Friday the 13th

“Friday the 13th: The Series” is a horror TV show from the United States and Canada that aired for three seasons between October 3, 1987, and May 26, 1990, in first-run syndication. The plot centers on Micki and Ryan, who run an antique shop, along with their assistant Jack Marshak. Together, they strive to retrieve cursed antiques and secure them in the store’s vault.

Initially, the show was to be named “The 13th Hour,” but producer Frank Mancuso, Jr. believed this title might deter viewers. He opted for “Friday the 13th” to attract a larger audience. Despite sharing a name with the famous film series, the TV show has no narrative ties to it; Jason Voorhees and other characters from the films do not appear. In the UK, it was listed as “Friday’s Curse” on TV schedules, though ITV displayed it as “Friday the 13th: The Series” during commercial breaks.

There are, however, several connections between the TV show and the film series in terms of cast and crew. Frank Mancuso, Jr., who produced the TV series, also produced the “Friday the 13th” films from Part 2 through the last one distributed by Paramount. John D. LeMay, the show’s lead actor, later starred in “Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday.” Guest star John Shepherd played Tommy Jarvis in “Friday the 13th: A New Beginning,” and episode director David Cronenberg appeared in “Jason X.” Additionally, Fred Mollin, Rob Hedden, and Tom McLoughlin contributed to both the TV and film series behind the scenes.