Thriller

And as sure as my name is Boris Karloff, this is going to be a thriller. NBC’s response to genre shows from Hitchcock and Serling. And you can bet your bottom dollar that this is a hard-hitting and equally high quality response. These short stories can be described either as noir crime or horror tales and are introduced by charismatic legend, Boris Karloff, with his irresistible delivery and sense of both dramatic and cynical black humor. (1x01) The Twisted Image 4/5 A successful young man who is unlucky enough to find himself in the sights of two mentally deranged people. A gawping woman who plans to become his and a gofer who wants to be like him. Classic Hitchcock with all the trimmings, including an innocent man on the run. Too bad that it lacks a good ending. (1x07) The Purple Room 4/5 Does one brother want to inherit a house from his brother? He does. So first he has to spend one night in the house which they say is haunted. Which is a problem, especially if you aren’t the only person who wants the house and doubly so when it comes to this house. Perhaps Bates and his mother will turn up. (1x15) The Cheaters 5/5 In vitra veritas. Four cynical short stories about a wonderful clutch of good-for-nothings, thieves and schemers. This is all enhanced by glasses which let you see inside the real (not just) you. (1x16) The Hungry Glass 4/5 Whether you believe that mirrors reflect reality or that they lie, steal your soul and show just what we (don’t) want to see, this tale about a house with a worrying number of mirrors will have you trying to avoid reflective surfaces such as mirrors or even shiny teaspoons for quite some time. Just to be safe. Only, it should have been just half an hour long - this way we get more empty talking than action. (1x17) The Poisoner 4/5 A distinguished collector, critic with artistic ambitions and a bit of a poisoner. A bit too much of one. Loosely based on the life and times of Thomas Griffiths Wainewright. The whole episode relies heavily on Matheson, who (as usual) steals the show. (1x21) The Merriweather File 3/5 the Christmas epilog is excellent, too bad that it follows a rather tired forty minutes. (1x36) Pigeons from Hell 4/5 It doesn’t come anywhere near the chilling qualities of Howard’s masterpiece of the same title, but I can’t say it lacked suspense. Especially the hypnotic, luring song is more worrying that the hellishly squawking critters. (1x37) Grim Reaper 5/5 Captain Kirk à la Agatha Christie and a macabre story about a cursed painting. (2x17) La Strega 3/5 The Witch is powerful too, but it gains a completely new dimension with Filipovský’s excellent Czech dubbing. Otherwise, however good this story about an evil witch is, it should have been considerably shorter. (2x18) The Storm 4/5 An evening idyll. Home alone with a murderer with the storm of the century raging outside. What´s not to love? Perhaps only the repetitive central passage “a strange noise, I’ll go have a look". Otherwise I was on the edge of my seat throughout. (2x19) A Wig for Miss Devore 4/5 A horror variation on Sunset Blvd. about a long forgotten actress who gets her hands on a wig that turns the woman wearing it into intelligent beauties. (02/23/2013) (less) (more)