The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Warning do not read unless you've seen episode.This tale surprised me, this turned out to actually be one of my favorite tales for the show in my book.It's a really twisted and dark urban brothers Grimm like tale which is cool because I love Grimms Fairy Tales most of them were really dark even scary which made this short true in it's tradition.I like the use of the seedy basement locale, from how dark, dusty, decrepit it is it really has just this unsettling and claustrophobic sensibility. The suspense is very good, the highlight no doubt is the hide and seek sequence with Tara and the monster, I couldn't help but grip the chair a little as I was constantly hoping Tara would find ways to evade and maintain stealth from the monster's sight. The monster doesn't disappoint, I really like the design it's really creepy looking from the blank white glowing eyes, gray skin, and hollow facial expression it reminded me of The Scream painting which may have been the partial inspiration for the design.The two villains were solid, I like that there was some depth to them so their not totally two dimensional. And we see there sympathetic but only to an extent, it's not an excuse for what they've done. To me I feel they weren't saving their lost son's but dooming his soul. However the worst part was that they've doomed their own souls, as we see their both not the same people they use to be in the past, those guys are gone.However to me what really drive the episode are Tara and Johnny it's somewhat of a "Beauty and the Beast" dynamic (I said sort of). Johnny is a tragic character, despite being a mute throughout most of the tale you know exactly what he's saying through his expressions in emotion. This poor guy is anguished over the monster he's become and what he's been forced to do against his will.I really like the character Tara whom is a sympathetic and also tragic character. Like most protagonists in Fairy Tales she's an underdog as she's obviously a outsider, we see from the beginning she doesn't really fit with the in crowd were most in the class look like they came out of a damn Macy's catalog. You get hints that she has been a target of bullies as well as a little hint of her home life in one scene where she calls her mom, the mom is complaining about her missing pills and not the least bit bothered that her child is missing; so we see her mom is a drug addict and doesn't care about Tara.But what I really like about Tara is she's clearly a person that has a lot to offer the world, that has big dreams or at least a dream. From her sketch of a dragon and an amazon warrior riding that looks like it would be worthy to be up there with the fantasy art of Frank Rasetta. We then here in a conversation with Johnny that sketch is part of a fantasy book series she's trying to create, the story she proposes is ironic since she somewhat in the same predicament.And strangely despite such a dire situation you really see in a way she gets more beautiful because her internal beauty comes out as she is exercising inner strength. From trying to survive, find a way out, but best of all exercising compassion and understanding for Johnny, being his rock. Even Johnny likewise does the same for her, as he is also doing what he can to save her life he seems to demonstrate more strength in character.I really like how both interact which is sweet but you see through it both have formed a deep bond, yeah I know it's a short amount of time but in life and death situations characters shouldn't waste a minute. Both of them are outsiders in a way and have been hurt by forces from the outside, yet we see when both are together they are strong. Which makes it all the more tragic, I constantly hopping what happens won't but there's nothing I can do about it or they can which is what hurts the most.However I wouldn't fret too much, because like in most of the Grimm's Fairy Tales there's sometimes a twist.Rating: 3 and a half stars

This really is a sad story. It's about a man and a woman who lost their only child and carry a certain amount of guilt and will do whatever it takes to bring him back. Even if it means making a deal with the devil. The ending really got me too, I don't want to spoil it for those who haven't seen it yet. Bit I imagine for those who already saw it the ending somewhat caught them off guard too the first time they saw it.Every director has their own little trademark and this is defiantly has a William Malone feel. I can see some cues from 'House on Haunted Hill' here which makes this creepy. I always liked Lori Petty because she's a little off beat in everything she does, and it's kind of interesting to see her with hair.Although I gave it a 7, I really enjoyed it. It does have it's short comings for me, but it is fun to watch.

The other reviewer must have watched a different version than I did? Also the obvious bias against the director is more than obvious! Most people don't give a hoot, or will even know or care that the director did "Fear.Com!" Taken as an installment in the Masters of Horror series, I consider this to be one of the best! I watch every horror/sci-fi/fantasy flick that comes out and this episode actually had me scared! The use of early silent era (Nosferatu, etc.,) skip-frame technique (that jerky movement: every 5th-6th frame) really works here and lends a superb atmosphere of the 'supernatural' to the object in question! The other reviewer had issues with this director being called a "Master of Horror"? Look at the bulk of work by the other directors in this series!! Yikes! Not what I call a brilliant body of work!! That doesn't mean they can't make a good short feature! I think some of the other directors best works are part of this series! I saw it on cable first..then bought it! A must see!!!

I question William Malone's status as a "master" of horror, but that goes for the majority of the directors Mick Garris has assembled to helm the series. "The Fair-Haired Child" is a middle-of-the-road episode with a lot of potential that's largely wasted. The music hall setting is atmospheric but underused. The monster is unsettling and well-designed, but we don't see enough of it. It's been a while since we've seen Lori Petty, who's starting to show her age, and she's not given much to work with here; it seems odd to give an actress primarily known for her kinetic goofiness such a stiff and humorless character. "The Fair-Haired Child" is one of those episodes that could have been better as a feature-length film. It certainly would have benefited from a less irritating protagonist; the kidnapped girl is unbearably shrill and seems to get dumber as the episode progresses. There were a few mildly frightening sequences here, and some skillful visual direction from time to time, but I can't justify a rating higher than a 6. It's not bad, but it's far from masterful.