Tell Me A Story Review: Guilt (Season 1 Episode 6)
A gunshot has woken me from my eternal slumber.
Things continue to move at a glacial place on Tell Me A Story Season 1 Episode 6, “Guilt,” as the three main vignettes do nothing but stop and stall storylines from digressing into something compelling.
There are caveats; Eddie’s decision to commit suicide is the first truly shocking twist of the series thus far. And while it’s refreshing to actually experience a reaction towards absolutely anything this show does, it also comes with the stark realization that Tell Me A Story just killed off their best actor.
When Paul Wesley is on screen, my eyes open; his ability to play pathetic but deeply good-hearted Eddie so complexly despite his lack of screen time jolts the show to life.
Of the Three Little Pigs, he is the only one really worth noting. Mitch is a loyal brother and a seemingly decent person, but the show has done nothing to invest in his storyline, and the third pig, Sam, has barely been on screen.
With Eddie now dead, we’re left with “Wolf” Jordan — who is admiringly captivating, albeit showcased far too little in “Guilt” — hunting down two characters we couldn’t care less about.
It’s more interesting when you’ve put emotional stakes on both sides of a conflict. Jordan’s motives are complex and sympathetic, while Eddie’s depth allowed him a certain degree of empathy. Their dynamic of push and pull was something compelling and worthy of a watch.
At least the last-minute death adds shock value, because Tell Me A Story is in serious need of some CPR.
The worst part of this series is how contrived everything is, especially with Hannah and Gabe, whose “reveals,” if you can even call them that, fall flat every time.
Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs, at least provide both sides of a story. The dramatic irony of knowing all the characters on a more intimate level, adds a layer of complexity, and anxiety, that keeps a viewer on their toes.
Having a first-row seat to the psychotic handlings of Kayla’s boyfriend Nick (a carbon copy of YOU’s Joe, but anyway) envokes a panic when they share the screen — knowing what Nick is capable of, means it’s simply a ticking time bomb until he fully goes off the rails with her.
Add in Kayla’s growing relationship with Colleen — something that Campbell and Cattrall sell as organic due to their great chemistry, and Riding Hood’s storyline has a shot of keeping the audience’s attention.
At least it would if things weren’t broken up into such fragmented pieces. The high frequency in which every episode flips between fairytales causes all narratives to lose any steam they garner.
If Tell Me A Story completely cut out the Hansel And Grettel of it all, the pieces remaining would most likely come together into a fairly salvageable season of television. At the very least, the other two storylines would be given more time to develop into something more captivating.
Unfortunately, “Guilt” is just another installment that continues to prove Tell Me A Story is three separate shows merged into one big, disjointed, bore-fest.
There’s no magic here.
What did you think of this episode of Tell Me A Story? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Tell Me A Story airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
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Kat Pettibone
Kat Pettibone is an aspiring TV writer, artist, and poet. As a Pacey Witter Fan Club lifer who never missed a TGIF, she has dreams of becoming your generations small screen Nora Ephron. She's also an avid lover of coffee, dogs and all things spooky.