A reformed alcoholic is visited by his young son Jerry; but he doesn't have a son called Jerry.A reformed alcoholic is visited by his young son Jerry; but he doesn't have a son called Jerry.A reformed alcoholic is visited by his young son Jerry; but he doesn't have a son called Jerry.
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- TriviaSince there is no clear explanation as to what Jerry is, fans of Tales from the Darkside have come up with a number of theories for Jerry's meaning. Some of the most popular theories are:
That Jerry is Alan's scapegoat. He is not really there, but he is the personification of Alan blaming his drunken behavior on anything except drinking. He ends up missing work, he ends up at the police and his family leaves him. Alan won't admit he was drinking the entire time and all these things happened because he was drinking, not because of Jerry, who doesn't exist.
That Jerry is a personification of booze, trying to make Alan lose his mind so that he'll start drinking again.
That Alan's whole family, Jerry included, isn't real, and that Alan is dreaming them up while he's drunk.
That Alan's boss who offered him the booze is the mastermind behind the whole scheme, and that he's sent Jerry to bother Alan. This theory came from the scene where Alan drinks and then says "waste not, want not". Jerry also looks like a younger version of Alan's boss.
That Jerry is some sort of monster that feeds on the souls and minds of alcoholics.
That Jerry is an allegory for all the torment Alan caused his family.
That Jerry is Alan's tulpa, or more simply put, his imaginary friend that has come to life and now wants to be part of the family.
That Sharon wants her marriage to Alan to end, so she and Petey teamed up and hired Jerry to drive Alan crazy.
That Alan is hallucinating Jerry.
That Jerry is Alan's conscience come to haunt him.
Laurel Productions has never confirmed that any of these theories are true, or what Jerry is supposed to be.
- SoundtracksTales from the Darkside Theme
Composed by Donald Rubinstein
Written by Erica Lindsay
Co-written by Donald Rubinstein
Featured review
Odd and hard to figure plot line not one of the series better tales.
This "TFTD" episode one of the series earliest from season one titled "The New Man" certainly has a plot and storyline that's strange and hard to follow it really doesn't make any sense. It's theme is that of alcohol abuse as a man working as a home salesman decides to stop his use of alcohol only to have an odd appearance from a little boy claiming to be his son. Upon his arrival home to his wife and other son the man claims he still doesn't recognize the boy. Is alcohol withdrawal symptoms taken his memory? Or is it just bottled up guilt that he doesn't want to face. Strangely the episode shows the man back to his old ways of abusing the bottle. Ending strangely with a new man working in the sales office only to again go against an alcoholic drink, only he's approached by the same boy who oddly enough claims to be his son too! It appears the same path will occur again. Really for it's odd and strange plot and for the way it ends this episode wasn't one of the series better ones yet as the series went on the episodes would get much better than this.
helpful•77
- blanbrn
- Feb 16, 2009
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Top Gap
What is the broadcast (satellite or terrestrial TV) release date of The New Man (1984) in Australia?
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