Rating: Country: USA Release Date: June 17, 2008 Distributor: Rhi Entertainment Director: · Russell Mulcahy Cast: · Mariana Klaveno · William R. Moses · Gail O'Grady · Stacy Haiduk Related Sites: · IMDb: "While the Children Sleep" Grade: C-

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Originally titled "While the Children Sleep," this made-for-cable drama could just as easily have been called, "While the Viewer Sleeps." Mariana Klaveno turns in a stellar performance as Abby, the deeply disturbed and psychotically fixated babysitter, but other than that, the plot on this one telegraphs each scene minutes in advance of actually showing it.

When the very busy Eastman parents, Carter and Meghan (William R. Moses, Gail O'Grady), decide they need a babysitter to watch after their children so they can pursue their careers, they search the Internet for a local service. This is apparently just the moment that the Carter-obsessed Abby has been waiting for, as we see her monitoring the 'net for Carter's logins. She takes advantage of the search and creates herself a profile that would present her as the optimal candidate for the job.

What follows is a slightly more tame version of "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle." There's violence with a minimum of blood, as Abby puts her plans into motion to become the new Mrs. Eastman, protecting the Eastman children with a vengeance while also taking down anyone who becomes suspicious of her background, including Meghan's business partner (played by former Lana Lang actress, Stacy Haiduk). How and why Abby became obsessed with Carter in the first place is tied together by the films bookends -- a seemingly disconnected origin piece of Abby as a child, rescued from her psychotic mother, and the denouement where Abby explains her attraction in detailed flashbacks.

Overall, this one reeks of "been there, done that" with a climax that comes together far too easily.

Previews on this disc include "Crash and Burn" and "Sharpshooter."