Main cast: Jeremy London (Billy Rabe), Jeff Fahey (The Bearded Man), Joanna Gleason (Mrs Rabe), Jim Metzler (Stan Rabe), Devon Odessa (Linda), and Maureen Teefy (Chrome)
Director: Gilbert Adler
Now this is more like it. Anatomy Lesson may not be amazing, but it is interesting, which makes it a step up from the opening episode of this series.
Billy Rabe has always been fascinated with dissection of the human body, ever since he was a kid when he’d peek at his forensic pathologist father did his thing on dead people all over town. Yes, that man does his surgeries in the same house where he lives with his wife and son. Back to Billy, his interest isn’t medical in nature – he wants to dissect living things, preferably while they are still alive, for the thrill of it.
Meanwhile, for about eight years now, someone has been killing various folks around town. Never mind that this person is targeting low-lives – Billy admires that serial killer’s technique and yearns to meet that fellow and be that fellow’s apprentice. That’s basically the story – you know things will never go as Billy has always imagined when he does meet his hero.
Jeremy London and Devon Odessa look way too old to play high school kids, but that’s probably the charm of this episode: so much of it is so hideous and over the top bad that I can’t help but to eventually be won over. The special effects, from the robot to the UFO, look really artificial and hence, rather amusing in their own way, while the cast put on a hammy performance as if they wanted to reassure me that, yes, this episode is really that bad. Joanna Gleason is especially stiff and awful, but the genius here is that her character has a great reason to be that way. So… I suppose there is some method behind the schlock here.
Even the denouement doesn’t make much sense, but still, this episode seems to dance to its own tune and make its own rules. Nothing is really predictable here. Sure, it’s not what I’d call a great episode, but it serves up enough camp factor and intriguing twists to keep me entertained.
