The Last Dark Step

Again, I adore Robert Horton's appearances on Alfred. I'm not sure if it's on purpose or just strokes of luck that a couple of Robert's episodes have his character living off a woman. I sometimes watch Wagon Train...especially if the episodes center on Flint (Robert's character on the series) and it kinda confuses me when Robert Horton passed away a few years ago that you didn't have media publications like TV Guide at least writing something in their magazine about him. He was a good actor and deserved the appreciation/spotlight imo.

Anyway, our episode features on three characters. Brad and Leslie aren't the best people in the world and you can see that by the plans they have for each other. Our third character is Janice.

Brad has been in a relationship with Leslie and been living off her. Brad's ready to move on. He's found a new love in Janice. But Leslie's not happy about that at all. Leslie goes into attack mode when it concerns Janice and she also goes into attack mode when it concerns how Leslie's willing to live a smaller/less expensive lifestyle so Brad's the one getting the perks out of the relationship. Janice wouldn't do that for you.

But this doesn't stop Brad. He sees only one way to get rid of somebody like Leslie and it's of course what you'd expect on this series. He kills her. But Leslie has done something that Brad's gonna end up on the hook for. Leslie has killed Janice and she's done it with Brad's knife!

Brad's really into it now. Detectives are at his place and he's completely in the dark about Janice's death. He thinks they're talking about Leslie! They clear that up and reveal they're talking about Janice. Brad's in shock by all of this as the episode ends. The ending is pretty interesting as you see just how trapped Brad is. Brad's about to confess that he was on the beach and he cuts himself off as he realizes Leslie's corpse will be at that beach. So Brad's truly gonna go down, whether it's a set up murder or the murder he truly committed.

I'd highly recommend this one as well, terrific writing and acting!

I really like most of the AHP episodes. Even the 'worst' are still well worth watching for the most part. 'The Last Dark Step' however is among my personal favorites. Imagine if you had to cram a movie length story about a cheating ne'er-do-well, his manipulative, 'ex' girlfriend, and naive girlfriend. It would probably feel rushed; the story and characters would be hard to develop. Not with TLDS. They absolute nail it and throw in an excellent ending that I didn't see coming.

This would have been an interesting case for Perry Mason, but Hitchcock gives it a try.

Handsome Robert Horton plays Brad, one of those works of art who shamelessly juggles his life between two women. Of course, one of them (played by Fay Spain) is paying all the bills and listening to his baloney. Brad's plan is to simply dump her and go with the other. Period and no regrets.

There's only one Hitch, and pardon the pun. Leslie (Spain) is not so willing to let him go, and claims there will be dire consequences. Joyce Meadows plays Janice, his other love, who also plays for keeps.

Watch what happens, if you dare.

A fabulous tale, written by William Jerome Fay, who shot to fame after he wrote the "Man From the South" story starring Peter Lorre and Steve McQueen. Remember? He penned 14 solid episodes for the master of suspense.

Fay Spain, who began her career as a card dealer in Reno, was the queen of 50s cult films, later in many top tv shows. In the 70s, best remembered as Mrs. Roth in the GODFATHER, PART II. Fay is a knockout in this role, perhaps her best part ever on tv.

Great late night soap opera material. SEASON 4 EPISODE 18 remastered dvd box set. 2008.

Manly Robert ("Wagon Train") Horton plays a hustler who is engaged to an elegant Vassar-type beauty while still seeing his old girlfriend (Fay Spain), a bohemian writer who no longer lives up to what he has in mind for his future -- even though she has been paying all his bills. When he reveals he's leaving her to marry the Vassar babe, she swears he never will marry the gal. And she means it. He decides to take drastic action. The ending is priceless. Horton and Spain were well matched in their scenes. The plot is not exactly new, but it will keep you in suspense. And the ending will leave you gasping. By the way, and fr what its worth, Spain is a timeless beauty who died much too young..

Vintage Hitchcock. Handsome Brad (Horton) proposes marriage to sloe-eyed Janice (Meadows), except he's already the kept-man of the fierce Leslie (Spain) who's not going to let him go. Brad's got himself in a bind since neither woman is anyone to mess with. So what's he going to do now.

Small cast gets the most out of the material. Spain is almost scary as the fiercely possessive screenwriter. Her scene with the straying Brad amounts to a rare portrait of a small woman's assertive dominance over a macho man. The question is whether Brad will accept this humiliation in return for a lavish lifestyle.

Beefcake star Horton gets to bare his manly chest in the type role that made hearts throb on TV's mega-hit Wagon Train. At the same time, it's too bad the fine actress Spain died young. Together, their scenes are exceptionally convincing. Anyway, the upshot is appropriately ironical, just the sort that has kept the series in perpetual re-runs.