The widely popular slasher horror franchise, Friday the 13th has become synonymous with its hockey mask-wearing killer Jason Voorhees and the franchise's primary location, Camp Crystal Lake. With 12 films, tie-in comics, novels, video games and numerous documentaries, the franchise remains one of the most famous horror series in pop culture. However, fans of the Friday the 13th movies may be surprised to learn there was a television show of the same name in the late '80s.

Friday the 13th: The Series was a fantasy horror show that ran for three seasons from 1987-1990. It stood alone from the movies and didn't feature Jason Voorhees or Camp Crystal Lake; rather, the series earned its name from the idea of curses and superstition. Despite being an obvious cash grab --producer Frank Mancuso Jr. hoped the Friday the 13th moniker would help draw in audiences --the series was well-received upon release and was nominated for two Primetime Emmy awards for Visual and Graphic Effects. In fact, despite not featuring Jason or any of the characters from the franchise, Friday the 13th: The Series was better than any of the movies.

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The show follows two cousins, Micki (Louise Robey) and Ryan (John D. LeMay) who inherit an antique shop after their uncle, Lewis Vendredi, fails to honor the deal he made with the Devil to sell cursed items in exchange for immortality, wealth and power. The two cousins decide not to keep the store and sell off many of its antiques, but they are stopped by Lewis' former friend, Jack Marshak (Chris Wiggins), a world traveler and expert in the occult who reveals each item is cursed to bring misery and death to those who own them. The items themselves are indestructible and must be locked in a vault beneath the store, "Curious Goods," which renders the magical properties of the items inert. Using extensive records Lewis kept on each antique and Jack's knowledge of the supernatural, the protagonists hunt after the objects and soon learn that not everyone is willing to part with the power some of the objects offer.

Most of the episodes featured people using cursed items for revenge or personal gain. A user could unlock the object's cursed power by offering a human sacrifice, with the victims needing to be killed by the object itself or die as a direct result of the object's interference. However, the effects -- like wealth and youth -- were only temporary forcing the wielder to kill again. Some of the objects were sentient, like a killer doll and an evil radio, and they often manipulated their owners to carry out horrific tasks. The show followed a "monster of the week" type format and featured everyday objects with a horrifying twist, like a quill pen that kills people by writing their name and a teacup decorated with ivy that strangles its victims.

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Similarly to other science fiction/horror television shows that ran in the 1980s, such as the Outer Limits and Freddy's Nightmares, Friday the 13th: The Series featured graphic gore and occasionally depicted sexuality that was taboo for network television, pushing the boundaries of acceptable content allowed on screen. Initially, the series aired in late-night slots, but the success of the show prompted the network to move it to primetime. The show was also a perfect combination of anthology and extensive world-building, and it even influenced famous television series like the X-Files and Warehouse 13.

Originally, the producers hoped to tie in the series with the films by featuring Jason Voorhees' iconic hockey mask, but the idea was discarded so the show could stand on its own. It gave the series its own unique feel and allowed it to focus on building its own lore. Unfortunately, the series was abruptly canceled after three seasons and 72 episodes, but its dark atmosphere accompanied by its violence and "case of the week" type format cemented the series to cult status.

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