Fear Itself (1.3)

Thursday, June 19th, 2008 @ 10 PM

NBC

Fear Itself, Season 1 - Episode #3 - "Family Man"

NBC

A likeable family man switches bodies with a serial killer during a near-death experience. Now he must keep his loved ones from being added to the long list of the killer's victims. (NBC.com)

Cast: Colin Ferguson, Clifton Collins Jr., Josie Davis, Gig Morton, Nicole Leduc

Marmot: This week’s Fear Itself was the best of them so far, but still kinda dumb. I was disappointed.

Manatee: I hated it. I thought it was called "Face Off" the first time I saw it. And the twist at the end was so obvious. I'm thinking of canceling the DVR recording.

Marmot: The ending was totally obvious. I might keep watching, but I won't be in a big hurry.

Manatee: I think it stinks. I just can't get over how unoriginal the stories are.

Marmot: Nor frightening. This is the same stuff that was on “Tales From the Crypt” 20 years ago, and “The Twilight Zone” 20 years before that.

Manatee: I was thinking that same thing!

Marmot: This episode could have made for a really interesting character study - about what makes a person do the things they do, and what can bring about change in them. Instead, everything reverted to how it was at the beginning of the episode and no one was redeemed, with the good guy actually being punished - for what? It completely falls flat as a morality tale, if that was the intent.

Manatee: If it was a morality tale, they need a new morality barometer in their writers' office. There were no stakes. The main character (Colin Ferguson) was just a good guy and he got thrown for a loop being switched into a killer's body, which I did find interesting. If you try to picture yourself in that position, it’s a pretty scary place to be. But you're right, what did this guy do that he was punished for? He seemed to be so great and likeable.

Marmot: He did nothing. It just completely missed the point of horror. The true intent of horror is to act as a cautionary tale against immoral behavior. That's why Jason Voorhies always kills the sexy teens who are about to do it first, and the nerds who try to protect their friends last. But there's nothing really horrifying about some magical "spiritual transgression" because he did nothing to deserve it. It was just completely random.

Manatee: Maybe someone should mention that to the writers on the show.