The Man with the Power

Production Order #08

Broadcast Order #04

Original Airdate: 10/7/63

Starring Donald Pleasence, Priscilla Morrill, Fred Beir.

Written by Jerome Ross.
Directed by Laslo Benedek.

Harold Finley (Pleasence) has a unique power: he can use his mind to move really big rocks. His power has a drawback in that when he gets upset, people tend to get hurt. Feeling caged by his domineering wife (Morrill), Finley's power has been growing more out of control by the minute.

PE: Right off the bat, I have to admit this thing took me four tries and several bottles to get through. Not the most exciting TV I've seen (and I've seen a lot of TV in my years).

JS: True enough, but much like Thriller's "The Fatal Impulse," it's got a unique charm. Look at the cast—Donald Pleasence, John Marley, Edward Platt. Of course Pleasence is always fun to watch, though based on the way he stumbles around with wide eyes, it appears he was still caught up in his role as Blythe the blind forger from The Great Escape.

PE: How about that wife? How could anyone live with such a shrew? Not even the wives on Alfred Hitchcock Presents were as nasty as Harold's Vera. Every chance she gets, Vera cuts Harold down to size. By the time the hedge trimming scene pops up ("You're a nothing, Harold!"), I knew Vera was wearing a Star Trek red shirt. I was so happy when Harold discovered he was really in love with Astronaut Steve. They make such a grand couple.

JS: And like all classic love stories, it's not meant to be. For every ray of sunshine in his life, there was a storm cloud (literally) following him. To think it was all in pursuit of benefiting the universe. Cracking rocks in deepest space to gather energy to bring back home, and all the other benefits that would include.

PE: Like abolishing Texas. Why would they want to abolish Texas?

JS: Taxes, Peter. The pitch was to abolish taxes. Although frankly abolishing Texas is a less fantastic concept, even for a science fiction tale.

PE: The appearances of Finley's "bodyguard" reminded me quite a bit of Curse/Night of the Demon (well, if Jacques Tourneur's demon looked like a washing machine full of diapers). It's pretty funny the various reactions to the "electric bear," from terrified (the macho power line guys who won't let Harold through) to ignorant (please tell me how a mini-electric storm appears over the heads of Dean Radcliffe (Edward Platt) and his secretary and they don't even notice it?). (Chief! I mean Dean—there's a lightning cloud brewing in your office! -JS) And where exactly did the Dean and his shapely steno disappear to when the roof caved in on them? Did he have a trap door for unruly students in his office? Nothing's mentioned about the roof incident afterward.

JS: Finley's power was harnessed for the Thetan ray gun in "Architects"—Vaporize any automobile in seconds! I also liked the shot of the Dean's burned out bed. Of course the cops from Thriller are on the job again, as they let Finley waltz right in to the Dean's bedroom before anyone bothers to question him. Oh, and I wouldn't have gotten your washing machine full of diapers reference before this past weekend. Did I mention how nice it was to have you visit?

PE: Walls with lots of strange shaped shadows. Criss-crossed patterns across hallways. Gloriously large picture windows in super secret laboratories! Who taught this guy how to light a set? Do the Finleys really have a spotlight in the floor of their living room?

JS: Um, be careful treading into that territory. If you think the Shatner-philes were tough, don't even get started with the Conrad Hall-ers.

PE: My L-OL moment of the show: Dr. Hindeman's door!

Can't you just imagine the next line off screen - "AND A HELL OF A NICE GUY."

JS: That's printed on his business cards.

PE: After this episode, they had to repaint the door to reflect his next project: EXPLORING URANUS...

JS: Don't go there...

PE: ...with astronaut Steve. I want an Astronaut Steve doll.

JS: I'll get Sideshow on the horn.

PE: I'm still trying to figure out where the checkerboard pattern on the walls is coming from.

JS: Clearly it's part of the Peter Farris OL drinking game. And don't forget to take a shot every time Pleasence dons or removes his glasses.

JS RATING: