The reluctant subject of these photographs is Nicky "The Snake Man" Van Adder. Seven years ago he walked away from the music business trying to escape the public eye. And this is the public eye: Fran Rayburn. Once a promising photojournalist, now scraping by as a third-rate paparazzo. But that's all about to change...
Having missed the perfect photo of a celebrity she's hounded for years, a paparazza seeks the ultimate shot – of the now dead celebrity lying in state at a funeral home. But after finally getting the picture, she finds that the ghost of the celebrity starts to relentlessly hound her. Originally aired April 21, 1998. Starring Maya Israel, Greg O'Donovan, John Rogers, Nicholas Rohlfing and Scott Travis. — Rip Torn, ending narration of episode.
Tropes:
- An Aseop:
- Don't be a greedy money-hungry paparazzo.
- Celebrity or not, let the dead rest in peace.
- And I Must Scream: Fran's case, as her being left all alone in her apartment having her picture taken by Nicky's ghost for two hours has left her mental health shattered, and everywhere she looks and every time she blinks her eyes, a camera flashes.
- Alone with the Psycho: A paparazzo alone in a room with a ghost. Tormented by his ghost at the funeral home. And again in her apartment for two hours.
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Fran when Nicky's ghost returns from the grave to haunt her with his camera and picture taking.
- Big "NO!": Fran screams these over and over as Nicky's ghost hounds her with a camera taking pictures of her.
- Break the Haughty: After hounding a celebrity to his grave just to get a good picture, Fran ends up mentally scarred by Nicky's ghost hounding her and taking pictures of her.
- Driven to Suicide: Nicky "The Snake Man" Van Adder supposedly electrocuted himself playing guitar in his bathtub.
- Eyes Open: Nicky's corpse momentarily opens it eyes as Fran attempts to take a photo of him, spooking her.
- Foreshadowing: Fran: "Oh, you could say I was sort of like his shadow".
- Hell Is That Noise: Nicky's guitar playing loud metal riffs by itself. The snake tattoo hissing. And the sounds of many cameras flashing as Fran has her picture taken.
- Jerkass: Fran, who doesn't care about the well-being of celebrities or their need for privacy. She doesn't even respect the late rockstar Nicky "The Snakeman" Van Adder well enough to let him rest in peace.
- Jump Scare:
- Nicky's eyes pop open when Fran hovers around his corpse with a camera.
- Then Nicky's corpse rises from the embalming table to spook Fran more when she keeps trying to get a picture of him.
- Laser-Guided Karma: Because the paparazzo Fran wouldn't let Nicky rest in peace, Nicky's ghost haunts her with a camera.
- Light Is Not Good: Mr. Flash haunting Fran. All dressed in a white suit and hat. Turns out he was actually Nicky's ghost in disguise haunting her as payback.
- Mugging the Monster: Fran really shouldn't have tried to get a picture of a dead rock star or bully his ghost.
- No Celebrities Were Harmed: Nicky "The Snakeman" Van Adder is loosely based off of the late musician Morrissey who was also hounded by paparazzo.
- Rage Against the Reflection: Fran breaks a mirror when Nicky's ghost haunts her through it taking pictures of her.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech:
- Fran gives one cowardly to Nicky's ghost when he begins to haunt her.
Fran: Fine! You know what? You celebrities are all alike! Make us out to be the villains while you play the poor, innocent victims! Well, you people need us as much as we need you!- Mr. Flash gives one to Fran before revealing her as Nicky's ghost coming back to haunt her.
- Shout-Out: "Janis, Hendrix, Elvis, Sid... we are going to be bigger than any of them, Nicky!"
- Skewed Priorities: Fran would rather hound Nicky even when he is dead to get a good photo of him, rather than let him rest in peace.
- Stalker without a Crush: Fran, trying to get a picture of rockstar Nicky.
- Take That!: A big one towards media hounding paparazzo.
- Through the Eyes of Madness: By the end, Fran sees Nicky's ghost hounding her with a camera literally everywhere she looks. In her eyes, a camera flashes and she blinks in response.
- Was It Really Worth It?: All of Fran's attempts to get a picture of the dead rock star end with her sanity shattered.
- Wham Line: When the mysterious Mr. Flash gives Fran his "The Reason You Suck" Speech about her work as a paparazzo and her hounding the late rock star.Mr. Flash: You don't understand, Ms. Rayburn. I'm not interested in cash. You haven't given me a day's peace in five and a half years. Not even in death. Now...it's time to return the favor.
- Wham Shot: The pictures taken of Fran by Nicky's ghost at the end, an unwilling subject like herself.
Every action has a consequence. Fran Rayburn made a living stealing pictures of unwilling subjects. But in her eagerness to turn a profit, she neglected to calculate the cost... her own sanity.
— Rip Torn, ending narration of episode.
