I have a hard time explaining to people why I love this episode so much. Tom Ewell's friendly but oddly unattractive face (as the titular character) is certainly a major force in this first-season gem. Or perhaps it's the homey nightclub where's he a member. More obviously it could just be the story, which is simple, familiar, and yet totally uncanny: a well-adjusted man believes his doppelganger is out to ruin his life. The show is a series of flashbacks as Pelham reveals his unfolding nightmare to his mustachioed psychologist, played pitch-perfect by Raymond Bailey of Mr.Drysdale fame. (For some reason, I love watching him sip the beer from his tall glass as he listens intently to Pelham's dilemma) And my god, that gorgeous black-and-white photography has never looked more scintillating. Perhaps these are mundane items, but for me they make me yearn for the golden age of Hollywood.
With its disquieting conclusion, "The Case of Mr. Pelham" defines that beautiful bygone era.