Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay/With Apologies to Mr. Hyde/The Flip-Side of Satan

James Farentino loves his wife, Michelle Lee (I think I had a crush on her some 100 years ago). An elderly woman, Aunt Ada, has been living with the youngish, but she acts weirdly, making Farentino nervous. He can't put his finger on it, but he knows this old lady isn't what she appears to be. For one thing, while he is around, she will disappear from one place and reappear in another. She also isn't too subtle about showing her dislike for him. A relationship is building between the two women. The husband visits a graveyard and there is Aunt Ada's grave. Who is this woman. The weird thing is that he never lets anyone but the old woman know what he has found. There are some terrifying encounters, but being the good 1970'd husband, doesn't give his wife the facts. Eventually, the old crone's plans are about to come to fruition. Watch and see.

"With Apologies to Mr. Hyde," starring Batman's Adam West isn't worth the effort. It is cute, quick, and funny, but not very imaginative.

Arte Johnson performs quite well in "The Flip Side of Satan." He is a disc jockey named J. J. whose past transgressions have seemingly driven to a tiny radio station with a weird play list and little opportunity. Johnson is also paying the price for his fooling around with the wife of a friend. She apparently has killed herself, driven to it by the indifferent record spinner. Things come to a head when one of the LP's he is playing begins to name a series of Satanic figures. He just doesn't get the fact that he is paying a price for his lack of control and insatiable libido. Johnson does a really nice job here and the episode works quite well.

Jeanette Nolan's performance in Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay is my personal favorite aspect of this episode, as she's very effective portraying a crabby old witch in disguise as dear Aunt Ada, who's looking to inhabit the body of a young Michelle Lee, whose character's name I forget at the moment. James Farentino and Jonathan Harris also have significant roles in their battle against the clever witch, and Harris' Professor Porteus is a hoot while warning the suspecting husband of the evil witch in his house ready to take over his wife's body. I enjoyed the typical Night Gallery mansion and atmosphere at the flowery graveyard, which always adds to my viewing pleasure. I do wish they would figure that night shots shouldn't be shot during the day, but this happens in many episodes. This is a pet peeve of mine, but I digress. As another reviewer also mentioned, what colleges have classes near midnight? Anyhow, I highly recommend this segment mainly for Nolan's over the top performance, as she's very convincing and makes this episode worth while. That being said, you may be slightly disappointed by the abrupt ending as it leaves us with no convenient answers.

Since Aunt Ada Came to Stay is one of the more genuinely scary stories from the Night Gallery, largely thanks to Jeanette Nolan's effective turn as the titular aunt, who is actually an ancient witch who intends to transfer her soul into the youthful body of Joanna Lowell (Michele Lee). Joanna's college professor husband Craig (James Farentino) realises what the old woman has planned and tries to stop her from succeeding. With jagged teeth and menacing eyes, Aunt Ada is a truly frightening character, her malevolence palpable. She reminds me a bit of the old gypsy woman in Drag Me To Hell which strengthens my belief that Sam Raimi is a fan of this show.

With Apologies to Mr. Hyde should be called With Apologies to the Viewer, as it's another one of those awful comedic time-wasters, this time starring Adam West as Dr. Jekyll, who isn't happy with the way his hunchbacked assistant(!) mixes his drinks.

The Flip-side to Satan stars Arte Johnson as disc jockey J. J. Wilson who latest job at a provincial radio station, hosting the midnight to 6.00am show, sees him paying for his sins. This one had great potential, the isolated radio studio perfect for some serious scares, but Johnson's semi-comedic performance means that it's less frightening than it might have been with someone less jocular in the role. I would love to have seen this one as an all-out horror -- it could have been a classic.

"Since Aunt Ada Came To Stay" is one of the very best NG's, with Jeanette Nolan's very scary Aunt Ada one of the most fearlessly determined little old ladies you may be sorry you ever knew about. Director Jerrold Freedman and the editor really keep the story going, and Freedman comes up with some great visual ideas and gimmicks (Love Nolan peering down from the staircase), though some of the sound effects are questionable.

Farentino's work here is oddly touching, and he conveys a rational man who puts his bedrock beliefs aside to save his wife. Michelle Lee doesn't get to do much but She's typically beautiful and believable in her acting. The story's one big flaw is that the husband discovers real evidence of Aunt Ada's plan (and that She is really NOT Aunt Ada) but acts like he has no evidence.

To me the light touch on the ending has an effective, dreamlike quality. There is something primal and perhaps ill advised about this material: it plays on our fear of old women that for many may go back to childhood. Still, if you are looking for a scare, Nolan (who was Orson Welles's Lady McBeth) can hardly be topped!

'Since Aunt Ada Came To Stay' - Aunt Ada(played by Jeannette Nolan) comes to stay with her daughter and son-in-law and proceeds to turn their lives upside down... Witchy tale has fine acting, and a nice build-up to a surprising ending.

'With Apologies To Mr. Hyde' - Awful Jekyll & Hyde spoof is entirely unfunny and pointless, with a limp punch line.

'The Flip Side Of Satan' - Arte Johnson plays a big city radio DJ forced to stay in a small-time station that plays bizarre music, and its all with a most sinister purpose in mind... Johnson is amusing in darkly comedic tale written by story editor Gerald Sanford.