"Need To Know" stars William Petersen (CSI) as an investigator looking into why people in a rural community are going insane. Francis McDormand, playing a woman whose father is a victim of the "disease", also assists in the investigation. In the opening scene, a farmer walks aimlessly along an old dirt road. He whispers something in the ear of a stranded motorist, who begins to laugh and wail hysterically, instantly driven insane by the farmer's secret. This is an absolutely terrific opening and left me on edge, wondering what just occurred. It totally geared me up for the story to come. There's also a great scene where Petersen's character is attacked by a kindly old woman. Later, he visits McDormand's father in the mental hospital. The room appears to be covered in blood and her father rambles on non-sensically. It's downright creepy.
The ending is great and it made me wonder what may have happened to the world as time went on. I especially enjoyed the last scene and shot of Petersen as he breaks the fourth wall and turns toward the viewer almost as if he's compelled to pass along the life-ruining secret. The silence followed by a distant scream from the farmhouse is very effective, as is Charles Aidman's closing narration. This is my favorite story of all of the '80s revival episodes.
Review by whitsbrainVIP 6BlockedParent2019-09-02T02:02:36Z
"Need To Know" stars William Petersen (CSI) as an investigator looking into why people in a rural community are going insane. Francis McDormand, playing a woman whose father is a victim of the "disease", also assists in the investigation. In the opening scene, a farmer walks aimlessly along an old dirt road. He whispers something in the ear of a stranded motorist, who begins to laugh and wail hysterically, instantly driven insane by the farmer's secret. This is an absolutely terrific opening and left me on edge, wondering what just occurred. It totally geared me up for the story to come. There's also a great scene where Petersen's character is attacked by a kindly old woman. Later, he visits McDormand's father in the mental hospital. The room appears to be covered in blood and her father rambles on non-sensically. It's downright creepy.
The ending is great and it made me wonder what may have happened to the world as time went on. I especially enjoyed the last scene and shot of Petersen as he breaks the fourth wall and turns toward the viewer almost as if he's compelled to pass along the life-ruining secret. The silence followed by a distant scream from the farmhouse is very effective, as is Charles Aidman's closing narration. This is my favorite story of all of the '80s revival episodes.