History Series / TalesFromTheCrypt

* IWantYouToMeetAnOldFriendOfMine: "Lower Berth" guest stars Jeff Yagher, who is the older brother of Kevin Yagher (who not only directed said episode, but was a key person behind the Crypt Keeper effects).

* BlackComedyRape: In the episode "Death of Some Salesman". Counts as both RapeIsOKWhenItIsFemaleOnMale ''and'' DoubleStandardRapeMaleOnMale, since Winona is quite obviously played by a man (TimCurry, no less!). Technically he agreed to it...but it certainly wouldn't have been any better if he hadn't.

Related loosely to the [[{{Film/ECComics}} 1972 Film]] of the same name, as both had stories based on comics from the same company. For the animated adaptation, see ''TalesFromTheCryptKeeper''.

* BerserkButton: Don't hurt Anita's pets.

* CreatorCameo: Not unusual, especially if a given director happens to have an acting career of their own. MichaelJFox plays a prosecuting attorney in "The Trap," ArnoldSchwarzenegger helps get the Crypt Keeper in shape in "The Switch," TomHanks shows up in "None but the Lonely Heart," and Bob Hoskins is in the opening to "Fatal Caper."

* DemonicDummy: In "The Ventriloquist's Dummy".

* FriendToAllLivingThings: Anita from "Collection Completed." She has many pets of different species and is always willing to take in strays.

* GuestHost: One episode had William Sadler 'reprising' his role as [[BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure The Grim Reaper]] to co-host with the Crypt Keeper.
** ArnoldSchwarzenegger also showed up in the Season Two episode, "The Switch", which he also directed.

** Uncle Ezra from "Fitting Punishment." As well as being TheScrooge who nickel-and-dimes his customers for every little thing, he treats his orphaned nephew like dirt.

* NotJustATournament: There are a few episodes where a contestant murders the odds-on favorite, but finds out too late that the "prize" for winning is death. In one case, an actor literally kills for a chance to play {{Hamlet}}, but discovers that he was really auditioning to play Yorick [the skull]. In another case, a BeautyPageant contestant kills another, but discovers that the pageant is "Miss Autopsy".

* RapidAging: In "Only Sin Deep", a vain prostitute "sells" her looks to an eccentric pawnbroker, only to start quickly looking like an old woman.

* TheScrooge: Uncle Ezra from "Fitting Punishment".

* SpinOff: The animated ''{{Tales from the Crypt Keeper}}'' and the {{CBS}} GameShow ''Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House'' were aimed at a younger audience, but still horrifying.

* HollywoodAcid: Used as an ending twist in [[spoiler:"99 & 44/100% Pure Horror"]] -- apparently soap made from a human body is acidic enough to ''melt'' someone's skin [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel right off.]]

* SpinOff: The animated ''{{Tales from the Crypt Keeper}}'' and the {{CBS}} GameShow ''Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House'' were aimed at a younger audience, although still replete with NightmareFuel.

* RapeAsComedy: In the episode "Death of Some Salesman". Counts as both RapeIsOKWhenItIsFemaleOnMale ''and'' DoubleStandardRapeMaleOnMale, since Winona is quite obviously played by a man (TimCurry, no less!). Technically he agreed to it...but it certainly wouldn't have been any better if he hadn't.

* [[OriginsIssue Origins Episode]]: "Lower Berth" establishes how the Crypt Keeper came to be. Appropriately, the episode was directed by Kevin Yagher, who helped the Crypt Keeper come to be in real life.

* RapeAsComedy: In the episode "Death of Some Salesman". Counts as both RapeIsOKWhenItIsFemaleOnMale ''and'' RapeIsFunnyWhenItIsMaleOnMale, since Winona is quite obviously played by a man (TimCurry, no less!). Technically he agreed to it...but it certainly wouldn't have been any better if he hadn't.

* SpiritualSuccessor: ''Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror'' will seem very familiar to fans of this series, from the BlackComedy to the charismatic host to the godawful puns. The first segment will also seem very familiar to ''DeathNote'' fans, but [[FollowTheLeader that's a whole different story]].

* TheUriahGambit: In "Forever Ambergris", an aging photographer sends his young protege to a village that was ravaged by germ warfare, knowing the younger man will fall victim to the same flesh-rotting disease that killed the villagers, leaving his hot girlfriend for the older man's taking. [[spoiler:Naturally, it backfires when the older man learns his protege sent some germ-infected fauna to his girlfriend before he knew anything was wrong.]]

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: A third movie was originally going to be another story titled ''Fat Tuesday''.

*** Arguably Ezra becomes a CompleteMonster by the end of it, as he not only treats his nephew like dirt, but cripples him and then murders him by pushing him down stairs. Its a great thing that Karma catches up with him brutally.

** Also used in the "Reflection of Death" segment of the [[Film/EcComics 1972 film]].

* POVCam: "You, Murderer" (with the added bonus of being from the POV of HumphreyBogart).

* TheUriahGambit: In "Forever Ambergris", an aging photographer sends his young protege to a village that was ravaged by germ warfare, knowing the younger man will fall victim to the same flesh-rotting disease that killed the villagers, leaving his hot girlfriend for the older man's taking.

* MandatoryTwistEnding: One for just about every episode. However, some were quite happy to the good characters, [[TwilightZoneTwist delivering well-deserved vengeance to the unsympathetic]].

* TwilightZoneTwist: Most episodes.

* HollywoodAcid: Used as an ending twist in [[spoiler:"99 & 44/100% Pure Horror" -- apparently soap made from a human body is acidic enough to ''melt'' someone's skin [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel right off.]]

* ArtisticLicenseChemistry: The woman who reduced her ulcer-prone husband to soap, then got burned by his stomach acid using it in the shower. (Soap-making requires lye, which would neutralize the pH.)

* BloodierAndGorier: Than the comics, which were plenty gory enough on their own.

* BloodIsTheNewBlack

* BodyHorror:

* ChristmasEpisode: "And All Through the House"

* GenreAnthology: Of horror stories.
* GoldDigger: Several. And they get what they deserve.

* GuestHost: One episode had William Sadler reprising his role as [[BillAndTedsExcellentAdventure The Grim Reaper]] to cohost with the Crypt Keeper.

* HollywoodAcid: Used as an ending twist in [[spoiler:"99 & 44/100% Pure Horror" -- apparently soap made from a human body is acidic enough to melt someone's skin right off.]]

* OuterLimitsTwist: A few episodes.

** Uncle Ezra from "Fitting Punishment." As well as being TheScrooge who nickel-and-dimes his customers for every little thing, he treats his orphaned nephew as slave labour, cripples him for life, and then murders him after deciding that the boy is costing him too much money.

* CrazyJealousGuy: Steve Dixon in "Split Second" rapidly becomes one after getting married, which his unfaithful wife eventually uses to her advantage.