stones78

While no one will ever confuse Dick Butkus with other great actors, I feel he deserves a mention, as he recently passed away almost 6 months ago as of this writing. I like the short scenes he(Tank Mason) and Jessica share, especially on the practice field. As I stated in my previous review on this show, I won't rehash the plot, as others do it better. Look for many familiar faces like Bruce Jenner(pre-Caitlyn), Jan Smithers, David Doyle, Gary Lockwood, James McEachin, and Allan Miller. Since I am a football fan, and a fan of this fine show, it mixed well together. There weren't many pretentious types, like you may find in some Cabot Cove/NYC episodes, so it makes it easier for someone like me to follow along. I enjoy the Cabot Cove episodes very much, but I feel the change of scenery worked for me.

Let me preface this by admitting that I'm a newer fan of this show, as is my wife, and this is my first review. I've seen well written reviews of this episode already, and their much better than anything I could write, so I won't rehash the plot. Regarding my title, I'm a huge fan of the epic vampire film, Salem's Lot(1979), so it was nice to see the late Lance Kerwin and Bonnie Bartlett appearing together 10 years later in 1989. For this show, however, a few things that stood out to me was the unexpected twist at the conclusion, which I won't spoil, but it's worth the wait; also, it seemed the actor(Hunt Block)who played the priest, was a tad wooden in his performance, but I digress, This is still a very good episode that has a special meaning to me, and I'll make sure to catch it again. Thanks for reading.

This easy going, yet very enjoyable episode, has Aunt Bee(Francis Bavier)visiting Gomer at the base unexpectedly, I think. Right off the bat, she's unhappy with the cleanliness of the barracks, as she starts mopping the floor, much to Sgt. Carter's chagrin. Speaking of Sgt. Carter, it seems that Aunt Bee is very critical of the way he treats Gomer, constantly yelling and berating him as usual. Most of the time, Gomer deserves it! Anyway, as she's getting ready to leave the base, much to Sgt. Carter's joy, she comes across a TV reporter, played by. Tommy Noonan, who's interviewing folks about something that I don't recall. On a side note, this was Noonan's final acting credit, as he would pass away just 7 months later. He manages to talk to Aunt Bee, and she mentions how awful her friend Gomer's been treated by the mean Sgt. Carter, and she accepts an invite to appear on Johnny Clark's(Noonan)show to talk about it. Let's just say that Sgt. Carter's superior hears about this, and is not happy about it. I won't spoil the rest of it, but some is predictable, although the ending is a nice touch, especially seeing an friend.

While I would hesitate to call this my favorite episode of this fine show, it certainly was a solid entry, with some familiar faces, such as Anson Williams, Donna Pescow, Susan Lucci, and David Cassidy. Both stories were written very well, and while I won't go into too much detail about either of them, I'll add a few snippets if you allow me. I enjoyed Cassidy's portrayal as Jeremy Todd, who was grandfather to Williams' character, and the fantasy was to recover never published songs in the Tin Pan Alley days. I was also impressed with Pescow , although I'm not sure if she really sang or lip-synched the songs, but she was solid nonetheless. This has a sad ending in a way, as Mr. Roarke once again informs his guest that he cannot change the outcome which already happened.

The other segment has Lucci basically playing herself, but with a twist; she wishes to stop her alter ego from taking over her body in order to do evil things, like kill her husband. One creepy scene that stood out had evil Angela(Lucci)talking through the tv to Gina(Lucci again), as she woke up late at night in fear. I prefer the more sinister moments, and this story had a few of them.

This mildly entertaining episode has several familiar faces, which include Marion Ross, Audra Lindley(I was impressed with her performance), Bernard Fox(he's in everything), Berlinda Tolbert(The Jeffersons), and real life couple Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller. I'll mention a few tidbits for all 3 stories, but not too much, just some things that stand out.

First off, Isaac has had dental work, and his mouth is picking up a local radio station. Seems stupid, right? Apparently, this has happened before from what I read, and not just to Isaac. He mentions "a mouthful of Led Zeppelin" to Gopher, I believe. He also has a cool poster of Jimi Hendrix in his suite; in fact, I think I might have had the same poster many moons ago.

The segment about the couple renewing their vowels only stood out to me because Rose(Meara)refused to say that she would "obey" her husband Tony(Stiller). She even kicks him out of their suite after a mild argument. I thought this was a tad unrealistic, considering they've been married with kids for several years, and now she decides to nitpick around that word.

Lastly, I was very impressed with Lindley's straight performance, considering I only really knew her as Helen Roper. She and Ross had decent chemistry together as sisters taking the cruise together.

The most notable aspect for this particular 1978 episode is the appearance of Philip Michael Thomas, who would become a major star in Miami Vice, which started in 1984. He plays a wannabe disc jockey, but is really a cabbie dispatcher, and is very entertaining and charming. I'm a bit surprised he didn't go onto bigger things after Miami Vice, but I digress. Richard Lynch gave another solid performance as a former Shakespearean actor whose career was derailed after being hit by a cab, I believe. He is taking his revenge by dressing up as characters created by the famous playwright, as he murders cabbies after they pick him up. I swear the late 70's had a TV creep factor that hasn't been surpassed since, and I'll add this creepy episode to the mix. A small connection between Lynch and David Soul had them starring in different TV vampire films only a year later, which was in 1979; you can look that up if interested. Another cool scene was the conversation between Lionel(Lynch)and his blind "gramps", played by John McLiam. I will say that after a suspenseful cat-and-mouse game, the ending was a bit underwhelming, but that's all I'll mention about that. All in all, this was still a fun ride, especially the creepy performance of Lynch.

Whenever I think of Rodney Dangerfield, I usually claim this film was his crowning achievement, and while I don't know too much about his career after 1986, I don't think he ever reached a higher point in his career. I'm surprised he was 65 when this film came out! To put in simple terms, he was terrific, as he displayed serious acting chops, playing it both funny AND serious. On the other hand, Keith Gordon's scenes usually bordered on sublime, and I feel he was the only negative aspect going on here. As someone said on a message board, it seems that Gordon was either trying to play it straight or funny, and both failed; watch the scene when he laughs annoyingly in class. I do admit that I liked his characters in Jaws 2(1978), and he was also solid in Christine(1983), so there's that. There's too many memorable guest stars to mention, and they all have great scenes, and the music is fitting for mid-80's. Sometimes I wish I could go back to being a stupid 80's teen as I once was, but sometimes the memories are better than the real thing, and I'm sure I loved the summer of 1986, especially after seeing this film. We really didn't need internet or cell phones(although Thornton uses a giant car phone)to have fun back then, as times were simpler, as evidenced by the silly fun in this movie. If you're a fan of Rodney, you must see this film, as I consider it his magnum opus, at least in his acting career.

Let me get this right out in the open, because I, and probably you, can tell there's no way this hit the big screens back in 1975. The version I recently watched was broadcast on CBS in the spring of 1978, and I have to admit that I have an affinity for CBS movies, usually from the late 70's to early 80's. It's too bad most everything is reality garbage today, but there was a time when watching a TV film was special. I'll try not to give away too much, because oddly enough, not that much DOES happen at all, although there are some solid acting from Fred MacMurray, Donna Mills, someone named Sam Groom, and a very young Dana Plato. This is Mac Murray's second to last film, and it appears that it's Plato's first credited role. Anyway, I was never a huge fan of special effects, but in this case, I feel it could've been warranted, as we're left to assume that folks simply go missing, but we're not treated to anything visually stimulating, other than a ship's compass going haywire a few times. It's only 74 minutes long, and it's worth watching at least once, especially if you're interested in the mystery of the real Bermuda Triangle. Watch it online for free, rather than spend money on it, and maybe you'll enjoy it more that way. The ending was perhaps a tad predictable, but it certainly didn't hurt the film overall, especially the solid performances by all.

As a fan of the horror genre, whenever I heard the words "Indian burial ground", I know trouble's about to ensue, because you're not supposed to disrupt the sacred land, or so that's what we've been warned of in horror lore. I think I watched this show back in the 70's, and if I did, the scary images of Masauu would've scared me back then, and it was pretty creepy seeing this image even the other night. Is the image real or just an illusion? You'll have to see for yourself when you get the chance. Look for familiar faces in Jeff Corey, Gary Lockwood, and John Quade, as they all have pivotal roles in the outcome of this solid episode. Early on, we find out that Jaime(Lindsay Wagner)has been asked by Thomas(Corey)to assist him in this particular archeological project, as she might have been his student, although I forgot exactly why he wants her help. Rather than divulge the entire story to you(takes too long), let me add the images were creepy in a 70's sort of way, regardless if the "demon" is or isn't actually real. Let me also add that when it's time for Jaime to right the wrongs, she concocts a rather slick plan to help her friend, and even though it's a tad far-fetched, it still worked for me. My final advice to whoever is reading this review...don't disturb an Indian burial ground!

Let me begin this review by mentioning some tragic news revolving around two of the actors, both Sal Mineo and Barry Robins, even though someone else probably mentioned this already. Just in case you haven't read those other reviews, I'll keep you up to date to give these two men proper respect, and both died tragically. Mineo was killed about 4 months after this episode in a botched robbery attempt, while Robins died from complications from AIDS in 1986. Mineo portrayed Rachman Habib, while Robins portrayed King Hamid. Back to the story, the real star to me is Hector Elizondo, while not quite on par with Jack Cassidy or Robert Culp as a guest killer, he certainly held his own with a fine performance. It seems a bit odd that a person with such power and authority would commit 2 murders himself, and not hire someone else to do his bidding, but then I guess we wouldn't have a fine episode. The scenery is much different than a typical wealthy killer's boring mansion, as here we're treated to an embassy with beautiful gardens with exotic flowers. There aren't as many funny moments here as in other episodes, but I thought the conclusion was a bit of a nice surprise, although this would probably only happen in a true Hollywood ending. All in all, still an enjoyable and worthy episode.

The meaning of my summary title revolves around two main aspects which keep this from becoming a great episode. I'll get to them a bit later, but for now, let me say that this is still a very solid episode, with many familiar faces. They include Louis Jourdan, who plays an arrogant food critic AND murderer, Michael V. Gazzo, Richard Dysart, Larry D. Mann, France Nuyen, and Mako. Another notable aspect has Columbo eating many exotic dishes, considering he's investigating the murder of a chef; one of the chefs tells him "you'll never go hungry", while he's working on the case. You may find yourself hungry watching this episode too, as even Columbo himself tells a chef that he's done nothing but eat while investigating the murder. I'll assume you know the story by now, so I'll skip those details, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the two things that bother me, and I'll do my best not to spoil anything for you. The first is when Columbo mentions to a large gathering that "by this time tomorrow" the killer will be arrested; a moment later, the suspect looks like he could care less, where anyone else would probably look worried. That seemed a bit unrealistic to me. The other moment is during the very long conclusion, where Columbo and Paul Gerard(Jourdan)prepare to eat a meal together, while the detective is telling the suspect how he used poison to kill the chef, while even admitting that he has no real proof to convict him! Why would the killer go through all the trouble of attempting to murder Columbo, when there's no real proof anyway? A stupid risk to take, but it's probably a typical Hollywood ending. This is still a fun episode, and it may make you hungry, so beware!

When a line like the above is mentioned, you know you're in for an episode that's a winner, as this terrific segment surely is. This is one of my personal favorites from this show, and watch for familiar faces in Bill Bixby, Donna Douglas, Ned Glass, and Carol Lynley, whose face you couldn't escape back in those days, and she was probably the least interesting character here; also, let's not forget the "crazy old bag" Janya Braunt, whose short acting career ended just a few months after this episode. Many Night Gallery shorts probably wouldn't pass muster today, and many of these border on being silly, but this one I think is still effective, and has some truly scary scenes. One of those scenes has our favorite "old bag" say, "he cook zee cat!" about the tormented Bruce Tarraday, and I don't think that particular scene would get past the censors today. I can't help but to feel pity for poor Bruce, as he seemed a humble guy who was a hard worker, and I wish the druid statue tormented a creep instead of him, but this fact doesn't detract the greatness of this memorable episode. The shadows also work very well, and if you happen to notice the intro when Rod Serling talks about the painting, his face appears to be shrouded in a creepy red hue, which adds to the overall experience of a great episode.

Even though this segment seems like Jack Laird directed and/or wrote it, although he did not, he did have a small starring role as Ygor. I've read the he and Rod Serling often clashed over the direction of the Night Gallery over the comedic segments. Let me say that I enjoyed the first part of this story, which was more serious, than the second part, which was more "funny", although it's really not that funny. Horror writer veteran Richard Matheson has a writing credit, and you know he adds credibility, and I wonder if he also wrote the "funny" parts. Werner Klemperer and Joe Flynn both shine here, especially Klemperer as a cool 70's vampire. Flynn looks a lot older than 47 years old, and would tragically drown just 2 years later, but he gave a good performance as well. The funeral parlor setting was done real well, and from what I recall, it was rather eerie looking, with sinister music playing. If you paid attention, you should notice that same music was played in another episode titled "The Flip-Side of Satan", and it's perfect in both episodes. My young son was even slightly impressed with the graphics, even though it's from 1972, so there's that.

There, I said it! The funny thing is that The Sixth Sense is MUCH better than the more celebrated Night Gallery, even though I enjoy both shows. This review isn't really meant to rip the more popular show of the 2, but they both really go hand in hand. From what I read, and it's been a while, is that TSS piggybacked off of TNG during those crazy 70's ESP years, and was not given the proper respect is most definitely deserved; in fact, if you're lucky enough to catch the show on the tube like I did a few years ago, you'll find the show severely edited, and that hurts the quality. I was skeptical about this show at first, as Gary Collins and his turtleneck and big Chevy did nothing for me, but I did become a fan soon after, as the man can actually act, plus the stories were less silly than the ahem...other show. There's also many familiar faces(I won't name all of them though), such as Will Geer, June Allyson, Joseph Campanella, Joan Crawford, Sandra Dee, John Saxon, William Shatner, Steve Forrest, Patty Duke, Larry Linville, Tom Bosley, and Jessica Walter, although there's many others. It's difficult for me to understand why this show wasn't more popular, and I suppose that adds to the charm, but I bet there's many out there who would really enjoy seeing The Sixth Sense, even for the first time. I'm just glad I recorded many episodes a few years ago, and while their severely edited, it's better than not having them!

While I wasn't planning to spoil the ending, I see that the description of this episode already states that Archie "wins legal custody of Stephanie", which will affect my review, but oh well. It's obvious he would keep Stephanie, considering we're only a few episodes after the death of Edith, so I couldn't see him getting a double whammy, as that would be too much pain for Archie and the viewers. Look for familiar faces in Celeste Holm, who looks like Rue McClanahan, Howard Witt, who looks like Charles Nelson Reilly, Lloyd Nolan, and Jeff Altman. I'm not a huge fan of this particular show, but this isn't that bad an episode, as Carroll O'Connor displays some real acting chops, as he plays it both serious AND funny, although some of the racial comments to a black social worker got a bit tedious. The judge(Nolan)was probably the highlight, as he was serious, but added some funny quips to lighten the mood. I still miss Edith, so it's hard to give this show the proper respect, but I can't help it, as Stephanie is no substitute for Edith! Look for a weak performance from Barney, played by Allan Melvin, as he uttered forced and unfunny lines.

This is one of those episodes that I liked better after watching it the 2nd time, as I felt the story was fairly original, and there are several familiar faces. Some of these faces include a pre-Kung Fu David Carradine, David McCallum, Ford Rainey, and Bill Quinn. As you should by now, there are no actual "werewolves" in this segment, although I think the term was mentioned a few times, although I forget who said it. Let me also add that the attacks/chases by the "wolves", or perhaps just big dogs, was filmed rather well and convincing for 1971, as CGI wasn't around quite yet. The scene were the one wolf/big dog fends off the other 2 to help protect Dr. Winter(McCallum) was spot on, and probably my favorite scene of this episode. I also enjoyed the scene with Dr. Winter, Dr. Tom(Quinn), and Betty(Trina Parks), as they all discussed the murders going on at the asylum. Watch out for that forefinger too! That was pretty creepy looking, and it didn't look that fake either. I've never heard this finger mythology regarding the evil creatures, but kudos on it being original.

Forgive me for the stupid title of my review, but I try to be clever sometimes. The was the official start of this short, but great series, and it definitely started with a bang, as the infamous Jack the Ripper visits the Windy City. The quick camera cuts/edits are on full display here, and it's done rather well, even though Jack was a tad more superhuman than I expected, and that was a bit of a negative to this reviewer. Look for some familiar faces in a "fat" Beatrice Colen, and Ken Lynch; regarding Colen, she's described as "fat" a few times in this episode, but by today's standards, she's just about average, but I digress. I won't spoil what happens to her character, but let's just say that it was unexpected, and that's a good thing! I forgot to mention above that Ruth McDevitt is another familiar face, but this time she plays an old geezer who thinks she saw the killer; later in the series, she would become a co-worker at INS, but as a different character. Let me add that while I liked the ending, it seemed a bit over-the-top and too easy for Kolchak to figure out. The portrayal of the Ripper himself could've had a little more pizazz to him, but all in all, this is a solid intro for what would become a fantastic and influential series.

As you probably know by now, this is the final installment of this mostly great series, and while the reptile costume did detract from a perfect closure, this episode had some fine scenes and performances to go out on a high note. The other negative aspect, other than the costume, is that I read that lead star Darren McGavin wasn't too fond of the lizard's outfit; that being said, he really gave a solid performance, as you wouldn't have known he was unhappy at all. Some familiar faces include Kathie Browne(McGavin's wife), Tom Bosley, Frank Campanella, Albert Paulsen, and Frank Marth. I especially like the beginning of the episode, which has Kolchak underground on a golf cart being chased by this creature. I think it had one of the better openers of the entire series, some really cool 70's suspense, as I'm a fan of 70's horror on television, such as Salem's Lot, Norliss Tapes, Blacula, and Night Gallery. Regarding our villain, there were some slick edits that didn't totally show the silly costume, and I wished for more of those quick cuts. The worst shot to me was when the lizard's feet were shown, and it looked so fake and laughable, that I was embarrassed. There were also a few scenes of the entire costume, and it was done rather poorly. If you can overlook this, what you'll get is another solid episode with fine performances from quirky characters. My favorite moments was when Kolchak was escaping with his golf cart, and how eerie the underground lair was.

I consider myself a veteran of horror films from the late 70's to the early 80's, so that time frame is in my wheelhouse, and this fits right into that category. While nothing in this mainly forgotten film has the wow factor, it also doesn't have the typical boring formula that plagued so many horror films around that time. This movie's "mausoleum" subject matter was sandwiched between other films of similar subject matter, such as Phantasm(1979), and Mausoleum(1983). The familiar faces include a serious acting Adam West, and Meg Tilly, as this was one of her first starring roles. I'm sure you know the plot by now, so I'll skip the details, but I felt the Raymar character was different from the standard "bad" guys in the horror genre, although the purple rays emanating from his eyes were a tad overdone when the madness and mayhem break out. I do feel the PG rating hurt, and perhaps that's a reason why it doesn't get the attention it probably deserves. Let me also mention I'm glad there wasn't the pointless nude scene, as films in that era were known for, but perhaps something could've been added to get an R rating. If you get the chance to catch this rarity, and you're a fan of the genre like me, then by all means spend the 90 minutes of your life deciding if this is worth your time. I'm glad I did.

While this isn't my favorite episode of this mostly legendary series, it appears that the villain could have been a precursor to the more famous killer named Michael Myers, although I wonder if John Carpenter would ever admit to it, but save that for another day. Without going into the plot too much, since you are probably aware of it by now, the "robot" had the mannerisms and even look of the aforementioned Myers, especially the plain white face for a scene or two, and the way it hides in the shadows. I was a wee lad in the 70's, and I bet if I saw this "robot" back then, it probably would've scared me; that being said, it almost seemed a bit comical compared to what I've been used to seeing in the horror genre since then, but that doesn't detract too much from a fairly solid story. Watch for familiar faces in Julie Adams and Corrine Camacho, who were both decent. Let me add that my biggest gripe was the final demise of our killer, as it seemed too quick for me, considering that there was ample opportunity by the police to act much sooner, although I won't spoil the ending. See if you feel the same as I do.

My summary line can be viewed as having a double meaning, as both protagonists cause our main character, Justus Walters, to go borderline insane. Walters is played brilliantly by Patrick O'Neal, an actor whom I feel deserved more accolades over the years, but I digress. The segment starts with a rather creepy painting, as Mr. Serling informs us of "arachnophobia", something Justus happens to have. The other two guest stars both give fine performances, so let's give a shout out to Kim Stanley and Tom Pedi(who?); anyway, they were both very enjoyable. I actually enjoyed this episode better than I did a few years ago, when I poked fun at the large spider, but it looked less fake this time around; in fact, I wish they showed more of the hairy thing, but leaving more to the imagination is also a good thing. Let me also mention that actor John Astin directed this segment. The ending could've been handled a bit better though, and that detracts from this segment somewhat, but overall, it was done rather well. It's not in my top episodes for Night Gallery, but give it a view if you get the chance to watch it.

This incredibly funny episode is so politically incorrect, I have to wonder how it was allowed to air? There's no way it would air by today's standards, right or wrong, but thankfully graced our television sets back in 1972. I'd probably call this my favorite episode, as there were several notable faces, such as Hector Elizondo, Roscoe Lee Browne, and Eileen Brennan, and they all had memorable lines, and added their talents to this wonderful story. The gist has Archie, Edith, Gloria, and Mike celebrating Edith's birthday at a restaurant, although Archie discovers that an insurance bill needs to be paid by that night, and he must rush to a local office, which also happens to be in the same building as the restaurant. He takes the elevator where all these characters are, and soon after, the elevator gets stuck between floors, and chaos ensues. Some of the lines uttered, not just by Archie, may be a tad politically incorrect for sensitive ears, but they are just too funny to ignore. Perhaps the only downer for me was Edith getting publicly drunk, and while it was cute at first, it just seemed a bit forced after that. Other than that small mention, this is simply a great elevator ride.

Let me preface this review by mentioning that "All in the Family" is one of my favorite shows(most seasons, but not all), so it pains me to have to write a negative piece on the "sequel", but there's no getting around it. The one-liners are tired by now, and Archie's complaints in the bar don't work as well as they do in the Bunker's home, at least in my eyes. Anyway, this unfunny episode has the bar in financial trouble for whatever reason, and Archie's lawyer insists Archie hire a business manager, played by a wooden Steve Hendrickson, to help sort things out and save the bar from being forced to shut down. A few interesting tidbits worth mentioning is that Hendrickson didn't have much of an acting career after this show, although he was brought back in the next episode the very next week, both were in 1981, and his next acting credit wasn't until 1988, and hardly anything else after that. Also, Archie's lawyer is Abe Rabinowitz, and if you recall, during "All in the Family", Archie hired Solomon Rabinowitz for another case. Lastly, this particular episode hardly had any honest funny moments, and I think at this junction in the series, a laugh track was used instead of the show being filmed live, but I'm not 100% certain. Even the ending of this episode was pretty lame, and I had feeling it was meant to be a type of cliffhanger, but I thought it fell flat.

I can understand Noel's(Bill Bixby)aversion for kissing the toad, but he kisses Fern(Patricia Sterling)after she kisses the toad, so I guess in reality, he does in fact kiss the toad. Now that's over with, let me speak a bit about this odd Vincent Price segment. Price is in fine form as a strange sorcerer named John Carnby, who hires Noel to translate an Arabic book in order to do weird things, which you probably read about already, although Noel's hesitant to accept the job offer at first. The version I saw seemed to have been edited from the original format, so there's some unanswered questions, which is frustrating, and is typical for this series, but I did enjoy this episode for the most part, especially Price, a black goat, and the eerie interior shots of the house/castle. This has a Roger Corman feel to it, which adds to the eyes. Jeannot Szwarc(Jaws 2)directed this episode, and he's also directed 18 other Night Gallery episodes.

This semi-funny, but solid episode has Mike nervous about taking college exams, and this anxiety leads to a failing grade in the bedroom. Gloria's very understanding, and a funny moment is when she tries to talk to her mother about a sexual problem, for which Edith struggles to handle such a delicate topic. It's also funny when Edith tries telling Archie about it, and his advice to Mike doesn't exactly inspire confidence. There's even one more funny scene, and it revolves around Archie and Henry Jefferson(Mel Stewart)at the bar, when Archie asks his "friend" how black folks have a certain "moxie" in the sex department, and Henry's answer is probably the best moment of this episode. I just remembered another funny moment right after a nervous Mike comes home after finishing his exams, and gets to meet Gloria, and has yet take another exam with her, if you get my meaning. She has one thing on her mind, but he's trying to stall her, so he wants to watch "Attack of the Sand Crab", which he sees inside the TV listings guide. After this moment, the show ends on a rather cute note.