I suppose all shows need to do a Halloween Special. Here Dorian (Thom Bray) swindles Jess Fletcher (Angela Landsbury) to come out to a private school where Dorian teaches poetry so she can pretend to be his mother. He is in love with the school's owner's daughter and has to come off as more of a polished legacy instead of his real history of being an orphan.
There is a town bully named Nate played by "Brady Bunch" famed Barry Williams. He's more corny than evil. But he also seems to be a womanizer.
He lives to torment Dorian (and the town) until one day they have a fight, and the next morning Nate ends up being beheaded.
What is genius about this particular episode is the blend between grim and humorous. While it's pretty clear a beheaded victim would come off, in this hoity toity town as a five alarm fire, some of this is played for slight chuckles. For instance a stablehand who walks with a scythe as he recollects moments of disgust for the people he works for. It's not laugh out loud funny, but some times played for a side-eyed smile.
Barry is the weakest part of this one. He seems to be phoning it in. Not committed to the bully role. Perhaps overdoing it.
The town dentist, Doc Walker (Charles Siebert) is phenomenal as is the always dependable Hope Lang as a mysterious stable mistress.
Give time, if this were to be extended as a feature, it would absolutely work.
The resolution is dark but honest. It's heartbreaking as much as it is emotionally painful. It somehow took a turn towards a lighter buoyant series into a more tragic one. Save for the tacked on epilogue which tries to make it fun again.
Excellent episode, even after a few stumbles. Look out for, what amounts to a cameo, from the lovely Judy Landers as Bobbie. Her Marilyn Monroe breathy speak is always a hoot.
There is a town bully named Nate played by "Brady Bunch" famed Barry Williams. He's more corny than evil. But he also seems to be a womanizer.
He lives to torment Dorian (and the town) until one day they have a fight, and the next morning Nate ends up being beheaded.
What is genius about this particular episode is the blend between grim and humorous. While it's pretty clear a beheaded victim would come off, in this hoity toity town as a five alarm fire, some of this is played for slight chuckles. For instance a stablehand who walks with a scythe as he recollects moments of disgust for the people he works for. It's not laugh out loud funny, but some times played for a side-eyed smile.
Barry is the weakest part of this one. He seems to be phoning it in. Not committed to the bully role. Perhaps overdoing it.
The town dentist, Doc Walker (Charles Siebert) is phenomenal as is the always dependable Hope Lang as a mysterious stable mistress.
Give time, if this were to be extended as a feature, it would absolutely work.
The resolution is dark but honest. It's heartbreaking as much as it is emotionally painful. It somehow took a turn towards a lighter buoyant series into a more tragic one. Save for the tacked on epilogue which tries to make it fun again.
Excellent episode, even after a few stumbles. Look out for, what amounts to a cameo, from the lovely Judy Landers as Bobbie. Her Marilyn Monroe breathy speak is always a hoot.