The BEST Episodes of Tales from the Crypt
Every episode ever - ranked by fan votes!
Last Updated: Jan 14, 2022
Network: HBO
Based on the legendary and gruesome EC Comics from publisher William Gaines, this horror anthology featured stories of murder, the super natural, gore and humor and always had a twist ending of sorts. Some of Hollywood's biggest names took part, either working in front or behind the camera. Hosting duties fell to everyone's favorite decaying corpse, the Crypt Keeper. The success of this series spawned a Saturday morning cartoon series (Tales From the Cryptkeeper), a short lived Saturday morning gameshow on CBS (Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House) and lots of merchandise. Two feature films (Demon Knight and Bordello of Blood) were also produced. Two other movies based on the EC Comics (Tales From the Crypt and The Vault of Horror) were released back in 1972 and 1973 respectively. But they are not connected to this series and will not be listed here! Tales from the Crypt has aired on HBO, Fox, in syndication and the Sci-Fi Channel. Most recently, the series has bee
#1 - Yellow
Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired Aug 28, 1991
The year is 1918. During World War I, somewhere in France, it's the 49th day of continuous battle on the front lines. Lieutenant Martin Kalthrob doesn't want to be in the army anymore and asks his father, General Kalthrob, for a discharge. His father refuses but says he will transfer him to the rear if he leads a patrol to the German lines and fix the broken communication line. When he proves himself to be a coward, his father orders a court martial with penalty of death by firing squad.
8.08 
#2 - Forever Ambergris
Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired Oct 2, 1993
Dalton is a seasoned combat photographer who finds himself falling for a beautiful women who just happens to be the wife of his friend. One day Ike sends Dalton into a disease warfare area. Dalton returns, but not the way he used to be. He soon writes a letter about how he was set up and his wife and friend also contract the same disease.
8.03 
#3 - What's Cookin'
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired Jul 22, 1992
Fred and Erma are workers at a squid cafe who find themselves in trouble because their business is failing and their landlord will kick them out. That is until one of the employees encourages them to serve meat. Suddenly business is getting better. Gaston decides to double cross Fred and Erma but he ends getting invited for dinner ... but not in the way he expects. (with optional commentary by John Kassir in character as the Cryptkeeper, the episode's writer Alan Katz, and Tales From the Crypt chronicler Digby Diehl).
7.99 
#4 - The Assassin
Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired Dec 7, 1994
Janet is a suburban wife of an ex-CIA assassin. When a group of operatives invade her home, they seem to think her husband is up to his old tricks again. The leader tempts one of her men then kills him, then kills the other guy, then plans to do the same with Janet. But Janet has a nasty surprise for her that she will never forget.
7.84 
#5 - Abra Cadaver
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired Jun 19, 1991
A former potential surgeon sets out to wreak revenge on the brother who's cruel practical joke prevented him from realizing his dream.
7.83 
#6 - Carrion Death
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired Jun 15, 1991
A sadistic serial killer has unforeseen complications when pursued by a determined motorcycle cop in a barren desert.
7.83 
#7 - Television Terror
Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired Jul 17, 1990
Horton Rivers is an arrogant television tabloid host. He is trying to get big ratings and decides to take his crew through a haunted house. The house is rumored to be haunted by an old woman who killed a number of men. Soon strange things start happening. Someone or something is stalking Horton and his camera crew. The ratings could take him to the top or to the bottom.
7.76 
#8 - My Brother's Keeper
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired Jul 24, 1990
The reckless Eddie and the correct Frank are Siamese brothers connected by their waists. Eddie wants to convince Frank to be submitted to a surgery with 50% of chances of success, but Frank is afraid. When Frank meets Marie in a bar, he falls in love for her and decides to risk. But a secret is disclosed with fatal consequences, affecting the relationship of the brothers.
7.73 
#9 - Staired in Horror
Season 6 - Episode 9 - Aired Dec 14, 1994
Clyde is a fugitive who holes up in a house occupied by an elderly woman. One night he finds an attractive woman upstairs, but he discovers it's the same woman. She tells him that a long time ago her spouse caught her having an affair and put a curse on the house. She must stay up stairs if she wants to be young forever. The same thing will happen to the man if he comes upstairs. The cops arrive and he goes upstairs to change his image but he finds himself getting weak and the woman turns back into a helpless infant unable to do anything but crawl.
7.67 
#10 - Only Skin Deep
Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired Oct 31, 1994
At a costume party, a young man falls in love with a sexy woman. They have a great time. He promises to keep quiet but the next day he spills the beans. The woman tells him not to be around while she's awake. He finds out that she's wearing that same mask. He tries to remove it only to learn that it's her horrible face. She gives him the most shocking punishment.
7.63 
#11 - About Face
Season 7 - Episode 10 - Aired Jun 28, 1996
Jonathan is a priest who discovers that he has two long lost daughters: beautiful Angelica and ugly Leah. Leah fears that because of her ugliness their father will leave them again. Jonathan plans to abandon them again but he is forced to kill Leah and gets a big surprise.
7.61 
#12 - Strung Along
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired Sep 2, 1992
An aging puppeteer gets a new assistant. When he learns that his wife has a boyfriend, the assistant promises he'll do something about it. The puppeteer spends most of his time with is favorite puppet Koko. When he discovers that his assistant is his wife's lover, the two make him think that Koko has gone on a murderous rampage. Little do they know that Pinocchio isn't the only one with-out strings.
7.60 
#13 - Three's a Crowd
Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired May 1, 1990
For their tenth anniversary a couple heads down to a cabin owned by their friend. When she and her friend start sneaking around the husband gets jealous and assumes that they are having an affair.
7.60 
#14 - Death of Some Salesmen
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired Oct 2, 1993
A sneaky con man has a talent for killing people after he sells them phony tombstones. He soon learns that some for his new victims have a fortune buried in their cellar. He marries their daughter and kills the parents but when he goes down in the basement he gets a big surprise.
7.59 
#15 - House of Horror
Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired Oct 27, 1993
Les Whilton is the president of a college fraternity. He decides to scare three pledges by daring them to spend a night in a haunted house. He and some of his friends have set up the place to look like it's haunted. Along for the ride is a group of sorority sisters. When everyone else turns up missing, everyone turns to Whilton. Whilton goes into the house alone and he gets a big surprise.
7.55 
#16 - The Ventriloquist's Dummy
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired Jun 5, 1990
A ventriloquist seeks out his old hero, Ingels, who he always admired. He soon meets up with his ventriloquist dummy Morty and discovers a shocking secret.
7.55 
#17 - Split Personality
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired Aug 26, 1992
Stetson is a con man who likes to date twins. He finds himself in the arms of twin sisters and creates a twin of his own. He weds both of them and decides to knock them off. Little does he know these twins share alike.
7.50 
#18 - The New Arrival
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired Jul 25, 1992
An arrogant radio child psychologist is obsessed with proving to his manager that he is the best. He gets a new patient, a woman and her daughter. When he goes to her room, he assumes that the daughter is the woman's imaginary friend. He learns that her daughter died years ago but her mother's love keeps her alive.
7.47 
#19 - Split Second
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired Aug 7, 1991
Dixon is a lumberjack who marries a sexy barmaid named Liz Kelly. Soon after, he turns from sweet Dr. Jekyll into cruel Mr. Hyde. He is jealous of her when the boys find her attractive. One day a new lumberjack comes to town and Liz finds Ted attractive. When he catches them in the bed together, Dixon goes in a jealous rage and whacks him blinding him. The boys help him seek revenge on Dixon and Liz.
7.46 
#20 - Beauty Rest
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired Jul 11, 1992
An obsessed wannabe model grows bloody red with envy when her roommate lands a part she thought she was going to get. She forces her roommate to overdose and steps in to take her place. She becomes the next victim of another jealous model and kills her rival. Now there's no one standing in her way and she is crowned, but she soon discovers something shocking about the talent show.
7.45 
#21 - Korman's Kalamity
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired Jun 26, 1990
Jim Korman is a cartoonist for Tales From The Crypt. He has talent for creating horrible creatures - they are all inspired by his harassing wife. Little does he know that his creations are coming to life and creating havoc. A female detective pursues the creator and suddenly falls for him. Korman decides to finally take his wife out of the picture.
7.43 
#22 - Oil's Well That Ends Well
Season 5 - Episode 11 - Aired Nov 24, 1993
A con artist and his girlfriend plan their next caper by tricking some southern boys into thinking there is oil underneath a cemetery. Their plans work. She makes them think she has gotten jealous and killed her boyfriend, but when she goes to dig him up, she gets a big surprise. He and the boys have been partners all along. The last laugh is on her when it turns out that there really is oil and she blows them all to kingdom come.
7.42 
#23 - Undertaking Palor
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired Jul 24, 1991
Four boys who have a talent for video taping uncover some weird things at the undertaker's. Soon revenge comes when one the boy's father becomes a victim. They begin video taping the undertaker's evil deeds which he soon discovers in horror.
7.41 
#24 - The Switch
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired Apr 21, 1990
An elderly millionaire asks a plastic surgeon to give him the body of a younger man to win the girl of his dreams.
7.40 
#25 - Mournin' Mess
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired Jul 31, 1991
A regretful reporter is investigating some murders of homeless people. He meets up with a man who is the prime suspect in the murders but when he fails to deliver a story his boss fires him. He then discovers that the new cemetery by a group called Ghouls is the cause for all the deaths in the neighborhood and guess who's the next victim.
7.38