Forecast: Low Clouds and Coastal Fog

Has the feel of an episode from HAWAIIN EYE, replete with surfers, popular cop show at the time. Who better to direct than Charles Haas, who headed that series.

Lovely Inger Stevens is at her desperate best, remembered for her famous appearance on the TWILIGHT ZONE, as a driver who meets an ominous hitch-hiker. Instead of one person, Stevens (Karen) has a lot of company in this drama. She plays a housewife left alone by her husband (Simon Scott) in their lonely beach house -- surprised by a knock at the door?

I agree with the last reviewer, its all foggy and creepy, but the acting is what will keep you glued to the story. Karen has the luck of meeting some surfer dudes, however, a desperate man named Sanchez (played by Christopher Dark), really needs her help, and she locks him out. Consequences...

Dark, who passed suddenly in the early 70s, is excellent. A role he may be best remembered for in a short career. Also co- starring Richael Jaeckel (Tom) and Dan O'Herlihy. This episode marks the acting debut of Greg Morris, playing a doctor.

Top writing by Lee Erwin, long time writer for PEYTON PLACE.

Erwin and Haas were a wise choice by Hitch to handle this material. They get the job done, as you will see. The ending switches back to Hitch with a twist you would never expect, and it's sobering. The Malibu beach shots are beautiful in between the insanity.

Did you catch it? In the hospital waiting room scene, there's a guy reading a newspaper --but you can't see his face. Strange the actor wouldn't be seen, which brings the question. Was that Hitch, pulling a fast one? He would do stuff like that.

Recommended for fans of Inger Stevens. A terrific role for her.

Best of SEASON 1 EPISODE 17 remastered. Note, according to Amazon, the series was also released on dvd in Europe and may not play on American made dvd players. Always check with the seller.

Really preferred the half hour episodes but this hour long one was superb. Very well written with a very good cast. The pacing was also good enough that it almost seemed like a half hour episode. Won't give the ending away except to say you'll probably be as surprised as I was.

Well staged and fairly suspenseful episode. Looks like Sanchez (Dark) wants to get even with Malibu housewife who wouldn't let him in her house to make an emergency phone call. Now Sanchez' girl-friend is dead and he doesn't care that Karen (Stevens) was alone and understandably frightened on that fog-bound night. Why won't he understand since she now feels all kinds of remorse.

Since it's Hitchcock, you know things can't be as they seem. But how are they really. Good thing Karen has the three strapping beach boys protecting her until husband gets back from San Francisco. But what's taking hubby so long, and why's weirdo writer Simon (O"Herlihy) hanging around and drinking up all her booze. Then there's that beeping fog horn reminding us minute by minute of the menace. No doubt about it, Karen's a Woman In Danger.

Sad to see that sparkling actress Inger Stevens in the flower of life, knowing she would soon die by her own hand. And catch Sinatra buddy Christopher Dark as the revenge-obsessed Sanchez. Though good, this isn't a top entry since the ending appears too contrived to be satisfying. Nonetheless, there're the usual series compensations to carry us along.

Karen (Inger Stevens) is home alone, as her husband is away on a business trip. She obviously is NOT comfortable being home alone and when a Hispanic man knocks on her door and says he needs to use the phone because he ran out of gas, she refuses to let him inside the house. A bit later, the police show up with the man...and she recounts what happened earlier. In addition, she tells them that she thinks she heard a scream...and it turns out when the man was walking to the gas station, someone attacked his wife. It is a VERY unfortunate situation....and you can understand her behaviors and the man's anger towards her since she refused to help. Why she didn't call the police when the man said he needed help OR when she heard the scream, I have no idea.

The next day, a neighbor drops by and some surfers do as well. In these cases, Karen lets them inside...and perhaps it's because she knew these people or perhaps it was because it was daytime. Or, perhaps they were all white people. Who knows? Regardless, her husband had rushed home because she had called him, hysterical, the night before...and he was surprised to see her out surfing with these guys. So, he returns to finish his business trip...leaving her home alone once again. What's next? See the show.

Karen's behavior during this show is pretty inconsistent...especially in the second half of the episode. After all, a woman was beaten horribly the night before...and you'd think Karen would exercise much more caution...which, oddly, she doesn't. And, of course BAD THINGS are loomin'!

This is a pretty good installment of "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour", though it seems more like a cop show than "Alfred Hitchcock". Not bad and providing a few surprises...even if Karen IS a very inconsistently written character.

Stumbled upon this late night. Fun, and disturbing, and satisfying. Recommend.