The Haunting Hour: The Series was a children's horror- fantasy show that ran on The Hub Network (now known as Discovery Family) for 4 seasons. I've covered this series in a couple other posts, but classic me, didn't continue but there's a long thing. Let's get on here.
The last episode I did for the Halloween strand here, I did an episode that explicitly took place on Halloween, this one doesn't, but hey it fits because why not? This is a really good series especially since it really was free with what it could do even in the constraints of children's TV. Which always makes Children's TV horror stuff kind of more interesting sometimes because of those and to see how far something can go even in those. This episode is called "Scarecrow" It first aired in the US on December 11, 2011 and is from the second season. Also, spoilers at times.
Stupid crows eating my corn/ Copyright the Hatchery
This episode starts at farm, which is good place for a scarecrow. The episode has Bailee Madison who had in the series premiere, playing a girl named Jenny. Her problem is that the crows keep bothering her crops as crows do. (Caw caw, that's right the first thing I say is caw) She's growing her own crops to make money for a new computer. Apparently her father gave her that acre because he wants her to learn how hard farming is. That's probably why he has gray hair. Her mother mentions that she has problems with rabbits and deer. The boy from the start is her brother named Bobby, played by Richard Harmon , whom you may know from "The 100". He takes care of the cows and is kind proud that things don't bother cows. '
You know what is great about cows? They don't give you bull/ Copyright The Hatchery
The episode uses the word Emo more than you think it would. There's a girl named Amy Kessler, played by Genevieve Buechner. She seems to be Bobby's love interest (but is she evil? hmm) Bobby and Jenny go into town and see her at the shop to get feed, she works at the counter. She's reading a poem, which I'm sure won't be somehow tied into the plot at all, "The Hollow Men" by T.S Eliot.
Sssh! She's reading the plot device/ Copyright The Hatchery
A strange man shows up and also knows the poem and finishes it. I noticed that the bell didn't ring when he entered, hmm. I'm sure saying stuffed with straw from the poem won't mean anything later. He explains the poem is about the end of the world, he likes the idea because the world would be quiet if it ended. (That's some logic, I guess) Then he buys jerky and walks away doesn't elaborate.
I'm glad she mentioned the poem, I was waiting like 3 hours for her
Later we see the man just standing around at night -menacingly. Jenny gets home from school and the creepy man's car is moving up to follow her. If this was a different show, there would be a different thing going on.( I'm glad this isn't a Lifetime movie) Also, don't talk to strange men in old cars who pull up when they see you get off the bus. Don't do that. Since he didn't murder her, her brother sees the car drive off and he wonders who that was and she tells him it's the strange man from the store. Bobby's first response isn't to tell his sister to not talk to strange men who pull up in cars after you get off the bus, bad brother.
See, strange/ Copyright the Hatchery
The strange man wanted to sell her a scarecrow. Bobby says she shouldn't buy anything from the guy, he seems like a creep. Good brother. So, this episode long about moral should be don't talk to random guys who pull up in cars and buy stuff from them. (Not even you)
more after the jump
She did buy something from him and made a scare crow. (Well I'm scared) The dog is missing, oh no, the dog is missing. Please don't kill the dog, episode. Jenny can't find the scarecrow and she thought her brother moved it and oh no please don't kill the dog. Since she couldn't find her scarecrow she decided she was going to use loud noises, but also notices that the crows aren't around anymore. She found her scarecrow. Bobby thinks someone is messing with them.
I had fun , got treats, but they couldn't afford me after a couple scenes
Bobby notices he can't find his cows. (they mooved on...sorry) Amy feels strange as the strange man is around. Jenny does the classic horror thing of wondering "Who's There?" when she hears a noise and the jump scare as it's her brother in field. Bobby wonders where the parents are and the cows. Amy calls him and tells him she's scared of something but isn't sure what. There's a scarecrow on top of a building.
It also took out JFK
Bobby goes back into town and notices it's empty. Oh the scarecrow is gone again. There is one guy, the strange man is driving around. Oh no, it's the rapture. Episode does the classic phone cutting out thing too... well played. This time Jenny's brother isn't in the corn field and she runs. Scare crow seems to be stalking (heh) her in the corn field.
I'm here to tell you the good word, the bird is word.
Inside the house, she sees straw every where, the phone isn't working, and HDTV is on static mode. (You know it's bad when an HDTV has static) The scarecrow meets her and oh no. Bobby comes home and the strange man is there. He says that Bobby won't find Jenny because everyone is gone.
We were the only ones not raptured, this is weird
The man with no name tells him that it's over. The world has ended, oh I see the poem had a baring after all. The man then turns back into a scarecrow and recites the poem over in voice over. Bobby decides to burn the scarecrow and walks away. Yeah, this show is good at ending with un happy endings, here Bobby probably won't see his family or anyone else again and it's just an emptiness. It's a very dark ending, done well. But wait, so this episode has two endings, that's right there's more.
Burn baby burn, but my emptiness will continue.
So in the alternate ending, the same stuff happens where Bobby shows up and sees the strange man and he does the same speech and stuff. The change is made after the shot of the man being turned back into a scare crow, the poem is done in narration again. But the change is the ending shot is now two scarecrows meaning that Bobby has been turned into one. Which is creepier.
I don't know about you, but I'm stuffed , Laugh Track. Bazgina.
Both endings are well done, I'm partial to the first one being darker just because you have this teen boy , who in this case didn't do anything wrong or bad, but suffering at the end of the world where is family and everyone is gone, and the viewer isn't sure how long he'll last after the final shot. The second one puts a more finalist point to it, but still is equally depressing, but maybe a better result for Bobby.
This episode is well done altogether. I like the hints that something is off even before meeting the strange man. It's a good way to introduce the younger audience to a famous poem and uses that well to foreshadow what will happen here. It didn't take the route of just scary scarecrow but uses that as the poem mentions men stuffed with straw. It does a great job of suspense and horror , even using classic horror stuff effectively. The endings are good and masterful at how brutal they are without even being bloody fitting in the restraints. The world ending without explosions and drama, but quietly was a different take on world ending stories.
The acting is really good too, it didn't feel hammy or over the top. The characters were likable, so it feels bad what happens here. The whole feeling of dread the episode gives through out is well done and gives a sense of good mystery, it's shot well too. It's good watching, recommend it.
That it's for now, tune in next time when you are the only person reading this blog.. because everyone else was raptured. Thank you.
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