Good Evening. Besides Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone, there was one other profoundly clever anthology hit starring a charismatic host. The Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock decided to bring his wry, dark humor to television. However, the stories themselves were generally pretty stark, frequently dealing in murder, suicide, rape, and other crimes. They were small slices of sharply written suspense, rather than Serling’s sci-fi meditations on morality.
Although, they did incorporate a witty sense of irony, great performances, and clever twists. Hitchcock only directed a handful, and didn’t write his own material. But he consistently provided charming intros and outros, accompanied by an iconic theme song and brilliant comedy. Here’s how fans rated the highs and lows of this 50’s thriller anthology.
Worst: Sylvia - 6.4
In this episode, a rich father worries that his daughter Sylvia may commit suicide after purchasing a gun. However, she has threatened to kill her ex-husband Peter if he doesn’t take her back. It’s basically a narrative game of Russian Roulette, wondering who will end up dead after all.
Unfortunately, there’s an obvious issue with the casting, which is very distracting. The father and daughter are too close in age, and the latter has a totally different accent. It’s quite strange. The story itself is ultimately somewhat rote, and worse, moves like molasses. Also, the weaker performances simply aren’t up to the task of carrying essentially unsympathetic characters.
Best: Man With A Problem - 8.4
This is a story about a man on a ledge, and the skilled officer aiming to help him down. But the backstory slowly weaves an intriguing tapestry of secret truths behind the encounter. It achieves superb suspense by gradually revealing the mystery of the motivations piece by piece.
The episode boasts some deft direction, and compelling performances. The actual premise of the story results in a very clever and rewarding twist. But the episode works throughout because the false pretense is just as engaging as the hidden reality. It’s pure Hitchcock, making it clear why he eventually entrusted Psycho to his television team.
Worst: O Youth And Beauty! - 6.3
In this episode, a middle-aged former athlete struggles with drinking and depression at his local Country Club. The performances are pretty impressive throughout, and Gary Merrill actually conjures some degree of sympathy for his protagonist. Of course, it’s ridiculous that the character’s name is literally “Cash.”
That is shamelessly on the nose. And overall, the story is somewhat of a chore, with all that self-pity. The man has more money than some, a wife, and a child. This story is merely a lesson—Cash pays dearly for attempting to relive the old days. It’s a slow, dreary episode that just doesn’t generate the typical intrigue.
Best: Road Hog - 8.5
Once again, we revisit a well-motivated, sympathetic and clever plan of revenge. The episode begins with a mean-spirited salesman, which is actually an odd conceit. How would he make a living? Either way, he doesn’t much care for people passing him on the road.
The salesman delays a truck behind him, resulting in the death of an injured child. This catalyst serves up some fantastic intrigue, and when revenge is served well, it’s guiltily satisfying. This episode digs into the darkest impulses of humanity, regarding selfishness, grief and cruelty. It almost feels like an urban legend—carried by gifted actors, and great pacing.
Worst: The Hidden Thing - 6.1
This is quite a weaker entry, which is a shame, because the striking premise had enormous potential. In this episode, a man’s fiancée is randomly killed by a hit-and-run. The protagonist, Dana, is unable to recall any identifying information of the culprit. He’s ridden with guilt, until a complete stranger pesters Dana with promises of a memory recall solution.
It’s a brilliant premise, but the acting doesn’t support it. And even worse, the ending offers no resolution regarding the stranger, which is very strange. Usually, this show deliberately goes out of its way to summon a clever, unexpected answer. Sadly, the satisfaction of mysteries is defined by their solutions.
Best: The Glass Eye - 8.5
Jessica Tandy is probably best known for Driving Miss Daisy. But she also collaborated with Hitchcock in one of his most iconic films, The Birds. And before that, she delivered an absolutely stellar performance in this stunning episode, as a lonely old spinster. She pines for a traveling ventriloquist, but all is not as it seems.
It’s a considerably poignant lesson about isolation, which older people can be no stranger to. But the episode also has an aura of tense, supernatural mystery about it. The story manipulates your familiarity with horror to subvert expectations. And at the same time, the tragic twist also warns how desperation and fantasy can lead to harmful, regretful ends.
Worst: Appointment At Eleven - 5.9
This dull episode is about a young man suffering an emotional breakdown at a couple bars. The promise is that something terrible will happen at eleven o’ clock, but the twist isn’t rewarding enough. There’s no sense of mystery, and the protagonist just doesn’t deliver a strong enough performance to carry consistent outbursts.
Such behavior can really get out of hand among lesser actors, and so it does. All of the actions are nonsensical until the big reveal. Per Hitchcock himself, the best suspense is generated when the audience knows more than the characters. Perhaps if we were informed, rather than leaving the end a mystery, the story would have played better.
Best: Man From The South - 8.7
This episode is headlined by two exceedingly iconic actors—Steve McQueen and Peter Lorre. The latter was actually in Hitchcock’s original The Man Who Knew Too Much. Both actors deliver convincing, engaging performances. McQueen’s character hits it off with a woman at a casino, played by his real-life wife.
Their chemistry is correspondingly organic. Then, Peter Lorre does his “thing”, making an unsettling gamble—a convertible for a finger. All McQueen has to do is light his cigarette lighter ten times straight. The stakes are pretty high, and Lorre preys on the victim’s attempts to impress his new girl. It’s a simple premise, but appropriately morbid, suspenseful, and well-performed.
Worst: The Children Of Alda Nuova - 5.8
This episode was set in Italy, which was a strange decision. The show clearly didn’t have the budget for it, with unconvincing sets and actors. In this episode, a wanted criminal takes refuge in a small Italian city and meets his comeuppance. Consequently, the protagonist is totally unlikeable throughout, and we end up urgently waiting for his demise.
That doesn’t create any form of suspense since we need to be invested for that element. The signature twist is absent, as well, which is equally disappointing. The episode simply plods through, as if disinterested in its own story.
Best: The Right Kind Of House - 8.7
Interestingly enough, the highest-rated episode of the show is hinged on a mystery. Why does an old house-owner ask such an unreasonable price for her home? When someone is finally willing to pay up, the dark history of the residence is gradually revealed. Given that a murder occurred there, over a great sum of stolen money, the twist is somewhat telegraphed.
However, it also allows us to comprehend the chess match the main characters are playing with each other. The episode moves quickly, and the cast is fantastic. It essentially encapsulates everything desired of the show—crime, wicked people, revenge, deceit, and stellar acting. Not to mention, Hitchcock’s monologues are brilliant, as usual.
