Employees at a data-storage facility are being chewed up by a reptilian underground dweller.
A recent geological find (black rocks that look suspiciously like eggs) sets off a series of brutal attacks on workers in a recently excavated tunnel.
Kolchak sneaks into the autopsy of one of the victims. During the procedure he learns that the body bears wounds that appear to have been made by the teeth of an alligator. Kolchak also passes himself off as a big time investor to get into the security-tight data facility. But when his cover is blown, he flees down a lower level corridor where he encounters a large reptilian biped which chases him right into the hands of awaiting police and security personnel.
The reporter is taken into custody but during his interrogation the creature smashes it's way through a solid wall decimating all efforts to subdue it. Kolchak makes his escape and later locates the scientist whose discovery preceded the recent attacks. Carl's questions about the geological find go unanswered however when the creature once again makes an unannounced appearance. In the ensuing may-lay, the recalcitrant scientist becomes the scaly monster's next victim.
Security personnel catch up to Carl, but when the creature continues it's rampage the reporter is able to break free and heads back to the slain scientist's lab to locate the fossils that seem to have to set off all the trouble.
Stealing a motorized cart, Carl then travels down into the lower levels and places the fossils in the area where they'd been removed from. Soon the creature appears and attacks Carl who tries to fend it off with a torch. The thing manages to disarm him and as the reporter hides his face and prepares to meet his end...the cave grows quiet except for the sound of heavy footsteps. Carl looks up to see the sentry carrying it's eggs back into the darkness.
Anyone familiar with "Star Trek" will recognize this as a thinly-disguised remake of the classic episode, "The Devil In The Dark" in which a creature with the ability to travel through solid rock kills miners who have mistakenly destroyed it's eggs. In the "Trek" story, it isn't made clear that the "silicon nodules" are the creature's eggs until the final act, but in "The Sentry" you can tell these fossils are eggs in the very first scene so it's no great revelation when Carl deduces their true nature.
Also disappointing, continuing in the series's hit-and-miss record when it comes to monster design, the titular character of the "Sentry" sports a long, largely immobile tail with an alligator's head that looks too large for it's body. Though it is often more silly looking than frightening, director Seymour Robbie does attempt to make the beast seem more impressive by shooting from low angles in a series of quick cuts as the sentry knocks light bulbs out of their sockets. Indeed things do start to look promising when cinder block walls begin crumbling due to unseen forces working behind them. Unfortunately, all suspense and thrills quickly evaporate when through the rubble and dust pops the rubbery looking gator head.
The final confrontation when the creature advances on Kolchak is reasonably tense with McGavin gamely putting his all into selling the scene. When he loses his one weapon (a torch) and fearfully retreats up against a rock wall, there is at least a brief, compelling moment there in which it does genuinely look like the wily reporter might have finally run out of luck.
What does work very well in "The Sentry" are the scenes between Kolchak and his police nemesis-of-the-week, Detective Irene Lamont (played by Kathie Browne). For once, rather than a miserable, bellowing middle aged fascist, Carl finds himself up against a polished, stunning blonde who, instead of threats, applies charm and a winning smile to try and manipulate him. Actor Darren McGavin and guest star Kathie Browne seem to have an easy on-screen chemistry going between them which shouldn't be too surprising as off-screen they were actually husband and wife. Kathie Browne, a frequent guest star on many other television series, was a very appealing actress and the couple's obvious delight at being able to work together is evident and helps to elevate this episode immeasurably. It's just a shame the script writers didn't support them with a more imaginative story, and all the more disappointing given the fact this turned out to be the final episode of the series.
Hardly going out on a high note, but still, for a few fleeting moments of fright and some fine on-screen moments of chemistry between Mcgavin and his particularly "special guest star", this episode earns a respectful rating of 6.
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