Dark Fantasy, Pt. 3

Originally published in the February, 2009, Old Radio Times.(http://www.otrr.org/pg07_times.htm)

Dark Fantasy: WKY’s Contribution to NBC Programming
Bret Jones
Copyright © 2008

Each show opens with a fierce winding blowing underscored by a moody organ chord. A detached voice, almost devoid of life, announces the show: “Dark…Fantasy.” InnerSanctum’s Raymond or “the man in black” from Suspense had more personality. For just a moment it resembles the zombie-like voice from the beginning of Lights Out: “It … is … later … than … you … think.” With Raymond and “the man in black” there was at least a wink thrown at the audience, not so with Dark Fantasy. As soon as the dead voice announced the show, the title was given and the play began.Episodes from the series deal with dark imagery and interesting stories. For example, the first episode, “The Man Who Came Back,” a man returns from the dead to punish, and eventually drive an enemy to commit suicide. “I am the Thing from the Sea” has two beings from a legendary sea kingdom taking possession of humans to have a final confrontation, which destroys the island in the process. “The Demon Tree” incorporates English folklore dealing with a tree cursed to kill the descendants of a man who killed a witch.

The most unique show from the series is the fifth episode, “I am the Dweller in the House of Bread.” Scott Bishop narrates the story as he describes a dream he has of “a wise man” telling him to find the “house of bread.” During his journey, which takes on monumental spiritual proportions, he desperately searches for this “house of bread” that has been proclaimed as a place of comfort and peace. At the end of the tale Bishop finds himself in Bethlehem, which translated means “the house of bread.” The man in his dream is implied as Jesus Christ, whose name in the program is “Word.” This was Dark Fantasy’s Christmas show. Compared to other programs of the age, this one episode stands out as a unique offering on the airwaves.