Cult-TV Theme Watch: Paintings

A painting is the final “result of applying paint, color or other medium to a surface,” usually canvas. 

But in cult television history, a painting is often something frightening or terrifying…a monstrous “thing” that can change shape, or even act as a portal to another world.

In “The Cemetery,” the pilot of Rod Serling’s Night Gallery (1969 – 1972), Roddy McDowall’s character, Jeremy, is menaced by one of his uncle’s paintings.  Specifically, the work of art seems to periodically “morph” into an ever-more horrifying dimension, depicting a dead man rising from (a nearby) grave to approach the house proper.   Terror mounts as the painting depicts that ghoul looming ever closer.

Farscape (1999 – 2004) featured a similar episode, “Picture if you Will,” about a painting which could change form and trap characters inside hellish fantasy domains or prisons.

In Space: 1999’s (1975 – 1977) “End of Eternity,” an menacing alien named Balor (Peter Bowles) is trapped in an asteroid prison for centuries.  There, he is surrounded by monstrous artistic renderings painted by his own hand.  As the unfortunate Alphans soon learn, Balor’s paintings are an artistic representation of his world view and prevailing philosophy which, politely put, revolves around sadism and torture.  In this case, a painting in this case represents an insight into a twisted, perverse mind.

In Friday the 13^th: The Series’ (1987 – 1990) two-part episode “The Charnel Pit,” a cursed painting represents a doorway to 1790 France, and the world of the Marquis de Sade.  Series star Robey, playing Micki, is transported back in time, and must find out a way to get back to the 1980s.   As one might suspect, the painting proves the key to safe return.

In Sapphire and Steel’s (1978 – 1981) very first serial, Steel similarly becomes trapped for a time inside a painting of a pastoral setting, making the work of art a literal prison for the imperiled character. 

Sometimes in cult-tv history, paintings are merely expression of an artist’s insight or great talent.  Lt. Data 

(Brent Spiner) attempted to learn whether artificial life forms – androids – could also be creative by taking up painting in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “11001001.” 

Likewise, Chaka (Philip Paley) proved he had evolved beyond the normal Pakuni range by learning to paint (a portrait of Ta) in the Land of the Lost (1974 – 1976) second season premiere, “Tar Pit.”

Paintings have also proven ironic or fantastic counterpoints to reality (The Twilight Zone [1959 – 1964]: “The Midnight Sun,”), as weird psychic evidence of ghosts (One Step Beyond [1959 – 1961]: “The Storm”), and even as chronicle of honored history and a continuing legacy (Smallville [2001 – 2011]: “Absolute Justice”)