Sick Girl

This episode of Masters of Horror revolves around a killer insect that isn't your run of the mill bug; large spider legs, slim tentacles and a face like something that would audition for a Cronenberg movie.

Bug fanatic of service is Ida Teeter, a single white female living in an apartment packed with bug displays and shirping noises. One day she receives a package (with our little friend) and accidentally lets the content break loose.

The body count begins; the building's dog gets hunted by the killer insect; don't ya just love this? In the meanwhile Ida falls in love with Misty, a girl who spends her time drawing sketches at Ida's work. It doesn't take long before our sketch artist, Misty, gets invited to Ida's apartment and ends up getting bit by the killer bug. Pus, transformations, infections make Ida slowly realise what's happening to her newly acquainted girlfriend!

This episode features very likable characters and some very creepy special fx; The bug isn't CGI which makes it look more convincing and menacing.

The only downside to this episode is that -like "Accident on and off..."- it becomes a parody of itself near the end. That aside, you're in for some under the skin scares and some gruesome splatter gore!

***1/2 out of *****

This is the tale of two rather off color people finding each other and staying together under very unusual and perverse conditions. I wouldn't label this as strictly a horror short...it borders more on black comedy and quietly pays tribute to the B-movies before it's time. The main thing it has going for it is that the two main characters (played by the fabulous Angela Bettis Misty Mundae) are extremely endearing and fun to watch go through the twisted hand fate dealt them. This is a very intimate, often hilarious and soulful film with a few solid creepy segments and an absurd storyline. Bottom line, it's enjoyable, quirky as hell and definitely worth watching.

I was actually very surprised upon initially hearing that Lucky McKee had been given a spot to make an episode for the Masters of Horror. I had seen May a long time ago and remembered not being very impressed with it (though a recent viewing of it made me appreciate it more) and wasn't expecting somebody with so little accomplished in the horror genre to have an episode so soon in the show. And in all honesty I wasn't really impressed with the trailer for it either but of course I had every intention to watch every episode no matter how much I thought it would be lacking.

Boy was my initial judgment wrong. Lucky McKee's Sick Girl is by far one of the most entertaining and memorable episodes to the first season. I would have to say that it easily makes my top 3 favorite episodes of the first batch. It is in every way a drama and comedy as it is a horror film. What Lucky does best in this episode is not only tell a horrific story about a bug monster terrorizing an apartment complex, but he surrounds it with a unique love story centralizing on a very fascinating main character. Angela Bettis is perfectly cast (yet again, see May) as the lonely, detached scientist looking for love. Her little gestures and personality traits are just as interesting to watch as the great scares at the end. And once the conclusion mounts its an emotional ride as its hard not to feel deep compassion and concern for the central characters.

And as unconventional and bizarre as the ending may seem its perfectly fitting and in many ways sort of happy. I loved Sick Girl and hope Lucky is invited back to do another episode. Initial criticism's aside, my first thoughts prior to viewing this film were pleasantly proved wrong. Bravo McKee.

There is a certain unease to the supplements on the 'Sick Girl' DVD. Director Lucky McKee is strangely reserved in divulging the details of his life and career, as are the collaborators interviewed for the 'Working with a Master' featurette. It's not hard to see why; as many others (even "Masters of Horror" creator Mick Garris) have pointed out, McKee is a director with only one (publicly released) horror film to his name. Granted, that film is the stunning, oddly sad sleeper "May" (which even Roger Ebert awarded 4 stars), which contained a star-making performance from Angela Bettis (who truly lends professionalism and skill to an oft-derided genre). One should also keep in mind that McKee was added to the "Masters" roster when George Romero dropped out, and it is therefore not a matter of privilege, but necessity, that produced his entry, which plays runner-up only to John Landis' excellent 'Deer Woman.' As in "May," the director shows his knack for putting the veiled motives of human behavior and the complexities of relationships out in the open. 'Sick Girl' follows lonely lesbian scientist Ida (Angela Bettis) who is enamored of the mysterious Misty (Erin Brown, aka Misty Mundae, of "Duck!"), whom she becomes involved; Ida is in love with bugs, and when Misty is bitten by an 'aggressive' new addition, she gradually begins to lose her sanity. While the climax makes full use of the KNB FX budget, the episode is more engaging in the eccentric relationship these two women share, making the viewer truly care as things become increasingly weird. Save for a silly final scene, this is easily one of the best MOH episodes I've seen thus far.

6.5 out of 10

This was without a doubt a bizarre episode lol but it was different than other episodes of Masters of Horror and I liked it. It had comedy and creepiness nothing really scary about this episode but the women were both strange to say the least, both were beautiful and both were good actors. It started off kinda slow but started getting more interesting midway through. I know people have mixed views about this episode being stupid but i actually enjoyed it. It's ashame I've never seen either of these women in any other shows or movies, I thought they were great in this show and they definitely made this episode more enjoyable to watch.