Since there is no clear explanation as to what Jerry is, fans of Tales from the Darkside have come up with a number of theories for Jerry's meaning. Some of the most popular theories are:
That Jerry is Alan's scapegoat. He is not really there, but he is the personification of Alan blaming his drunken behavior on anything except drinking. He ends up missing work, he ends up at the police and his family leaves him. Alan won't admit he was drinking the entire time and all these things happened because he was drinking, not because of Jerry, who doesn't exist.
That Jerry is a personification of booze, trying to make Alan lose his mind so that he'll start drinking again.
That Alan's whole family, Jerry included, isn't real, and that Alan is dreaming them up while he's drunk.
That Alan's boss who offered him the booze is the mastermind behind the whole scheme, and that he's sent Jerry to bother Alan. This theory came from the scene where Alan drinks and then says "waste not, want not". Jerry also looks like a younger version of Alan's boss.
That Jerry is some sort of monster that feeds on the souls and minds of alcoholics.
That Jerry is an allegory for all the torment Alan caused his family.
That Jerry is Alan's tulpa, or more simply put, his imaginary friend that has come to life and now wants to be part of the family.
That Sharon wants her marriage to Alan to end, so she and Petey teamed up and hired Jerry to drive Alan crazy.
That Alan is hallucinating Jerry.
That Jerry is Alan's conscience come to haunt him.
Laurel Productions has never confirmed that any of these theories are true, or what Jerry is supposed to be.
That Jerry is Alan's scapegoat. He is not really there, but he is the personification of Alan blaming his drunken behavior on anything except drinking. He ends up missing work, he ends up at the police and his family leaves him. Alan won't admit he was drinking the entire time and all these things happened because he was drinking, not because of Jerry, who doesn't exist.
That Jerry is a personification of booze, trying to make Alan lose his mind so that he'll start drinking again.
That Alan's whole family, Jerry included, isn't real, and that Alan is dreaming them up while he's drunk.
That Alan's boss who offered him the booze is the mastermind behind the whole scheme, and that he's sent Jerry to bother Alan. This theory came from the scene where Alan drinks and then says "waste not, want not". Jerry also looks like a younger version of Alan's boss.
That Jerry is some sort of monster that feeds on the souls and minds of alcoholics.
That Jerry is an allegory for all the torment Alan caused his family.
That Jerry is Alan's tulpa, or more simply put, his imaginary friend that has come to life and now wants to be part of the family.
That Sharon wants her marriage to Alan to end, so she and Petey teamed up and hired Jerry to drive Alan crazy.
That Alan is hallucinating Jerry.
That Jerry is Alan's conscience come to haunt him.
Laurel Productions has never confirmed that any of these theories are true, or what Jerry is supposed to be.
It's obvious that Jerry is the physical manifestation of alcohol addiction. The manifestation comes as 'Jerry', wants the Dad to remember the feeling and the taste before he quit drinking. 'I've come to take you home' is 'Jerry's' way of getting dad to remember the previous times before soberism. The addiction wants to lure him back into temptation so he would have no job, no family and be on his own and have 'him' as his only friend