Shudder Day: 'Tales from the Crypt' - 'The Trap'

 Show me the Director Fox!

A handful of Episodes of this Show were Directed by surprising names.
Besides Arnie (here), we have Season 3, Episode 3.

It was Directed by Michael J. Fox.

How is it?

Our Host introduces the idea of Insurance and consequences in his Segment.

It's funnier than I made it sound.

A man named Luigi (Bruce McGill) is in deep debt, is kind of a jerk and is desperate for a way out.

He comes up with a crazy plan...

He essentially blackmails his Brother (Bruno Kirby) into faking his death.

He does his best, even if Luigi is full Paul Bearer in that makeup.

It seems to fool the Police (like James Tolkan here), but there are lingering bits of evidence.

They knocked him out to help fake his death and his blood is on the fire poker.
That might come into play later.

The ruse works and they get the insurance money.

However, his Wife- Terri Garr- clearly has eyes for his Brother.

They convince Luigi to hide out in South America for a few months to sell the con.  He also gets plastic surgery down there too.

After 6 months, he finally comes back and they've married in his absence...as well as spending a good chunk of the money.

He tries to out them and the scheme, but...it ends poorly.
I'll avoid SPOILing the Ending for you here.

A fun, silly and twisted Episode.

In other words, it fits right in!

I suppose the fact that this is actually an adaptation of a real Comic Story does explain it.
Sorry, Racer Brad Pitt.

The Episode is full of talented (and sadly, mostly now dead) Actors like Kirby, Garr, Tolkan and McGill.
They absolutely make the Dark Comedy work.

Credit also goes to Fox, of course, who Directs this one quite well.  Why he did this (and one Sitcom Episode) and stopped Directing is a question I don't have an answer to.

Speaking of which, he managed to find the perfect guy to play a Prosecutor in the Finale...

An Episode that truly fits the weird, twisted spirit of the Show.  Here's hoping that other unlikely Directors brought as much as Mr. Fox did here!