Night Gallery (TV Series) A Fear of Spiders/Junior/Marmalade Wine/The Academy (1971) User Reviews

Smart Horror

[Gialmere · 8/10 · 7 December 2008]

This is one of my favorite stories from the Night Gallery. It looks so ordinary on the surface - a bright sunny day and a father is checking out a military academy he might send his wayward son to. There's no spooky music here or characters screaming in terror. In fact, if you were to stumble across this episode while channel surfing you might think it was just some boring two-star family drama. When you sit and watch it, however, the horror slowly drips down on you until you're drowning in it, not knowing if you should laugh or scream.

Pat Boone plays the lead and makes for interesting casting. He's probably the ultimate Hollywood goody two-shoes and yet here his performance leaves you wondering whether the father is a good-guy faced with a gut wrenching decision, or a bad-guy simply contemplating an evil one. Very disturbing. Good directing from Night Gallery regular Jeff Corey and some creepy cinematography from Lionel Lindon add to the chills. It's a pity that smart (or at least different) approaches to horror from Hollywood, such as "The Academy", seem to have mostly died off with Rod Serling.

Great episode from a classic show.

[studor1124 · 8/10 · 21 February 2009]

I remember this show from when I was a child. At the time, all I remembered was being scared to death. :) As an adult, I'm more impressed with the great storytelling and artful direction. I once had arachnophobia and therefore this episode stuck out in my mind from childhood. But even when I saw it back then, I had an appreciation for the relationship dynamics between the female and male lead. And that's really the magic of Night Gallery - being able to scare you but still having a solid story to do it with. I wish that today's TV shows and movies would take a hint from Night Gallery. It's OK to have CGI (which wasn't available back when Night Gallery was done) but don't get so caught up in it that the story suffers (or is nonexistent). Thank goodness for hulu.com. Maybe some television executive will revive this series at some time in the future or at least learn from its craftsmanship. You can't beat a good story.

One you can't help remembering..!

[paulbadger · 7/10 · 22 May 2009]

Unlike our American cousins, we here in the UK don't get to see re-runs of Night Gallery - never sure why, as there are plenty of re-runs on the Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits and occasionally Tales from the Darkside albeit on satellite, not the main channels. From my kindred youth, I remember certain episodes from 'Gallery', but the quick, 'fillers' the series put in were sometimes bizarre, but welcome. This one, where a normal 'human' couple if you like, hear their 'baby' or young son crying out for a glass of water. They argue over (From what I can recall)whose turn it is to get him the water etc. Then I think it IS the father, who hands the glass to 'Junior'. Junior replies in toddler fashion 'thank you dadddyyy!' - then we see a baby-ish Frankenstein monster crushing the glass with his hand! Great stuff from the makers! Bring it back over the pond, please!

Marmalade Wine: A Very Special Nightcap

[paulbehrer22173 · 26 March 2009]

In this segment, adapted by Jerrold Freedman (who also directed it) from the short story written by Joan Aiken, daughter of poet and story writer Conrad Aiken, novice shutterbug Roger Blacker (Robert Morse) is caught in a surprise rainstorm, arriving at the residence of Dr. Francis Deeking (Rudy Vallee), a noted surgeon who's now retired. Deeking invites Blacker in to share a decanter of marmalade wine and talk. Blacker brags that he's a star photojournalist for Life and Look magazines, which is an outright lie, adding that he has the ability to predict when things happen. Intrigued by this, Deeking asks for a demonstration of Roger's abilities. Roger immediately announces the results of a horse race and an election, and Deeking makes bets on both, winning them when Roger's predictions come true, then he asks for stock picks which he could phone in to his broker prior to the opening of the markets, making a bundle when those predictions also come true. While this takes place, Roger wonders about something concerning the doctor in the news, something strange and spooky, then drifts off to a drunken sleep. Roger awakens to a huge hangover and what he thinks are tight boots around his ankles, and tries to apologize to the doctor for telling him lies. The doctor informs him that all his predictions came true and that he would do something about the tight boots around Roger's ankles. Roger insists that the results of his predictions were coincidental, but the doctor's enthusiasm is unbridled. While alone, Roger discovers to his horror that Dr. Deeking was stripped of his license to practice medicine because of the doctor's insanity. He attempts to leave, but is stopped by his host, who informs him, "I'm sorry, but leaving is out of the question. But don't worry, you'll be very happy here. While you were asleep, I took the liberty of amputating your feet." The now invalided Roger Blacker is being spoon-fed by the deranged doctor, who says, "Open wide, open wide," as he does so. When I saw this segment, I thought that this guy had no idea of what he was getting into. Spoiler alert: Robert Morse and Rudy Vallee starred in both the stage and film versions of the play How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying before appearing together in this segment.

Night Gallery: Fear of Spiders/Junior/Marmalade Wine/The Academy

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 13 August 2016]

While "A Fear of Spiders" is the chief tale in this batch of stories for Night Gallery second season episode three, I thought "The Academy" was just as good as the bookending tale.

Patrick O'Neal is wonderfully pompous and grandiloquent food and interior decorating critic who is weary of a fellow tenant in his building (Kim Stanley, best known for her superb performance in Séance on a Wet Afternoon). Stanley is obsessively attached to him after he asked her out on a date that he found underwhelming. After a row with his building's operating manager/maintenance super over spiders in his apartment, an attempt to faucet drown and flush a creepy-crawly down the drain results in larger versions of the arachnid. Arachnophobia is O'Neal's major hang-up, and it could just be that the size of spiders is a psychological mirage influenced by his inability to shake off the fear of them. The spider the size of a dog certainly seems illogical to anyone but O'Neal. After berating Stanley for annoying him, she makes sure to inform him that he just might need kindness, love, and friendship one day…and it will be nowhere to be found.

The "Junior" tale with Wally Cox is a joke using a favorite Mary Shelley character, as a father is awoken from his sleep to get his son some water…his wife tells him that Junior is *his* son. Similarly to the blood bank Cesar Romero Dracula story, A Matter of Semantics, "Junior" plays with another of our favorite Universal monsters.

"Marmalade Wine" is a kooky bit of business involving an odd "photojournalist" (who seems lost and not very sure of where he is and how he got there) who stumbles on a stage mimicking the forest with paper mache trees and drops of rain with a dark background certainly indicating this was meant as a satire of plays. Robert Morse (Mad Men & The People vs. OJ Simpson) is the "man with the camera" who is invited by a reputed surgeon (Rudy Valee; Lord Marmaduke Ffog on Batman) to get in out of the cold. Again, his home is barely dressed with not much more than a few pieces of furniture. Getting Morse drunk on marmalade wine, Valee realizes this guy actually might be clairvoyant although he thinks he's just so sauced the liar comes out. Valee takes drastic measures to keep Morse (no longer intoxicated, he remembers details about Valee that give him pause) around, with a bedroom (basically one wall with a window and a bed) visit that proves horrifying.

"The Academy" has Pat Boone arriving at a military academy to visit its grounds, getting a look at their system of discipline, talking to some of the "cadets" (of all ages, which is a point of its overall twist), and getting a feel of the place. He has an unruly son ("spirited" and a bit of a troublemaker) responsible for the death of his wife in a "boating accident", and overall the kid is just a "rotter". Leif Erickson (Strait-Jacket & I Saw What You Did) is the director of the academy, careful in how he discusses their methods and how the cadets are "whipped into shape", the rigid demands for excelling at whatever the superiors request (drills are the academy's major weapon for this), and the general idea that once a cadet is brought to the academy he might not ever leave (!). Boone's realization that he can dump off his kid at the academy and leave him to the care of such a staunchly ran institution is rather fitting considering the circumstances which resulted to his visit to the academy to begin with. Larry Linville of MASH as one of the cadets is a nice surprise.

While seeing O'Neal crack under his fear of spiders after the way he dismisses Stanley and posits an accusatory derision of the building super, Night Gallery (much like TZ) punishes him accordingly. The way O'Neal conveys anxiety and terror, with Stanly getting even with him, proves to be most amusing. The middle tales are appropriately surreal and odd as they intend to be. While "The Academy" proves to be the ideal location for the unruly youth of Blackboard Jungle…or for the wealthy parents who want to get rid of their troublesome children!

What Goes Around, Comes Around

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 6 June 2014]

Two major episodes that involve the milk of human kindness. In "A Fear of Spiders" a food critic who is being hounded by a rather unattractive woman in his building, goes off on her, saying very cruel things. Apparently, she has become quite a nuisance and he just can't get any work done because of her constant interruptions. He returns to work but is waylaid by dripping faucet. When he goes to investigate, he sees a tiny spider in the sink He washes the spider down the drain, but it soon reappears, just a bit larger. This reoccurs until one the size of a dog shows up in his bedroom. He has an incredible fear of the little eight legged guys and is in a panic. He gets his super, a sarcastic New Yorker, to help but all he gets is dismissive banter and accusations of being gay (though that word is never used). Eventually, he seeks the companionship and aid of the woman upstairs. She sees his desperation as fuel for a counterattack. This is a good episode.

"Junior" stars Wally Cox. Wally's wife forces him to get a glass of water for their son, who won't let the sleep. The results are for you to find out.

In "Marmalade Wine," Robert Morse stumbles down an expressionistic path through stylized trees, where he runs into Rudy Vallee (who made a comeback for some reason). Morse claims to be taking pictures of mountain lions. It is raining and Vallee invites him in. While he drinks excessively, he tells his host he has the gift of prophecy. Vallee wants a couple of tips and the young man wakes up in bed with a hangover. Somewhat remindful of "Misery," the Stephen King story and film.

"The Academy" finds Pat Boone, obviously a very rich man, arriving at a military academy, hoping to enroll his son. He gets the grand tour. There is discipline everywhere. Drilling, manual of arms, all kinds of this stuff. He gets to talk extensively with the headmaster who takes him on a tour. It is obvious that no matter how long it takes, whoever comes to this school will eventually be changed. As he continues the tour, he realizes that some of the men are in their thirties and older. He meets Larry Linville (yes, Frank Burns from MASH) who is still at the academy. This is the harshest of environments and the executive must make a decision concerning his fifteen-year-old.

Strange Places

[AaronCapenBanner · 7/10 · 11 November 2014]

'A Fear Of Spiders' - Patrick O'Neal plays a gourmet critic who hates being interrupted by the unwanted attentions of his upstairs neighbor, but a spider proves to be far worse... Strange but darkly effective tale with a striking ending and much to ponder.

'Junior' - Another dreadful comedy short without humor or point.

'Marmalade Wine' - A man lost in the woods makes a big mistake lying to a quack doctor he seeks refuge with... Bizarre tale is an acquired taste indeed.

'The Academy' - Pat Boone plays a man who wants to enroll his troubled son in a sinister looking academy with a dark secret. Good acting and a bleak finish distinguish this tale.

Talk about examples of "poetic justice"

[garrard · 10/10 · 29 March 2007]

Frequent television guest star Patrick O'Neal and Broadway veteran Kim Stanley are the central characters in a tale of unrequited love that has that typical "Night Gallery" stamp of macabre humor. O'Neal plays a self-centered critic that shares an apartment complex and Stanley is one of his neighbors. Try as she might to win his affections, Stanley is repeatedly spurned by the sardonic O'Neal. Even when she feigns a fall on the staircase, all she can get from O'Neal is a sarcastic comment.

The tide is turned when O'Neal discovers a spider in his kitchen sink. Fearing the little buggers, he washes it down the drain but later it appears but at a slightly larger size. Little by little the spider is growing and O'Neal is forced to go to Stanley for comfort and, in the long run, rescue.

Now, she has the upper hand for HE is dependent upon her and she gets to use his words against him, repeating some of the same lines that he gave her, only now there is an ironic twist in them.

The finale is appropriately fitting and both actors pull out all the stops of their profession.

Brilliantly acted, "A Fear of Spiders" is a classic in a series that didn't have that many.

Better than usual

[searchanddestroy-1 · 7/10 · 21 March 2020]

I was amazed by this episode, because the other ones for the season 2 were not that terrific for my own taste. I highly preferred TWILIGHT ZONE series. the first segment might have inspired Denis Villeneuve for his ENEMY topic; I mean the spider matter. The other ones are not that unforgettable, only the first one is a real must see in that series, among the best episode of the second season.

Nifty assortment of stories

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 12 September 2018]

"A Fear of Spiders" - Mean critic Justus Walters (Patrick O'Neal in fine hateful form) finds himself being tormented by spiders in his apartment. O'Neal makes for a great cruel and nasty jerk who's real easy to despise, Kim Stanley does well as smitten neighbor Elizabeth Croft, and Tom Pedi provides amusing comic relief as loudmouth landlord Mr. Boucher. Moreover, Walters meets a highly satisfying brutal comeuppance at the end.

"Junior" - A father (Wally Cox) brings water to his most unusual son. This cute and short comic vignette has an okay punchline.

"Marmalade Wine" - Boastful blowhard Roger Blacker (a solid portrayal by Robert Morse) seeks shelter from a storm at the remote home of doctor Francis Deeking (an engaging and energetic performance by Rudy Vallee). This segment boasts enthusiastic acting by the two leads, with Vallee in particular having an absolute ball with his deceptively kindly character. Dandy surprise grim ending, too.

"The Academy" - Wealthy Jeff Halston (well played by Pat Boone) checks out a military academy that he's planning on sending his wayward son to. Leif Erickson lends sturdy support as the polite, but rigid director of the academy while Larry Linville pops up in a small role as a cadet. This quietly sinister and unsettling tale makes a chilling statement about the harsh extremes some people will resort to in the name of discipline.

Giant spider troubles, a very unusual son, wine with a crazy man, and a very strange military academy.

[b_kite · 7/10 · 7 June 2019]

The fourth episode of the second season features four segments.

The first "A Fear of Spiders" is the episodes primary story. O'Neal and Stanley both do good here, in a very fun story. Stanley's character comes off as rather annoying and I couldn't really relate when the episode tries to play the sympathy card with her, despite O'Neal's character being very dickish. The one shot of the spider a giant puppet being pulled across the floor always remained in my memories as a kid.

The second "Junior" is another short vignette, and man I can defiantly see why Serling couldn't stand these things there so out of place and not near as funny as producer Jack Laird thought they were. Plus they seem to make no freaking sense at all, Wally Cox makes an appearance though.

The third "Marmalade Wine" is a very interesting tale that I found myself enjoying a lot, It's filmed very surreal like with the segments opening sets and rain storm looking so fake that it almost helps the surrealness of it, it also has some nice camera work, however the problem is it's to short and if extended upon, we might could have really had something here, and Robert Morse and Rudy Vallee both play off each other really well.

The fourth and final "The Academy" is decent despite the fact it's rather predictable, anyone can pretty much figure out whats going on here, and you feel like it takes our protagonist forever before he finally gets it. However theirs some good star power with Leif Erickson and Pat Boone.

Overall, a pretty good episode with a great primary story, two decent secondary stories, and a throwaway vignette.

Creepy episode with a shock ending

[jc1305us · 9/10 · 23 July 2007]

"Marmalade Wine" a two person teleplay introduces us to a weary hiker caught in a rainstorm and a friendly country doctor who offers the young man refuge in the storm, only to have a truly grisly ulterior motive. The sets are really threadbare, (Not sure if that was the intention or not) but the acting is good. The doctor is very creepy and really adds to the suspense here. The ending is a stomach churning revelation which is great. When you put yourself in theyoung man's shoes, you almost feel faint.

If you've seen the Twilight Zone episode entitled "The Howling Man" you'll see a few similarities. A man who with an evil secret figure in both stories. A fun and shocking episode.

I'm not cruel, I'm refreshingly blunt.

[Hey_Sweden · 7/10 · 12 July 2020]

'A Fear of Spiders'. Patrick O'Neal is very amusing as Justus Walters, an effete, pompous restaurant critic terrorized in his apartment by a persistent arachnid that soon becomes oversized. The catch is that Justus is afraid of spiders to begin with, and he'll do anything, including spending time with a pathetic neighbour (Kim Stanley) to avoid this problem. The longest segment of the episode, this is pretty good overall, with Rod Serling (adapting a story by Elizabeth M. Walter) once again having fun with sardonic and snippy dialogue. O'Neal and Stanley are great, but one might wish that this segment had a bit more of a kick in the end. Still, it makes its point quite well, dealing with basic human decency and how some of us just seem to lack it. The special effect of the dog-sized spider is laughable now, but it apparently left an impression on people who saw this episode as children over 48 years ago. Directed by actor John Astin.

'Junior'. Another of 'Night Gallery's' boring comic vignettes. The best thing you can say about most of them is that they are very short. Wally Cox is cast as a father meeting his weird sons' request for a glass of water in the middle of the night. Writer Gene R. Kearney probably thought he was being clever with his revelation, but it's just such a mild bit of business. Directed by Theodore J. Flicker ("The Presidents' Analyst", "Up in the Cellar").

'Marmalade Wine'. Robert Morse plays a drunken photographer who encounters enigmatic weirdo Rudy Vallee out in some stylized environment. In his drunken state, Morse spins a couple of lies which Vallee takes seriously. Written and directed by Jerrold Freedman (based on a story by Joan Aiken), 'Marmalade Wine' is VERY strange and surreal material, taking place in an obviously artificial but striking and atmospheric place. (It looks like some childs' nightmare.) Creepy stuff, all the way to the ending.

'The Academy'. Singer / actor Pat Boone plays a father interviewing with the leader (Leif Erickson) of a prestigious military school, as he is thinking of sending his no-good son there. While not one of Rod Serlings' finest hours (people will figure out the revelation ahead of time), this is still pretty entertaining. Larry Linville of later 'M*A*S*H' fame puts in an appearance. Based on a story by David Ely, and directed by actor Jeff Corey.

Seven out of 10.

Season 2, Episode 4

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 3 February 2023]

Another Friday, another Night Gallery. Ah, the magic of the past, the paintings hanging in abject blackness. Let's get scared.

"A Fear of Spiders" tells the story of restaurant critic Justus Walters (Patrick O'Neal, The Stuff), a man afraid of spiders who is now dealing with several in his apartment, forcing him to turn to Elizabeth Croft (Kim Stanley, incredible as Frances Farmer's mother in Frances), the neighbor that he has spurned, for help.

A simple story told well, this was directed by John Astin and written by Rod Serling and based on Elizabeth M. Walter's "The Spider." Even though the spider effect at the end may seem somewhat dated, you have to consider the budget of this show and be understanding. Steven Spielberg was slated to direct this episode but backed out. While Astin is mainly known for playing Gomez Addams, he turns in a solid episode.

"Junior" is another blackout segment that has Wally Cox wake up in the middle of the night to stop his son from crying. That boy ends up being a baby Frankenstein's monster. This is directed by Theodore J. Flicker, who also made Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, and was written by Gene R. Kearney. We're lucky that these episodes are streaming or on blu ray, because if I had to sit through commericals only to come back for this, I would dislike it so much more.

"Marmalade Wine" was directed and written by Jerrold Freedman (Borderline) and is based on a story by Joan Aiken. It's pretty wild for a TV show, as the entire set feels like a stage play surrounded by darkness. Photojournalist Roger Blacker (Robert Morse) is lost in the woods and finds Dr. Francis Deeking (Rudy Vallee, yes, the singer), a surgeon who amputates his feet so that he will stay and continue making predictions of the future.

It doesn't exactly work but the fact that it tries is worthwhile. I'd rather Night Gallery had more experiments like this and less outright comedic pieces of fluffy nonsense.

"The Academy" has a very simple idea, as the children of the rich and powerful never leave a military school, forgotten and thrown away, something that the school's director (Leif Ericskon) feels is what a father (Pat Boone, the second acting singer in one night) wants to do with his delinquent son.

Director by Jeff Corey (who is better known for acting in movies including Beneath the Planet of the Apes) and written by Serling, based on a story by David Ely, this is quick and to the point.

This episode of Night Gallery feels more morality play than horror, yet still finds something worth watching.

Odd tasting wine

[stones78 · 10 September 2012]

This was one of the quirkier short segments of the controversial series, and it starred Rudy Vallee and Robert Morse as doctor and photographer, respectively. The abode of Dr. Deeking(Vallee)looked like it was suspended in air and/or outer space, and I did enjoy that atmosphere, even though it looked totally fake, but it still worked for me. Robert Morse's character was Roger Blacker, and he was both a photographer and an accidental foreseer, as certain things he mentioned to Deeking came to fruition, like the horses and the stock market. I'm not sure why he said these things to the doctor, and even though he later admits that he just made these predictions up, they still rang true. I believe he stumbled upon Deeker's dwelling in order to photograph or interview him, but their conversations were strange, as was this episode. Deeker serves Blacker a few glasses of marmalade wine to get him drunk, and after he finally passes out, he wakes up in bed by himself. The next few lines uttered are weird indeed, as Deeker informs his guest that his predictions rang true and made him lots of money, even though Blacker didn't intend for this to happen. After this discussion ends, Blacker tries to get out of bed, but can't move, as he thinks his new boots are tied too tight. The real reason why Blacker can't move is that Deeker liked the man's predictions so much, he decided to amputate Blacker's feet so that he's stuck in bed, and it's funny the way Deeker informs him. I would recommend this mainly because it's both weird and original, and it's not too long to be that boring.

"...I'd like to take you on a guided tour through the Night Gallery" - Rod Serling

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 25 May 2017]

Back in 1971 it would have been unconscionable for someone to call out another for being gay in a TV show, but that's what it seemed like here when landlord Boucher (Tom Pedi) questioned Justus Walters' (Patrick O'Neal) manhood in the first entry of this Night Gallery offering. I thought that was kind of interesting. Then his upstairs neighbor Elizabeth (Kim Stanley) tells him to call Bellevue for his insistence on seeing dog-sized spiders. The guy couldn't catch a break. Which is OK because he was totally heartless and mean spirited, which made it all the more reasonable he should be locked in his own bedroom to await his fate. Consider your own resolution to this story, since Elizabeth went back upstairs to bed, leaving the curmudgeon howling.

The 'Junior' segment - what can one say. The word 'stupid' keeps cropping up to me for any number of these short subjects on Night Gallery. This one is in that category.

'Marmalade Wine' came to a gruesome end when Roger Blacker (Robert Morse) parlayed his nature as a braggart into a series of lucky predictions for a shifty surgeon, portrayed by Rudy Vallee in an odd casting decision. In a way, this story brought to mind one of Rod Serling's 'Twilight Zone' episodes titled 'The Silence' from the second season of that series. The difference being that in 'The Silence', the principal character had his own vocal chords cut to win a bet that he couldn't refrain from speaking for an entire year, whereas here, the deranged doctor cut off his guest's feet to keep him from leaving. Thinking about either outcome is an exercise in creepy horror.

Finally, and from the vantage point of 2017 as I write this, there are no safe spaces at 'The Academy' for anyone to escape a healthy dose of motivation and discipline. In this case though, maybe it wasn't so healthy after all. One has to wonder how bad the Halston kid could have been to warrant admission to this school of hard knocks. But then again, seeing how his father was Pat Boone, a permanent residency at Glendalough might have been just the place for him.

The Academy - haunting

[kalibeans · 8/10 · 2 July 2021]

This was a very broad set of stories. After the first three I gave it a "6" rating. Changed to an "8" after watching Rod Serling's spine chilling adaptation of The Academy. I wonder who it was exactly that tapped Pat Boone for this role? Genius. Like all of Serling's work it's precise, no words are wasted. What a talent! I only recently got the series on disk, not having seen them since they originally aired. So there were many I missed, many I didn't recall. All have been wonderful to revisit. Don't let the bright blue sky and spotless building fool you. The Academy is pure horror; brilliantly acted by Boone.

i got scared!

[AlanBryan2112 · 8/10 · 28 January 2020]

Two things scared me in 1971: The Return of Count Yorga (in theater) and the Night Gallery segment "A Fear of Spiders". I was 11. I did not scare easily. A few episodes of Dark Shadows gave me chills when i was younger. The next thing that scared me on TV was a very large spider on a bed. A man opened a bedroom door and a giant spider pulsed on a large while bed. I recall jumping back, as i was sitting on the floor. In this Night Gallery episode it was very brief and very memorable scene. I saw it in the days when you couldn't rewind or pause.. You saw it once and maybe months later in a re-run. That was it. That giant spider haunted me for years; the entire episode did. Oddly enough, I do not fear spiders at all. Personal Trivia: the next thing to scare me was the CBS TV movie "Gargoyles". That was dang freaky as well.

Fine ep due to sexy Kim Stanley

[belanger75 · 10/10 · 17 August 2019]

Florida-born Patrick O'Neal is fine acting as the writer who wants to be left-alone. But his character comes out stupid passing up on the chance to be with the heavy set and very sexy Miss. Stanley. Her character is lonely and upset and you remember and feel for her every second she is on camera. Outstanding performance by her. There is a bit about a giant spider in the writer's kitchen but it is not that memorable and pales in getting male viewer's attention compared to the voluptuous Miss.Stanley.

Lame installment!

[mm-39 · 5/10 · 16 March 2024]

Lame installment, the episodes are forgettable except the last one. The academy which the kids never leave was entertaining. What works was the dad goes with the bad son too the military school which has very old cadets. Frank Burns from mash was one of the inmates. Well directed and acted, but the plot twist one can see from a country mile. I guess the kid was so bad keep him in the institutional living was the best option. The Academy was so bad/quirky it's memorable. Fear of Spiders, Junior Marmalade was just filler. Five starts. Zip through the to the ending to see the Academy the best of the bunch! 5 stars.

The Academy: I would not want to be sent there

[paulbehrer22173 · 31 March 2009]

In this segment, adapted by Serling from David Ely's short story, rich widower Mr. Holston (Pat Boone) comes to the Glendalough Military Academy to talk to its director (Leif Erickson) about the eligibility of Holston's son, Roger, for enrollment there. Holston says that Roger is a good kid who had gotten into trouble, and needs a strict routine, adding that his wife had died in a boat accident while Roger was young, which the boy survived due to his ability to swim. They tour the academy, including the classrooms and dorms, and Holston, noting the ages of each of the cadets (some are boys, others are young, middle aged, or old men), asks one of the cadets, Sloane (Larry Linville), how he feels about academy life, and Sloane says that he likes it, despite how busy he and the other cadets are kept. Holston notes an item of news about an assault on a young woman some years ago, and says that if this is the same Sloane, then he'd have to be in his 30s, adding that the academy's hallmark is unending drill. The director says that Holston is right about this, and shows him the statue on campus, which is the director with a cadet. Holston notes that the statue faces the academy, and the director says that it is the world of both cadets and instructors, and all that a boy needs is right there, and for that reason the statue symbolizes welcome, not farewell. Holston asks how long his son's stay is, and the director says, "I assumed you knew that. Indefinitely, Mr. Holston. Most of the parents prefer it that way." Holston says, "Roger will be here tomorrow," and questions the gatekeeper before leaving. The gatekeeper says that he's a cadet like the rest, adding that he came to the academy as a teen, and would soon be 55. Holston's driver asks if Roger was enrolled, and when Holston says that Roger is to be there tomorrow, says that as Roger is high-spirited, he would not like being there. Holston says, "My son's a rotter, you know that. This is just the place for him," as he enters the car, and they leave. When I saw this, I thought: Gee, I would not want to be sent to this academy if I were in Roger's place, and neither would anyone else. I also noted that Holston might be to blame for his wife dying, and wanted to put the blame on Roger, his son. Spoiler alert: John Lewis's score for the segment "Class of '99" was recycled for this story.

Hell hath no fury...

[stones78 · 26 November 2018]

My summary line can be viewed as having a double meaning, as both protagonists cause our main character, Justus Walters, to go borderline insane. Walters is played brilliantly by Patrick O'Neal, an actor whom I feel deserved more accolades over the years, but I digress. The segment starts with a rather creepy painting, as Mr. Serling informs us of "arachnophobia", something Justus happens to have. The other two guest stars both give fine performances, so let's give a shout out to Kim Stanley and Tom Pedi(who?); anyway, they were both very enjoyable. I actually enjoyed this episode better than I did a few years ago, when I poked fun at the large spider, but it looked less fake this time around; in fact, I wish they showed more of the hairy thing, but leaving more to the imagination is also a good thing. Let me also mention that actor John Astin directed this segment. The ending could've been handled a bit better though, and that detracts from this segment somewhat, but overall, it was done rather well. It's not in my top episodes for Night Gallery, but give it a view if you get the chance to watch it.

More creepiness to come

[matt_tawesson-1 · 5 September 2011]

I first saw this episode pack on a VHS tape last evening with my mom. The first episode, "A Fear of Spiders" really freaked me out. Patrick O'Neal played a guy who wanted no use for the crazy librarian lady who lived upstairs. He is trying to write some columns, but is first disturbed by his phone ringing (person calling was the crazy lady), then he hears her footsteps and she rings his doorbell seconds later. But while he's trying to do his typing, he is bothered not only by the woman's calling, but with his kitchen faucet dripping. He goes in there and finds a small spider in the sink. He tries to kill the spider by drowning it in running water. The spider goes down the drain, but seconds later, it comes back by crawling out of the drain pipe (same action is repeated). Then, he decides to get rid of the crazy woman, but seconds later, he hears a squeaking sound from another room. He finds where the sound is coming from, opens the door and there is an extremely large spider in the room (God, this really freaked me out I almost jumped out of my skin)! The guy then goes upstairs to the woman's apartment and tells her what he saw, and asks how to eliminate the spider. They go back down to his place, and she locks him in the room and leaves after a few minutes. He begs and panics because he he thinks the spider is going to kill him. The squeaking sound is heard again, and the spider kills him.

"Junior" was not that long, but it too was creepy. This character looked like Herman Munster. I didn't stick around for "The Academy", but the "Marmalade Wine" was also quite eerie, with the guy walking in the rainstorm, being cared for by this doctor, only to have his feet amputated, etc. Out of all the episodes this pack had, "A Fear of Spiders" and "Marmalade Wine" were the scariest.

Where's the Raid?--A Fear of Spiders

[paulbehrer22173 · 22 April 2009]

In this segment, adapted by Serling from the Elizabeth Walter short story The Spider, gourmet critic Justus Walters (Patrick O'Neal) is trying, and failing, to complete a series of articles for his newspaper column, interrupted by both Elizabeth Croft (Kim Stanley), who Walters dated several times out of courtesy, and who now desires his love constantly, but is rejected by Justus each time, and a spider in his kitchen sink that returns despite his efforts to get rid of it due to being deathly fearful of spiders, and it is larger each time in his phobic view. He tries 2 times to get his landlord, Mr. Boucher, (Tom Pedi) to get rid of it, only to be told that he's nuts, after which Justus heads to his own apartment and finds a huge spider in his bedroom. He then goes to Elizabeth to seek, rather insincerely, her company that he'd callously rejected moments before, only to be given a taste of how she was treated by him, right down to the words that he'd used. He then asks her to see if the spider is still there in his bedroom. She looks, seeing nothing, then asks Justus to see for himself. When he enters to check, Elizabeth locks Justus in the room, enjoying listening to Justus pleading hysterically to be released from the room. Reciting poems by Browning, Elizabeth tells Justus that she'll release him in the morning. Justus then hysterically howls, "It's in here!" when he sees his 8 legged nemesis again. Elizabeth then recites a poem authored by a poet whose name she cannot remember as she exits Justus' apartment, which is now silent. I must admit I enjoyed this segment since it was but one of several exercises in poetic justice offered by Serling in this series. When I saw the big spider, though, I thought: gee, where's the large can of Raid! when you need it, because that spider is about the size of a 1/6th scale Volvo. There aren't any spoilers in this comment whatsoever.

Inspiration for Stephen King?

[BA_Harrison · 24 February 2023]

The way it began, A Fear of Spiders looked like it might be something like the Creepshow story They're Creeping Up On You, but with spiders rather than cockroaches. Sadly, this wasn't the case. Instead, the story takes a rather daft turn as the spider that enters the apartment of magazine columnist Justus Walters gets bigger and bigger, becoming the size of a dog. Justus seeks shelter in the apartment of Elizabeth, the woman whose romantic advances he has recently spurned, but she uses the opportunity to punish the man for his cruelty. The real spider in the sink (a tarantula?) was enough to make my skin crawl, but the giant clockwork spider in the bedroom is quite laughable.

The less said about comedic short Junior, the better.

Marmalade Wine is interesting in that it reminded me a lot of Stephen King's Misery. Lost in a thunderstorm, photojournalist Roger Blacker (Robert Morse) is given shelter by renowned surgeon Dr. Francis Deeking. While talking and drinking marmalade wine, Blacker claims that he can foretell the future, revealing to Deeking the winner of a horse race before falling unconscious. Blacker wakes up in bed the next morning to discover that his race tip was a winner and now Deeking would like predictions about the stock market. Blacker tells the doctor that he was lying about his supernatural talent and, when he remembers that Deeking was struck off the medical register after going insane, he tries to leave -- not such an easy task when your feet have been amputated! It's a rather contrived tale, but it's fairly enjoyable nonetheless (although I'm not a big fan of those surreal, stylised studio sets).

The Academy sees a father visiting the military academy where he hopes to enrol his wayward son. The twist: the training is indefinite, the place acting as a dumping ground for troublesome offspring. Meh!