AMAZING STORIES: THE HEAT is episode 2 in the series reboot on Apple TV Plus. This time we’re getting a ghost story. Well, sort of, because there’s always something extra happening in these stories. Read our The Heat review here!

The Heat is episode 2 in the Amazing Stories reboot on Apple TV Plus. I really liked this episode for many reasons. And yes, the really awesome diversity and representation is a huge part of this. Also, it’s a really touching ghost story.

Admittedly, there still isn’t much horror going on, but this is certainly a genre production.

Also, we will cover some spoilers in this review in a segment where we will give a *spoiler* warning in the headline. Consider yourself warned. We just have to talk about that ending!

Until we get that far, continue reading our The Heat review for episode 2 of Amazing Stories (2020) below.

I ain’t afraid of no ghost

Yes, The Heat is a ghost story and it does even have elements of the classic 1990 movie Ghost. Yes, I said “classic” because it damn-well is and even won two Academy Awards (and was nominated for an additional three). It, of course, starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg (who won an Oscar for it).

This entire main cast of The Heat is black. All key characters are African-American and the two lead characters, Sterling and Tuka, are portrayed by two wonderful young actors. Sterling is portrayed by E’myri Crutchfield and Tuka by Hailey Kilgore.

These two young women get some decent material to work with and really delivers on it to make it even better. Hopefully, this is a huge step forward in their careers.

Also, due to this being a story about a ghost and being set in a black community, I really hoped Whoopi Goldberg might make a cameo. After all, Amazing Stories is a Steven Spielberg production and her career took off with her leading role in his adaption of Alice Walker’s book The Color Purple (1985).

Amazing Stories: The Heat – Apple TV Plus Review

The ending of Amazing Stories episode 2 The Heat *spoilers*

This is where we get into the ending of The Heat. And yes, this segment does contain spoilers since we really do want to cover all the events of episode 2 of Amazing Stories on Apple TV Plus. Especially since it’s a really heartfelt and important ending for so many reasons. Consider yourself warned for spoilers now!

The ending of The Heat episode on Apple TV Plus’ Amazing Stories is pretty much both epic and historic for several reasons. Mostly because it has taken one of the most overused and hated tropes and flipped it on its head.

You see, The Heat is both a ghost story and one that focuses on minorities in several ways. Both race and sexuality – as well as social class and realism. Now, I got vibes early on because my gaydar is usually on-point, but it’s also due to the filmmakers and cast doing this right.

Yes, Sterling (E’myri Crutchfield) and Tuka (Hailey Kilgore) are more than friends. It turns out that they both have romantic feelings for one another but never dared to speak about them. When Tuka dies, she does her best to train Sterling so that she can get a scholarship and go to college.

But training Sterling was not the task Tuka needed to perform in order to ascend. No, the task was to finally accept their feelings for one another. When they confess their love for one another and are about to kiss, Tuka apparently moves on. Except she doesn’t.

Instead, Tuka’s “death” seemed to have been a warning to “act now”. Tuka wakes up laying on the street where the car hit her. She’s okay and asks Sterling to kiss her, which means she’s acting on what she learned.

Yes, The Heat does the opposite of the dead lesbian trope. Instead of “bury your gays” it’s “save and resurrect your LGBTQ characters”. Now that is my kind of Friday the 13th entertainment.

Watch Amazing Stories episode 2 The Heat on Apple TV Plus now!

The Heat is directed by Sylvain White who previously directed the 2018 Slender Man movie. Yeah, that was not his finest moment, but that’s the way things sometimes turn out. You don’t need to watch the movie, but you can check out the Slender Man trailer here >

Since then (and before making that movie), he has been focused on directing episodes of TV series. Including episodes of The Originals (a spin-off from The Vampire Diaries) and an episode of Sleepy Hollow and The Following. This seems to be a good match for Sylvain White!

The screenplay for The Heat was written by Chinaka Hodge. Her only credit prior to working on Amazing Stories for Apple TV+ is co-wrting a short story. However, Chinaka Hodge is also writing episode 5 of the upcoming Snowpiercer TV series, so we’ll see more from her pen soon!

Honestly, I don’t really understand why they didn’t release a really horror-heavy episode on Friday the 13th. It seems like a huge missed opportunity to create some much needed buzz and positive vibe for this Apple TV+ production.

really liked this episode, but if they don’t release a “horror episode” on Friday the 13th then I am beginning to doubt that this Amazing Stories reboot will have any. Only time will tell, I suppose. In the meantime, enjoy the new episodes for what they are; Amazing sci-fi stories with a lot of heart!

Episode 2 of Amazing Stories reboot “The Heat” is out on Apple TV Plus from March 13, 2020.

Details

Director: Sylvain White
Stars: E’myri Crutchfield, Hailey Kilgore, Shane Paul McGhie, Maria Z. Wilson, Deja Dee, Shiquita James

Plot

Tuka and Sterling are best friends and budding high school track stars who must find a way to follow their dreams after tragedy strikes.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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