Monsters (TV Series) Cocoon (1989) User Reviews

Billy Drago as a good guy? Well, almost...

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 4 April 2015]

COCOON is one of the more interesting episodes of MONSTERS although that's mainly down to the air of mystery and ambiguity surrounding the central plotting. Certainly it has more going for it than all the nonsense comedy and one-note episodes of the show. The storyline involves a woman laid up with amnesia who asks a detective to discover her past. By coincidence, the detective's girlfriend is a psychic who soon uncovers some very bizarre historical mysteries associated with the woman...

The best thing about COCOON is the cast, which is actually decent for a MONSTERS episode. Headlining it is the great Billy Drago, surprisingly not cast as a villain here! Well, it does turn out that he's morally ambiguous, but at least he's not the out-and-out bad guy that he usually plays. Still, most of the running time involves a battle of wits between the two female characters, and the actresses are effective. I also liked the moments of subtlety here and there which you don't expect from the show.

Psychic at work and play

[blanbrn · 6/10 · 26 October 2021]

This episode "Cocoon" from season one of "Monsters" was one interesting and entertaining one. As the story involves a woman who's involved in an accident and a cop needs info on her so he asks his psychic girlfriend to help out! Along the way you see images from the past in other times, you ask yourself is this lady a ghost or has she lived another life! Only romance and passion, lust come into play with the trio yet the psychic figures things out. Overall entertaining, interesting, drama like early episode of the series that had that ghost like and reincarnation feel!

"Who do you think you are?"

[lost-in-limbo · 30 August 2010]

I got a friend who's fan of this TV show and he gave me a couple to watch ("The Cocoon" and "Fool's Gold"). I've only seen two episodes before; one I actually liked; "The Mother Instinct", but the other I was less than impressed with; "Pool Sharks". For such a low-budget, confined series --- it stormed up creative ideas and resourcefully churned out competent looking monster make-up effects.

"The Cocoon" is the 20th episode from Season one of the TV series "Monsters" which sees a wealthy, beautiful lady in hospital with amnesia who hires a detective to uncover her past. The detective's girlfriend happens to be a psychic, who he asks for her help and what she finds out about this beauty is something rather baffling, but also downright horrifying.

The out-there concept is foreseeable in its developments, but still its sharply paced as it builds a real air of mystery around the central character (superbly performed by a ravishing Kim Ulrich) and where she crafts out an ominous presence with her devious intentions. No real monster/s on show. The low-key atmosphere is dark and gloomy within its few sets. There's a special guest appearance by Billy Drago, who's particularly sober with his performance as detective Richard and Silvana Gallardo is good as she digs through flashbacks of mysterious lady.

Below average episode of Monsters.

[poolandrews · 4/10 · 11 May 2009]

Monsters: The Cocoon (the on screen title is definitely The Cocoon rather than just Cocoon) starts late one night in a hospital as a doctor (Erik Holland) explains to a cop (Billy Drago) that the woman brought in after a serious road traffic accident defies all medical science, she has no injuries whatsoever expect for a bout of amnesia & that officially she doesn't exist as no record of her can be found. Eventually the woman is identified as Madeleine Westcott (Kim Johnston Ulrich) & it turns out she is mega rich, the cop senses an opportunity & ask's his psychic friend Sarah McPherson (Silvana Gallardo) to see her & use her gift to help Madeleine remember her past life. Sarah agrees but she soon discovers the horrific truth about Madeleine's past...

Episode twenty from season one of Monsters this originally aired in the US during April 1989, directed by Edithe Swensen I didn't think that much of The Cocoon. The one thing that sprang to my mind while watching The Coccon was the Hollywood feel good sci-fi flick Cocoon (1985) which basically has exactly the same title minus the 'The', was made a few years prior & features a fantasy based plot about regaining ones youth although the actual methods used are different although having said that The Cocoon is a little more dark & horror based. The plot here is alright but nothing amazing, the pace at twenty minutes is alright but not that much happens & the script doesn't have much punch. The ending is predictable, the actual reasons behind the cocoon itself is never explained & doesn't really amount to much & as a whole it could have been better had the mystery elements surrounding Madeleine's amnesia been played up & if the final revelations & twist's were a bit more of a surprise & weren't quite as bland. Certainly not one of the better episodes of Monsters as far as I am concerned.

While watching The Cocoon & seeing a web like cocoon on a few occasion I though the episode was building up to show some sort of monstrous spider creature that Madeleine turned into at the climax but it doesn't happen & this is another episode where's no typical monster or creature, just an ordinary looking woman which is maybe another reason why The Cocoon is rather forgettable. The limited sets & cast mean the story takes place in two rooms & between three people, it just felt a little cramped. The very attractive Kim Johnston Ulrich seems to have been in loads of US TV while the always watchable Billy Drago is wasted & for those who don't know Drago's character's girlfriend in this Sarah is actually played by his real life wife Silvana Gallardo, now there's a nice little piece of trivia for you.

The Cocoon did actually remind me of the Hollywood flick of almost the same name in certain respects which is not a compliment by any means (although at least this doesn't have Steve Guttenberg in it), add that to the fact that the legendary Billy Drago & his wife are totally wasted & there's no actual monsters or creatures or much in the way of horror & I put it to you ladies & gentlemen that we have a dud.

Highly enjoyable story driven episode.

[b_kite · 9/10 · 27 March 2019]

Cocoon has a woman Madeline carrying $5,000 in cash and a cache of diamonds, is in a terrible automobile accident but seems to suffer no serious injuries except for amnesia. A police detective, Richard is called in. He asks his psychic girlfriend, Sarah McPherson, to investigate. Sarah gets impressions of a cocoon, the faces of many different men, and vast time. Richard is attracted to Madeline, and they have sexual intercourse in the hospital. When an angry Sarah discovers Madeline's secret, she uses it to destroy both her rival and her straying lover.

Directed by John Gray who seems to be most notable for creating the Jennifer Love Hewitt series "Ghost Whisperer". Cocoon is a really interesting episode, because even though it doesn't really feature a creature type monster, which in most cases is what saves these episodes. This one however is an example of one where the story really makes it enjoyable. For starters the episode is very darkly lite looking very noirish, especially the scenes in the hospital room, speaking of which we even get a short PG-13 style sex scene in this one, which is really kinda outta place for this series. Our guest star here is Billy Drago actually playing a somewhat good guy. He does a pretty good job as does Kim Johnston Ulrich who is also really attractive, in one interesting note of trivia Drago's psychic girlfriend is played by his real life wife Silvana Gallardo who he was married to until her death from cancer in 2012. As for the final, I still found it really enjoyable, even though many might find it predictable as the story progresses. Our locations here this time around are a dimly lit hospital room and what appears to be the living room of a house, both serve the story good, all in all a really enjoyable episode for its atmosphere and interesting story telling, I've noticed the best episodes of this show seem to be the ones were talented directors seem to get the most out of there 20 minute run time. Highly enjoyable.

Nifty episode

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 25 July 2019]

Shady cop Richard (a fine performance by Billy Drago) asks his psychic girlfriend Sarah McPherson (a solid and appealing portrayal by Silvana Gallardo) to help beautiful amnesiac Madeline (well played to the seductive hilt by Kim Johnston Ulrich) to remember who she really is. However, it turns out Madeline is harboring a deep dark secret pertaining to her actual identity.

Director John Gray keeps the compelling story moving along at a steady pace, adroitly crafts an intriguing eerie and enigmatic atmosphere, and delivers a few pleasingly creepy moments. Moreover, it's capably acted by the three leads, with Drago a particular standout as a pretty shifty and slimy type. The love scene between Richard and Sarah is fairly hot stuff. Edithe Swensen's smart script not only offers a neat spin on the soul-sucking demonic succubus premise, but also comes complete with a spot-on chilling surprise ending. A worthwhile show.