13 Days of Halloween: The Ten Best Freddy’s Nightmares Episodes!
It really is amazing that the phenomenon that is Freddy Krueger reached such heights that we actually got a TV series. It didn’t last long, two seasons only but out of that we got 44 episodes, 22 in each.Season 1 premiered on October 8th, 1988, a few months after the release of A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. Season 2 premiered on October 2nd, 1989, a few months after the release of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child.
Robert Englund would reprise the role of Freddy Krueger in the show. However, his part was limited. Only occasionally playing a part in the stories, instead each episode opens with Freddy introducing it ala The Crypt Keeper. Something that would become way more prevalent in season 2 as the character played even less of a role in the stories.
If you’re watching Freddy’s Nightmares for Freddy himself, prepare to be disappointed as he really is a bit-part player.
We’ve seen all 44 episodes of the show. We’ve suffered through all 44 episodes of the show. You can read our review of season 1 here and season 2 here. If you want to read our thoughts on the movie franchise, check out our definitive ranking here. These are the 10 episodes we think are the best the overall show has to offer.
10: Season 2 – Episode 6: Lucky Stiff
An episode that really lays on the black comedy. The story surrounds a recent widow realising that her late husband purchased a winning lottery ticket. Desperate for the money, for her and her new lover, she goes to great lengths to find it. It’s a lot of fun but the overall episode is held back by the less interesting second story, which surrounds a grave digger who uses blackmail to land the woman of his dreams.
9: Season 2 – Episode 14: Easy Come, Easy Go
This is a follow-up episode (as a lot were in season 2) to Lucky Stiff. One that sees the main character from that episode continue her killing ways. However, the arrival of her sister and her new husband sets up the reveal of some dark family secrets. Similar in tone to Lucky Stiff, this is an episode that goes for silliness over horror but does it well enough to stand out. Mildly more entertaining because of the its dark direction.
8: Season 1 – Episode 22: Safe Sex
A less comedic-tone and a refocus on Freddy himself at the end of season 1 makes this a memorable episode. It features a teenager who is in love with a goth girl. Who just so happens to be obsessed with Freddy Krueger. It’s not long before Freddy turns his attention to the teenager and in the second story, he then decides to have some fun with his number 1 fan.
7: Season 1 – Episode 14: Black Tickets
Starring a young and not-so-famous Brad Pitt. This episode sees two teenage lovers decide to run away and leave Springwood. Their car stalls & while arguing he is hit by a van. Needing a hospital, they stop an elderly couple who end up robbing them & then end up checking into a motel run by a couple of sinister hicks. Events begin to spiral out of control with the line between reality & dreams becoming fuzzy. This is one of the more clever episodes and features some of the season’s best acting.
6: Season 2 – Episode 15: Prime Cut
One of the two most gleefully entertaining episodes in the show overall. Prime Cut takes a dark subject and turns it into something slapstick but very entertaining. The first story sees a group of men out camping come to believe that a female tracker they met is a vampire. The second surrounds a group of plane crash survivors who are forced to eat the corpses of the dead to survive. Absurd but highly entertaining.
5: Season 2 – Episode 20: Dust to Dust
The second most gleefully entertaining episode is the sequel to Prime Cut and follows up with the cannibalistic plane crash survivors. The recovering cannibals have an unfortunate relapse and wind up eating an intruder who is being afflicted with a strange disease. If you thought Prime Cut was ridiculously entertaining, Dust to Dust tops it.
4: Season 1 – Episode 5: Judy Miller, Come on Down
One of the stronger episodes of season 1 and the first to really lay the slapstick and moral message on thickly. Dreaming of a better life and obsessed with game shows where you can win a lot of money. Judy is about to have all her dreams come true when Freddy puts her in her very own game show, Beat the House.
As Freddy says…be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.
3: Season 2 – Episode 12: It’s My Party and You’ll Die If I Want You To
The best episode in season 2, mainly because it is one of the few to really focus on the titular villain. Although a quality story certainly helps too. Here old Fred possesses a psychic to continue his killings before exacting his revenge on a girl who stood him up for prom when he was a teenager! It’s a fun and importantly, different idea.
2: Season 1 – Episode 7: Sister’s Keeper (8/10)
A sequel to the very first episode of season 1 and the last episode of season 1 that will see Freddy be the pivotal plot point of the story. It continues the story set out but moves the focus to the twin daughters of the cop who killed Freddy. They are now being haunted by the dream menace. One of the sisters is trying to move on with her life & doesn’t believe in Krueger but the other is scared that he will come back for them because of what their father did.
Ever wanted to see Freddy play an electric guitar? Now’s your chance!
Season 1 – Episode 1: No More Mr. Nice Guy (8/10)
The first and still the best episode of the entire show. Directed by the late great Tobe Hooper, it is all about Freddy & how he escaped justice. Basically, a Freddy origin story, it’s retelling of the same story that any Freddy fan should know. However, it goes into more detail than the films ever did and even includes a hugely entertaining courtroom scene where Englund hams it up wonderfully.
These are what we think count as the 10 best episodes of the entire show but there are plenty more that can at least be called good. Surprisingly, over the 2 seasons, there are probably more good episodes than bad.
