'Too Close For Comfort's' Creepiest Episode Not Involving Rape... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 10-31-2011, 03:27 PM

3. Too Close For Comfort, “A Portrait Of Henry”

Though superficially a goofy Ted Knight vehicle about a curmudgeonly cartoonist and the darn young people upending his conservative values, the early-’80s sitcom Too Close For Comfort often took the anxiety implicit in its title to some surprisingly dark places. Most famous of these is no doubt the episode where Knight’s constant foil, the nutty, flamboyant Monroe (Jim J. Bullock) is kidnapped by two women and raped, only to have everyone laugh it off—a storyline so scarring to the young generation that witnessed it, there’s an entire website dedicated to therapeutically reliving the awful memory. But even more horrifying was the Oscar Wilde-riffing “A Portrait Of Henry,” in which, after accidentally injuring Monroe and becoming wracked with guilt over whether he might have done it on purpose, Knight’s character becomes taunted by his own recently acquired self-portrait, which grows more hideous and malevolent with each passing hour. By the time the painting finally comes to life—its eyes glowing menacingly, its brows cruelly arched—a thousand painting-related phobias have already bloomed.

http://www.avclub.com/articles/jack-...unexpec,64110/

Ryan Chamberlain · 12-11-2011, 09:26 PM

I cannot wait till they air this one on Antenna TV. I've seen the rape one (on YT) because I thought I would need to watch it since I was new to the show.

But, the Portrait Of Henry one seems just as creepy.

Big3sCompanyFan · 12-28-2011, 06:00 PM

Actually the creepiest episode is the one where Henry is depressed about his old age and talks to his best friend that fat dude. LOL..forgot his name.

He tells him he has 25 to 30 years left to live! The creepy part is we all knoww he only lived a few more years!

rcbrad · 05-12-2012, 05:40 PM

I did not find anything creepy about the portrait episode. I found it to be kind of silly. It would have made more sense if it was a dream sequence when the portrait came to life.

BigManMike · 05-14-2012, 10:38 AM

Antenna TV just showed the portrait episode last week. It was kind of creepy, but the part at the end with Monroe in the hospital was hilarious.

Nyan · 06-14-2012, 12:45 AM

Every episode of this show is questionable to the point where Metafilter makes regular posts regarding it.

Big3sCompanyFan · 06-14-2012, 08:54 AM

But it is creepy that Ted Knight was almost like the walking dead the last year or 2!

Saying you have 25 to 30 years left but you're gone in 2 years is creepy!

Mace Dolex · 04-09-2014, 04:44 PM

Holy crap I remember this episode and yeah the portrait of Henry changing and becoming older and creepy scared the piss out of me as a kid.

10-31-2011, 03:27 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,108	'Too Close For Comfort's' Creepiest Episode Not Involving Rape... 3. Too Close For Comfort, “A Portrait Of Henry” Though superficially a goofy Ted Knight vehicle about a curmudgeonly cartoonist and the darn young people upending his conservative values, the early-’80s sitcom Too Close For Comfort often took the anxiety implicit in its title to some surprisingly dark places. Most famous of these is no doubt the episode where Knight’s constant foil, the nutty, flamboyant Monroe (Jim J. Bullock) is kidnapped by two women and raped, only to have everyone laugh it off—a storyline so scarring to the young generation that witnessed it, there’s an entire website dedicated to therapeutically reliving the awful memory. But even more horrifying was the Oscar Wilde-riffing “A Portrait Of Henry,” in which, after accidentally injuring Monroe and becoming wracked with guilt over whether he might have done it on purpose, Knight’s character becomes taunted by his own recently acquired self-portrait, which grows more hideous and malevolent with each passing hour. By the time the painting finally comes to life—its eyes glowing menacingly, its brows cruelly arched—a thousand painting-related phobias have already bloomed. http://www.avclub.com/articles/jack-...unexpec,64110/
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

12-11-2011, 09:26 PM	#2
Ryan Chamberlain Return Of The Silverburg 2018! Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 10, 2011 Location: Still hiding in Miles Silverburg's closet. Posts: 663	I cannot wait till they air this one on Antenna TV. I've seen the rape one (on YT) because I thought I would need to watch it since I was new to the show. But, the Portrait Of Henry one seems just as creepy.

12-28-2011, 06:00 PM	#3
Big3sCompanyFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2003 Posts: 2,493	Actually the creepiest episode is the one where Henry is depressed about his old age and talks to his best friend that fat dude. LOL..forgot his name. He tells him he has 25 to 30 years left to live! The creepy part is we all knoww he only lived a few more years!

05-12-2012, 05:40 PM	#4
rcbrad Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Posts: 479	I did not find anything creepy about the portrait episode. I found it to be kind of silly. It would have made more sense if it was a dream sequence when the portrait came to life.

05-14-2012, 10:38 AM	#5
BigManMike Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 25, 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 3,021	Antenna TV just showed the portrait episode last week. It was kind of creepy, but the part at the end with Monroe in the hospital was hilarious.

06-14-2012, 12:45 AM	#6
Nyan Be The Rainbow! Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 29, 2011 Location: Land of Pop Tarts Posts: 141	Every episode of this show is questionable to the point where Metafilter makes regular posts regarding it.

06-14-2012, 08:54 AM	#7
Big3sCompanyFan Member Senior Member Join Date: Sep 16, 2003 Posts: 2,493	But it is creepy that Ted Knight was almost like the walking dead the last year or 2! Saying you have 25 to 30 years left but you're gone in 2 years is creepy!

04-09-2014, 04:44 PM	#8
Mace Dolex Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 12, 2013 Posts: 2,666	Holy crap I remember this episode and yeah the portrait of Henry changing and becoming older and creepy scared the piss out of me as a kid.