Nick Boyle: Because I believe in what we're doing.
Derek Rayne: Why?
Nick: Because it's right! Because we're fighting evil, because we're making the world a better place, because I haven't got anything else to do!
Poltergeist: The Legacy is a television series from Canada and the United States that ran from 1996 to 1999 for four seasons (three on Showtime, the last on Sci Fi Channel). This horror-themed show had little to do with the movies; rather, the plot followed a group called the Legacy, comprised of humans who have seen through The Masquerade and choose to quietly deal with a partly Unmasqued World.
The series featured interesting plot-lines, well-defined characters, a score of frequently over-dramatic strings, and talented actors who appeared to have been directed rather strongly over-the-top at times. In the more natural scenes, they show their talent quite well, but when something supernatural occurs, the scenes start getting pushed into the area of Melodrama. This tendency could be said to cause the show to ebb and flow between good and So Bad, It's Good.
Each episode concluded with a brief personal inner monologue from the character featured in the episode. The show almost definitely qualifies as a Cult Classic.
This show contains examples of the following tropes:
- Badass Normal: Former Navy SEAL Nick Boyle is one guy that you would not want to mess with.
- Badass Bookworm: Derek Rayne is good with the book research, experienced at fighting the forces of darkness, and a European who watches over the group in a slightly fatherly capacity. Had major character makeover from S1 into sucessive seasons by giving up sweater vests donning a leather jacket and a devil may care attitude.
- Black and Nerdy: Alexandra Moreau, the Creole computer expert who speaks French and has a head for research, is the rare female example of this trope, and she is definitely portrayed in a positive light.
- Celibate Hero: Father Philip Callaghan is a tormented priest, torn between the Legacy and his parish, and torn between the aforementioned celibacy and the fact that he is apparently too young and attractive to avoid women trying to get a glimpse of what's under his robes.
- Dragged Off to Hell: One episode featured a serial killer's soul trying to force a priest to absolve him before the demons caught up with him. The priest stood his ground (repentance being a prerequisite for absolution, and the killer having none), and the killer met his fiery fate.
- Fantasy Kitchen Sink: And how. Name a supernatural theme, and it's likely there was an episode about it.
- Fetus Terrible: The pilot movie had Rachel give birth to a demonic baby which then
dragged her around the room by the umbilical cord. - Haunted Heroine: Rachel fits this pretty well. She is a single Mama Bear who stumbles onto the supernatural completely unaware.
- In Name Only: Has nothing to do with the movies.
