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Marshall, Simon and Marshall’s Dad getting some last minutes acting notes from the great director Bob Balaban as the shot is being set up.

“Questions were playing tiddly winks with my grey matter...”

Most times you go back to watch a programme from your youth, it's pretty disappointing. Every now and then, however, they're genuinely as good as you remember. Eerie, Indiana is one of those special few. There are a handful of series that tried to be The Twilight Zone for kids. Round the Twist (which I'll be coming back to in another article) is well-remembered by British and Australian audiences. Are You Afraid of the Dark and Goosebumps scared the kids of the early and late nineties, respectively. None had the wit of Eerie, Indiana. So why this series only lasted for a single season baffles me.

The series was set in the eponymous town of Eerie, Indiana, population 16,661. Marshall 'Mars' Teller moves to Eerie with his family. Only he, and his best friend, Simon, seem to notice just how bizarre life in Eerie really is. Bigfoot eats out of Marshall's trash, Elvis is on his paper round, and each episode, some uncanny occurrence makes becomes the subject of Marshall and Simon's investigations. The situations the duo faced were man and varied. Some were drawn from classic horror and sci-fi, but with a twist, such as “America's Scariest Home Video,” which drew the Mummy straight out of a black-and-white movie and into Marshall's living room, while Simon's younger brother took his place (and proved far scarier). Some drew on science fiction for their inspiration, such as the HAL 9000 riff “The ATM With a Heart of Gold.” Others were barmy in their originality. “No Brain, No Pain,” involved a shambling vagrant, who was in fact a genius, but had accidentally taped over his mind with a copy of The Knack's My Sharona.

While the writing was generally very good for a children's drama, it was the direction and the cast that really set Eerie apart from its rivals. While Jose Rivera and Karl Schaefer were credited as the series' creators, Joe Dante was a major creative force on the show, directing several episodes. This is the man who directed such sci-fi classics as Innerspace, Gremlins and, um, Piranha. Not the sort of person you'd expect to be working on a children's TV series for the Disney Channel. The cast were what really made it, though. The series boasted not only a solid regular and semi-regular cast, but some of the best guest actors in television. Weird old Vincent Schiavelli played the town's terrifying orthodontist, while Rene Auberjonois tried to brainwash the town. Dante's favoured actor, Archie Hann, played Mr Radford, the proprietor of the World O' Stuff, until the series' midpoint turnaround, when he was revealed to be an imposter. The real Radford was revealed, played with twinkling charm by John “Gomez” Astin. In one fan-favourite episode, “The Lost Hour,” putting the clocks forward one hour incorrectly stranded Marshall in an empty parallel version of Eerie, with only a mysterious milkman to turn to for help. That milkman – who, it was hinted, may have been Marshall's own future self – was played by the late, great Eric Christmas, an actor who was born to play the Doctor. These impressive guest spots and many clever references make the series a joy to watch for genre fans.

It would be wrong to overlook the core cast, however. Omri Katz was the star of the show. Fifteen at the time of filming, but playing it a little younger, Omri was perfect as Marshall, representing the many young boys who were just entering puberty and being torn between silly kids' shows and adult life. Omri gave Marshall a wide-eyed wonder at the weirdness of the world, with just enough snark to make the character snappy, but never obnoxious. Stealing the show, though, was Justin Shenkarow, four years younger, as Simon Holmes. Justin dominated every scene he was in, despite being the youngest member of the cast. Simon was an outsider in Eerie, and became close friends with Marshall, only to find himself take a backseat to the teenager's problems. Popularity, school, and above all, his burgeoning interest in girls, threatened to take Marshall away from Simon, but at the end of the day, the two were inseparable. There was a lot for young boys to relate to.

Marshall's family were equally as important to the setup, forever oblivious to the strange goings on around them. Frances Guinan was just the right side of eccentric as his father Edgar. Possibly named in association with Edward Teller, inventor of the hydrogen bomb, Edgar tried to keep afloat with his career as an inventor for Things Incorporated. His inventions were often a main plot point in the series. Marshall's mother, Marilyn, was played Mary-Margaret Humes, who I only now realise was quite impossibly sexy and wasted as Edgar's housewife. As Marshall's older sister, Syndi, Julie Condra provided the boys watching with the twin interests of an irritating sibling to run rings round, and a beautiful young woman to gaze at.

It was something of a boys' show. Marshall had a new crush every other week, and while the girls were often strong, impressive characters, there was less for the female members of the audience. That changed in the thirteenth episode, which began a process of revamping the series by introducing Jason Marsden – that guy who's in everything, these days – as Dash X. A mysterious, amnesiac with grey hair, Dash X didn't know his real name or where he came from. He became the amoral antagonist to Marshall's hero, sometimes helping him, sometimes out for himself. He might possibly have been an alien, and was even seemingly aware that he was part of a television programme. He was also, importantly, the one all the girls watching had a crush on.

Dash X threatened to steal the series away from Marshall, something that the producers were fully aware of. In what was surely intended as the final episode of the series, but actually aired as the penultimate instalment, Marshall woke up to find that his name was really Omri, and his entire life was, in fact, part of a TV show. “Reality Takes a Holiday” was an ingeniously postmodern episode, and saw Dash X – the only character referred to by his fictional name, and not his actor's name – attempt to oust Marshall as the star. Genuinely clever, it was a high point for the series.

My favourite episode, however, was “Heart on a Chain.” Marshall and a previously unmentioned classmate, Devon (played by another Dante favourite, Cory Danziger), both fall for the new girl, Melissa. When Devon is killed in a road accident, his heart is transplanted into the desperately ill Melissa, who begins to display some of Devon's personality traits. Marshall and Melissa's burgeoning romance is sabotaged by Devon's restless spirit. Apart from the fact that I had a huge crush on Danielle Harris, who played Melissa, this episode really touched me as a kid. Watching it again now, it's still affecting. It's a genuinely sweet, sad, creepy little ghost story, just really fine television.

For all the silliness, references and naff monsters, Eerie, Indiana was quite a dark, subversive series. The strangeness of the town and its supposed ordinariness was a metaphor for the harsh realities that are so often kept behind closed doors. While Marshall had a strong, loving family, Simon was from a broken home. He was able to spend so much time with the Tellers because his mother was rarely home, and his father was often “entertaining.” Other characters' lives were rarely anything to celebrate. “Who's Who” revolved around a young girl whose mother had abandoned her, and who was neglected and exploited by her father and brothers. Even the pilot episode, “Foreverware,” hinted at the dark secrets behind so many supposedly perfect families.

For some reason, Eerie, Indiana never took off on its initial 1991-2 run. It sank without a trace, with certain episodes not even airing. It wasn't until 1997 that Fox bought the series and it was given a new lease of life. It was then that the series made it overseas, onto the Saturday mornings of my thirteen-year-old self. It became successful enough to spawn a spin-off series, Eerie, Indiana: The Other Dimension. The concept was rather clever: in a parellel version of Eerie, life is perfectly normal, until a crazy cable guy opens an interdimensional rift. This lets the weirdness of the “prime” Eerie through to the Other Dimension, and threatens to destroy the Eeries of all realities. Marshall and Simon even appeared in the first episode to help out their younger equivalents, Mitchell and Stanley. However, although the effects had improved over the years, the scripts hadn't, and the weaker sequel series lasted only one season itself.

Eerie, Indiana amassed something of a cult following in its brief renaissance, but has little legacy. Even much of its cast are no longer acting. Omri Katz made the occasional film up until about eight years ago, while Justin Shenkarow now does mainly voice work. Julie Condra no longer seems to be acting. Of course, many of the more legendary guest stars are no longer with us. On the other hand, Jason Marsden is a familiar face on American television, Danielle Harris has become something of a modern day scream queen, and some kid called Tobey Maguire, who played a ghost boy, did quite well for himself. Still, I doubt any of these roles will make me smile quite as much as Eerie, Indiana.

I am neck-deep in an "Eerie, Indiana" marathon. I adore this series. It was a weird depiction of early '90s Americana, similar to David Lynch's "Twin Peaks", but with a stronger paranormal and supernatural spin on it (think "The X-Files" for the pre-teen audience). Overall, it holds up really well, and I'm surprised at times by the caliber of the talent that worked on this series, particularly the cast, the writers, and the guest directors.

Few TV shows that have been so shortlived have had the impact of Eerie, Indiana. Despite only 19 episodes, its gone on to become a cult phenomenon, winning over adults and children alike. And its not hard to understand why. Its such a groundbreaking show. With a dizzying intelligence. Truly unique plot lines. And its fun too! I've never met a single person who didn't find something to enjoy from Eerie, Indiana.

The whole concept of smalltown weirdness is not a new one. In fact Eerie was beaten to the punch a year earlier by Twin Peaks. But its what it does with the idea that makes it stand out so vividly. The Creative Consultant for the show is the greatly underrated Joe Dante, the man behind similar classics like Gremlins and The Burbs. I think the idea of a not so nice interior lurking beneath the shiny exterior is something that appeals a great deal to Dante, and Eerie, Indiana may be the peak of Dante's conceits.

If all television was as good as this we'd be living in much happier times. And Dante put some of his best work into the show. In the films I mentioned, Joe Dante seems to enjoy watching small havens of utter normalcy being overturned by sinister forces. Whether it be vicious monsters or nutty neighbours, the mayhem he unleashes is always entertaining. And Eerie, Indiana is no exception.

One of the series' striking elements is the way it takes these bizarre plot lines and makes them oddly plausible. And that is no truer than in the first episode, Foreverware, a story that does a superb job of introducing us to the world of Eerie, Indiana. Try to get your heads around this! The women of Eerie seal themselves into giant tubs of Tupperware so they can stay young (and fresh!) forever. In any other TV series, watching such a plot line unfold would be monumentally stupid. In Eerie, it works!

And that's just for starters. You're constantly being knocked out by the way it courts unbelievable lunacy and turns it into great viewing. Eerie seems to be the focal point for just about every unusual happenstance in the entire world. The Losers is a particularly interesting episode where we discover a vast storage depot for lost items hidden beneath the streets of Eerie.

Eerie, Indiana was a TV series that was far, far ahead of its time. Some of the issues it chose to address were eerily(!) prescient. In particular the last episode, Reality Takes a Holiday. An episode that predates reality television (before anyone even coined the term) and The Truman Show by staging it in the real world. The town is nothing more than a set on a studio lot. And the actors play themselves. Keep an eye out for Joe Dante! The series was unexpectedly cut short after that but it was a good episode to go out on. A staggering episode that actually forces you to question your own beliefs in what you've been watching all this time.

The production staff selected a really fine cast to help the show along. Omri Katz is perfect as Marshall Teller, the new kid from New Jersey, who firmly believes Eerie is the 'centre of weirdness for the entire planet.' A quite wonderful young actor, his self-reliance never lapsed into smugness, and he was always a hero you rooted for. Justin Shenkarow is equally engaging as Simon, Marshall's sidekick. The two of them are a regular Mulder and Scully as they catalogue the oddities that come into their lives.

The rest of Marshall's family is great too. Francis Guinan is amusingly nerdy as Edgar Teller, a scientist into product testing. Mary-Margaret Humes is an appealingly sexy Mum, Marilyn Teller, a disorganised party organiser. And Julie Condra is annoying big sis Syndi Teller, a girl with the scariest eyebrows I've ever seen!

Along the way, the show picked up some additional characters. John Astin is aptly cast as Mr Radford, the owner of "World O'Stuff", the local youth hangout. Gregory Itzin is suitably slimy as Eerie's double-dealing money grubbing Mayor. And best of all is Jason Marsden as Dash X. Dash X comes into it halfway through. A boy of mystery with a head full of grey hair, he becomes an unwilling ally to Marshall and Simon during their adventures. Years ago, I found Dash X an irritation. I preferred it when it was just S & M. But in recent years, his character has grown on me. He's quite a good actor, and whether it requires him to be sharp, cynical or occasionally sympathetic, he's never less than impressive.

One of the things that's made Eerie, Indiana endure for so long is its shrewd intelligence. It never feels patronising. In fact, its a quite sharply cynical show when you stop to think about it. The Mayor even delivers a scathing speech regarding the people's ignorance of what really goes on in Eerie. They prefer not to know so they don't have to deal with it. They're happier that way!

Every Eerie fan has they're own favourite episode. Usually they vote for Reality Takes a Holiday, or the deeply creepy episode The Lost Hour, when Marsall ends up in a parallel Eerie just by setting his watch back. Mine is Just Say No Fun, an equally creepy story about a school optician who brainwashes the students into becoming model pupils when they're given an eye-test. It has quite an anarchic message the way it champions slacking and underachievement over good behaviour and schoolwork.

Eerie, Indiana has withstood the test of time. Its highly impressive the way the writers pull off feats of greatness, one after another. It never feels too juvenile. Its observations are often astute and witty. And there are plenty of joyous in-jokes and cameos for die-hard horror fans.

A superb show that ended long before its time.

New blog post: Jason Marsden has to navigate one of those bodyswapping Who's Who situations in Eerie, Indiana! https://t.co/31HRJqchZ1 pic.twitter.com/INj2xlkyDj
— Fire-Breathing Dimetrodon (@MarieLetsEat) April 6, 2019

( Read more... )

A 60 second look at our current episode with #FrancisGuinan, a 30 year member of @steppenwolfthtr, on his journey and career. He started in the early years with @garysiniseofficial @jeffperryreal @terrkinn
.
LINK TO FULL CHAT IN BIO. 📷 of Francis in The Magic Play

Ep #14: Francis Guinan (30 years with Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, Boss with Kelsey Grammar) on Being Blue Collar and Slightly Undisciplined

Fun behind the scenes shot on filming #eerieindiana with the brilliant @BobBalaban directing and working with #omrikatz and #francisguinan
credit the amazing on set photographer #frankschaefer #takemebacktuesday #reboot #onset #workingactor #theater pic.twitter.com/FuLr6manjS
— Justin Shenkarow (@justinshenkarow) July 3, 2018

good show!! also I made a meme about Eerie Indiana pic.twitter.com/RPRCza61XD
— Mark Laubenthal (@MarkLaubenthal) April 19, 2018

friendof_dorothy

I saw these press photos today while i was looking at pictures of Mary-Margret Humes. Interesting that Syndi gets her own picture, but it's very lovely.

Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, presents the Midwest Premiere of By the Water, written by Sharyn Rothstein and directed by Cody Estle. By the Water runs March 16 - April 23, 2017 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie. The press opening is scheduled for Friday, March 24 at 8pm.

Hurricane Sandy has just ravaged the lifelong home of Marty and Mary Murphy. But the storm has ripped apart more than just the walls: with their neighbors too devastated to stay, the couple's beloved Staten Island community is in danger of disappearing forever. Determined to rebuild, Marty wages a campaign to save his neighborhood and his home, but when the Murphys' sons arrive to help their parents dig out, past betrayals come rushing to the surface.

With fierce compassion and poignant humor, By the Water reminds us that the very powers that tear us apart can also bring us together.

"Sharyn is a wonderful talent and we are proud to have her work on our stage directed by longtime collaborator Cody Estle, who has assisted me on many projects here at Northlight," said Artistic Director BJ Jones. "In this play, natural disaster serves as a metaphor for the social and political change that forces generations to confront very real issues about their own lives-lives built on values that have become outmoded. Sharyn's sharp sense of humor built on rich character development is sprinkled throughout, and the themes of justice and family values and loyalties emerge full-throated in her dialogue and her surprising plot."

Director Cody Estle adds, "It's about confronting deep-seated personal problems in the face of a generational divide and finding a way to move forward. Times are changing and it's not about you and me; it's about our grandchildren, and their children. It's about all of us making sacrifices today to create a better tomorrow. The harrowing backdrop of a natural disaster also allows for unexpected wit and humor-all in all I think it will engage, move and inspire audiences."

......

Francis Guinan (Marty Murphy) returns to Northlight where he previously appeared in White Guy on the Bus, Stella & Lou, Season's Greetings and Inherit the Wind. Chicago credits include The Night Alive, The Birthday Party, Time Stands Still, The Book Thief, American Buffalo, Balm in Gilead and Say Goodnight, Gracie (Steppenwolf); The Book of Joseph (Chicago Shakespeare); Twist Your Dickens, Pullman Porter Blues and The Seagull (Goodman); A Guide for the Perplexed (Victory Gardens, Jeff Award); and Rantoul and Die (American Blues). He appeared on Broadway in August: Osage County, The Grapes of Wrath and As Is. His television credits include Boss, Eerie, Indiana, ER, Frasier and several Star Trek franchise episodes. Mr. Guinan's film credits include Abundant Acreage Available, The Last Airbender, Typing, Low Tide and Constantine

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