Tonight on MeTV- the “Svengoolie’s BOO-nanza” double features two creepy crawly classics to infest your TV- first, the 1954 giant insect thriller “THEM!”- followed by the spider-filled 1990 horror comedy “Arachnophobia”!

We begin with me presenting some deadly desert denizens out to prove life is no picnic when you face an atomic-mutated menace, as we join a team of New Mexico State Police officers doing a search of the desert- which turns up an unexpected sight- of a little girl wandering the sandy terrain in a daze-catatonic and non-communicative. At a loss to figure out what happened to her, they are directed by a spotter aircraft to a vacation trailer- that has been torn apart and demolished, with no signs of anyone! Policemen Sgt. Peterson and Trooper Blackburn are fairly sure the little one came from here- and whatever happened is responsible for her condition. They have the child placed in an ambulance- but fail to notice that, when an odd high-pitched sound fills the air, she suddenly sits up in reaction!

They soon find that the local general store has also been trashed- and its proprietor lies dead in the cellar! Peterson heads back to police headquarters, leaving Blackburn behind -to a disastrous effect!

Later, evidence is revealed that multiple shots were fired by the deceased store owner and Blackburn’s weapon-yet no perpetrators’ bodies were found. Even more confusing- the store owner’s body was full of formic acid! FBI agent Robert Graham is called in, and an odd print found at the scenes of the crimes results in the Department of Agriculture brining in a father/daughter team of animal specialists -Dr. Medford the elder and his lovely offspring Dr. Pat- whose beauty is matched by her brains.

They form a theory- and test it out during a hospital visit to the girl, who still has not spoken. When a small glass of formic acid is waved under her nose, the child suddenly becomes frantic, screaming “Them! Them!” (Hopefully she got credit for naming this film…)

The doctors, Agent Graham and Peterson lead a group out to the desert where the girl was found, with old Dr. Medford hinting he knows what’s behind the strange and deadly destruction. The cause is revealed to them when huge eight-foot ants attack!( Before someone wisecracks-the ants actually have six feet- the eight is their size.) It appears that a colony of ants mutated to huge size due to the radiation from atomic testing at nearby Alamogordo. The army steps in with a plan to trap all the ants in their massive anthill colony and destroy them- but- when that plan is not 100% successful, it leads to even greater danger with the ants moving into new – and much more inhabited-territory!

This favorite ‘50s fright flick boasts an impressive cast, including James Whitmore and “Gunsmoke” star James Arness. We’ll talk about the cast members and give some insights into the production’s history, as well as bringing you a Sven song, a way to help you ditch your cable or satellite provider, an interview with Tuesday Knight, a lovely alumna of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” series, as well as a visit from the Imp and more!

Then, that Imp, Gwengoolie, and Nostalgiaferatoo spin a web of horror as they present “Arachnophobia”- in which a coffin transported to a California town contains a new species of South American killer spider! When a young doctor (who has a phobia about spiders to begin with) moves his family to the small town, he is at first puzzled- then terrified- as the spider has reproduced, unleashing a horde of deadly spiders upon the locals! Jeff Daniels and John Goodman head the cast, which will be discussed by Gwen, as the Sven Squad gets into some arachnid antics!

The double feature begins tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central. If you are unsure of when and where to find our show, check in your local listings or at www.metv.com/wheretowatch . Join the huge number of viewers who live-Tweet during the show on Twitter, and/or live comment on Bluesky- every week- you can join, using the hashtag #svengoolie . Chicago area viewers can get one more look at Don Knotts in “The Ghost and Mr. Chicken” this morning at 11 am on WCIU the U.

Our thanks to the Field Museum and all the kind adventurers who joined me at the museum for the “Underground MisAdventures” this past week- the exhibit, which you will see me as a part of, will run until November 2.

Tune in tonight for twice the multi-legged mayhem on MeTV!