Villainess Review: Lt. Maureen Knox (Monsters)

I mentioned Monsters when I wrote a review of an episode of Creepshow, and I remember peeping at this show as early as the age of five. I also remember that this show and Tales from the Darkside aired back-to-back in syndicated reruns, but my attention to Monsters didn't increase until my teenage years. I did learn a few things; for one, the show only lasted three seasons, one less than Tales from the Darkside. Secondly, it debuted after Tales, and third, this series had its share of very interesting villainesses.

The episode, "The Waiting Game," was actually no exception. The episode began with a pair of Air Force officers, Capt. Stanley Levitt and Lt. Eric Tyler, at a command post, where they later receive a go ahead to fire missiles in response to oncoming nuclear weapons heading their way. The result of all of this: nothing. A lot of nothing. A wasteland is created as a result of the attacks, and we see, Levitt, Tyler, Capt. Andrew Garza, and Lt. Maureen Knox are the only ones standing.

Levitt and Tyler learn about Garza and Knox via radio communication, but as Knox states, Garza isn't handling the results well. He's convinced that there are survivors outside, and it reaches a point where Garza actually leaves the post to search, only for the remaining three officers to hear screaming. Garza's a goner, especially with all of that radiation. Or so they thought, as Knox suddenly heard Garza calling out to her. So that's enough for Knox to go out on her own, leaving Tyler and Levitt on their own.

After time passes, it's Knox's turn to make the call, this time to Tyler, who is carrying a bit of a torch for her. That torch and that wide open nose actually leads him to head out himself, not even letting Levitt pointing a gun at him deter his decision. Tyler leaves and embraces Knox, while asking Knox how she actually survived the elements.

Knox's answer: "It's simple...I didn't."

Knox's chilling response also came with an even more chilling revelation: she's a vampire. Rather, she became one. While clutching Tyler's face, Knox pointed him in the direction of a master vampire, who turned all of the survivors, including Knox, into creatures of darkness, with the maniacal villainess adding that the blast created a nuclear winter and eternal darkness. So yeah, those vampires aren't going anywhere, and afterwards, Knox coerced the terrified Tyler to join her and the rest of the vampire nest, giving an evil cackle for good measure. Tyler pleads with Levitt to let him back in to the base, though Levitt sees what's out there. Tyler ends up attacked by the master vampire, and at episode's end, Tyler, now a vampire himself, attempts to talk Levitt into letting him in--all while trying to enter the door's code. Very chilling.

"The Waiting Game" is the 10th episode of Monsters' third season, and aired on December 2, 1990. The episode featured Carrington Garland as military officer turned vampire villainess Lt. Maureen Knox, and she is one of the best villainesses in the series. When Knox is introduced, we see her as a dedicated officer and a warm human being, especially to Tyler during their brief conversation. Knox's heel turn and unveiling as a newly turned vampiress was so delicious, as we see an absolute 180 from the woman we saw in the beginning. As a vampiress, Maureen Knox is sinister, manipulate, and coldly evil. We see it in her demeanor, and we even hear it in her voice, which turned from sweet-sounding to ominous and demonic. I also can't help but love Knox's evil cackle at Tyler, I always love when a villainess cackles, and regarding Knox, it was the perfect way for her to completely embrace her new heel persona.

Garland's performance was absolutely awesome. As well as she was when it came to Knox's introduction, she truly went all in and delivered big time regarding Knox's heel turn and her evil demeanor. Soap opera fans know Carrington Garland (the daughter of legendary actress Beverly Garland) as Kelly Capwell on the long running NBC soap, Santa Barbara. She was the third actress to play the role, doing so between 1989 and 1991, and from what I learned, Kelly was definitely in the "white meat babyface" category, so this makes her heel role in Monsters that much more delicious.

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Check out Lt. Maureen Knox's profile on Villainous Beauties Wiki!