Malice Domestic

This episode is the bread and butter of what the series is about. There are more creative episodes, but this is what people tuned in to see.

It's the tale of an well-to-do artist couple, and I have to say, they aren't convincing as artists. Ralph Meeker is the husband, his first appearance since the opener of Season 1, and he looks like he should be coaching college lacrosse. The wife is Phyllis Thaxter, a regular as well. She's working on a stunning green vase; alas, we can't see the color.

The husband becomes ill a couple of times and the suspicion turns to poisoning. The bulk of the episode plays off of this. Without getting into the details, it works.

John Meredyth Lucas directed this OUTRAGEOUS tale, or should we say it has an outrageous ending. Lucas later turned to cop shows, like MANNIX, and was the stepson of legendary director Michael Curtiz. Like father, like son.

Ralph Meeker returns to the series as does Phyllis Thaxter, playing husband (Carl) and wife (Annette) who seem to have a happy life together --until he starts getting sick. The doc is called in, only to discover Carl is slowly being poisoned? How can that be?

If you're a true Hitchcock fan, you wouldn't want it any other way. Exceptional writing by Victor Wolfson, who penned many mysteries for the early tv show SUSPENSE. Perhaps a re-working of one of his stories. Beautifully done.

I agree with the last reviewer; there was (and still is) a CODE on tv where a murderer is NOT supposed to get away with a crime.... Hitch does conclude at the end the killer got their just reward! That's all we'll tell you.

Only debit: it's kind of strange to see two-fisted Meeker playing an artist? Meeker would have been more convincing as an athlete, like a high school or college coach. He's a tough guy, so it would take a lot of poison to knock him down.

A classic mystery for a late night. And once again, unless you've seen this, you will never guess the ending. From SEASON 2 remastered Universal dvd box set. 2006.

Husband Carl (Meeker) keeps having stomach pains and it isn't Gas-Ex. Suspicion falls on wife Annette (Thaxter) who may have more than pottery on her mind. Maybe it's because he pays more attention to the Great Dane than he does to the wife.

Reviewer Hitchcoc is right—this is the sort of entry that won the series a loyal following and classic status. It's not exceptional, but is very well done in all departments. Note how subtly the screenplay hints at an extra-marital attraction between the silver-haired Perry and wife Annette, supplying her with needed motivation. Note also the effective way director Lucas uses blended close-ups of Meeker to stage the final scene, underscored with a lightly humorous touch—perfect for the Hitchcock style.

The athletic, muscular Meeker would seem an odd casting choice for a stay-at-home writer, but I guess it makes sense when you think about it. Thaxter was an early Hitchcock favorite, being so good at suggesting inner conflict. But it's really Lily Kardell's Lorna that I watched. She's a terrible actress but has the kind of dimples a guy could get lost in.

This is the prototypical Hitchcock episode. It involves the setting up of a series of red herrings designed to take us off the scent. We are treated to the deterioration of a man, seemingly through arsenic poisoning. It's about a dog and a triangle and some pretty tricky moves. Of course, we are treated to the "Alfred Hitchcock" ending. There are some pretty convincing performances which lead us to several wrong conclusions. When I saw this I hadn't watched a Hitchcock show for quite a while, so I was taken in. By the way, watch the way the man strokes the collar of the great Dane. That's what really distracted me. The other serious thing has to do with the wife's profession and her outside contacts. Well done.

"Malice Domestic" is an episode where the story idea seemed a lot better than the actual episode. One of the biggest problems is the whole dog angle...one that just seemed irrelevant.

Ralph Meeker and Phyllis Thaxter play Carl and Annette, two married folks who seem quite happy. However, Carl begins having awful stomach pains and they are so bad they contact a doctor. After some tests, the doctor is convinced that Carl is being poisoned with arsenic! But Carl won't believe it and laughs off the doctor's suggestion. What's next?

This is a decent enough story but it also is one that left me feeling that it was just okay. The dog was cute...not sure why it was included in the episode...regardless who the owner was.