Svengoolie
The Bad Seed
S31 • E37 Sep 13, 2025 3h
Patty McCormack shines as Rhoda, the worst little girl in the world; Nancy Kelly stars as mom Christine, who realizes her little darling may actually be a cold-blooded killer.
The film is adapted from the hit 1954 book and play of the same name, but with one major twist: in the original tale, evil Rhoda survives, while valiant Christine dies. The Motion Picture Production Code wouldn’t stand to see a film end with the villain going unpunished (even if that villain is an eight-year-old girl with pigtails); so in the film’s story, the ending was changed so that Christine lives, and Rhoda is taken down by a bolt of lightning.
The film is adapted from the hit 1954 book and play of the same name, but with one major twist: in the original tale, evil Rhoda survives, while valiant Christine dies. The Motion Picture Production Code wouldn’t stand to see a film end with the villain going unpunished (even if that villain is an eight-year-old girl with pigtails); so in the film’s story, the ending was changed so that Christine lives, and Rhoda is taken down by a bolt of lightning.