HBO's Tales From the Crypt was a huge hit for the pay-cable channel in the 90's. In order to get the Cryptkeeper exposed to a wider audience, the producers allowed Canada's Nelvana to produce an animated series, Tales From the Cryptkeeper, for ABC, which launched in 1993 and spent 2 years on the network. John Kassir reprised as the voice of the title character, serving as your ghoulish host with the most. However, in order to better sell the show for Saturday morning viewing, and to keep the usual watchdog groups at bay, the Cryptkeeper was given bluish green skin to cloak his skeletal form. The usual puns are in play, though. TBEntertainment uploaded the series opener, "While the Cat's Away...." to YouTube:
After the cartoon ended, the Cryptkeeper moved to CBS and fronted a game show, Secrets of the Cryptkeeper's Haunted House. Unfortunately, that lasted but one season. Tales From The Cryptkeeper was perhaps the best-animated series that Nelvana had ever produced, and that says something, considering that they went into the business of importing anime from Japan at the end of the decade.
Tales did return for a 3rd season, this time on CBS, in 1999, but that would be the end.
Rating: A-.
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