# Tales from the Cryptkeeper (1993)

> A cackling Cryptkeeper introduces bite-sized animated horror tales that trade gore for goofy scares and comeuppance.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/12552

## Facts

- Seasons: 3
- Episodes: 39
- Episode runtime: 22 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: animation, comedy, horror
- Created by: Libby Hinson, Ben Joseph
- Network: ABC, CBS
- Cast: John Kassir, David Hemblen, Elizabeth Hanna, Bryn McAuley, Daniel DeSanto, William Colgate, Len Carlson, Noam Zylberman
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0122837/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: spooky, playful, macabre, gentle, comedic

## What critics say

Viewers rate the series positively as a milder, child-friendly take on the horror anthology format, with its puns and macabre humor praised for fun rather than fright.

## Synopsis

Tales from the Cryptkeeper (1993-1999) is a Canadian-American animated horror anthology series created by Libby Hinson and Ben Joseph, produced by Nelvana and aired on ABC. Its wisecracking host, the Cryptkeeper (voiced by John Kassir), opens and closes each self-contained story with macabre puns and gleeful asides, while the Vaultkeeper (David Hemblen) and the Old Witch (Elizabeth Hanna) add their own ghoulish commentary. Each episode builds a short tale around a flawed, greedy or careless protagonist who meets an ironic and frightening comeuppance, from cursed objects to monsters lurking in ordinary places. Across three seasons and thirty-nine episodes, the engine is simple: a bad choice, a rising sense of dread, and a punchline that lands with a shiver. The stories are deliberately milder than the live-action HBO original it descends from, so the tone is spooky but playful rather than gory. Set in no particular era and drawn in bright, bold cartoon style, it suits a Halloween rewatch for kids and adults alike. Fans of Tales from the Crypt, Goosebumps and Courage the Cowardly Dog will find resonance in its blend of creepy atmosphere and cheerful comedy.

## Shows like Tales from the Cryptkeeper

- [Creepshow (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/73632)
- [Dead End: Paranormal Park (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/120148)
- [Are You Afraid of the Dark? (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/79260)
- [Elvira's Movie Macabre (1981)](https://ember.film/tv/27578)
- [Freddy's Nightmares (1988)](https://ember.film/tv/4131)
- [Tales from the Darkside (1984)](https://ember.film/tv/1302)
- [Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1992)](https://ember.film/tv/2771)
- [Tales from the Crypt (1989)](https://ember.film/tv/2271)
- [The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy (2001)](https://ember.film/tv/846)
- [R. L. Stine's The Haunting Hour (2010)](https://ember.film/tv/31153)

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