Spooked (Fear Itself episode)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Spooked
Series = Fear Itself


Caption =
Season = 01
Episode = 02
Airdate = June 12, 2008
Production =
Writer =Mick Garris
Matt Venne
Director = Brad Anderson
Guests =
Episode list =
Prev = The Sacrifice
Next = Family Man

"Spooked" is the second episode of the NBC horror anthology "Fear Itself".

Plot

Eric Roberts plays Harry Siegal, a police detective who is attempting to locate a kidnapped child. Harry finds the man who he believes is responsible and viciously beats a confession out of him. It soon becomes clear that this is not unusual behavior for Harry, who believes his methods justified in pursuit of a greater good - his motto is "Sometimes you've got to do a wrong to make things right." The suspect begs for his life, especially after Harry cuts the man's throat; the suspect eventually gives in, saying that the boy he abducted is on an upper floor of the building. He then faints, and Harry sets off in search of the kidnap victim, whom he locates in a closet.

Outside, the kidnapper is being loaded into an ambulance. Harry has no remorse for what he has done to the man in order to get the confession. The suspect's condition worsens; knowing that he will soon die, the man looks at Harry and says "You'll never forget this. I won't let you!" before dying. Since Harry did save the life of the kidnap victim (who was the son of a senator), his punishment is relatively light; he is sentenced to 100 hours of community service. However, Harry is also fired from the police force and loses his pension.

Fifteen years later, Harry (now using the last name Bender) is a successful private detective, working with his partner James (Larry Gilliard Jr.). Harry is approached by a woman named Meredith (Cynthia Watros) who wants Harry to spy on her husband, whom she believes is cheating on her. Meredith says that the house where they live is directly across the street from an abandoned derelict building which will provide the perfect vantage point for Harry to spy on her husband. Harry agrees, and sets up his equipment in the building, with James monitoring from a surveillance van down the street.

As night falls (interrupted only by a gang of children holed up in the abandoned house, whom Harry quickly evicts), Harry begins to pick up signs of life in the building - lights coming on, forms moving about, even children watching TV. The problem is that only Harry seems to be able to see these things; James only sees darkness in the house. Harry insists that there is activity, and insists that James continue to monitor it. James insists that nobody has entered or left the house all night.

The next day, Harry attempts to return Meredith's money, saying that the investigation was a dead end. Harry is clearly unhinged by his experiences the previous night - he believes the abandoned house is haunted. Meredith insists that Harry continue, as she believes he can catch her husband in the act. Harry returns to the 'haunted' house, with James in tow. However, the same events play out again - Harry sees movement and activity in the house, whereas James can't find anything. James, knowing Harry's penchant for the bottle, gives up and goes home. Harry goes into the house he has been monitoring, but finds it empty, with FOR SALE signs all over.

Back in the abandoned house, Harry encounters Rory - the kidnapper he killed 15 years ago. Rory continues to haunt Harry, saying "Why are you so bad?" and insisting he didn't deserve to be killed. Harry pleads for his life, and hallucinates being back in the house across the street. He sees two children watching TV; one of them produces a gun and shows it to his brother, but the gun goes off and the other child is killed. Harry has just relived his childhood, in which he accidentally shot and killed his brother; we then see young Harry and his father burying the boy in their yard. Harry's father explains to him why they are covering up the accident - "sometimes you've got to do a wrong to make a right."

An enraged Harry flashes back to the present, and (after Rory almost convinces him to slit his own throat) realizes that Meredith must have set the whole thing up. He contacts James and asks him for Meredith's billing address. Harry confronts Meredith at her home, where she reveals that Rory was her brother; the whole affair was their joint revenge against Harry. She aims her gun at Harry, who takes it away and aims it at her. Meredith begs Harry to kill her, but Harry refuses. He says that he is truly sorry for his actions over the years and resolves to start over - "Things are going to be different now. I'm going to do the right thing." James, who knew that Harry had gone to Meredith's house, then bursts into the room; Meredith screams "Help me!" and James accidentally shoots Harry in the chest, mortally wounding him. James protests that it was an accident, while Harry is seen dying on the floor - finally at peace.

Cast

* Eric Roberts as Harry
* Larry Gilliard Jr. as James
* Cynthia Watros as Meredith
* Jack Noseworthy as Rory

Deaths

* Rory: Later in a hospital after having a slit throat.
*Harry: Shot in the chest.

External links

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