Although Robert Stevens was the most frequent 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' director, with 44 episodes to his name, he was also one of the most inconsistent (Paul Henreid to me was also variable). A vast majority of his episodes were well worth watching, and there were excellent episodes such as "Our Cook's a Treasure", "One for the Road" and "The Glass Eye". There were misfires as such, with "Shopping for Death", "The Hidden Thing" and "Don't Interrupt" immediately springing to mind in my head.
"Tea Time" is not one of his best 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, it is not even one of his best from Season 4. It is also a long way from being one of his worst in my view. Personally don't think it is a great episode or that it quite lives up to its premise (it is though the kind that Stevens would do well at), and it is one that is easy to criticise if one prefers suspense laden episodes and ones that are not talk heavy. "Tea Time" still was for me an intriguing and well crafted episode, if a little lacking in the memorability factor.
Plenty of things are done well. It is very well acted, with a terrific double act in the form of Margaret Leighton and Marsha Hunt. Their chemistry suitably unsettles, and Murray Mattheson makes the most of his not as meaty role. Stevens directs with assurance throughout.
While the production values aren't perfect, the photography is suitably moody and has some elegance. Hitchcock's bookending is suitably ironic and the theme music has lost none of its devillish quality. The episode is quite talky in spots, especially early on, but it didn't feel overly so on the whole and it all intrigued. The story isn't perfect in pace but intrigues still and the ending is clever and not one that was expected by me.
It is not without flaws. Personally would have liked more suspense and a tighter pace, with the beginning being on the draggy and talky side.
Low budget does show at times, especially in the threadbare looking sets and editing that doesn't always flow. Odd seeing as the production values in Season 4 were generally more elaborate and opened up.
Concluding, good if not great. 7/10.