Main cast: Romano Orzari (Vinnie Falco), Will Bond (Zack Koontz), Robin Ritenour (Beth Atkins), and Rip Torn (Narrator)
Director: Stuart Taylor
About six years ago, Vinnie Falco—ugh, that name—and his friend Zack Koontz tried to rob a jewelry store. In the ensuing mess, a clerk and Zack were both dead, and Vinnie was subsequently arrested and later be put on death row. He has always maintained that Zack shot the clerk, and today, his case has amassed a group of anti-death sentence protesters calling for him to be set free. His attorney Beth is hoping to capitalize on this and a technical mistake in her predecessor’s paperwork to get him free, but Vinnie isn’t holding much hope. He would be an innocent man sentenced to die by lethal injection, oh the tragedy and the travesty of all…
Well, until his dead friend Zack materializes in his cell the night before he is going to be given the death juice, promising that he will help Vinnie avoid that punishment. As he tells Vinnie, he’s dead so he can do anything, and Vinnie believes him. Well, our protagonist is desperate, after all.
Beat the Reaper is without doubt the most Tales from the Crypt-ish episode to date. In fact, slap on the theme song from that other show and the Crypt Keeper making puns in the bookend segments, and this one could have easily been an episode of that other series. I mean this as a good thing, since I will always have fond memories of that series. This one has the same sense of dark humor, the pretty decent acting that conveys the camp that is needed to make things work, and a nice fitting end for the bad guys that deserve their comeuppance. As added bonuses, this one also boasts a cohesive story with good pacing and build up.
Indeed, Romano Orzari is the MVP here as he plays his character just right. Vinnie is sleazy yet somehow likable that it’s hard to figure out whether he’s a good guy or not. Well, for a while remember, before I remember what kind of show this is, heh. The lady playing Beth is clearly an amateur that stumbles over her lines badly, but the other two lead actors manage to step in and steal the show.
My only complaint is the truly, truly, truly awful of really bad CGI and bad costume towards the end. Good lord, that one is simply terrifying in how utterly absurd and horrible it is, and yet, the people behind this show is proud enough to use that scene as part of its opening credits.
At any rate, I really like this episode, and it’s really remarkable how this is the second episode in a row that gets my seal of approval. Now let’s see if they can make it three in a row.
