Tales from the Darkside Season 2 Episode 16 Printer's Devil

Printer's Devil is the sixteenth episode of season two of the horror anthology series, Tales from the Darkside. The episode centers around a struggling small-town newspaper editor named Mr. Ferguson, who is given an opportunity to turn his failing business around when a mysterious stranger named Mr. Smith visits him at his office.

Desperate to save his newspaper and his job, Mr. Ferguson meets with Mr. Smith, and the two strike a deal. In exchange for Mr. Smith's services as a printer, Mr. Ferguson agrees to let him work at the newspaper without pay for three years. Mr. Smith assures Mr. Ferguson that he will triple the paper's readership and turn the struggling business into a success.

As Mr. Ferguson begins to work with Mr. Smith, he quickly realizes that his new employee is no ordinary printer. Mr. Smith has an uncanny ability to predict news events before they happen, and he seems to have an almost supernatural ability to manipulate the news to his advantage. Under Mr. Smith's guidance, the newspaper becomes wildly successful, and Mr. Ferguson's career flourishes.

But as time passes, Mr. Ferguson begins to suspect that there is something sinister about Mr. Smith. Strange occurrences begin to happen in the newspaper office, and Mr. Ferguson discovers that Mr. Smith's true identity may not be what it seems. As Mr. Ferguson dives deeper into Mr. Smith's past, he realizes that he may have made a deal with the devil, and he must find a way to break it before it's too late.

Throughout this episode, viewers will be kept on the edge of their seats as they follow Mr. Ferguson's journey from struggling newspaper editor to successful businessman, and ultimately to a man fighting for his soul. The subtle horror elements of the episode are enhanced by the strong performances of the cast, particularly James Keach as Mr. Ferguson and the late Robert Lansing as the mysterious Mr. Smith.

In Printer's Devil, Tales from the Darkside manages to create a chilling and suspenseful story that explores the idea of selling one's soul for success. The episode's themes are as relevant today as they were when the series originally aired, making it a timeless addition to the horror anthology genre. Whether you are a fan of classic horror television or simply enjoy a good story, Printer's Devil is an episode worth watching.