Monsters (1988–1990): Season 1, Episode 18 - The Match Game - full transcript
Four teenagers go into a haunted Victorian mansion and play a game where each tell part of a ghost story while a match burns, but the story comes true.
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[FATHER SIGHS]
Honey, it's family hour,
there must be something on.
DAUGHTER:
Oh, wow, Candy Critters!
[FATHER EXCLAIMS]
Oh, great. It's Monsters,
our favorite show!
Shh, it's starting.
[MONSTROUS LAUGH]
[FATHER CHUCKLES]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
Pretty bizarre, huh?
Yeah.
Everyone thinks
that this place
is possessed.
Come on,
let's check it out.
[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
See? It's exactly where
Matthew left it the last time.
Your sure your friends
won't mind me
coming along tonight?
Of course not.
It'll be fun.
Beverly takes
some getting used to,
but Matthew thinks
you're kind of cool.
He doesn't really
know me, does he?
Well, whose fault
is that, Mr. Distant?
Paul the dreamer.
That's what they call you,
you know.
Uh, who?
All the girls.
I think they think
you're mental or something.
I think it's part
of your appeal.
[WOMAN WHISPERING]
Paul, Paul.
Paul.
All set.
Hey, you okay?
I just... I got a splinter.
We better get going,
'cause I don't want anyone
see us hanging around.
Yeah, hey, Jodie.
Yeah.
Who lived here?
Before people
said it was haunted.
He was just some guy
who built this place.
Killed himself
out back by Becker's Pond.
This place is, uh, is weird.
Yeah. Yeah, it is.
That's what's
so great about it,
you know.
It helps with the mood.
I remember last time
it got so scary
I had trouble sleeping
all night.
Paul, come on.
We're gonna be late.
[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]
I don't like this, Matthew.
We're gonna get in trouble.
Would you relax.
I've broken this place dozens
of times when I was a kid,
okay?
So, nobody cares.
Jodie's friend
gives me the creeps.
He's weird.
MATTHEW: Who, Paul?
He's okay.
He's just shy.
Paul.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
[HUSKILY] Okay.
This is how it works.
First guy
lights a match,
starts telling a story,
when the match
burns down,
he stops.
The the next person in line
continues where he left off.
Okay, um...
I don't know the story.
JODIE:
Oh, there is no story.
We make it up as we go along.
Okay.
I'll start.
[LAUGHING]
[BLOWING]
It's been 50 years now.
Fifty years
since he threw himself
into Becker's Pond.
Taking his own life.
Ending
his misery forever.
His name,
[LOUDLY] Herbert Waverly.
Old Herby was very rich
and pretty damn
handsome to boot.
He could have
almost any woman he wanted.
Except the one woman
he wanted,
he couldn't have.
[STAMMERS]
What you doing?
This is supposed
to be scary.
It's my turn.
I'll say what I want.
She lived
on the other side of town.
The wife of
a prominent politician
and gentleman farmer.
Her name was...
[CHUCKLES] Ethel.
Ethel Shorts.
Herbert and Ethel
met on the sly
for several months.
Ethel would sneak out
of her house
for their illicit meetings
at the pond.
But soon,
rumors began spreading
around town.
And before long,
they reached the ears
of Ethel's jealous husband.
One night, the politician
locked his wife
in the attic room.
And he set out for the pond
to lie in wait for Herbert.
There was
a terrible fight.
A terrible fight.
But Herbert's
bigger, stronger.
Grabs the guy
by the throat,
drags him down
to the edge of the pond,
forces his head
beneath the water.
His lungs filled with
the still rancid waters
of the pond and...
soon he's dead.
[EERIE MUSIC CONTINUES]
Rain is already
is beginning to fall,
as Herbert hastily buries
the body in a shallow grave,
hops on his horse,
and gallops off
to claim his beloved.
[HORSE GALLOPING]
And the rain is coming
down in torrents,
as Herbert pushes onward,
onward, onward.
And at last,
he sees the home
of his lover in the distance.
It's dark,
except for the light
in the attic room.
He sees her form
in the window.
Under the gable,
she stares out
into the black night.
He tugs on the reins
and he drags
his horse around
and he digs his heels
into her side.
And suddenly
there's a bolt of lightening
and a crash of thunder.
[THUNDERING]
The horse
whinnies, rears,
throwing Herbert
from the saddle and...
[HORSE WHINNIES]
Twisting in mid-air,
he sees
he's heading right for it.
It's the sharp blades
of an idle threshing machine.
Wah!
He screams as the sharp blades
cut into his face.
Three deep cuts.
Skin split, exposed,
bone and muscle and...
and blood.
Pain, pain.
So much pain,
and so close.
So close, he can hear
the clock in the farm house
toll the midnight hour.
[CLOCK CHIMING]
[THUNDER CRASHING]
[CLOCK STRIKING TWELVE]
Okay, who's the wise guy?
Who set the clock?
I didn't do it.
Someone screwed
around with it.
That clock was stopped.
Maybe it was mass hypnosis
or some...
The hands were nowhere
near 12:00. I noticed that
when we came in.
Okay, so maybe the spring
was wound, or...
the thunder
shook it loose.
[THUNDER CRASHING]
[GROANING]
I wanna go home, Matthew.
Come on,
it's just starting
to get good.
I don't care,
I want to go.
Okay.
But first, we'll vote.
Jodie.
MATTHEW: Paul.
Well...
We started it.
Guess we should finish it.
[GONG STRIKING]
MATTHEW: Slowly,
Herbert Waverly
managed to pry himself free
from those horrible
steel blades.
His broken leg
dragging behind him.
And the blood,
pouring out of
the open wounds
of his face.
He started
his long journey home...
on foot.
[LIGHTING MATCH]
Herbert walked home.
Here.
Collapsed in the doorway.
Near death.
[THUNDER CRASHES]
Herbert survives.
But he lives
the rest of his life
as an embittered old man.
His face
is so horribly scarred,
so horribly scarred
and twisted,
that no one can bear
to look at him
without turning away
in horror.
Even his beloved Ethel
can't bear to look at him.
Each day he grew
meaner, angrier.
His disposition kept his wounds
from healing properly,
and he just became more
and more disfigured.
Till he could no longer
even look at himself
without screaming in agony
and turning away.
He had all the mirrors
in the house torn
from their walls,
and stored in an upstairs
bedroom that he never entered.
Finally,
in despair,
crazed with the loneliness,
filled his pockets
with stones,
threw himself
into Becker's Pond.
His body died.
But his hate
lived on.
And it's nights like these
that Herbert Waverly
crawls out of the muck
of Becker's Pond,
and returns home.
Following the blood
left behind
on that rainy,
rainy Friday night.
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
You can still see the blood
on the road out there.
When the pavement's wet,
and the moonlight
hits it just right.
People say to stay away
from Becker's Pond
on nights like these.
But most of all,
stay out of
the Waverly Mansion.
Because Herbert Waverly
will kill anything
that gets in his way.
If you see him, run.
Run as fast as you can
and don't look back.
Don't look back.
Don't look into his eyes.
So much pain.
So much hatred.
One look
will drain the very soul
from your body.
[RUSTLING]
[HEAVY BREATHING]
He's out there.
[GATE SCREECHING]
He's through the gate.
He's dragging himself
up the sidewalk.
He's at the door.
[DOOR RATTLING]
He knows we're in here.
Stop it, stop it!
Stop it, just stop it!
Come on, Bev.
This is just a story.
I'm telling you
I heard somebody outside!
Bev, come on.
No.
There's nobody out there.
[THUNDER CRASHES]
Nobody out there.
[GLASS SHATTERING]
[SCREAMING]
[SCREAMING]
[GRUNTING]
Matthew, no!
[THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING]
Get them out of here!
Matthew!
No, no.
[SCREAMING]
Go, go, just go.
MATTHEW: Get back!
Get back.
Aah!
[SCREAMING]
[NECK SNAPPING]
[GIRLS SCREAMING]
My God.
Oh, my God!
This isn't happening.
This isn't happening!
Bev.
Don't touch me!
Bev, it's okay.
No, get him away from me!
You knew about this room!
You knew about the mirrors!
You did this!
You're evil!
[SCREAMING]
[SCREAMING]
Help me!
Jodie!
[SCREAMING]
No!
[JODIE SCREAMING]
[SOBBING]
Get the door.
Get the door.
Come on,
help me with this.
Hope this works.
There's not much
oil in it.
The mirror, the mirror.
What?
[GROANING]
How did you know
about this room?
I did not know.
I was just...
No, you knew
about the room,
and you knew
about the mirrors.
Look,
I made this all up.
I knew you did.
We all did.
But Matthew and Bev
and me have done this
a thousand times,
and nothing has
ever happened.
[MONSTER GROANING]
God, don't you see
that it's something in you?
We made it up,
but you brought him here.
You can send him away.
We have got
to finish the story.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Paul!
Paul, damn it!
We've got to finish
the story.
[BANGING ON DOOR]
The storm outside
grows wilder,
more fierce,
as Herbert Waverly tracks down
his last two victims.
[GLASS BREAKING]
[SCREAMING]
PAUL:
All of a sudden something
outside distracts him.
He's lured to the window.
The storm lashes out.
[GROANING]
[THUNDER CRASHES]
[GROANING]
The sun is rising in the east,
chasing away the rain,
burning out the clouds.
It is daylight,
and Herbert
must return to the pond.
The sun is rising
in the east,
chasing off the clouds,
burning off the rain.
It is morning.
Herbert must return
to the pond.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[SERENE MUSIC PLAYING]
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]
[CRICKETS CHIRPING]
[FATHER SIGHS]
Honey, it's family hour,
there must be something on.
DAUGHTER:
Oh, wow, Candy Critters!
[FATHER EXCLAIMS]
Oh, great. It's Monsters,
our favorite show!
Shh, it's starting.
[MONSTROUS LAUGH]
[FATHER CHUCKLES]
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
Pretty bizarre, huh?
Yeah.
Everyone thinks
that this place
is possessed.
Come on,
let's check it out.
[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING]
See? It's exactly where
Matthew left it the last time.
Your sure your friends
won't mind me
coming along tonight?
Of course not.
It'll be fun.
Beverly takes
some getting used to,
but Matthew thinks
you're kind of cool.
He doesn't really
know me, does he?
Well, whose fault
is that, Mr. Distant?
Paul the dreamer.
That's what they call you,
you know.
Uh, who?
All the girls.
I think they think
you're mental or something.
I think it's part
of your appeal.
[WOMAN WHISPERING]
Paul, Paul.
Paul.
All set.
Hey, you okay?
I just... I got a splinter.
We better get going,
'cause I don't want anyone
see us hanging around.
Yeah, hey, Jodie.
Yeah.
Who lived here?
Before people
said it was haunted.
He was just some guy
who built this place.
Killed himself
out back by Becker's Pond.
This place is, uh, is weird.
Yeah. Yeah, it is.
That's what's
so great about it,
you know.
It helps with the mood.
I remember last time
it got so scary
I had trouble sleeping
all night.
Paul, come on.
We're gonna be late.
[EERIE MUSIC PLAYING]
I don't like this, Matthew.
We're gonna get in trouble.
Would you relax.
I've broken this place dozens
of times when I was a kid,
okay?
So, nobody cares.
Jodie's friend
gives me the creeps.
He's weird.
MATTHEW: Who, Paul?
He's okay.
He's just shy.
Paul.
You okay?
Yeah, I'm fine.
[HUSKILY] Okay.
This is how it works.
First guy
lights a match,
starts telling a story,
when the match
burns down,
he stops.
The the next person in line
continues where he left off.
Okay, um...
I don't know the story.
JODIE:
Oh, there is no story.
We make it up as we go along.
Okay.
I'll start.
[LAUGHING]
[BLOWING]
It's been 50 years now.
Fifty years
since he threw himself
into Becker's Pond.
Taking his own life.
Ending
his misery forever.
His name,
[LOUDLY] Herbert Waverly.
Old Herby was very rich
and pretty damn
handsome to boot.
He could have
almost any woman he wanted.
Except the one woman
he wanted,
he couldn't have.
[STAMMERS]
What you doing?
This is supposed
to be scary.
It's my turn.
I'll say what I want.
She lived
on the other side of town.
The wife of
a prominent politician
and gentleman farmer.
Her name was...
[CHUCKLES] Ethel.
Ethel Shorts.
Herbert and Ethel
met on the sly
for several months.
Ethel would sneak out
of her house
for their illicit meetings
at the pond.
But soon,
rumors began spreading
around town.
And before long,
they reached the ears
of Ethel's jealous husband.
One night, the politician
locked his wife
in the attic room.
And he set out for the pond
to lie in wait for Herbert.
There was
a terrible fight.
A terrible fight.
But Herbert's
bigger, stronger.
Grabs the guy
by the throat,
drags him down
to the edge of the pond,
forces his head
beneath the water.
His lungs filled with
the still rancid waters
of the pond and...
soon he's dead.
[EERIE MUSIC CONTINUES]
Rain is already
is beginning to fall,
as Herbert hastily buries
the body in a shallow grave,
hops on his horse,
and gallops off
to claim his beloved.
[HORSE GALLOPING]
And the rain is coming
down in torrents,
as Herbert pushes onward,
onward, onward.
And at last,
he sees the home
of his lover in the distance.
It's dark,
except for the light
in the attic room.
He sees her form
in the window.
Under the gable,
she stares out
into the black night.
He tugs on the reins
and he drags
his horse around
and he digs his heels
into her side.
And suddenly
there's a bolt of lightening
and a crash of thunder.
[THUNDERING]
The horse
whinnies, rears,
throwing Herbert
from the saddle and...
[HORSE WHINNIES]
Twisting in mid-air,
he sees
he's heading right for it.
It's the sharp blades
of an idle threshing machine.
Wah!
He screams as the sharp blades
cut into his face.
Three deep cuts.
Skin split, exposed,
bone and muscle and...
and blood.
Pain, pain.
So much pain,
and so close.
So close, he can hear
the clock in the farm house
toll the midnight hour.
[CLOCK CHIMING]
[THUNDER CRASHING]
[CLOCK STRIKING TWELVE]
Okay, who's the wise guy?
Who set the clock?
I didn't do it.
Someone screwed
around with it.
That clock was stopped.
Maybe it was mass hypnosis
or some...
The hands were nowhere
near 12:00. I noticed that
when we came in.
Okay, so maybe the spring
was wound, or...
the thunder
shook it loose.
[THUNDER CRASHING]
[GROANING]
I wanna go home, Matthew.
Come on,
it's just starting
to get good.
I don't care,
I want to go.
Okay.
But first, we'll vote.
Jodie.
MATTHEW: Paul.
Well...
We started it.
Guess we should finish it.
[GONG STRIKING]
MATTHEW: Slowly,
Herbert Waverly
managed to pry himself free
from those horrible
steel blades.
His broken leg
dragging behind him.
And the blood,
pouring out of
the open wounds
of his face.
He started
his long journey home...
on foot.
[LIGHTING MATCH]
Herbert walked home.
Here.
Collapsed in the doorway.
Near death.
[THUNDER CRASHES]
Herbert survives.
But he lives
the rest of his life
as an embittered old man.
His face
is so horribly scarred,
so horribly scarred
and twisted,
that no one can bear
to look at him
without turning away
in horror.
Even his beloved Ethel
can't bear to look at him.
Each day he grew
meaner, angrier.
His disposition kept his wounds
from healing properly,
and he just became more
and more disfigured.
Till he could no longer
even look at himself
without screaming in agony
and turning away.
He had all the mirrors
in the house torn
from their walls,
and stored in an upstairs
bedroom that he never entered.
Finally,
in despair,
crazed with the loneliness,
filled his pockets
with stones,
threw himself
into Becker's Pond.
His body died.
But his hate
lived on.
And it's nights like these
that Herbert Waverly
crawls out of the muck
of Becker's Pond,
and returns home.
Following the blood
left behind
on that rainy,
rainy Friday night.
[THUNDER RUMBLING]
You can still see the blood
on the road out there.
When the pavement's wet,
and the moonlight
hits it just right.
People say to stay away
from Becker's Pond
on nights like these.
But most of all,
stay out of
the Waverly Mansion.
Because Herbert Waverly
will kill anything
that gets in his way.
If you see him, run.
Run as fast as you can
and don't look back.
Don't look back.
Don't look into his eyes.
So much pain.
So much hatred.
One look
will drain the very soul
from your body.
[RUSTLING]
[HEAVY BREATHING]
He's out there.
[GATE SCREECHING]
He's through the gate.
He's dragging himself
up the sidewalk.
He's at the door.
[DOOR RATTLING]
He knows we're in here.
Stop it, stop it!
Stop it, just stop it!
Come on, Bev.
This is just a story.
I'm telling you
I heard somebody outside!
Bev, come on.
No.
There's nobody out there.
[THUNDER CRASHES]
Nobody out there.
[GLASS SHATTERING]
[SCREAMING]
[SCREAMING]
[GRUNTING]
Matthew, no!
[THRILLING MUSIC PLAYING]
Get them out of here!
Matthew!
No, no.
[SCREAMING]
Go, go, just go.
MATTHEW: Get back!
Get back.
Aah!
[SCREAMING]
[NECK SNAPPING]
[GIRLS SCREAMING]
My God.
Oh, my God!
This isn't happening.
This isn't happening!
Bev.
Don't touch me!
Bev, it's okay.
No, get him away from me!
You knew about this room!
You knew about the mirrors!
You did this!
You're evil!
[SCREAMING]
[SCREAMING]
Help me!
Jodie!
[SCREAMING]
No!
[JODIE SCREAMING]
[SOBBING]
Get the door.
Get the door.
Come on,
help me with this.
Hope this works.
There's not much
oil in it.
The mirror, the mirror.
What?
[GROANING]
How did you know
about this room?
I did not know.
I was just...
No, you knew
about the room,
and you knew
about the mirrors.
Look,
I made this all up.
I knew you did.
We all did.
But Matthew and Bev
and me have done this
a thousand times,
and nothing has
ever happened.
[MONSTER GROANING]
God, don't you see
that it's something in you?
We made it up,
but you brought him here.
You can send him away.
We have got
to finish the story.
[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
Paul!
Paul, damn it!
We've got to finish
the story.
[BANGING ON DOOR]
The storm outside
grows wilder,
more fierce,
as Herbert Waverly tracks down
his last two victims.
[GLASS BREAKING]
[SCREAMING]
PAUL:
All of a sudden something
outside distracts him.
He's lured to the window.
The storm lashes out.
[GROANING]
[THUNDER CRASHES]
[GROANING]
The sun is rising in the east,
chasing away the rain,
burning out the clouds.
It is daylight,
and Herbert
must return to the pond.
The sun is rising
in the east,
chasing off the clouds,
burning off the rain.
It is morning.
Herbert must return
to the pond.
[BIRDS CHIRPING]
[SERENE MUSIC PLAYING]
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING]