Tales from the Crypt – “Collection Completed”

Tales from the Crypt Season One DVD

Original Air Date: June 28, 1989
Starring: M. Emmett Walsh, Audra Lindley
Directed by: Mary Lambert

Cat Out of the Bag Alert!  This review contains spoilers for this episode!

Synopsis: A man named Jonas (M. Emmett Walsh) is forced to retire and finds life with his pet-loving wife Anita (Audra Lindley) unbearable. That is until he takes up a new hobby.

Featured Feline: The episode begins with Anita waiting for Jonas to come home and give him a surprise party. She thinks she hears him outside but when she opens the front door a long-haired ginger tabby is sitting there, wet from the rain.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - orange tabby cat Mew Mew wet on front step

Anita happily gathers the cat in her arms and asks her name. When the cat meows twice Anita names her Mew Mew. She takes Mew Mew inside, not realizing she has closed the door on her husband.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Anita Audra Lindley holding orange tabby cat Mew Mew

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Anita Audra Lindley holding orange tabby cat Mew Mew and looking surprised

Jonas is in a bad mood already, having been forced to retire, and it gets even worse when he trips over Mew Mew. He’s furious that Anita has taken in another pet.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Jonas tripping over orange tabby cat Mew Mew

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - orange tabby cat Mew Mew

Cat Cattle Call:  Jonas goes upstairs to bed and Anita has to go into the kitchen and break the news of no party to her many pets waiting there. Included are three cats.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - animals wearing party hats and sitting at kitchen table

The next morning Jonas forgets he doesn’t have to wake up early. Anita tells him to sleep late and then picks up a pretty tabby and gives the cat a kiss.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Anita Audra Lindley kissing grey tabby cat

Anita fixes a steak and gives a few pieces to several cats at her feet. Her husband is less than thrilled when she feeds the steak to a bulldog she has named Jonas.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - three cats at Anita's feet

Several cats are seen in the back yard when Jonas takes up gardening and trims the bushes.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - cats seen in back yard

In a later scene Jonas overhears Anita having a rather intimate talk with Mew Mew.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - orange tabby cat Mew Mew sitting on table

Jonas doesn’t like Mew Mew and things get worse when Mew Mew knocks over a pitcher of lemonade Anita has left for him.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - orange tabby cat Mew Mew pawing at pitcher of lemonade

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - orange tabby cat Mew Mew knocking over pitcher of lemonade animated gif

Attempting to go after Mew Mew with his garden shears, Jonas falls into a pond.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - orange tabby cat Mew Mew meowing by pond

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - orange tabby cat Mew Mew sitting on rock

Near the end of the episode Anita, who is carrying Mew Mew, calls down into the basement asking Jonas if he has seen Jonas. Jonas says the dog is in the back yard.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Anita Audra Lindley carrying orange tabby cat Mew Mew into basement

Anita sets Mew Mew down and goes out back where she finds the dog has been stuffed. She confronts Jonas who shows that he has taken up taxidermy and stuffed all of her pets. He then pulls Mew Mew out of a box and threatens to stuff her as well.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Jonas M. Emmett Smith holding up orange tabby cat Mew Mew to Anita Audra Lindley

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Jonas M. Emmett Smith holding orange tabby cat Mew Mew with Anita Audra Lindley

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Jonas M. Emmett Smith holding orange tabby cat Mew Mew

Anita takes matters into her own hands and hits Jonas over the head with the inscribed hammer he received for his retirement.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Jonas M. Emmett Smith holding orange tabby cat Mew Mew close

In the final scene a neighbor calls on Anita and she says Jonas has learned to relax and enjoy his retirement. In fact he has been stuffed himself and is seen with Mew Mew sitting on his lap.

Tales From the Crypt - Collection Completed - Jonas M. Emmett Smith stuffed with orange tabby cat Mew Mew on lap

Final Mewsings: No good can come from trying to kill a cat.

Many thanks to Leila for letting us know about this episode!


Relevant Links:

IMDb logo  Amazon logo  Amazon Instant Video logo

To discuss this film and other cats in movies and on television, join us on
Facebook and Twitter.


Share this with your cat and movie loving friends!