Emergency Only

This was only the third episode in the long-running series 'One Step Beyond', so perhaps our host John Newland hadn't yet got into his stride. For once at least, we're excused his usual cod-psychic explanations of paranormal events. He just falls back on "You may believe it, or not. But the real people who lived this story - they believe it. They know. They took that... One Step Beyond."

A woman believed to be clairvoyant is not in the mood to do her party-trick at this small fashionable soiree in New York, until a self-declared sceptic taunts her into trying her special powers on him.

Soon she's deep in her trance, and considering that the actress trained with her brother Marlon Brando, her act is pretty unconvincing. But the message coming through is that he needs to beware of taking a particular sleeper-cabin on a particular train, where he will meet a dark-haired lady wearing a ring in the shape of a coiled serpent. He is able to laugh this off, because he is due to travel by plane, but when the weather turns bad, he is forced to take the train after all.

We can't reveal the chain of events that leads to the dramatic climax. But in any case, our attention is fixated on the sheer improbability of a woman half as glamorous as Paula Raymond accepting a drink in the dining-car from a total stranger acting as weirdly as Lin McCarthy, often staring in silent horror, as he recognises parts of the mystic forecast actually happening.

"One Step Beyond" was an old TV series that dealt with the supernatural. To enjoy it the most, it would help if you believe in things like ESP, precognition and the like. I don't...but still found "Emergency Only" entertaining and worth seeing.

At a dinner party, Arthur Douglas is introduced to a woman who can apparently see the future. He thinks she's a phony and encourages her to tell him his future...just so he can laugh when none of it comes true. Amazingly, however, just the opposite happens...it ALL comes true and it scares the pants off Artie!

The reason this one worked was that it was so well written...especially the surprise ending. Overall, this one is worth seeing...whether you are a skeptic (yup) or not. And, all the episodes are available for free download from archive.org....a site often linked to IMDB.

Third episode of this series is first-rate, as Lin McCarthy plays Arthur Douglas, a skeptical man who nonetheless agrees to have his fortune told by a psychic(played by Jocelyn Brando) at a cocktail party in a ritzy New York apartment. She foretells a dark fate for him on a train with a beautiful woman(played by Paula Raymond) who just may kill him - which is strange, because he does indeed take the train back home soon after, and there is such a woman, though of course things may not be all that they are foretold... Eerie offering is among the best from the series, with surprising and effective story turns and direction by host John Newland.

She plays a genuine psychic at a party.

I am a fan of this talented and beautiful lady and yes she is Marlon's very own sister.

Sadly, Miss. Brando is only to be found in the first seven minutes of the ep. After that it is somewhat less good. Thus, the 9 rather than 10 stars.

At a cocktail party, Arthur Douglas agrees to have a reading from a psychic, a sceptical man, who believes he has both feet firmly on the ground, hears how he's about to meet a beautiful young woman, who will ultimately bring about his demise.

Definitely the best episode I've done across so far, this packs quite a punch, even after all these years. I always try to quantify what people would have had as an alternative, and this would have been quite unique, quite horrifying.

It manages to be tense and suspenseful, and deliver an unexpected twist at the end.

Lin McCarthy and Paula Raymond both shine as the two lead characters, his mania is very well played out, and her dazzling presence makes for a very tense, enjoyable ride.

Quality episode.

8/10.