaks out of the closet and finds Carrie Ann standing happily alongside the killer, whom she believes to be Santa and has let into the house. Elizabeth screams in horror as the killer advances slowly toward her and asks, "Naughty or nice?"

* AdaptationalBadass: Not that it does her any good, but Elizabeth is far from helpless, unlike both of her contemporaries. The comic version was a complete mess, unable to either hide her husband's corpse or board up the house before her daughter lets the madman in. Her film counterpart fares slightly better, but is still quickly dispatched. Here, she manages to fend off the killer a few times, and even gets the idea to pin her husband's murder by her hands on him, which neither of the other two heroines thought to do. She still dies by the end, but she definitely made the madman work for it.

* AdaptationDyeJob: Inverted: while Joanne was black-haired in the film, Elizabeth is blonde here... just like in the original comic.
* AdaptationExpansion: More so to the film adaptation: Joseph is Carrie Ann's ''step-''father (and Elizabeth murdered him to get his money and to be with her lover), Elizabeth actually misses the news report about the escaped killer (which leads to her being caught off guard when he first arrives), Joseph briefly revives when Elizabeth attempts to dump his body down their well, the killer repeatedly attacks Elizabeth throughout the episode, at one point smashing through a window, and a minor plot point is established by Elizabeth opening Carrie Ann's window just a crack, and the killer attempts to get inside that way in the climax.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Somewhat with the escaped convict. While in all three versions he is a maniac who brutally murders women, the comic notes that he leaves children alone completely and only attacks men in self defense. Here, we're given no such knowledge, and we have only the Crypt Keeper's word (and who wouldn't trust Ol' Skull Face?) that Carrie Ann made it out alive.
* AssholeVictim: It's implied that Joseph wasn't a particularly loving husband, so killing him was justifiable as far as Elizabeth was concerned. On the other hand, Elizabeth isn't the poster child of sympathetic characterization herself, as she was an adulterer, a GoldDigger, and a murderer, so her getting killed in the end is considered a double dose of karma for the married couple.
* AxCrazy: The deranged killer dressed as Santa Claus is ''literally'' this; his weapon is an ax.
* TheBadGuyWins: The killer finally gets to plant his axe in Elizabeth's head.
* BadSanta: This one is a criminally insane killer.
* BigNo: Elizabeth at the end, after her daughter lets "Santa" in. Many, many times. In fact, not only are they her last words, but they're the closing lines of the episode.
* ChildrenAreInnocent: Upon seeing a deranged man in a Santa suit trying to break into her house, Carrie Ann willingly lets him inside, thinking that he's the real Santa.
* ChristmasEpisode: The only one set on the holiday proper in the series.
* CoincidentalBroadcast: Averted. The radio was on in the background well before the warning about the killer was broadcast. Unfortunately, Elizabeth was heading out the door just as the news of his escape was being reported, so she completely missed it.
* DramaticIrony: If the Crypt Keeper is to be believed, Carrie Ann was never in any danger from Psycho Santa; Elizabeth could've survived long enough for the cops to show up had she stayed in the side room.
* DumbBlonde: As soon as the killer makes his appearance, Elizabeth's intellect plummets, with her making one idiotic decision after the next.

* EvilVersusEvil: On one end, there is Elizabeth, who for reasons the plot does not mentions beats her husband to death with a fire poker immediately after the opening credits disappear. On the other end, we have "[[BadSanta Santa]]", an escaped ax-crazy SerialKiller.
* EvenEvilHasLovedOnes: If there's anything good that can be said about Elizabeth, its that she is a DotingParent to her daughter.
* EurekaMoment: After being informed over the phone that the killer's weapon is an ax, Elizabeth suddenly realizes (as she's holding it to defend herself after having knocked out the killer with it) she can make him the scapegoat for Joseph's murder.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: If the words of the Crypt Keeper are anything to go by, the escaped SerialKiller is a FriendToAllChildren who leaves Carrie Ann unharmed.
* ForeShadowing: Carrie Ann's excitement for Santa to come plays heavily into the ending of the episode. Elizabeth also opens her daughter's window to let some air in, allowing a route for the killer to get in.
* FriendToAllChildren: The killer, according to the Crypt Keeper.
* GigglingVillain: When we first see the killer, he's laughing like a looney bird while he swings an ax to try and kill Elizabeth. {{Subverted|Trope}} in the end, where he delivers a chilling PreMortemOneLiner.
* JumpScare: Elizabeth turns around, only to literally run into a criminally-insane Santa wielding an ax.
* KarmaHoudini: The killer is one of the few villain characters to get what he wanted at the end of the episode. And not get any comeuppance, though one assumes he was quickly recaptured when the police arrived a few minutes later.
* MoodWhiplash: The episode opens on a peaceful and tranquil scene of a living room decorated for Christmas, with "The Christmas Song" playing in the background. A minute later, Elizabeth kills her husband with a fire poker.
* MythologyGag: The local county is named Gaines after William M. Gaines, publisher of Creator/ECComics.
** The Crypt Keeper dressed up as Santa, complete with mask, is a nod to the comic: the joke of the comic's wraparound segment was that it appeared that Santa was telling the story, only for it to be revealed at the end that it was the Vault Keeper in costume. Here, the Crypt Keeper forgoes all pretense and admits straight up he's in costume for "a little holiday fun".
** At one point, the killer breaks through a window and tries to strangle Elizabeth, though she fends him off. In the 1972 film, the killer kills Joanne Clayton in this manner.
* NotHisSled: Inverted: at first, it looks like that the killer is going to get in through Carrie Ann's window, but the last scene implies he slipped off the ladder and was just let in through the back door.

* PreMortemOneLiner: The only words the killer says during the entire episode, right as he's about to go in for the kill: "Naughty, or nice?" Complete with SlasherSmile.
* TheScapegoat: Forced to call the police, Elizabeth gets to thinking she can blame her husband's murder on the escaped maniac in the Santa suit.
* ShoutOut: Joseph reads ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'' by the fire, apparently not praising the line "God bless us, everyone".

* TemptingFate: "What are you, deaf? I said let me have it!" These are Joseph's last words before Elizabeth caves his skull in.
* TooDumbToLive: While Elizabeth ''does'' deserve credit for making sure to prop open the front door as she goes to bury the ax in Joseph's head, she also ''loses'' credit for using an umbrella stand that was easily toppled over.
* UnwittingInstigatorOfDoom: Carrie Ann letting the serial killer inside the house due to her seeing him in a Santa Claus suit leads to Elizabeth's death.
* VillainProtagonist: Elizabeth.
* WhamLine: Carrie Ann to her mother Elizabeth about the Santa Claus outside their house trying to break in:
-->'''Carrie Ann:''' ''(bringing Santa into the room)'' See, mommy? I ''told'' you Santa would come! And he didn't even have to come down the chimney! '''I''' let him in!

->'''Crypt Keeper:''' ''(having discarded his Santa suit and clutching the killer's axe)'' Well, how was ''that'' for a ''scream'', boys and ''ghouls''? Oh, don't worry about little Carrie. This particular Santa preferred ''older'' women... in ''pieces'', that is! ''(cackles)'' Well, it just goes to show ya: be very careful of what you ''axe'' for for Christmas. You might just '''get it!''' ''(cackles)''

* HeroAntagonist: The killer is by no means heroic (being criminally insane and having a brutal rap sheet), but all we see of him is him going after a woman who just murdered her own husband. While it's implied that Joseph wasn't a loving husband to his wife, Elizabeth cheating on him and then killing him with the intention of splitting his estate with her lover, and ''then'' trying to pin her husband's murder on the escaped serial killer, makes her no better than her dead husband.

* AxCrazy: The deranged killer dressed as Santa Claus is ''literally'' this; his WeaponOfChoice is an ax.

* EurekaMoment: After being informed over the phone that the killer's WeaponOfChoice is an ax, Elizabeth suddenly realizes (as she's holding it to defend herself after having knocked out the killer with it) she can make him the scapegoat for Joseph's murder.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: If the words of the Crypt Keeper are anything to go by, the escaped SerialKiller is a FriendToAllChildren and leaves Carrie Ann unharmed.

->'''Crypt Keeper:''' Ho-ho-ho, kiddies! Just your old pal, the Crypt Keeper having a little holiday fun. Why else would I be in this getup... unless there was a ''Claus'' in my contract? ''(briefly cackles)'' In fact, I've got some Christmas goose for you... goose ''bumps'', that is! Yes, indeedy. A little terror tale, chock-full of holiday ''fear''... I mean "cheer", of course. So, get a gander of a Yuletide yelp-yarn that goes a little something like this: "Twas the night before Christmas... '''And All Through the House'''."

* AdaptationalBadass: Not that it does her any good, but the main character is far from helpless, unlike both of her contemporaries. The comic version was a complete mess, unable to either hide her husband's corpse or board up the house before her daughter lets the madman in. Her film counterpart fares slightly better, but is still quickly dispatched. Here, she manages to fend the convict off a few times, and even gets the idea to pin her husband's murder by her hands on him, which neither of the other two heroines thought to do. She's still dead by the end, but she definitely made the madman work for it.
* AdaptationNameChange: While the main character isn't named in the original comic story[[note]]from "The Vault of Horror", #35[[/note]], she ''was'' called Joanne Clayton in [[Film/TalesFromTheCrypt the film]].

* AdaptationalVillainy: Somewhat with the escaped convict. While in all three versions he is a maniac who brutally murders women, the comic notes that he leaves children alone completely and only attacks men in self defense. Here, we're given no such knowledge, and we have only the Crypt Keeper's word (and who wouldn't trust old skull face?) that Carrie Ann made it out alive.
* AssholeVictim: It's implied that Joseph wasn't a loving husband, so killing him was justifiable as far as Elizabeth is concerned. On the other hand, Elizabeth isn't the poster child of sympathetic characterization herself as she was an adulterer, a GoldDigger, and a murderer, so her getting killed in the end is considered a double karma for the married couple.

* CoincidentalBroadcast: Averted. The radio was on in the background well before the warning about the killer was broadcast. Also, Elizabeth was heading out the door just as the news was being reported, so she completely missed it.
* DramaticIrony: If the Crypt Keeper is to be believed, Carrie Ann was never in any danger from Santa; Elizabeth could've survived long enough for the cops to show up had she stayed in the side room.
* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Inverted: the Crypt Keeper was more subdued in Season 1 compared to later seasons... and yet it's ''this episode'' that sees him show up in a Santa costume.

* HeroAntagonist: The killer is by no means heroic (being criminally insane and having a brutal rap sheet), but all we see of him is going after a woman who murdered her own husband. While it's implied that Joseph wasn't a loving husband to his wife, Elizabeth cheating on then murdering Joseph with the intention of splitting his estate with her lover, and trying to pin her husband's murder on an escaped serial killer, makes her no better than her dead husband.
* JumpScare: Elizabeth turns around, only to literally run into a santa claus wielding an ax.

* NotHisSled: Inverted: at first, it looks like that the killer is going to get in through Carrie Ann's window, but the last scene implies he slipped off the ladder and was just let in through the front door.

* TheScapegoat: Forced to call the police, Elizabeth gets to thinking she can blame her husband's murder of the escaped maniac in Santa suit.

* TemptingFate: "What are you, deaf? I said let me have it!" These are Joseph's last words before Elizabeth kills him.

* WhamLine: Carrie Ann to her mother Elizabeth about the Santa Claus outside their house trying to break in: "But don't worry, I let him in!".

* AdultFear: Ok, so the Crypt Keeper implied that Carrie Ann wasn't going to be harmed by the killer, but what's stopping him from kidnapping her?

* GigglingManiac: When we first see the killer, he's laughing like a looney bird while he swings an ax to try and kill Elizabeth. Subverted in the end, where he delivers a chilling PreMortemOneLiner.

* BehindtheBlack: Granted, it was dark out, but Elizabeth literally runs into the killer outside her house from a point where she easily should've been able to see him.

* AdultFear: Ok, so The Crypt Keeper implied that Carrie Ann wasn't going to be harmed by The Killer, but what's stopping him from kidnapping her?
* AssholeVictim: It's implied that Joseph wasn't a loving husband so killing him was justifiable as far as Elizabeth is concerned. On the other hand Elizabeth isn't the poster child of sympathetic character herself as she was an adulterer, a GoldDigger and a murderer so her getting killed in the end is considered a double karma for the married couple.
* AxCrazy: The deranged killer dressed as Santa Claus is ''literally'' this; his WeaponOfChoice is an Ax.

* BigNo: Elizabeth at the end after her daughter lets "santa" in. Many, many times. In fact, not only are they her last words, but they're the closing lines of the episode.
* CoincidentalBroadcast: Averted. The radio was on in the background well-before the warning about the killer was reported. Also, Elizabeth was heading out the door just as the news was being reported, so she completely missed it.

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Inverted: The Crypt Keeper was more subdued in Season 1 compared to later seasons... and yet it's ''this episode'' that sees him show up in a Santa costume.
* EurekaMoment: After being informed over the phone that the killer's WeaponOfChoice is an ax, Elizabeth suddenly realizes (as she's holding it to defend herself after having knocked out the killer with it) she can pin Joseph's death on him with it.

* HeroAntagonist: The killer is by no means heroic (being criminally insane and having a brutal rap sheet), but all we see of him is going after a woman who murdered her own husband. While it's implied that Joseph wasn't a loving husband to his wife, Elizabeth cheating on before murdering Joseph with the intention of splitting his estate with her lover and trying to pin her husband's murder on an escaped serial killer makes her no better than her dead husband.

** At one point, the killer breaks through a window and tries to strangle Elizabeth, though she fends him off. In the 1972 "Tales From the Crypt Movie", the killer kills Joanne Clayton in this manner.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Somewhat with the escaped convict. While in all three versions he is a maniac who brutally murders woman, the comic notes that he leaves children alone completely and only attacks men in self defense. Here, we're given no such knowledge, and we have only The Crypt Keeper's word (And who wouldn't trust old skull face?) that Carrie Ann made it out alive.