I've read thousands of short stories and viewed numerous series such as this one. I'm used to authors and screenwriters pushing us to the end and then leaving us wanting just a little more. Would that there was some hint to the ending, other than the fact that the young woman is an adventuress, lapping up experiences, being daring with public displays of affection and so on. They seem to be in love. He has a hard time accepting that he is lovable, but he goes for the ride. Finally, they find themselves in a dive in the tough part of time, staying the night. Is she into weird sex? Does she have a death wish? Is she crazy? These are all possibilities. She claims to have played this game before. He hasn't a clue. His final comment left me without any clues as to what is next. Is this rejection, acceptance, or what? I think I just feel cheated.
10 Reviews
Deceptive Conclusion
claudio_carvalho28 March 2009
The lonely John Griffths (Saul Rubinek) meets Alicia Hart (Kate Lynch) in a masquerade party and they immediately fall in love for each other. They are always laughing together and his life is like a dream. One day, John asks Alicia if their relationship could last since everything ends and she proposes him to play a game that she calls Gotcha! In a very low-budget hotel.
Like many other intriguing and promising episodes of "The Ray Bradbury Theater", the conclusion of "Gotcha!" is a great deception and without explanations. Maybe it makes sense for the readers of Ray Bradbury, but the episode unfortunately has a terrible conclusion. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil: "Gotcha!"
Like many other intriguing and promising episodes of "The Ray Bradbury Theater", the conclusion of "Gotcha!" is a great deception and without explanations. Maybe it makes sense for the readers of Ray Bradbury, but the episode unfortunately has a terrible conclusion. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil: "Gotcha!"
"Here's another fine mess you got me in."
classicsoncall16 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
It could be that the 'Gotcha' here is intended for the viewer, leaving the story's conclusion to one's own interpretation. Following a generally whirlwind, carefree and loving romance, John Griffiths (Saul Rubinek) casts something of a pall over his relationship with Alicia Hart (Kate Lynch), by questioning whether it can last, as all good things tend to settle down toward a more mundane existence. Her response is to bring John to a seedy part of town and a cheap hotel, presumably to test his resolve and find out how adventurous he can be. I think the key to this episode is when Alicia states to John - "Here's to the last night of your life". Personally, I would be somewhat intimidated by a statement like that, no matter how trusting I was in a relationship. But one can also interpret her words to mean the last night of John's 'present life', as afterwards, the experience he's about to have will change his perceptions and make him a different person. Which obviously it does by his immediate reaction, and his temperament the next morning when she wants to determine if everything's okay between them. I think his 'Gotcha' response was meant more for the viewer than for her, but still unsettling, as it doesn't hold out the conviction that they'll wind up remaining together.
Simple Explanation for a Seemingly Pointless End
TheFearmakers25 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
A strange episode of a show about strange tales since it is, up front, a sort of romantic comedy: a guy dressed as Hardy meets a young lady dressed as Laurel and a relationship ensues captured in the usual strolling-through-the-park montage.
Then, at the end, which begins halfway in, the girl, who we'll call she... tells him about a game called Gotcha, which takes place in a sleazy motel room where he has to stay on the bed while she.. um... becomes some sort of phantom wraith, moving with shadows and throwing her voice into dark corners as candles burn out the clock.
The very, very end is what has confused people, but the explanation is basically the title of the episode, and that game. If he were a normal guy who wasn't so smitten, when she tells him, the next morning at a greasy spoon, "Let's go," he would just run off, or say, "No more for me." Instead... he says, "Gotcha," the name of her game that had nothing to do with the game until this final moment well after the game was finished...
"Gotcha" means she's got him... hooked on her dark, crazy prowess, for keeps... and it took that game to test him. (cultfilmfreaks.com)
Then, at the end, which begins halfway in, the girl, who we'll call she... tells him about a game called Gotcha, which takes place in a sleazy motel room where he has to stay on the bed while she.. um... becomes some sort of phantom wraith, moving with shadows and throwing her voice into dark corners as candles burn out the clock.
The very, very end is what has confused people, but the explanation is basically the title of the episode, and that game. If he were a normal guy who wasn't so smitten, when she tells him, the next morning at a greasy spoon, "Let's go," he would just run off, or say, "No more for me." Instead... he says, "Gotcha," the name of her game that had nothing to do with the game until this final moment well after the game was finished...
"Gotcha" means she's got him... hooked on her dark, crazy prowess, for keeps... and it took that game to test him. (cultfilmfreaks.com)
Hard to get a feel on
calsinic20 August 2013
Warning: Spoilers
This episode's saving grace is the acting & the Laurel & Hardy nostalgia. Beyond that you're left unsure if you're supposed to laugh at the conclusion or if the main character is simply so rattled by what his girlfriend has put him through that he plays along with her to not risk any more torture before he can escape from her. It's also difficult to determine if he was having a fear based hallucination & she has no idea what happened to him, or if she conjured up some strange magic to "play" with him & just didn't expect him to be so horrified from it. I understand that anthology shows are supposed to mix humor, camp & genuine horror but like I said this particular episode seems to mix them up too much in the same story & it leaves you unsure of what to make of it.
Switched roles
benk197616 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
She's the confident instigator of the relationship.
He's the passive, insecure one in the relationship.
He experiences a fairytale while she is self possessed.
Ending: She instigated an engagement at a cheap hotel under guise of "trust me" and he went from it being part of a fairytale to It being a nightmare. There could have been that she slipped him a drug but in either case I think the bedroom scene is meant to represent a risque sexual dalliance that became unpleasant, unwanted, and forced despite starting consensual. She doesn't understand why he is upset and basically blames him and then she acts confused but conciliatory. At the diner she eats full plate while he sits there stunned and unsure about what just happened and how the fairytale romance turned into a nightmare and if he's just been overreacting the whole time, both positively and negatively. She says "we're alright, right?" as if to explain feelings to him.
He says "gotcha" which is the narrator telling the audience that if this feels weird it's because gender roles have been reversed and it's you who are having trouble making sense of it. "Gotcha" in your own biases.
Switch genders and suddenly it's a familiar story where (stereotypically) the men will say "she overreacted" and the women will say "men don't understand." Just switch the genders and it will become more clear. The seeming ambiguity of the ending highlights just how doggedly viewers will force the characters to conform to social expectations of gender.
Ending: She instigated an engagement at a cheap hotel under guise of "trust me" and he went from it being part of a fairytale to It being a nightmare. There could have been that she slipped him a drug but in either case I think the bedroom scene is meant to represent a risque sexual dalliance that became unpleasant, unwanted, and forced despite starting consensual. She doesn't understand why he is upset and basically blames him and then she acts confused but conciliatory. At the diner she eats full plate while he sits there stunned and unsure about what just happened and how the fairytale romance turned into a nightmare and if he's just been overreacting the whole time, both positively and negatively. She says "we're alright, right?" as if to explain feelings to him.
He says "gotcha" which is the narrator telling the audience that if this feels weird it's because gender roles have been reversed and it's you who are having trouble making sense of it. "Gotcha" in your own biases.
Switch genders and suddenly it's a familiar story where (stereotypically) the men will say "she overreacted" and the women will say "men don't understand." Just switch the genders and it will become more clear. The seeming ambiguity of the ending highlights just how doggedly viewers will force the characters to conform to social expectations of gender.
SPOILERS: What's the problem with the ending?
mjonczak-115 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
I thoroughly enjoyed the episode "Gotcha." It was very creepy, just like I like my SYFY episodes. Everyone seems to have a problem w. the ending. I don't see witchcraft or any other form of evil involved. Do you all remember when Stan told Ollie to open the cheap bottle of champagne and she went rummaging through her large leather bag? She pulled out the white pjs. She then popped an hallucinogenic into his mouth. What do you think she popped into his mouth? This was the reason he was experiencing all those strange events. He was totally freaked by her and at the end he had been GOT
Gotcha!
Prismark1028 February 2024
It starts off with a couple meeting in a fancy dress party and falling madly in love.
Rotund John Griffiths (Saul Rubinek) is dressed like Oliver Hardy and on his own. Until he meets flighty, funny Alicia Hart (Kate Lynch) dressed as Stan Laurel.
It is love at first sight but John thinks that it could slide downhill quickly like the crate in The Music Box.
One evening Alice suggests a daring game called Gotcha. They go to a sleazy hotel and the all John has to do is lie on the bed and be quiet for 30 minutes.
As an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's short story. This did not work for me. As it was shown in 1988, maybe it was a metaphor for HIV/AIDS or gaslighting or sexual violence.
Rotund John Griffiths (Saul Rubinek) is dressed like Oliver Hardy and on his own. Until he meets flighty, funny Alicia Hart (Kate Lynch) dressed as Stan Laurel.
It is love at first sight but John thinks that it could slide downhill quickly like the crate in The Music Box.
One evening Alice suggests a daring game called Gotcha. They go to a sleazy hotel and the all John has to do is lie on the bed and be quiet for 30 minutes.
As an adaptation of Ray Bradbury's short story. This did not work for me. As it was shown in 1988, maybe it was a metaphor for HIV/AIDS or gaslighting or sexual violence.
A relationship story...or nightmare?
nonperipatetic29 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
You meet someone. You start a relationship. They are so perfect. Everything is wonderful. This can't go on forever, can it? It is just too wonderful. And you are right, it can't go on like that forever. Your lover verbally attacks you. You meet his mother and she hates you. He slaps you. He tells you are stupid, fat, not attractive. Whatever it is, it is horribly painful. The spell is broken. This show perfectly illustrates the hope that a relationship will be that warm, wonderful dream...but it never is. You abandon it, or you face reality & work with that. I thought it was clever & funny & creepy, all at once.
Surprise as this woman is wicked and wild with her little game!
blanbrn10 September 2020
This "Ray Bradbury Theater" episode from season 2 episode 4 called "Gotcha!" is one that's fun and entertaining and it twist with a surprise ending. John(Saul Rubinek) meets a woman Alicia(Kate Lynch) at a costume party and the two hit it off. Soon they start to date then move in together, and the passion between the sheets is hot. After John questions good things coming to an end Alicia arranges for a little game in a run down hotel. This night turns out to be strange and wicked as John now maybe has a change of heart about his lady friend. Overall strange ending you as the viewer may have to make your own call.
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