General Information

Director: John Harrison

Writer: John Harrison

Cast: Mark Dacascos, Debbe Dunning, Marjean Holden, Stoney Jackson, Wayne Newton, John Kassir, Rick Garcia, and Joseph C. Fowler

Composer: Kevin Gilbert

Air Date: 11/30/1994

Overview

Upon fighting to a draw, mixed martial artists Felix Johnson (Mark Dacascos) and Aaron Scott (Stoney Jackson) are forced into a death match by their domineering trophy wives, Aubrey (Debbe Dunning) and Andrea (Marjean Holden). However, Felix and Aaron—quite fond of each other in private—have another plan in mind.

“The Pit” earns its reputation as a poorly made, underwhelming entry of Tales from the Crypt. Specifically, series enthusiasts may wish to forgo this episode due to its one-dimensional characters, lack of horror tropes, and utter absence of compelling narrative conflict.

Pros

A not-so-subtle form of advertising the Have Yourself a Scary Little Christmas album, the Crypt Keeper’s gruesome holiday puns may entertain viewers with a morbid sense of humor.

Cons

The continuous stream of insults, profanity, and vulgarity from Aubrey and Andrea—the latter of whom is implied to come from a cultured and upper-class background—will likely induce cringing from those who enjoy Tales from the Crypt for its cleverly written, if frequently over-the-top, dialogue and situations.

Also deserving of criticism is the twist ending featured in this episode, which, in addition to being highly predictable, is marred by an unrealistic—albeit mildly exciting in a barbaric sense—execution.

Analysis

“The Pit” offers a worthwhile, although self-explanatory, lesson on the foolishness of men who allow every aspect of their lives to be controlled by vindictive, malicious women.

Concluding Comments

Inspired by the pay-per-view fights of the 1990s, “The Pit” would best be avoided by fans of the horror/comedy crossover genre. This episode should nevertheless be commended for showcasing the extraordinary physical abilities of Mark Dacascos—a world-renowned martial artist—and character actor Stoney Jackson.

Overall Quality: 3/10

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