Friday the 13th: The Series

This week it was announced that CBS DVD and Paramount Home Entertainment will release Friday the 13th: The Series – The Second Season on February 10, 2009 (the First Season was released on September 23rd). The series originally aired in first-run syndication in the U.S. for three seasons from September 1987 through May 1990.

For some of you this may not be important news, but I absolutely love Friday the 13th: The Series. I think the program is misunderstood by people who may not have ever watched it because of the title. I am sure many folks assume it is the same as the FRIDAY THE 13th films, when in fact, the two are very different.

Friday the 13th: The Series is about two cousins, Micki and Ryan, who inherit an antique store full of cursed objects from their Uncle Lewis, whom they have never even met. At first they are not aware that the antiques are cursed and sell many of them. Then they meet Jack, who originally collected many of the antiques for Uncle Lewis before they were cursed, and he informs them about a pact Uncle Lewis made in exchange for wealth. In each episode Micki, Ryan, and Jack hunt for the cursed antiques that Micki and Ryan sold. Initially, Micki just wants to hurry and find everything so that she can go on with her life, but over time something special happens: Micki, Ryan, and Jack become very close friends.

While watching the series, it is enjoyable seeing the relationship develop between Micki, Ryan, and Jack. The stories are well written and the actors are wonderful: Louise Robey as “Micki,” John D. LeMay as “Ryan,” and Chris Wiggins as “Jack.” I even think the music is great, and they always had excellent performances from actors making guest appearances on the show.

Since this series often featured stories regarding the occult, it turned off some people who felt that it was too dark. However, I am walking in the light and liked watching this show because the ultimate goal was for good to overthrow evil. Micki, Ryan, and Jack had love for mankind and felt responsible enough to put their lives on the line to help others by collecting the cursed objects and placing them in a sealed vault.

If you like suspense, mystery, and horror you will probably enjoy watching Friday the 13th: The Series. Maybe you will decide to purchase the DVDs of the series or watch it on the cable channel Chiller. Let me know if you are aware of other ways to watch the show (e.g. if you live outside the U.S.).