Eerie, Indiana (Season 1 - Complete Series)

"If you're reading this document it means I'm either dead or have disappeared under mysterious circumstances. My name is Marshall Teller. Not long ago, I was living in New Jersey, just across the river from New York City. It was crowded, polluted, and full of crime. I loved it. But my parents wanted a better life for my sister and me. So we moved to a place so wholesome, so squeaky clean, you could only find it on TV. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Sure, my new hometown looks normal enough, but look again. What's wrong with this picture? The American Dream come true, right? Wrong. Nobody believes me, but this is the center of weirdness for the entire planet: Eerie, Indiana. My home, sweet home. Still don't believe me? You will." Marshall Teller

Weekly Cast:
Omri Katz ... Marshall Teller
Justin Shenkarow ... Simon Holmes
Mary-Margaret Humes ... Marilyn Teller
Francis Guinan ... Edgar Teller
Julie Condra ... Syndi Teller
and from episode 14
Jason Marsden ... Dash X
John Astin ... Radford

Episode 01 - Foreverware
15 September 1991-NBC-USA
Co-Starring: Louan Gideon (Betty Wilson), Belinda Balaski (Winifred Swanson), Nathan Schultz (Bertram Wilson), Nicholas Schultz (Ernest Wilson), Dan Stanton (Adult Bertram Wilson), Don Stanton (Adult Ernest Wilson)
Featuring: Olivia Virgil Harper (Phyllis Stouffer), Coleen Maloney (Imogene Crocker), Colleen McNamara (Beatrice Pillsbury), Steven Peri (Old Elvis), Barbara Pilavan (Old Betty)
Director: Joe Dante
Writers: José Rivera, Karl Schaefer
Marshall's mother, Marilyn, takes a job selling Tupperware-style plastic containers called Forever Ware, that can keep anything fresh - including human life.

"Ever since moving here, I've been convinced that something is very wrong with Eerie, Indiana. I tried telling myself there was a logical explanation for everything, but logic doesn't apply here. That's my family, they're all too busy to see what's going on. Mom just started her own party planning service down at the Eerie Mall. My sister Syndi's practising for her drivers test. Personally, I don't think anybody who spells Syndi S-Y-N-D-I should be allowed to operate a motor vehicle. Dad works for Things Incorporated, a product testing company. Dad's job is one of the reasons we moved here, because, statistically speaking, Eerie's the most normal place in the entire country. Statistics lie." Marshall Teller's opening monologue.

The story concerns a company Foreverware and its strange line in tupperware. Marshall's mother Marilyn is interested in organizing parties for them, but on the company's initial introduction, Marshall's handed a note from the Wilson twins, who are sons of Foreverware's owner Betty Wilson. Turns out the product preserves anything forever and the 7th grade twins are really in their 30's. Its up to Marshall and his friend Simon to try and help the Wilson twins finally grow up.

Fun and slighty weird opening tale that has a very Stepford Wives air about it. Unlike most series first episodes it delivered very little introduction to the shows charactors. As near as we get is when the story starts, Marshall is in his kitchen eating breakfast telling us what his dads job is, that his sisters dumb and shouldn't be aloud to drive and that his mother is an ideal housewife. He later introduces his friend Simon as someone he lets hang around because his mother doesn't seem to want him around. The episodes ending is resolved quickly with Marshall creeping into the twins bedrooms at night and opening the oversized tupperware beds they sleep in. And finishes with Marshall in his loft with Simon placing a tagged tupperware box into an old cabinet alongside a host of other odd objects he says he needs to prove his stories.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Tupperware ● Twins ● Eternal Life

Episode 02 - The Retainer
22 September 1991-NBC-USA
Guest Starring: Vincent Schiavelli (Dr. Eukanuba), Patrick LaBrecque (Steve)
Co-Starring: Lou Cutell (Old Man Dithers), Lauri Hendler (Fifi Voice), Aron Kincaid (Fluffy Voice)
Director: Joe Dante
Writer:José Rivera, Karl Schaefer
Marshall dreads visiting the Eerie, Indiana orthodontist, whose retainers carry the power to read dogs' minds.

"Eerie, Indiana, day 45. I knew my home town was going to be different from where I grew up in New Jersey, but this is ridiculous. Nobody believes me, but Eerie is the centre of weirdness for the entire planet. Item: A guy that looks suspiciously like Elvis lives on my paper route. Item: Big Foot eats out of my trash. Item: A bizarre housewife cult in town has been sealing up their kids in giant rubber kitchenware so they don't age. And now, just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, I discovered that in Eerie, even man's best friend is up to no good. When I try to tell this to my family they just think I'm weird. Better weird than dead." Marshall Teller's opening monologue.

Marshall has to pay a visit to the dentist for a new retainer, though he doesn't want to go after telling us about a kid he knows with surfboard sized teeth named Steve Conkeluski. After recieving a new retainer Steve Conkeluski gained the power of understanding dogs, only it drove him mad as he keeps hearing the dogs talking to him from a local dog pound. The tale ends with Steve freeing the pounds dogs only for them to chase him off never to be seen again.

Another eerie tale the highlights include Conkeluskis sinister dentist, a funny moment they wire headphones to the boys teeth and listen to a choir of three dogs singing Dem Bones in a do wop style and French speaking poodle who wants revelution. A good episode that really captured the wild imagination of being young. Ends with them putting a tagged retainer in the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Singing Dogs ● Revolutionist Poodle ● Dentist ● Dog Pound

Episode 03 - The ATM with the Heart of Gold
28 September 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Gabriel Damon (Nick), Gregory Itzin (Mayor Winston), Scott Weinger (Eddie)
Co-Starring: Andrew White (Derek), Archie Hahn (Mr. Radford), Harry Goaz (Sergeant Knight), Doug Llewelyn (Anchorman)
Director: Sam Pillsbury
Writer:Matt Dearborn
Marshall's friend, Simon, befriends an ATM that gives Simon the townspeople's money.

Thanks to Marshalls inventer father First Eerie's Savings the towns bank as got a new ATM machine that has its own human like AI system named Mr Wilson. The town ignores Mr Wilson other than Simon, though he doesn't have his own account the machine takes pity on him and starts to give him money.

A story that revolves around every kids dream, that of having endless amounts of money. Only it comes at a cost as all the local residents accounts are losing money. Its the first real story we are introduced to Simons background, hes a lonely boy due in most part to neglet from his mother. Highlights include the Max Headroom styled ATM singing 100 bottles of beer till it blows a fuse and a wacky shoe shop owner who changes his apperence daily which Mashall thinks is due to him being in the witness protection program. The tale ends with the boys giving the money back, then in the loft with Mr Wilsons hand, but not actually showing them place it in the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: ATM Machine With AI ● Training Shoes ● Lonely Kid

Episode 04 - The Losers
6 October 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Henry Gibson (Mr. Lodgepoole), Dick Miller (Al)
Co-Starring: Russell Gannon (Biker #1), Billy Million (Biker #2)
Director: Joe Dante
Writers:Gary Markowitz, Michael R. Perry
Marshall and Simon investigate a string of disappearances when Marshall's dad loses his briefcase.

"Eerie, Indiana, day 94. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to lose stuff here. I mean stuff that was there a minute ago would just vanish the moment you turn your back. Gone, disappeared, lost forever. I figure, Eerie is caught in some electromagnetic vortex that messes up the tracking system we humans use to find stuff. Funny, but it seems to be hitting Dad the hardest." Marshall Teller's opening monologue.

Marshalls dad loses his briefcase before he's due to attend an important meeting, so Marshall and friend Simon try and find it before he loses his job. They decide to investige why things go missing when you're not looking. By hiding Marshall in a trunk they succeed in finding the Bureau of Lost, a place run by Mr Lodgepool that's deep underground.

Surreal tale set mostly in the underground storage depot, comes across like an homage to the Twilight Zone only of course aimed at kids. It's clearly a labour of love for director Dante, featuring Dick Miller and Henry Gibson who had both been in his Gremlins films. Highlights include the Alice In Wonderland style tunnels leading to the underground world and a biker gang named the Unkind Ones who are nice polite men deep down (most likely a reference to Brando's biker gang the Wild Ones).

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Underground Area ● Lost Property ● Biker Gang

Episode 05 - The Broken Record
(originally aired as 19)
9 December 1993-Disney-USA
Guest-Starring: Tom Everett (Phil), Grant Gelt (Tod), Gwynyth Walsh (Kathleen), Andrew White (Derek)
Co-Starring: Dan Stanton (Adult Bertram Wilson), Don Stanton (Adult Ernest Wilson)
Director: Todd Holland
Writer:José Rivera
Marshall's friend Todd is a shy nerd with a verbally abusive father (Tom Everett). Marshall then gives him a metal record that turns him into a rebellious headbanger after listening. Meanwhile, Edgar and Marilyn worry about Syndi taking part in a police ride-along.
Note: This is the only episode that did not air on NBC, it aired for first time on Disney Channel.

Marshall introduces his nerdy friend Todd to band Pit Bull Surfers, only he gets overly consumed by them and goes from local nerd to rebellious metal head. Todd's father thinks its due to subliminal messages contained within the records, only the truth is much more bizarre.

Fun episode that possibly didn't air on NBC because of a scene the boys steal and crash a milk truck. The most amusing aspect of the episode is as Todd gets more into the metal Simon gets more into the Carpenters. Also of note the actors who played the adult Wilson twins in the pilot turn up again as ambulance drivers.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Nerd To Metalhead ● Fictional Band ● Subliminal Messages

Episode 06 - America's Scariest Home Video
(originally aired as 5)
20 October 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Tony Jay (Mummy)
Co-Starring: Christian Cousins (Harley), Joseph Cousins (Harley), Shawna Casey (Maiden), Taylor Fry (Little Girl)
Director: Sam Pillsbury
Writer:Karl Schaefer
Stuck having to baby-sit Simon's younger brother on Halloween, Marshall and Simon fool around with their video camera. Unfortunately they end up trapping him in a monster movie, while a mummy runs wild in their house.

Marshall and Simon reluctantly have to sit Simons younger brother Harley during Halloween. Marshall has a brain storm how to make some money. They play a prank on Harley while filming for Americas Most Scary Home Video Show. Something goes wrong and Harley ends up sucked into the television during an old black and white Mummy movie, while the Mummy ends up entering their world.

Enjoyable Halloween episode that pays tribute to old Universal horrors, the Mummy turns out to be old dead actor Boris Von Orloff (a clear reference to Borris Karlof).Marshall and Simon wear President Bush and Gorbachev masks. Marshalls mum mentions Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Simon tells us Harley's full name is Haley Schwarzenegger Holmes and hes actually played by twins. The episode ends with them destroying the videotape.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Halloween ● Mummy ● Sucked Into TV Set

Episode 07 - Heart on a Chain
3 November 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Cory Danziger (Devon Wilde), Danielle Harris (Melanie)
Co-Starring: Jim Jansen (Melanie's Father), Sarah Lilly (Miss Lee), Henry Brown (Doctor), Steven Peri (Old Elvis)
Director: Joe Dante
Writer:José Rivera
Marshall and a classmate, Devon (Cory Danziger) fall for the new girl, Melanie (Danielle Harris) but when Devon dies, his heart gets transplanted into Melanie--which turns weird when she begins acting like him.

A new girl Melanie Monroe joins Marshalls class, his teacher introduces her by telling the class shes got a medical problem and needs a new heart. He instantly falls in love with her but so does his class mate Devon. At first things are OK, until Devon ends up being run over in a skateboarding accident. Melanie ends up receiving his heart, Only she ends up also taking on some of his personality traits.

Really good episode, its very rare in the world of children's television that a character dies, the final of the story ends at Devons graveside, you see death walk past with a sickle and the angel on his grave sheds a tear. The episodes lighter moments include Simon not understanding why Marshall is interested in a girl and a scene Elvis turns up in the World Of Stuff diner eating a burger, while helping Marshall with his romance.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 9 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Boarding Accident ● Gravestone ● Heart Transplant

Episode 08 - Just Say No Fun
(originally aired as 6)
27 October 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Lucy Lee Flippin (Nurse Nancy), Roy Brocksmith (Principal)
Co-Starring: Raffi Di Blasio (Doug Dimsdale), Archie Hahn (Mr. Radford), Todd Jeffries (Mountie)
Director: Bryan Spicer
Writer:Michael R. Perry
Simon gets his eyes checked at the school nurse's office, and comes out a homework loving zombie.

Simon gives the school bully prank chewing gum by mistake, before the bully can get his own back the head teacher steps in and sends the pair to the school nurse for eye examinations. Turns out all the kids are being turned into zombies when the nurse gives them glasses. Its up to Marshall to try and help Simon and the other local kids, he seeks help from the World Of Everything owner who gives him a pair of joke glasses that breaks the spell. Turns out the Nurse is hypnotizing pupils when they take the eye examination.

One of the series lighter episodes, highlight is the clever use of a traditional eye chart, which now reads 'Obey The Rules'. The final sees the boys tagging a bag of glasses as item No. 38 and placing them in the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 6 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Eye Test ● Hypnotized Kids ● School Glasses

Episode 09 - The Dead Letter
(originally aired as 8)
10 November 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Tobey Maguire (Tripp), Herta Ware (Old Mary), Aimee Brooks (Young Mary), T.C. Warner (Andrea)
Co-Starring: Jeff Fried (Paramedic)
Director: Tim Hunter
Writer:James L. Crite
Marshall finds an old letter in the basement of the library, and is haunted by Trip McConnell who won't leave until Marshall delivers the letter.

While picking up Simon at the old library, Marshall finds an old letter addressed to a Mary Carter within a book, on opening it he unleashes a ghost named Trip McConnell (played by future Spiderman Toby Maguire). The ghosts asks him to deliver the letter, at first Marshall refuses but Trip haunts him. When Marshall finally tries to deliver it, he learns Trip as been dead for 60 years. We get a back story telling us how trip died trying to deliver a letter to Mary way back in the 1920's, by being hit with a milk truck (making him the 1st kid within the series to do so, the other being Devon in the 'Heart on a Chain' episode).

Pretty standard ghost tale contains two little nods to Spielberg's ET, the classic cycle ride past the moon and a Marshall wrapping old Mary Carter up and sitting her on his bikes handlebars. The episode ends with Marshall putting the letter in his cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Child Ghost ● Love Letter ● Cycle Over Moon

Episode 10 - The Lost Hour
1 December 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Eric Christmas (Milkman), Nikki Cox (Janet Donner)
Co-Starring: Lindsey Ginter (Garbage Collector)
Director: Bob Balaban
Writer:Vance DeGeneres
Marshall doesn't like the Indiana practice of ignoring daylight saving time, and sets his clock back an hour anyway. When he wakes up the next day, he finds a scared teenage girl (Nikki Cox) and a group of garbagemen who want the two of them dead. They both seek refuge from a mysterious milkman.

Eerie doesn't follow the daylight saving time zone as the rest of America. Marshall refuses to stick with them and gives himself the extra hour, only he ends up in a separate universe known as the lost hour. He ends up befriending an elderly milkman (Eric Christmas), who tells him that the missing children you see on milk cartons are lost within the lost hour dimension. The milkman tells Marshall about another lost girl Janet Doner (Nikki Cox) who he can save if he can get her to the milkman within an hour of the time zone change.

Clever story featuring a milk truck that when the lost children look in the back, they can see out from milk cartons in the normal universe. Features a reference to the Wizard of Oz, and it hints at the milkman being Marshall in years to come, also features the 1st reference to the key around Marshall's neck. The episode ends with the boys placing the milk carton in the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Missing Kids ● Milk Man ● Creepy Garbage Men

Episode 11 - Who's Who
(originally aired as 9)
17 November 1991-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Shanelle Workman (Sara), Richard Grove (Dad Bob)
Co-Starring: Sean Babb (Lou Bob), Jacob Gelman (Moe Bob), Dannel Evans (Bob Bob), Stefanos Miltsakakis (Nanny Arnold), Harry Goaz (Sergeant Knight), Archie Hahn (Mr. Radford)
Director: Tim Hunter
Writer:Julia Poll
A troubled young girl named Sara Bob (Shanelle Workman) with a penchant for drawing can suddenly change reality when she starts signing her pictures with an Eerie brand pencil.

Marshall meets a budding artist named Sara Bob. When her younger brother steals her last pencil Marshall buys her a Eerie 2 one from the World of Stuff. The pencil as special powers, any picture she signs with it becomes real. This being Eerie Sara doesn't just stick to drawing simple treats like pretty dresses, she draws Marshall's mother to replace the mum she never had.

Simple little tale, the final of the episode has Sara drawing a picture of Paris which she vanishes inside, she sends Marshall a picture of a Man maid which he places in the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Magic Pencil ● Redneck Family ● Absent Mother

Episode 12 - Marshall's Theory of Believability
(originally aired as 11)
2 February 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: John Standing (Professor Nigel Zircon), Harry Goaz (Sergeant Knight), Archie Hahn (Mr. Radford), Gregory Itzin (Mayor Winston), Steven Peri (Old Elvis), Michael J. Pollard (Claude)
Director: Bob Balaban
Writer:Matt Dearborn
Nigel Zirchron , a professor renowned as an authority on the supernatural, comes to Eerie to observe an extraterrestrial object he believes will land here. Marshall immediately sees an opportunity to blow the lid off the Eerie weirdness, but is the professor really all that he claims to be?

Professor Zirchron (John Standing) visits Eerie with his mobile museum of Parabelievable, to track a possible UFO landing he's predicted. Marshall and Simon meet with him to discuss some of their Eerie findings. They quickly turn the Prof into their number one hero, but Marshalls dad claims Zirchron is a fake, so its up to the boys to uncover the truth.

Entertaining episode with a light story, the Professors truck is packed with loads of weird and bizarre fake props, and we get to see the towns local big foot. The final of the episode it turns out the UFO Zirchron found was legitimate and the boys take a photograph for the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Mobile Museum ● Female Bigfoot ● UFO

Episode 13 - Tornado Days
1 March 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Matt Frewer (Howard), Kelly Connell (Weatherman Wally), Harry Goaz (Sergeant Knight), Archie Hahn (Mr. Radford), Steven Peri (Old Elvis)
Director: Ken Kwapis
Writer:Michael Cassutt
As the tornado "Old Bob" approaches Eerie, the citizens prepare for their annual tornado day picnic to appease him. But Marshall and Simon insist on staying home, and as the tornado chasing meteorologist, Howard Raymer left by Bob on his first pass-though, returns to challenge the tornado once more.

The towns about to be hit by tornado "old Bob", during Eerie's 87th annual tornado day. Marshall and Simon meet a wacky meteorologist named Howard Raymer (Matt Frewer), who actually rides tornados. Howard tells the boys how tornados have personalities and can actually talk that is why they're given names. The boys need to help the weatherman make something he can ride "old Bob" in, so he can steer it out of harms way.

Fantastic original story with a very comic-book feel, mainly due to the over the top performance from Max Headroom himself Matt Frewer. During the episode we learn Eerie is twinned with Normal Louisiana. Another episode we don't see the boys place anything in the cabinet, but we do see Marshall pick one of Howard's gloves up.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Tornado ● Annual Festival ● Meteorologist

Episode 14 - The Hole in the Head Gang
(originally aired as 13)
1 March 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Claude Akins (Bank Robber)
Co-Starring: Archie Hahn (Fred), Belinda Balaski (Mother), Erin Braun (Girl), Michelle Braun (Girl)
Director: Joe Dante
Writer:Karl Schaefer
Marshall and Simon investigate an old mill rumored to be haunted. It proves to be a hoax, set up by a mysterious young man who doesn't want anybody nosing around... or so it seems until they accidentally uncover a rusted gun, containing the ghost of Grungy Bill (Claude Akins) Eerie's worst bank robber.
Note: This is also the first episode in which the episode titles are shown on screen.

Marshall and Simon try to get a photograph of the ghost of Grundy Bill whose meant to haunt the old Hitchcock mill. The boys find out its an hoax set up by a young grey haired kid. Whose been hiding out in the place, scaring the local residents to keep the mill to himself. Only when they accidentally break a floor board and uncover an old gun, they release the spirit of the real Grungy Bill. Now that Bills been reunited with his gun, he plans to rob the Eerie bank, taking Marshall along as an hostage. Its up to Simon to persuade the creepy grey haired kid to help him stop the robbery.

Important episode that was a real evolution in the shows format, it was the first episode that had actor John Astin (Gomez from the Addams Family) appear as the real World of Stuff owner Radford. It was also the first episode to feature the grey haired character Dash X (Jason Marsden). Also notable as being the first episode to actually show the stories title during the opening credits, images used in the opening credits had altered as well. The story itself is pretty basic but featured loads of little inside jokes like a little nod to Apocalypse Now when Radford says "I love the smell of fixer in the morning", also a nod to Goonies when DashX mentions Marshall and Simons hats. Foreverwear turns up again as well, when a mother mentions it to her daughter while stood in the bank.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 9 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Ghost Bank Robber ● Haunted Building ● Fake Spook

Episode 15 - Mr. Chaney
(originally aired as 14)
8 March 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Stephen Root (Mr. Chaney), Gregory Itzin (Mayor Winston), William Newman (Sad Dad), Annie O'Donnell (Sad Mom)
Director: Mark Goldblatt
Writer:José Rivera
Marshall is chosen to be the Eerie "Harvest King" and must go face the Eerie wolf in the forest. Trouble is, none of the previous harvest kings have ever returned!

Marshall wins a lottery to become Eerie's new 1992 harvest king (which only gets awarded once every 13 years, and oddly none of the previous winners are still living in town). The benefits of being named the king include numerous gifts and a boost of attention from all the local girls. The only catch is Marshall must face the Eerie wolf in the towns forest.

Fun werewolf themed episode, the character Mr. Chaney (played by Stephen Root) is a reference to legendary universal horror actor Lon Chaney Jnr who became famous for playing 'The Wolfman'. There's a mention of Joe Dante's 'The Howling' and a subtle nod to the classic painting American Gothic with two farmers sitting in the World Of Stuff. Being a huge fan of werewolf movies, old styled famous monsters and creature features in general this is easily my favorite episode, reminds me of 'The Monster Club' with an hint of 'Teenwolf'. The werewolf and its transformation scene are fantastic, might even be a little too scary for younger kids.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 10 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Wolfman ● Harvest King ● Teen Wolf

Episode 16 - No Brain, No Pain
(originally aired as 15)
15 March 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Paul Sand (Charles Furnell), Anita Morris (Eunice)
Director: Greg Beeman
Writer:Matt Dearborn
Marshall and Simon help out a homeless man (Paul Sand) after witnessing him being attacked by a woman with a ray gun. It is difficult though, because all he does is mumble nonsense, and reassemble electrical appliances into bizarre contraptions.

After eating at a local Chinese restaurant with his family, Marshall and Simon try to help out a local homeless man (Paul Sand) known locally as the whacker, from being kidnapped by a ray gun wielding woman. The boys learn that the man is really Charles Varnel the smartest man in the world, who years earlier had created the Brainilizer, a device which can swap the brains of people via old 8 track tapes.

Body swap themed story, the grey haired kid helps the woman with the ray gun (she turns out to be Varnels wife) capture the mindless Charles, Marshall uses the device on Simon where he becomes the genius. After a showdown where everyone switches personas the grey haired kid does what is right and sets everyone back to normal. The episode ends with the boys placing an id tagged 8 track cassette into the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 7 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Mind Swap ● Genius ● Ray Gun

Episode 17 - The Loyal Order of Corn
(originally aired as 16)
22 March 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Ray Walston (Ned)
Co-Starring: Harry Goaz (Sergeant Knight), Gregory Itzin (Mayor Winston)
Director: Bryan Spicer
Writer:Michael Cassutt
Marshall's father, Edgar joins a strange club called "The Loyal Order of Corn". Meanwhile, Dash X gets a job at the club and seeks answers about his past from the mysterious bartender.

Marshalls not happy his father has joined a secret masons style society named "The Loyal Order of Corn" so he and Simon investigate their club house. They find out the grey haired kid as
got a job at the place, so get him to help them gain entrance. They find out that the clubs longest existing member Ned, through centuries of development including inventing the radio and TV, has created a portal that can teleport people to anyplace in the universe. And that somehow hes linked with the grey haired kid.

The episode adds depth to the mysterious grey haired character, we learn he calls himself Dash X because he has - x symbols on his hands. We also learn that Ned who shares the same - x symbols as Dash X is possibly an alien. And he created the tackeon portal so he can travel to other planets. Dash calls Marshall and Simon Thelma and Louise which is a reference to the movie. The episode ends with Marshall tagging a corn hat and placing it in the cabinet.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Secret Society ● Dash X ● Tackeon Portal

Episode 18 - Zombies in P.J.s
(originally aired as 17)
12 April 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Rene Auberjonois (The Donald), Bryan Clark (IRS Man)
Co-Starring: Doug Llewelyn (Anchorman), Dan Stanton (Bertram Wilson), Don Stanton (Ernest Wilson)
Director: Bob Balaban
Writer:Julia Poll
Facing bankruptcy due to a possible audit, Radford welcomes a new partner The Donald (René Auberjonois), who brainwashes the town into buying on credit.

By failing to send his IRS tax forms in for years, Radford is on the brink of bankruptcy. He risks losing the the world of stuff, so signs a Faustian pact with a mysterious man named The Donald (who is potentially the devil). The Donald claims he can sell the entire stock by morning, he creates a subliminal television commercial that gets the all the residents of Eerie (except Marshall, Simon and Dash X) midnight shopping while sleeping. Its up to the boys to out smart The Donald.

The zombies of the title are the consumer kind and not the undead type. Its another entertaining and inventive episode. Features great performances and a funny Diana Ross and Supremes themed dream sequence, they sing "Shop at the world of stuff, you just can't get enough" instead of the classic "Stop in the name of love". During the World of Stuff midnight sale we see various Eerie characters from past episodes including the Wilson twins. Simon gets a funny throw away gag, after being brainwashed into buying an Elvis lamp he turns to Marshall and says its nice but odd they chose to make a lamp based on your streets paper man.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 8 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Subliminal Advertising ● Night Shopping ● Spy Kit

Episode 19 - Reality Takes a Holiday
(originally aired as 18)
12 April 1992-NBC-USA
Guest-Starring: Mark Blankfield {José), Julius Harris (Lyle), Sachi Parker (Schaefer 's Secretary), Joe Dante (Director)
Co-Starring: Leland Orser (A.D.), Virginia Watson (Makeup Artist), Denise Lee Richards (Girl #2), Kimberlee Kramer (Girl #1), Paige Andree (Girl #3)
Director: Ken Kwapis
Writer:Vance DeGeneres
In this self-referential episode, Marshall finds a screenplay in the mail and suddenly finds himself behind the scenes of Eerie, Indiana where his friends and family are the actors and actresses on the show and everyone refers to him as Omri Katz.

During breakfast Marshall is asked by his dad if he wants to go watch an horror film 'Revenge of the corn critters' with his family and Simon, he says no but insists they go. When he's left alone he stumbles on a script for "Eerie, Indiana" and quickly realizes he is really an actor named Omri Katz (the actor who plays Marshall's name in real life). His family and Simon are also actor, in fact the whole of Eerie is really a set at NBC studios. At first he struggles to come to terms with the fact none of its real, but when he does and eventually reads the script further he finds out Dash x is having his character Marshall killed off. Its up to Omri to get the show rewritten so he can get back to becoming the old Marshall again.

Wickedly inventive final episode to the entire original series, the cast switch into their real names. It works by playing off on celebrity stereotypes, like having actor Justin Shenkarow (Simon) trying to hit on actress Julie Condra (Syndi) between shoots, when he gets nowhere he shouts is it because I'm a small guy. Director Joe Dante appears as the shows director. The moment Omri finds out the show is killing his character off, he walks past Justin Shenkarow (Simon) reading an edition of variety newspaper that has the headline 'Network drop Omri Katz'. Earlier in the episode Syndi reads a newspaper film review for 'Revenge of the corn critters' and says the Wilson twins gave it two fingers up (a reference to critics Siskel and Eberts two thumbs up), to which Simon reply's which fingers then laughs to himself. The episode also has a reference to 'The Wizard of Oz' when Omri/Marshall says "Toto I don't think we are in Indiana anymore" when he first notices its an NBC studio. The script writer drives on to the set in a Back to the Future style DeLorean, and when it cuts to his office we see loads of props from earlier episodes including the Elvis lamp and a bigfoot footprint. Shame it had to end as we never got to find out what Marshall's key was for (I suspect it was just his cabinet), how he was linked with the elderly milkman or what was the real origins of Dash X. But what a fantastic final and way to end, has kids television ever done anything as clever.

Cultdb Totals
[Rated 10 out of 10 Good]

Themes Included: Cast As Themselves ● Alt Reality ● Television Set

My reviews are done in the chronological production order they was intended to run. They originally aired in this order.
Episode 01 - Forever Ware
Episode 02 - The Retainer
Episode 03 - ATM With The Heart Of Gold
Episode 04 - The Losers
Episode 05 - America's Scariest Home Video
Episode 06 - Just Say No Fun
Episode 07 - Heart On A Chain
Episode 08 - The Dead Letter, Episode 09 - Who's Who
Episode 10 - The Lost Hour
Episode 11 - Marshall's Theory Of Believability
Episode 12 - Tornado Days
Episode 13 - The Hole In The Head Gang
Episode 14 - Mr Chaney
Episode 15 - No Brain, No Pain
Episode 16 - The Loyal Order Of Corn
Episode 17 - Zombies In PJ's
Episode 18 - Reality Takes A Holiday
Episode 19 - Broken Record

Click here for spin-off series Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension