I have to say that this episode from this influential series is probably the best, and I seriously doubt that I'm alone in that opinion. Kolchak(Darren McGavin)is on the hunt for a creature called the "rakshasa", a monster that appears as a person the victim trusts, and prepares to hug them before squeezing the life out of them. A cool shot is when the victim sees the person, we(audience)see the back of the "person", which is the hairy monster about to kill. The writing is also terrific, as we meet an interesting cast of characters, including Abraham Sofaer, who plays an elderly hunter for this mythical creature; the scenes he shares with Kolchak are both creepy and fun. This was Sofaer's last acting appearance as well, but it was memorable. Look for a very familiar face in Phil Silvers, as he plays it both funny and straight. The seedy atmosphere is great, as is the chemistry between the actors. Since no show is perfect, and I must be an honest reviewer, my only qualm is how composed Kolchak is when he sees the person he "trusts", even though he knows the person is actually the creature in disguise. I expected him to act a little more scared than he did, although he was equipped with a blessed weapon. Lest I forget, let me mention a few more familiar faces in Barry Gordon and Murray Matheson to round out a fine cast. This episode is a winner all around.
