Ep 4. Abra Cadaver

Abra Cadaver is the fourth episode of the third season of the wildly popular and darkly comedic HBO show Tales From the Crypt. Directed by Stephen Hopkins, this particular episode features a host of familiar faces and is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

The plot of Abra Cadaver revolves around the character of Max Dyson (played by Beau Bridges), a talented surgeon who has acquired a reputation for playing with the lives of his patients. Early in the episode, we see Max in the operating room, callously making jokes as he removes the wrong organ from a patient. The mood is set early on that this is a man with a deeply troubled regard for human life.

One night, Max is involved in a car accident that leaves him critically injured. We see him being rushed to the same hospital where he works, where he's taken into surgery for multiple fractures and internal injuries. As he's being operated on, we're introduced to Dr. Simms (Tony Goldwyn), a young surgeon who's brought in to assist with Max's procedure.

While the two doctors are operating, Max's heart stops. Though they're able to revive him, his heart stops repeatedly throughout the procedure. Eventually, Dr. Simms decides on a desperate measure to save Max's life: he electrocutes him, essentially jump-starting his heart and bringing him back to life.

From this point on, the episode takes on a decidedly macabre tone. After Max has been revived, we see him recovering in the hospital, haunted by dreams of death and the afterlife. When he's finally allowed to go home, he begins to experience a series of bizarre and terrifying visions.

One day, while Max is driving his car, he believes that he's hit a pedestrian. He gets out to investigate but finds no one there. We later discover that the pedestrian is actually Dr. Simms, who Max has accidentally hit and killed. However, Max is convinced that he's imagined the whole thing and convinces Dr. Simms to go on living with him.

As time passes, Max's mental state begins to deteriorate. He becomes more erratic and abusive towards those around him, and his relationship with Dr. Simms grows increasingly strained. He begins to hallucinate more frequently, and we see him convinced that he's being pursued by a reaper-like figure who's out to claim his soul.

All of this leads to the episode's climactic scene, where Max's past finally catches up with him. Without giving away too much, let's just say that there's a twist ending that's sure to shock and surprise viewers.

Overall, Abra Cadaver is a thrilling, nail-biting episode of Tales From the Crypt. As with many episodes of the series, it's packed with dark humor, jump scares, and plenty of twists and turns to keep viewers on their toes. Fans of horror and suspense will likely find a lot to love here – just make sure you're prepared for a few sleepless nights after watching!