Zoned Out: Gramma

Are you ready to enter...the Zone?  Oh yeah...

Based on a Stephen King tale and Written for TV by a famous Sci-Fi Writer, we have this week's Induction...

Thi is a kid.  This is a kid who has to watch his Grandma while his Mom is away.

Any questions?

What makes this Episode unique is that the middle part (of the 10-minute run) is all just the kid's narration.  It makes you feel how he feels in this bizarre situation.

Grandma is not well and he's not sure how to handle it.  Does he call the Doctor?  Does he need to check on her personally?

As a side note, would you go into this room?  I didn't think so.

All sorts of freaky stuff starts to happen- like red smoke coming from a hole in the floor.  He discovers a book with words like Yog-Sothoth and Cthulhu.  Ruh roh!

While he goes to check her health up close (with the whole mirror under the nose thing), Grandma grabs the boy and some crazy shit goes down!

In the aftermath, Grandma is dead...or is she?

Yeah, we get the 'Thriller' ending (some three years later) as I guess evil Grandma has found a new host.  The End.

While this is a shorter one (this Episode had 3 Segments instead of 2), it is still quite strong.  While the kid Actor is not great, the Story is helped by the use of narration.  If used too much, it can be silly.  In this case, the Story mandates very little talking (as he's alone with the sick Grandma), so I don't mind it.  Given that this is a Stephen King Story (and from his better period), you know that it is strong too.  I like that it implies alot (like how creepy Grandma) is and thus works well within the limited TV budget (and limited Effects of the time).  If they had gone bigger, you would have gotten some silly stuff.  As it is, it is a shorter, but still strong tale of why I'm happy to not have any Grandmothers left.  Boy, you don't get to say that too often (if ever)!  If you happen to have Grandmothers, maybe just watch your back.  As for the guy who adapted this King tale, well, see for yourself...

Next week, we get a more light-hearted tale of mirth.  There's a Leprechaun, only this one isn't Warwick Davis and Hornswoggle- thank God!  Stay tuned...