Two Sentence Horror Stories: El Muerto

If Willie Sutton were making horror movies, he’d set them in morgues, because that’s where the bodies are. There have been films that take advantage of the possibilities provided by fresh corpses, like The Autopsy of Jane Doe and Nightshifter, but pathologists get a relatively easy time of it in horror programming. However, this night will be hard for everyone, especially the coroner’s daughter in “El Muerto,” the latest episode of Two Sentence Horror Stories, premiering tomorrow on the CW.

There are a lot of bodies coming in, so Grace has no time for her daughter, Laura. Instead, the young girl huddles in a makeshift bed set up in the morgue’s back room, yearning for some human contact. From time to time, Antonio takes a break from the autopsies to check on her, but despite his assurances, she knows her mother is profoundly angry with her. She is not the only one. Apparently, Laura can see the spirit of a recently deceased boy, who is quite put out by his current state and he might just take it out on her.

As it often happens with anthology horror, we can more or less estimate the climactic twist of “El Muerto,” but the execution of co-directors Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia (who have done some of the best “sentences” of the series) is super-effective. They build an over-powering sense of foreboding, heightened by the grim, oppressive institutional set design work. The grey-on-grey striped walls and checkered floors evoke the vibe of the Black Lodge in Tein Peaks, but with a Kafkaesque twist.

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Quota & Fix

Only the USPS would try to build public support by doing their job really slowly. Admittedly, nobody expected the pandemic-related shipping crunch, but for a private business, a huge surprise increase in demand would be considered a “good problem.” Regardless, shipping related issues are definitely top-of-mind these days, so it is very zeitgeisty the first story of the latest edition of Two Sentence Horror Stories is set within a shipping facility. That would be “Quota,” followed by “Fix,” tonight on the CW.

Christmas is coming in “Quota,” directed by Lynne Stopkewich and written by Melody Cooper, but Tina’s online order fulfillment center is running behind their target numbers. Her district supervisor has a super idea. He will lock them in for the night and only give her the exit code. Right, like that is remotely credible in our litigious society. The truth is he would have a heart attack if he ever saw a newspaper lying near a fire door.

Nevertheless, that is the premise and it keeps everyone trapped inside when all heck breaks lose. How so? That would be telling according to this week’s “Do Not Reveals,” but it offers the series an opportunity dabble in a hugely popular horror subgenre. The warehouse setting is definitely effective (and also realistic looking), but none of the third act twists are really very surprising.

Happily, Two Sentence’s second season measurably rebounds with “Fix,” directed by Rania Attieh & Daniel Garica and written by Kristine Huntley. It starts out as a tale of family dysfunction when a psych grad student Jackson finally resolves to check on his (maybe not-so former) junky sister, Sophia. However, when he reaches their spooky, isolated family cabin, where she is naturally staying, things take a rather dark, satanic turn.

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Instinct & Imposter

Horror movies and TV shows absolutely hate the gig economy. They aren’t too crazy about corporate America either. Of course, being a camp counselor is out, so just how are you supposed to make a living in the horror genre? Two Sentence Horror Stories only tells viewers what not to do in the next four sentences, “Instinct” and “Imposter,” premiering tonight on the CW.

“Instinct,” the better of the two, starts off violently, but it turns out it is all the musings of Anika, who considers herself an aspiring mystery writer, but it looks like her tastes lean more towards horror. She is waiting for her latest Task Rabbit-like app gig painting some rich dude’s apartment. He is a bit squirrely, but then again, so is she. Frankly, he is reasonably hospitable and super-patient considering how much time she is taking. Yet, she convinces herself he must be a serial killer, with the help of her imaginary victim-muse.

Directors Kailey & Sam Spear do a nice job maintaining the tension, but we can guess the big twist, simply by virtue of it appearing in a horror anthology. Sunita Prasad and Leanne Lapp are both pretty good as the would-be writer and her personified imagination, but Sehaj Sethi’s storyline is just too much like dozens of other things we’ve already seen.

“Imposter,” directed by Jennifer Liao, is pretty predictable too, but it lacks any sense of suspense. A junior financial analyst is on the verge of selling his soul. Not only is he set to receive his firm’s “Associate of the Year” award, he is also engaged to a coworker, who happens to be the boss’s daughter, but he is really the victim, because he has been forced to turn his back on his Filipino heritage. On the night of the awards banquet, a shadowy doppelganger starts stalking him. To make matters even more painful, his Alzheimer’s-afflicted mother recognizes the doppelganger, adorned in traditional peasant attire, as her son, rather than him.

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Bag Man & Elliot

High school is the ultimate horror mainstay. From Carrie to Scream, there have probably been more horror movies and TV series set within the halls of secondary education than drafty Euro castles. The tradition continues with the two-for season premiere of Vera Miao’s Two Sentence Horror Stories, airing this coming Tuesday on the CW.

“Bag Man,” directed by Kimani Ray Smith and written by Leon Hendrix and Miao is definitely the better of the two stories, in part because it obviously starts as a genre homage to the Breakfast Club. Five students of varying social status must spend Saturday morning in detention, but there is a very contemporary wrinkle. All are suspects in a cherry bomb incident that triggered the school’s new automated lock-down system. When they arrive, there is already a mysterious bag in the room that just radiates bad vibes.

Admittedly, the narrative follows a familiar horror arc, but the execution is brisk and energetic. Hendrix and Miao come up with enough new, ironic wrinkles to keep it interesting for experienced genre viewers and the cast hits the right notes, especially Doralynn Mui as Zee, the catty “good girl.” Having recurred on Riverdale and guested on Sabrina, this must be pretty comfortable terrain for her.) Regardless, even though we know where it is all headed, it is still a macabrely amusing ride.

The titular bullied transmasculine teen of “Elliot,” written by Stephanie Adams-Santos and directed by Chase Joynt (who also helmed the upcoming Billy Tipton doc) could relate to movies like Carrie, Sleepaway Camp, and more recently Some Kind of Hate, but at times this episode risks becoming an afterschool special. The lesson is laid on rather heavily, but there are still some creepy moments, especially down the stretch.

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Little Monsters

Kids are more likely to survive horror movies, because they are more apt to believe in monsters and therefore take the necessary survival precautions. Three young residents of a blighted urban housing project are a perfect case in point. They know a shape-shifting demon is preying on children, because they see it with their own eyes in Little Monsters, the latest episode of Two Sentence Horror Stories, directed by Tayarisha Poe, which premieres tonight on the CW.

After her mother’s death, May and her widowed father move into the project, where the sheer volume of missing children flyers posted is distressingly suspicious. Khalil and Marcus quickly clue her in. They claim a demonic shape-shifter with a black tongue and talon-like nails regularly abducts local children, for its culinary pleasure. She is willing to believe, because she has already seen it herself.

Ordinarily, Khalil and Marcus just focus on survival, since all the adults around them lack the imagination and intuition to give credence to their claims. However, when one of the three is taken, the other two launch a rescue mission.

Horror fans could consider Little Monsters to be a strictly serious 2019 updating on The Monster Squad concept, completely drained of camp and nostalgia. The young trio is quite telegenic, but there is nothing precious, immature or cutesy about their work on-screen. In fact, their fear feels very real. Melinda Mo is especially impressive portraying May, a little girl who is still processing her grief while facing an uncanny peril. She is pretty devastating, but she also develops some plucky chemistry with Mikelle Wright-Matos, as Khalil.

Honestly, Little Monsters would possibly rank as the best episode of the entire season, were it not for some dubious special effects. In retrospect, the climax probably could and should have been tweaked a bit, without taking anything away from what creator-screenwriter Vera Miao was getting at.

Regardless, horror fans will appreciate the creepiness of the monster and the resourcefulness of the three monster-fighters. Yet, there is depth to this episode non-genre fans should also respect. Highly recommended, Little Monsters airs tonight (9/12) on the CW, as part of the current season of Two Sentence Horror Stories.

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Only Child

It is probably impossible to make straight-up voodoo horror films, like The Believers or The Serpent and the Rainbow these days, because of increased sensitivity concerns (Santeria is a religion, after all). However, it seems it can still be used to ward off evil spirits. Unfortunately, a Haitian grandmother might not be strong enough to expel the evil from her spoiled-rotten grandson in Only Child, the latest episode of Two Sentence Horror Stories, which premieres tonight on the CW.

Desi has just moved in with her grown son, his wife, and their little boy Rex. Granted, everyone will need time to adjust to the situation, but Rex still seems a little off. He definitely has boundary issues and he clearly expects to have his own way in all things. This could be partly attributable to his parents’ self-esteem-over-discipline approach to child-rearing. They earnestly tell Desi they try not to use the “no” word with him. Yet, there is still an element of hostility in his behavior that his parents refuse to see.

Of course, Desi can recognize bad spirits when she is in the presence of one, but Rex’s parents are way too modern for that kind of mumbo jumbo. That generational and cultural divide will put Desi in a rather perilous position. Yes, there is definitely talk of the “evil eye” in Only Child, but it still scrupulously maintains its cultural sensitivities. That is all well and good, but the important thing is the creepy tone director Nikyatu Jusu achieves.

As Rex, Jaiden Smith is one heck of a sinister bad seed-demon spawn. This kid would truly be a play date from Hell. Likewise, Sharon Hope portrays Desi as quite a credible and identifiable figure reacting incredulously to her son’s Summerhill-style parenting and with horror to Rex’s escalating aggression.

Screenwriter Leon Hendrix uses the horror genre to effectively satirize the discipline-free style of parenting, but that also provides a believable context for Rex’s evil blossoming. At some point, somebody should have said “no” to this kid, but nobody did. Arguably, this is definitely one of the best written instalments of the current season of Two Sentence Horror Stories. Highly recommended for horror fans, Only Child premieres tonight (9/5), on the CW.

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Tutorial

It is the twenty-teens, well into the internet age. Many people would prefer to cocoon rather than explore the world. For those media consumers, home invasion horror hits them where they live and breathe—literally. There will be another breach of home and hearth, the second of the current season of Vera Miao’s anthology series Two Sentence Horror Stories, but there will be at least one big sinister twist in store for viewers of Tutorial, which premieres tonight on the CW.

The home in question belongs to a beauty vlogger, who probably represents some of the worst aspects of online culture. As she gushes over makeup, reasonably observant viewers will notice an intruder slinking through her house. It is all being broadcast over the internet, but apparently her followers are content to watch it unfold.

Initially, Tutorial is very much in keeping with the style and vibe of Blumhouse’s Unfriended franchise, but it suddenly swerves into some pretty shocking territory. However, it still presents a dark, pessimistic view of the internet and its impact on human psychology. Be that as it may, Tutorial is definitely scary. In fact, it could deeply disturb sensitive viewers (whoever they might be).

Regardless, Tutorial represents a radical and impressive change of pace for director Tayarisha Poe, whose debut feature Selah and the Spades did not sound particularly frightening when it screened at this year’s Sundance. It turns out she can crank up the tension and drop a surprising plot reversal quite adroitly.

Aleyse Shannon shows considerable range before engaging in some good old-fashioned scenery chewing as the materialistic vlogger. Mercifully, Poe and series cinematographer Paul Yee do not hand-cuff themselves with a strict lap-top’s eye view of the proceedings. In fact, he rather brilliantly frames two or three scenes. As a result, Two Sentence Horror Stories continues to be some of the scariest stuff on network television or commercial cable (while they last). Highly recommended for horror fans, Tutorial airs tonight (8/29) on the CW (but be wary of the constant commercials that intrusively interrupt viewing on the network’s app).

Two Sentence Horror Stories: Scion

Most insurance companies probably would not cover the treatment offered by this radical cancer clinic, but patients are better off that way. Skeptical patient Noah Ingraham suspects the cure could be even worse than the life-threatening disease in Scion, which premieres tonight on the CW, as the latest creepy tale in the current season of Vera Miao’s Two Sentence Horror Stories.

Ingraham has held up pretty well thanks to the support of his boyfriend Isaac, but his elitist parents are not so warm and fuzzy. It was their idea to check Ingraham into Dr. Lucie’s exclusive clinic, but there is something about the place that rubs him the wrong way. Maybe it is the janitor who looks and acts like he was lobotomized.

Of course, Ingraham initially hopes for the best, but his doubts and suspicions are quickly fueled by Izzy, a fellow patient, who happens to be the black sheep of a fabulously wealthy blue-blooded clan. Soon, Ingraham is experiencing vivid nightmares and losing time. According to Dr. Lucie, these are common side effects of the treatment, but that is not very reassuring, is it?

In some ways, Scion parallels Alice Waddington’s soon-to-be-released Paradise Hills, but director Natalia Iyudin and screenwriter Sehaj Sethi do not let the foreboding and dread get lost amid the woke statement-making. Iyudin deftly capitalizes on the claustrophobic setting and Ingraham’s very relatable position of vulnerability to build tension. It maintains the season’s impressive style and production standards, especially the work of cinematographer Guy Poole and the design team, who greatly contribute to the eerie mood. 

As Dr. Lucie, Kate Jennings is entertainingly sinister and arrogant, in the best tradition of horror movie doctors. Most of the waspy characters are rather bland and perhaps logically so, but Stanley Simmons chews the scenery with admirable zeal as the rebellious Izzy. Plus, the facility itself could pass for a tony clinic near the Bramford Building (a.k.a. The Dakota), as seen in Rosemary’s Baby.

Scion is another above average example of anthology television, but the heavy-handed conclusion also shows the risks of prioritizing message over story and character. Fortunately, it is outweighed by the ominous vibe and mounting paranoia so nicely realized by Iyudin and company. Still recommended for horror fans, Scion premieres tonight (8/22), as part of the second season of Two Sentence Horror Stories, on the CW.

Two Sentence Horror Stories: “Legacy” & “Hide”

There is a reason why horror has been such an effective genre for social commentary. That is because fans have long acknowledged the dark side of human nature. It certainly looks like Vera Miao is charting a course for Two Sentence Horror Stories that follows in the George Romero-Rod Serling socially conscious tradition when the second two stories (or four sentences), “Legacy” and “Hide” premiere tonight on the CW.

Miao’s “Legacy,” written by Pornsak Pichetshote directly addresses the awkward subject of domestic abuse, which sounds like a heck of a lot of fun, right? Yet, it is easily the best of the series (including the online first season), so far. While he was alive, Angela’s recently deceased husband Jin drank to excess and frequently beat her physically. Horrifyingly, he continues his pattern of abuse as an angry spirit. However, there is much more to this story.

In just a whisker over twenty minutes, Miao pulls off some shocking revelations and stages a dramatic exorcism session with fresh wrinkles worthy of the Insidious and Conjuring franchises. She steadily builds tension and stage manages the escalating bedlam quite masterfully, while cinematographer Paul Yee gives it all a suitably dark and creepy look.

The small ensemble is also uniformly terrific. Kim Wong and Wai Ching Ho keep the human element—the fear and the pain—compellingly front-and-center as Angela and her mother-in-law. Benjamin Ye is also a smart and convincing standout as Harold, the mild-mannered exorcist. It would be interesting to see his character reappear in another story somehow. Regardless, this is one of the scariest works of network programming since the 70s glory years of made-for-TV horror movies.

For the most part, Rania Attieh & Daniel Garcia’s “Hide,” is nearly as frightening, which is quite a surprise, given the vastly different tone of their best-known directorial collaboration, H. (our review might have used words like “ambiguous” and “pretentious”). The horror business of “Hide” revolve around a brutally violent home invasion. It is Araceli’s bad luck to be working for her wealthy employers on this fateful night, but she will do whatever she can to protect their autistic daughter Gracie from “Yellow” and “Red,” the two sadistic teen girls out to commit slasher-style murders for sport.

The problem with “Hide” is the denouement, which goes eye-rollingly political. Yes, it is a bit of a cliché already, but more importantly in this context, it has nothing to do with the second sentence whatsoever. Nevertheless, Greta Quispe is impressively intense as Araceli, making her a refreshingly mature and working-class alternative to the airheaded teen “final girl” babysitters so familiar from most every other slasher that came before. Conversely, Sarah Irwin and Kyli Zion are wildly creepy and unsettling as Yellow and Red.

Even though “Hide” fails to stick the dismount, its pairing with “Legacy” represents an unusually tense and suspenseful night of network horror. Highly recommended for fans of genre anthologies and short films, the second two tales of Two Sentence Horror Stories premiere tonight (8/15), on the CW.

Two Sentence Horror Stories, now on CW

The verbose Stephen King remains the top horror dog of our era, but brevity made a comeback via the backdoor of the internet. Think of these creepy couplets as the cat videos of horror. As the phenomenon took hold, it inspired Vera Maio’s anthology horror series, which makes the jump from internet distribution to legit network broadcast when the second season of Two Sentence Horror Stories premieres this Thursday on the CW.

So-called “Two Sentence Horror Stories” generally follow the same formula: the first phrase sets the macabre mood and the second delivers the ironic punch. Miao stays true to the format, starting each installment story with the first sentence and then closing with the kicker. Season one was stronger and more consistent than most anthologies, so it is rather nice to see it get the major league call-up.

However, the first two stories (or first four sentences) supplied to the media are already more of a hit-or-miss proposition than the entire first season. The opener, “Gentleman” directed by Natalia Iyudin, is disappointingly conventional. Great efforts are made to exploit themes of motherhood for the sake of provocation, but the big twist is conspicuously obvious from early on. Nevertheless, Nicole Kang is so compelling as Hana, she almost sells it anyway.

In contrast, “Squirm” written and directed by Miao is seriously unsettling. It also addresses issues of workplace harassment (technically, something far worse happens in this case) in a bold, unflinching way that could make it a trending topic, much like the “Replay” episode of Jordan Peele’s rebooted Twilight Zone. It begins during an office holiday party in full swing, but when Kiesha wakes up the next morning, the horror hits her with full force.

Tara Pacheco makes Keisha’s descent into paranoia and body horror completely believable and deeply distressing to watch. However, the rest of the supporting ensemble is equally important keeping us off-balance and distrusting nearly all her colleagues. Plus, Paul Yee (who lensed The Fits) vividly reflects Keisha’s agitated perspective with his darkly disorienting cinematography.

It is not often genre fans can follow a project from pilot at Tribeca to an online success, culminating in a broadcast pick-up, so you have to give Miao credit for perseverance. “Squirm” and four out of the five first season stories are also really good television, so hopefully it will stick around for a while. Recommended for genre fans, Two Sentence Horror Stories premieres this Thursday (8/8) on the CW.