Triumph

I did not expect to be so bewitched by this episode- at the beginning. I'm not one for this sort of Amazonlike setting wrought with missionaries. However the insecurites , secrets and twisted pysches of the characters made this episode one of the best. The acting was excellent and quite convincing. It goes to show you you never know how these things will turn out in the end.

Not worthy of Hitch's reputation. The same guy who did masterpieces such as Psycho, Marnie, The Birds, The Man Who Knew Too Much et al, allows his name to be attached to this??

Most of his TV series episodes were at least fair to good, and a few even great, but this is one of the absolute worst (along with "Misadventure" which is one of the most atrocious things I've ever seen in my life).

Reading these reviews for this one makes it so apparent how much the imdb message boards are needed, missed, and should be resurrected. They're necessary, especially, with shows like this where help is needed from other viewers to attempt to put the puzzle pieces together to hopefully form a whole, although in this case that would be impossible due to the huge plot holes and continuity gaps.

Rated 3 only because of Nolan's acting - otherwise would be 2.

3 out of 10 / Grade D

On two separate occasions, I couldn't watch this episode to the end as it was just too boring, although it has an interestingly off-kilter non-Hitchcock feel. Jeanette Nolan is initially compelling, especially when talking through an elaborate bug proof covering obscuring her face, causing the viewer to concentrate even more on her compellingly incisive, commanding, vaguely malevolent voice. I almost thought she would be deformed or scarred, but when her face is revealed she is neither. Nolan was an amazing chameleon of an actress. She seemed to look and sound different in everything in which she ever appeared. But she can't make it as interesting an episode as it needs to be.

I gotta tell you that I watch this episode nightly!!

I love the intrigue and undertow of desire and emotions that the players evoke. I LOVE this episode and give it all stars!!

I am addicted to watching it every night!

Brenda Easter.

Often, I have noticed that many of the one hour episodes of Alfred Hitchcock's show simply didn't have enough story to justify the 60 minute time slot. As a result, a few of the episodes really drag. "Triumph", however, is quite the opposite...an episode which might have worked as a 90 or even 120 minute program but didn't work at 60 minutes because so much of the story seemed missing. As a result, some of the story just didn't make sense...as if important parts were edited out of the story.

The Fitzgibbons (Ed Begley and Jeanette Nolan) are medical missionaries to some far off country (it seems like India but they never mentioned the place by name)....much like the famous Dr. Albert Schweitzer. However, unlike Schweitzer, Mr. Fitzgibbons is an incompetent doctor and his wife often works to hide this. This part of the story is completely unnecessary and really confuses the story.

The Spragues are missionaries who have come to visit the Fitzgibbons family. However, Mrs. Fitzgibbons is an angry, strange woman who thinks the Spragues are there to 'steal' their mission for themselves. This is confusing, since Mrs. Fitzgibbons is very possessive of the mission...yet she seems to hate her husband and even the work they do.

Where does all this go? Well, to very strange places indeed. I'd like to say it made a lot of sense...but it didn't. What was really confusing was Begley's actions late in the show...as well as Mrs. Sprague's. Overall, a very confusing episode that left me feeling a bit unsatisfied because the story simply didn't work and seemed to need a big re-write.