Tales from the Crypt episode review — 3.11 — Split Second

Original air date: August 7, 1991
Director: Russell Mulcahy
Writer: Richard Christian Matheson

Rating: 7/10

Waitress Liz Kelly (Michelle Johnson) marries Steve (Brion James), a man who defends her from someone who comes on to her too strong.

Steve is wealthy, and owns some kind of lumber business.

He proves to be incredibly jealous when his wife comes to him wearing like a crop-top or something, and he ends up beating the shit out of one of his employees for saying something about her. Liz starts to grow bored with the marriage and his jealousy.

Then Ted (Billy Wirth) shows up looking for a job, and Liz is immediately attracted to him. She tries to seduce him, but he leaves her home, leaving behind his glove.

Steve confronts his employees at the bar, having found the glove. Later, Liz seduces Ted again, this time successfully. Steve finds him and beats him with the dull end of an axe, leaving him blind.

His coworkers then teach him how to use a chainsaw in order to win some lumber tournament they’re involved in.

His coworkers then take Steve and place him in a log, and have Ted cut through it. Liz is placed in the other log, to be next.

Yet another love triangle episode, but I think this was better than most. For one, it’s effectively erotic. I do hate the performance by Brion James, though, but at least the ending is memorable.