'The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes'. An appealing, 12-year-old Clint Howard plays Herbie Bittman, a child with an uncanny knack for making accurate predictions. This ability makes him a TV star, but one day he just doesn't want to say anything. And the reason why is chilling. Well acted by all concerned (William Hansen plays Herbies' grandfather, Michael Constantine the highly agitated, skeptical network boss, Bernie Kopell his employee), this was scripted by Rod Serling himself, based on a story by Margaret St. Clair. An excellent way to open the episode. Directed by John Badham ("Saturday Night Fever", "WarGames", etc.). Clints' father, character actor Rance Howard, plays a cameraman; Constantine briefly watches the 1932 horror classic "Island of Lost Souls" in a screening room.
'Miss Lovecraft Sent Me'. Sue "Lolita" Lyon plays an airhead babysitter sent to look after the offspring of a man (an admittedly amusing Joseph Campanella) who is clearly a vampire. Short and NOT sweet at all, this is worthless stuff: all setup, and zero payoff. Written by 'Night Gallery' producer Jack Laird, who hopefully stayed away from a typewriter after this, and directed by TV veteran Gene R. Kearney.
'The Hand of Borgus Weems'. George Maharis is cast as Peter Lacland, who begins to fear that he is no longer in control of his own right hand; he believes it to be possessed. And it IS, in what is a pretty standard tale of vengeance from beyond the grave. Peter desperately turns to a surgeon (a superb Ray Milland) for help; he wants the surgeon to sever the offending body part. While this is rather familiar stuff (scripted by Alvin Sapinsley, based on a tale by George Langelaan of "The Fly" fame), the cast is strong, and the many close-up shots of the possessed hand are amusing. It's all worth it just for the twist ending. Directed by John Meredyth Lucas ('Mannix', 'Star Trek', etc.)
'Phantom of What Opera?' Leslie Nielsen is fun as a theatrical "Phantom" abducting a sweet ingenue (Mary Ann Beck) and holding her prisoner. Again, it is the twist ending (a hilarious one, in this case) that makes this very short segment work.
Seven out of 10.
'Miss Lovecraft Sent Me'. Sue "Lolita" Lyon plays an airhead babysitter sent to look after the offspring of a man (an admittedly amusing Joseph Campanella) who is clearly a vampire. Short and NOT sweet at all, this is worthless stuff: all setup, and zero payoff. Written by 'Night Gallery' producer Jack Laird, who hopefully stayed away from a typewriter after this, and directed by TV veteran Gene R. Kearney.
'The Hand of Borgus Weems'. George Maharis is cast as Peter Lacland, who begins to fear that he is no longer in control of his own right hand; he believes it to be possessed. And it IS, in what is a pretty standard tale of vengeance from beyond the grave. Peter desperately turns to a surgeon (a superb Ray Milland) for help; he wants the surgeon to sever the offending body part. While this is rather familiar stuff (scripted by Alvin Sapinsley, based on a tale by George Langelaan of "The Fly" fame), the cast is strong, and the many close-up shots of the possessed hand are amusing. It's all worth it just for the twist ending. Directed by John Meredyth Lucas ('Mannix', 'Star Trek', etc.)
'Phantom of What Opera?' Leslie Nielsen is fun as a theatrical "Phantom" abducting a sweet ingenue (Mary Ann Beck) and holding her prisoner. Again, it is the twist ending (a hilarious one, in this case) that makes this very short segment work.
Seven out of 10.