Good Evening: An Alfred Hitchcock Presents Podcast: Recent Episodes
Annie & Kathryn
Good eeevening and welcome to a podcast review of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, hosted by sisters Annie and Kathryn. Every week, the sisters review a new episode of the classic anthology series first brought to television sets by the Master of Suspense himself. Mystery? Check. Trivia? You got it. Humor? Attempted. It's Good Evening.
Ernest Findlater is an upper crust gentleman with a simple desire: he wishes to be whisked away to an island paradise where he can be doted on by a loving young woman named Lalage—a far cry from his actual stuffy reality and acrimonious marriage. For a time, Ernest’s desires are confined only to his daydreams, but when he finds a gun in an abandoned car, another dream begins to take shape: a dream of murder most foul. With the help of his imaginary girlfriend Lalage, Ernest begins to painstakingly plot both his wife’s demise and his own airtight alibi. But could it be that all of Ernest’s scheming is in vain?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A Overall Rating: 7.5 fake mustaches
When former nurses aide Barbara meets war correspondent Ted on a flight out of Nairobi, the two strike up a conversation about the courtroom drama surrounding a man, Sasha Ismael, called “Sasha the Terrible” in the press. Ted reveals his involvement in the case, including his growing belief that Sasha took the fall for a man named Arthur Hill. Ted, who claims to have been searching for Arthur ever since Sasha’s execution, runs into trouble when he kills Sasha’s father in what he claims to be self-defense. Barbara listens attentively to Ted’s story. But could there be more behind Barbara’s calm demeanor and constant supply of Ted’s favorite cigarettes?
Burn-o-Meter: 6.5
Overall Rating: 6.75 cigarettes of an unnamed brand
In this year’s Halloween special, Annie & Kathryn discuss a classic Ray Bradbury adaptation from the Alfred Hitchcock Hour. When Charlie Hill visits a local carnival, he becomes entranced by the mysterious contents of a jar on display. Convinced that owning such a wonder will earn him respect in his rural community, Charlie purchases the jar and sets up regular viewings in his home. There, townsfolk speculate on the meaning of the jar—each with a tragic, poignant, or eerie observation to make. But Charlie’s wife Thedy Sue is unamused by the goings-on. Thedy and her lover formulate a plan to humiliate Charlie, but is Thedy underestimating Charlie’s profound attachment to the jar? And will the nightly viewings turn into a genuine horror show?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 9 Thedy Sue Hill ribbons
John Crane has it made. He lives rent-free in a gorgeous apartment, dines on the dishes of a private chef, and enjoys the affection of one very special woman: his mother. But everything changes when John takes a trip to Vermont and falls in love with a self-reliant immigrant named Lottie. After a whirlwind romance, John proposes to Lottie, but when Claire, his mother, shows up on the scene, there’s immediate tension between the women. Eventually, Lottie suggests that she and John take Claire away to their favorite waterfall spot, where they can privately tell Claire about their engagement. John, convinced that Lottie wants him to push his mother off the waterfall cliffside, works himself into a frenzy . . . with surprising results.
Burn-o-Meter: 1
Overall Rating: 5.25 waterfall nudges
John Crane has it made. He lives rent-free in a gorgeous apartment, dines on the dishes of a private chef, and enjoys the affection of one very special woman: his mother. But everything changes when John takes a trip to Vermont and falls in love with a self-reliant immigrant named Lottie. After a whirlwind romance, John proposes to Lottie, but when Claire, his mother, shows up on the scene, there’s immediate tension between the women. Eventually, Lottie suggests that she and John take Claire away to their favorite waterfall spot, where they can privately tell Claire about their engagement. John, convinced that Lottie wants him to push his mother off the waterfall cliffside, works himself into a frenzy . . . with surprising results.
Burn-o-Meter: 1
Overall Rating: 5.25 waterfall nudges
George Tiffany lives a pleasant, quiet life with his wife Louise, running a well-regarded taxidermy shop and cuddling up in his favorite armchair in the upstairs apartment. But all of that changes when Louise’s little brother, Waldren, shows up. It’s one thing when moocher Waldren claims George’s chair as his own and insists on keeping the house stuffy to suit his mysterious, lingering illness. It’s another when Waldren’s demanding behavior runs Louise’s health into the ground, leading to her hospitalization. When George attempts to send Waldren on his way, Waldren won’t take a hint . . . or even a hearty push. But could it be that George’s current project—a taxidermied horse doubling as a time capsule—could hold the morbid key to his predicament?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8.5 human-shaped time capsules
George Tiffany lives a pleasant, quiet life with his wife Louise, running a well-regarded taxidermy shop and cuddling up in his favorite armchair in the upstairs apartment. But all of that changes when Louise’s little brother, Waldren, shows up. It’s one thing when moocher Waldren claims George’s chair as his own and insists on keeping the house stuffy to suit his mysterious, lingering illness. It’s another when Waldren’s demanding behavior runs Louise’s health into the ground, leading to her hospitalization. When George attempts to send Waldren on his way, Waldren won’t take a hint . . . or even a hearty push. But could it be that George’s current project—a taxidermied horse doubling as a time capsule—could hold the morbid key to his predicament?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8.5 human-shaped time capsules
When cheapskate producer Hal, unscrupulous director Morty, and rudderless screenwriter Freddie join forces on their next B movie, they hatch a plan to resurrect the Greatest Monster of Them All: old 30s horror legend Ernst Von Croft. Von Croft is committed—perhaps a little too committed—to his comeback role. Freddie is happy just to have a job. Hal’s eager to make a quick buck. And Morty has a “comedic” film trick up his sleeve that no one expects. But after Von Croft is devastated by a humiliating screening, will he end up having the last laugh? Or . . . will we?
Burn-o-Meter: 8.5
Overall Rating: 2.5 B movie comebacks
When cheapskate producer Hal, unscrupulous director Morty, and rudderless screenwriter Freddie join forces on their next B movie, they hatch a plan to resurrect the Greatest Monster of Them All: old 30s horror legend Ernst Von Croft. Von Croft is committed—perhaps a little too committed—to his comeback role. Freddie is happy just to have a job. Hal’s eager to make a quick buck. And Morty has a “comedic” film trick up his sleeve that no one expects. But after Von Croft is devastated by a humiliating screening, will he end up having the last laugh? Or . . . will we?
Burn-o-Meter: 8.5
Overall Rating: 2.5 B movie comebacks
Judy, lover of bubble baths, has one simple goal: she wants to live a small, comfortable life while safely saving away her late husband’s insurance policy money. Of course, a heated bathroom would be nice . . . but Judy prefers to keep her savings safe—even if her new husband Steve has other ideas. Then, Judy is informed that her late husband bought a winning ticket in the Irish Sweepstakes that’s worth $1.4 million in today’s money. The only catch? She doesn’t know where the ticket is—until she realizes that the ticket is six feet under, buried in her husband’s best suit. Judy decides to exhume her husband’s body against Steve’s wishes, but could she be unearthing a terrible secret, as well?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 7.75 electric heater splashdowns
Claude and Margo have a blissful relationship. They’re even picking out fabric swatches for their home together. There’s only one issue: Claude’s rich wife, Clara. When Clara confides in Margo that she might divorce Claude on suspicion of unfaithfulness—thereby ruining Claude’s career and financial prospects—Margo and Claude decide that the only solution is to murder Clara . . . and fast. When Margo loses her faith in Claude’s ability to get the job done, she takes matters into her own hands. But in this twisted tale of rose petal tea and golf clubs, an ironic twist is just around the bend. Or just outside Clara’s front door, as the case may be.
Burn-o-Meter: 7
Overall Rating: 6.25 cups of rose petal tea
Young Jimmy Dolan is on the cusp of PR greatness . . . according to Jimmy. When older Hollywood star Betsy Blake—otherwise known as Madame Mystery—dies in a speedboat accident just days after wrapping a new film, it spells potential disaster for the film’s box office reception. But the ever-resourceful and free-from-scruples Jimmy has devised a plan to give Betsy the ol’ Rudolph Valentino treatment. To that end, he convinces his talented writer friend Steve to help him with the campaign. Jimmy’s plan, including his well-planted rumors that Betsy might still be alive, seems to be going off without a hitch. But could this PR scheme be closer to the truth than Jimmy thinks? And just how well does Jimmy know Madame Mystery?
Burn-o-Meter: 5.5
Overall Rating: 6.5 sleeps in the deep
When newlywed Irv loses a week’s worth of wages after gambling with an uncharitable boss, he frets over explaining the loss to his pregnant wife, Frances. Inspired by a chance encounter with a local cop, Irv fakes a mugging as a cover story for the lost money. But then Frances presses Irv to report the mugging and, even worse, a sixteen-year-old kid is brought in for the crime. Will a guilt-stricken Irv end up telling the truth to the police? Or could there be a twist ending waiting in the dark alley around the corner?
Burn-o-Meter: 9.5
Overall Rating: 5 fake cheek cuts
Irene Cole is considered by all around her to be a mousy, ordinary housewife who is—gasp!—over the age thirty. Her wealth, however, is anything but ordinary, and that’s what keeps her rubbing shoulders with the wealthy elite of Palm Beach. There, on winter vacation, she receives the unexpected attention of a race car-driving prince, who—to the shock and wonder of all around Irene—appears to fall head over heels in love with her. And when the prince cannot convince Irene to leave her loveless marriage, he threatens suicide. Could there be more than meets the eye to this star-crossed romance? Or is it, truly, just a royal snooze fest?
Burn-o-Meter: 10
Overall Rating: 2.25 playboy princes
When Courtney Masterson and Peg Valence are caught unawares by a Zodiac Killer-esque assailant, they manage to turn the tables and lock the man in Courtney’s trunk. But the couple is then left with a dilemma: if they turn in the Lovers' Lane killer, word will get out that Courtney was out necking with . . . his mistress, not his wife. What follows for Courtney is a great debate between two unsavory options: be blackmailed by the assailant or . . . turn the gun on him. And when Courtney ultimately makes his decision, he’s in for an ironic twist.
Burn-o-Meter: 3.5
Overall Rating: 6.75 Courtney Nesbitt Mastersons
When young man Dane sees a watchmaker named Klemm about a repair, he meets Klemm’s enchanting granddaughter, Lisa. Young loves soon ensues, but the domineering Klemm refuses to give his blessing to the proposed marriage. When Dane leaves town and Lisa falls gravely ill, the ever more controlling Klemm becomes obsessed with finding a “cure” for his granddaughter. In the end, when Dane returns to town, he discovers that Lisa seems to be alive and well . . . but with a shocking change of heart.
Burn-o-Meter: 3.5
Overall Rating: 6.75 changed hearts
When one of babysitter Lottie Slocum’s clients—a separated wife named Mrs. Nash—winds up murdered, all eyes turn to Lottie for answers. As she fields questions from a police sergeant, the women’s club, and her nosy friend Blanche alike, Lottie grows more concerned about her safety . . . and her figure. Lottie is determined to protect the good name of Mr. Nash, but could it be that her former employer is not the knight in shining armor that she’s imagined him to be?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8.25 cherry chocolate with tutti frutti milkshakes
After receiving a blow during a freak accident on the city streets, a young man comes to a shocking realization: he can’t remember who he is. Over drinks with a stranger, he attempts to piece together his identity using two items he finds in his pocket: a thousand dollar bill and the name and address of a local doctor. When the young man visits the doctor, he receives a diagnosis of amnesia, but he’s no closer to solving his problem . . . until sudden recall results in a shocking—and unintentionally funny?—twist.
Burn-o-Meter: 10
Overall Rating: 3.25 falling 2x4s
When mild-mannered traveling salesman Leon Gorwald is caught jaywalking in a small town, he’s promptly locked up by a power-tripping cop—without his one phone call or the chance to promptly speak with a judge. But soon, what’s only a big inconvenience turns into a life-or-death scenario when a man is jailed next to Gorwald for the brutal murder of a local girl . . . and the citizens of the town are out for blood. Will Gorwald survive a terribly timed case of mistaken identity? And could it be that there’s more to this mousy haberdashery salesman than meets the eye?
Burn-o-Meter: 3.5
Overall Rating: 8.25 jaywalking tickets
When four members of a fraternal lodge purchase a plot of land, intending to convert it into a cemetery, they run into one small hiccup: No one wishes to be their first customer. One of the brothers proposes a solution: Why not offer a weekly allowance to a lodge member who’s at death’s door, in return for his promise to be interred in their very own Elysium Park? Soon, however, what once seemed like good business sense turns into a major headache. The trouble is this: Mr. Weems simply won’t fulfill his duty to the lodge and . . . well, die.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.75 vacant burial plots
When clairvoyant Englishwoman Laura Bowlby arrives in Hong Kong, she’s almost instantly drawn to a black sedan—a car that she correctly intuits was once painted canary yellow. While adjusting to life in a new country and feeling Isolated within a loveless marriage, Laura begins to hear a ghostly woman’s voice in the canary sedan. She soon finds herself increasingly entranced by the mysterious woman’s past . . . but could it be that it’s terribly entwined with her own present?
Burn-o-Meter: 8.5
Overall Rating: 6.75 canary sedans
They’re baaack! Annie & Kathryn return after their hiatus with a real humdinger of an episode to ring in 2022. Hitchhiking grifters Lorna and Frank happen upon an old woman who’s rumored to be hiding a million bucks in her mansion. Soon, the couple realize that Miss Monica Laughton is hosting dozens of invisible family members for a funeral—invisible guests, that is, for the mourning of an invisible corpse. After threatening their victim, Lorna and Frank’s plan seems to be panning out. But is it possible that Miss Monica, like her invisible houseguests, is more than meets the eye?
Burn-o-Meter: 5.5
Overall Rating: 9 mice cupcakes
Horace’s new wife Sybilla appears to be the perfect housewife. If by “perfect” you mean a perfectly acquiescent milquetoast saint. Horace? He doesn’t buy it. Soon, he feels trapped by her kindness, helpfulness, and—the horror—improved food. The only solution? Murder. But when his plan is thwarted, Horace becomes convinced that Sybilla is blackmailing him with a copy she’s made of his tell-all diary. Will “love” conquer all in this truly bewildering melodrama?
Burn-o-Meter: 8
Overall Rating: 1 copied diary
Stephen Fontaine is a prisoner bound to San Quentin, traveling in handcuffs and a forty-pound Oregon boot. But according to Fontaine, it’s Sergeant Rockwell, the man seeing him off to prison, who’s truly manacled—by the daily grind of the 50s, imposed on him by the Man. The men have a long train ride north, during which time Fontaine attempts to convince Rockwell to free himself from his own self-imprisonment by taking Fontaine up on a bribe. Will Rockwell cave in the end? Or is there another, far more tragic twist ahead?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 7.25 Oregon boots
Alex Gifford is no penny pincher. According to him, he’s just . . . a careful man. But when his wife Jennifer discovers his secret stash of money, Alex turns to a more reckless course of action. After all, if he doesn’t kill Jennifer, she’ll hat-shop, steak-eat, and three-way-light-bulb him out of house and home! The trouble is, every murderous method that Alex could employ will cost him money. Can Alex get away with the perfect crime without having to spend a dime?
Burn-o-Meter: 2
Overall Rating: 8.5 dollars saved
The little mining town of Copper Pocket used to be a den of vice and discord until two months ago, when the holy (and STRONG) McMahon Brothers showed up and turned things around. Now it’s all “brother” this and “brotherly love” that. But a little man who looks suspiciously like Norman Lloyd has arrived on the scene, and he’s here to shake things up with devilish, seemingly supernatural powers. Could this little man truly be the devil himself? Or are more sinister human powers at play?
Burn-o-Meter: 5.5
Overall Rating: 6.5 deep pocketbooks
When Fred Riordan violates his parole within 48 hours, the warden has some questions for him. So does the prison’s psychiatrist, who’s determined to get to the bottom of what must have frightened Fred back into the safety of the prison. The psychiatrist thinks he’s onto something, but could it be that Fred’s reasons for returning to the warden’s office are more intentional—and sinister—than the doc and the warden can imagine?
Burn-o-Meter: 7.5
Overall Rating: 6.5 outside frights
Judy thinks she’s made it big when her fiancé’s rich uncle dies, but as it turns out, Mr. Craig has left his entire inheritance to . . . his faithful dog, Casper. His nephew, Thomas Craig, will only inherit when the young, healthy Casper dies. Judy immediately begins scheming ways to do away with the pup, but could it be that she’s bitten off more than she can chew?
Burn-o-Meter: 3
Overall Rating: 5.5 last wills and testaments
When Jack murders the husband of his lover, Phyllis, to get him out of the way, he doesn’t count on Phyllis’ crocodile dressing case playing an important role in the incident. But as it turns out, Phyllis is more dead-set on reclaiming her crocodile case than she is on fake-mourning her dead husband. Soon, the crocodile case becomes the bane of Jack’s existence. But will it also turn out to be his downfall?
Burn-o-Meter: 9
Overall Rating: 8 crocodile cases
The year? 1980. The technology? Astounding. The life expectancy? Excellent. But businessman Mr. Treadwell is not content. His live-in mother-in-law is the bane of his existence, and it doesn’t seem he’ll be rid of her anytime soon. Enter Mr. Bunce, a representative of the newly formed Society for Experimental Gerology, who proposes a dastardly solution to Mr. Treadwell’s problem. Will the SEG’s murderous mission prove successful? And even if it does, will Mr. Treadwell himself be able to rest easy in old age?
Mrs. Herman has a problem. She wants to live her life to the fullest, but her wealthy Uncle Bill refuses to die and leave her his fortune. But Mrs. Herman also has a solution: She intends to employ the help of a glamorous new boarder named Mrs. Fenimore. The more the ladies scheme, the more their plan seems to be going according to plan. But does Mrs. Fenimore have some secrets up her ruffled sleeves?
Burn-o-Meter: 9
Overall Rating: 6.75 bedtime poems
It’s 1909 in San Francisco, and Mr. Stepp is a man with a problem: He’s murdered his boss in a rage after being fired. The trouble is, when Mr. Stepp arrives back at work, his boss, Mr. Baldwin, is alive and well. Could it be that Stepp hallucinated the entire thing? Or are there more sinister forces at work behind the scenes?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8 bullets for Baldwin
In this nail-biting episode from the Master of Suspense himself, 5-year-old Jackie Hester replaces a toy gun with his uncle’s real gun and ammunition and proceeds to wield the weapon on unsuspecting victims throughout suburbia. Will the adults in Jackie’s life catch up to him in time to prevent a tragedy? And what does this 60-year-old episode have to say not only about gun safety, but also the insidious reach of colonialism?
Burn-o-Meter: 5.5
Overall Rating: 6.5 grocery store ponies
When Billy Weaver arrives in a provincial English town during a spate of burglaries, he finds surprisingly affordable lodging at a local bed and breakfast. The elderly landlady there is kind and attentive, but Weaver gets hung up on a pair of names in her register: Christopher Mulholland and Gregory Temple. Could it be that all is not as it seems in this house filled with taxidermied animals and organ music?
Burn-o-Meter: 5
Overall Rating: 7.75 favorite hymns
When book editor Mr. Vinton pays a visit to one of his prospective mystery authors, he soon finds himself in the middle of his author’s book—a genuine Southern Gothic murder mystery involving old flames, sibling rivalry, and the titular rose garden. But what is fact and what is fiction? And will this episode’s strong performances make up for its anticlimactic ending? Burn-o-Meter: N/A Overall Rating: 7 stone benches
An apparently innocuous tea time between two well-to-do ladies soon takes a more sinister turn when one of the women—a Ms. Herbert—attempts to blackmail the other—a Mrs. Teleton—into divorcing her husband . . . and, incidentally, Ms. Herbert’s lover. Mrs. Teleton attempts to extricate herself from the situation with the help of expensive jewels and well-timed construction work. But is it possible that another party has been pulling the strings?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 7.5 blackmail letters
After Professor Mason strangles the student he’s been having an affair with, he initially believes he’s gotten away with murder. However, an unlikely witness soon appears on the scene: the fourteen-month-old baby the student was babysitting. Soon, Professor Mason’s paranoia (or lack of childhood development education) gets the better of him, sending Mason into a downward spiral that could give Richard III a run for his money. Annie & Kathryn have a pointed difference of opinion about this episode, but they can agree on one thing: Pat Hitchcock is a treasure.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.5 crying babies
After the kindhearted Alice is mugged, she reports to the police station in an attempt to identify her attacker. There, she’s startled to encounter a mugshot of a very familiar face: that of her son-in-law, Leo. Alice is torn. Does she attempt to find out about and potentially report Leo, AKA Willie Draves? And could there be an even more shocking revelation around the corner?
Burn-o-Meter: 7.5
Overall Rating: 6.75 mugshots
In this very special holiday episode, Annie & Kathryn discuss yet another Hitchcock-directed episode in which podcast darling John Williams stars as a murderous husband, Herbert, who has sinister plans for his supposed wine cellar. Even though Herbert’s murder of his overbearing wife goes off without a hitch, there’s a little Christmas surprise awaiting him.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8.75 custom-made wine cellars
When a police officer shows up at Helen Parch’s door to remind her of a less-than-pleasant memory regarding her party line, she’s terrified to learn that an escaped prisoner might be attempting to find—and murder—her. What follows is a dramatic build-up to a poetically just and dreadfully ironic end.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8 party lines
A young Robert Duvall stars in this heady tale of professional jealousy and method acting gone wrong. Bart, a floundering actor, is irate when he discovers that Jerry, a drinking buddy of his, might have stolen “his” part in a Broadway play. When Bart ends up murdering his young rival, the episode descends into a darkly comedic twist that strains credulity . . . and Bart’s acting skills.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 4 ice buckets
Mrs. Hudson gets more than she bargained for when she visits a local furrier to have her new mink stole appraised. Upon discovering that her prized possession has been reported as stolen, Mrs. Hudson is caught up in a police investigation and quickly realizes that all is not as it seems. Annie & Kathryn puzzle over the 50s obsession with mink, antiquated gender roles, and one woman’s guilt v. innocence in this episode rife with gaslighting and fur talk.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.75 stolen stoles
In this year’s Halloween special, Annie & Kathryn tackle a three-part behemoth of a star-studded murder mystery. When Inspector Davidson arrives on the scene of Count Victor Mattoni’s murder, the case soon shapes up to be open-and-shut . . . or so the inspector initially believes. But when not one, not two, but three men confess to the count’s murder, Inspector Davidson and his quippy partner Raines are forced to do some head-scratching detective work.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8 murder confessions
In this Hitchcock-directed episode, Vincent Price plays one Charles Courtney, a Sherlockian detective with a sterling investigative reputation and an ego to match. But when local defense attorney John Gregory shows up on his doorstep late one night, Courtney finds he’s in for the shock of his life. Will Courtney’s pride—and more importantly, Gregory himself—be able to survive this tense evening? And will Courtney’s infamous hubris be the cause of his downfall?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8.25 special vases
When Gerry Daniels, a man on death row, is given his last request, he attempts to set the record straight regarding his actual crimes by writing a sensational letter to the editor. But as this edgy, brilliantly crafted plot progresses, the viewer begins to question: Is Gerry condemning the city’s district attorney or himself?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 9.25 last requests
Annie and Kathryn cover this infamous, star-studded episode about a Vegas gambler who agrees to some most unusual terms in a bet with a stranger. The prize if he wins? The keys to a brand new convertible. The cost if he loses? The pinky finger on his left hand. Tension mounts as the gambler places his fate in the hands of an everyday cigarette lighter’s reliability. But could it be that the terms of this bet are not quite so straightforward as they seem?
Burn-o-Meter: 9
Overall Rating: 8.5 pinky fingers
In a Good Evening first, Annie and Kathryn differ wildly in their opinion of this darkly comedic, Hitchcock-directed installment. When mystery writer Babs Fenton begins spying on her next-door neighbor, she latches onto many true crime theories in quick succession: Mr. Blanchard is a murderer. A controlling partner. A long-suffering husband hiding away a kleptomaniac wife! Or . . . none of the above? Only time—or the Blanchards themselves—will tell.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 6 silver lighters
TOP FIVE EPISODES SO FAR:
ANNIE
Conversation Over a Corpse
The Motive
The Deadly
Lamb to the Slaughter
Murder Me Twice
KATHRYN
The Motive
The Deadly
You Got to Have Luck
An Open Window
Mail Order Prophet
In a Good Evening first, Annie and Kathryn differ wildly in their opinion of this darkly comedic, Hitchcock-directed installment. When mystery writer Babs Fenton begins spying on her next-door neighbor, she latches onto many true crime theories in quick succession: Mr. Blanchard is a murderer. A controlling partner. A long-suffering husband hiding away a kleptomaniac wife! Or . . . none of the above? Only time—or the Blanchards themselves—will tell.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 6 silver lighters
TOP FIVE EPISODES SO FAR:
ANNIE
Conversation Over a Corpse
The Motive
The Deadly
Lamb to the Slaughter
Murder Me Twice
KATHRYN
The Motive
The Deadly
You Got to Have Luck
An Open Window
Mail Order Prophet
Charles Cavender can’t sleep. It’s not an unbearable heat of 92 degrees, and it’s not a noisy neighbor. It’s the fear that Jack Fletcher, the brother of his dead wife, is set on revenge. Determined to put an end to his insomnia, Charles tracks down Fletcher before he can be tracked down himself. But in the end, will that elusive good night’s sleep prove to be Charles’ downfall?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 7.5 faulty old heaters
Everyone knows the story of Lizzie Borden, immortalized in the famous children’s rhyme. Or . . . DO they? In this week’s episode, we revisit the famous Lizzie Borden case—this time with a twist that involves a nosy reporter, a not-so-secret compartment, and, naturally, an older sister named Emma.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8 axes
When Mr. and Mrs. Kendall move into their dream home in Salem, Massachusetts, their one concern is that their daughter Kate won’t have a playmate for the summer. But when Kate makes friends with “Lettie,” her parents become increasingly concerned that the little friend who rides in a gig and wears buzzard bone necklaces might only be imaginary. . .or, possibly, something far more sinister.
Burn-o-Meter: 5.5
Overall Rating: 7 buzzard bone necklaces
When college student Perry (not Mason) gets into hot water with Professor Jarvis, he decides to pay a visit to the prof’s house to make amends. But a chance discovery of a discarded hatbox in Jarvis’ trash can leads to quickly escalated speculation. Is Professor Jarvis a murderer? And will the enlisted Lieutenant Roman get to the bottom of a case involving a biology prof, a nosy small town, and one ugly hat?
Burn-o-Meter: 4.5
Overall Rating: 4.5 hatboxes
When Miss Fox is attacked in a dark alley, she is convinced that her dog Vanessa has as good as identified her assailant. But could Miss Fox’s personal bias be getting in the way? And how will true justice be served? Annie & Kathryn discuss an episode featuring rhinestone collars, leopard muffs, and the incomparable Bette Davis.
Burn-o-Meter: 7.5
Overall Rating: 7.5 dog walks
In this Hitchcock-directed episode, William Botibol is in over his head—first in a gambling pool and then in a more literal body of water. Annie & Kathryn discuss yet another man-overboard installment of AHP. It’s a story filled with high stakes, abandoned drinks, and a deadly ironic twist.
Burn-o-Meter: 7
Overall Rating: 8.25 estimated miles of the day’s run
Annie & Kathryn finish their brief Oscar Homolka series with a letdown of an episode. On his ocean liner voyage to South Africa, Sir Richard Musgrave encounters a familiar face aboard. An increasingly anxious and paranoid Richard becomes convinced that the familiar man named Keyser is, in fact, Jan Vander Klaue—an old partner he thought he killed twenty long years ago. What follows is a hard-to-believe tale of news-clippings, drunken jumps, and seventy-five pounds.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 4 useless life rings
When Carl Kaminsky discovers a wallet containing a whopping $5200, his wife Anna dreams of the generous reward they might receive for turning it in. Carl has ideas of his own, however. When Anna discovers Carl’s secret, what follows is a tale of spousal blackmail, fur coats, expensive manicure sets, and really good cups of coffee. Join Annie, Kathryn, and their growling stomachs as they discuss this second installment of their Oscar Homolka series.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 7.5 good cups of coffee
In keeping with the topsy-turvy times, Annie & Kathryn wander off their usual course and cover a listener-suggested episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour. A nurse-strangling serial killer is on the loose, but Stella and Nurse Ames are convinced they will remain safe if they keep all the doors and windows locked. But ARE all the windows locked? And will Stella’s forgetfulness turn out to be her undoing?
Burn-o-Meter: 6.5
Overall Rating: 8.75 unlocked windows
A clingy son, an enigmatic woman, and a dead Jonathan are the ingredients for this listener-suggested episode. When Gil’s beloved father Jonathan dies, he suspects his wicked stepmother of foul play. But could a fun trip to Mexico and an expensive bottle of brandy be more sinister upon second glance?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 6.75 giant bottles of poisoned brandy
The monsters are due in Milwaukee in yet another listener-suggested episode. Two strangers—one a squirrely fella and the other a victim of inertia—find themselves in a tense situation when they hear reports of an escapee from the nearby hospital for the criminally insane. Which of the two men is really dangerous? Or could it be that another danger entirely lurks just beneath the surface?
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8 annoying sirens
Steve McQueen stars as a journalist visiting his favorite bar for an interview with an apparent “martian.” But is Yang the Martian for real? And is Steve really a journalist? All is not as it seems in this dialogue-heavy, unusually sci-fi installment of AHP.
Burn-o-Meter: 5
Overall Rating: 6.75 targans
A ghostly legend. A high-stakes bet. A haunted British manor. All ingredients for a delicious Halloween tale. Will the eponymous Gentleman from America make it out of Hurstwood Manor alive? Or are there fates worse than an encounter with a headless ghost?
Burn-o-Meter: 5
Overall Rating: 7 headless ghosts
A premonitory dream plagues Mary Summers in this week’s dread-filled episode. When an escaped patient from a nearby mental hospital appears in her home, will her nightmare come true? Or is there more than meets the eye to this final installment in our Phyllis Thaxter marathon?
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 7 clumsy cats
Annie & Kathryn return to their Phyllis Thaxter Appreciation Series for this adaptation of a 1954 John Cheever short story. Our gal Phyllis plays a woman with a pistol, opposite Zachary Scott’s cold Mr. Blake. But what will be the end result? Murder? Or a somewhat anti-climactic twist?
Burn-o-Meter: 8
Overall Rating: 7 tense train rides
Annie and Kathryn are joined by special guest Chip Sebastian to discuss this eye-opening episode. The self-absorbed Seymour hatches a plot to stage the perfect murder, but could it be that he can’t see past the plank in his eye . . . er, nose?
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 7.5 birthmarks
At long last, Annie and Kathryn return from hiatus with their ongoing Phyllis Thaxter Appreciation series. And this sobering tale concerning the dangers of paranoia, double martinis, and brandy glasses leads to their biggest rating disparity yet.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 5.5 broken strands of pearls
Dog may be man's best friend, but can sick-as-a-dog Carl's pup Cassandra save him from his wife's poisonous cooking? And is it possible that there's more than meets the eye when it comes to this story of malice domestic?
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 8 cups of “coffee”
How many detectives does it take to solve a murder? In this nod to film noir, quantity is not always quality.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 6.5 detectives
A compulsive antique collector struggles to finance his addiction. When his wives wind up dead, an aptly named book may hold the key: was it accident or murder?
Burn-o-meter: 8
Overall rating: 7.25 slippery rugs
Annie and Kathryn travel to Europe for this listener-suggested episode, and Oskar Homolka shines in a tale of sumptuous treasures, plain rice pilaf, and just desserts.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall rating: 7.5 ikons of Elijah
Annie and Kathryn return from hiatus with a special tax season episode. Contained herein are conversations about empathy, southern accents, and the definition of success.
Burn-o-Meter: 3
Overall rating: 4.5 yearbook superlatives
Phyllis Thaxter is mesmerizing in this engrossing if illogical episode.
Burn-o-Meter: 8.5
Overall rating: 7.75 murderous trances
TOP FIVE EPISODES SO FAR
Annie
Conversation Over a Corpse
The Motive
The Deadly
The Right Kind of House
Lamb to the Slaughter
Kathryn
The Motive
You Got to Have Luck
The Deadly
Mail Order Prophet
The Creeper
When a vibrant dancer is assaulted, her husband vows to find and kill her assailant. But, in an ironic twist, justice seems to evade everyone involved.
Burn-o-meter: 2.5
Overall rating: 4 men in gray suits
Five years ago, Mark Halliday’s alluring wife Jocelyn mysteriously disappeared. Now happily remarried, he’s completely over his former wife . . . or is he? A shocking portrait leads the Hallidays out to the coast for an even more shocking reveal.
Burn-o-meter: 5.5
Overall Rating: 8 portraits of Jocelyn
An old man tries to communicate a horrible truth to a policeman, a journalist, and a priest—all to no avail. Will his failure help a killer go free?
Burn-o-meter: 10
Overall Rating: 7 brand new nylon stockings
Annie & Kathryn get festive with this very special holiday episode of Good Evening. Ms. Webster gives a hardened criminal an unlikely role: department store Santa Claus. Though Ms. Webster is set on “Stretch” Sears’ rehabilitation, will an act of Christmas kindness lead to a rehabilitation of sorts for herself?
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall Rating: 8 toy airplanes
Harry Pope is having a no good, very bad day, all thanks to a poisonous snake taking a nap on his stomach. But as Harry’s sadistic housemate and a less-than-competent doctor enter the scene, viewers are left to wonder: Is the threat of poison all in Harry’s mind?
Burn-o-meter: 6.5
Overall rating: 6.75 snake bites
A run-of-the-mill love triangle turns into a complicated murder plot. Which lover will get charged with the crime, and who is ultimately to blame? Annie and Kathryn discuss.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 8.5 poisoned teaspoons of sugar
After fulfilling a twenty year sentence, a man is reunited with his wife and child. When the former criminal becomes a victim, he learns a sobering lesson about his family.
Burn-o-meter: 7
Overall rating: 7 prison checks
An exclusive club prepares its members for a special dinner. Meanwhile, Annie and Kathryn find one character’s actions a bit difficult to swallow.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 8.25 specialties of the house
A crooked cop, a crooked mechanic, and a crooked judge conspire against some out-of-towners. But the strangers may not be playing it straight either.
Burn-o-meter: 9.5
Overall rating: 8 speeding tickets
This unaired episode is full of magic tricks, carnival treats, and an accidental dismembering. What more could you want from a Halloween Special?
Burn-o-meter: 8
Overall rating: 7.75 circular saws
The Right Kind of House: Location, location, location! A motivated buyer sees the hidden potential in a run-down property, but is he walking into a trap?
Burn-o-meter: 3.5
Overall rating 8.75 Overpriced homes
This episode about time travel combines the comedy of Groundhog Day, the Americana of Back to the Future, and the redemptive storyline of A Christmas Story. Ironically, timing proves to be a bit of an issue as the thirty-minute segment is quickly overwhelmed by the varying thematic elements.
Burn-o-meter: 1
Overall rating: 4.5 soggy baseball cards
When a creepy, socially-awkward plumber begins blackmailing a level-headed housewife, he fatefully underestimates the power of women en masse.
Burn-o-meter: 3.5
Overall rating: 9 envelopes of blackmail money
While circuses are often the setting for animal abuse and other unsavory practices, Leo Thorby’s exploitative act is downright disgraceful.
Burn-o-meter: 7
Overall rating: 1 circus drawing
Simple plot. Limited dialogue. What this episode lacks in complexity, it makes up for in suspense. Big time.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 8 broken taillights
A lying ventriloquist and his truthful dummy take to the stage as an inexplicably angry detective attempts to solve a murder. The sisters disagree (for once!) about how good this classic episode actually is.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 7 living dummies
Arsenic, old lace, and a fetching feather boa. Add a pinch of dark humor and four old ladies, and you have a recipe for a lethally charming episode.
Burn-o-meter: 9.5
Overall rating: 6.5 pieces of good china
An escaped convict thinks it’s his lucky day, but not all is as it seems at the country home he invades. Watch the AHP episode that critics (Annie & Kathryn) are raving about, bestowing their rare and coveted 9/10 rating!
Overall Rating: 9 old-fashioned telephones
Burn-o-Meter: 6.5
Linda Lawson’s heavenly voice is a distraction from the one-note performances, but ultimately, this gangster story falls a bit flat.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 3 champagne face splashes
A drawn-out manhunt and a predictable ending nearly bore Annie and Kathryn to death in this hard-to-swallow episode.
Burn-o-meter: 1
Overall rating: 4.5 poison pills
A conniving ne’er-do-well charms and gaslights the women in his life in order to get ahead. But when he sets his sights on a valuable antique, it’s the women who have the last word.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 6.75 Cheney vases
An awkward teacher learns a cruel lesson in this week’s episode, while the confusing screenwriting warrants a demerit from Annie and Kathryn.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 4 copies of Mary Shelley’s The Last Man
It’s not such a wonderful life for Mrs. Shrike and her hot-headed husband. Can a couple of mansplaining do-gooders save her from the murderous heat? Tune in to find out.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 6 glasses of summer milk
When a kept man decides he wants to marry another woman, murder seems to be the only solution. But just who is killing whom?
Burn-o-meter: 0
Overall rating: 8 fish-spearing knives
Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the weirdest of them all? While Susan can’t take credit for being the most interesting student at school, she can claim the superlative of “creepiest” and, perhaps, “most likely to facilitate murder.”
Burn-o-meter: 1.5
Overall rating: 6.75 white gloves
A soul-crushing job is stealing Ronald J. Grimes’ sunshine along with his dreams for a better life. Ronald seems resigned to his fate until a modern-day Nostradamus begins mailing him lucrative predictions. Is it all just a scam, or is Ronald in for a huge payday?
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 8 letters from J. Christiani
A man discovers a more menacing version of himself—a double with a terrifying agenda. Will an unlikely fashion choice distinguish the real Mr. Pelham from the imposter? Tune in to find out.
Burn-o-meter: 7.5
Overall rating: 7.25 doppelgängers
A narcissistic woman, convinced that she resembles a famous actress, begins to tire of her humdrum life and dull husband. Will a deadly encounter pave the way for a more glamorous, Hollywood lifestyle? It all seems to be coming up lilies for Martha Mason’s (supposed) doppelgänger.
Burn-o-meter: N/A
Overall rating: 7 Martha Mason magazines
A wounded Confederate soldier risks his neck and tries to find his way home. Along his journey, there are signs that something isn’t quite right.
Burn-o-meter: 3
Overall rating: 8 bridges
Two lost souls find each other in this sentimental episode about love, belonging, and family.
Burn-o-meter: 6.5
Overall rating: 7 unfortunate ducklings
Her aunt just wants her to be nice, but our teenage protagonist is too busy imagining how nice it would be if she were older. Maybe she doesn’t have to wait that long to get what she wants. . .
Burn o’ meter: 9.5
Overall rating: 8 glasses of milk
A husband and wife attempt to defraud their insurance company, but can they outlast a prying investigator and their hidden machinations?
Burn o’ meter: 3.5
Overall rating: 6 garden spades
A dependable piranha and a disloyal henchman take the stage in a mob story that is riddled with plot holes.
Burn-o-meter: 8.25
Overall rating: 6.5 glasses of Barberosa wine
When an American journalist peaks behind the Iron Curtain, she soon finds herself embroiled in a daring smuggling operation. But not all is as it seems on this train ride from communist hell.
Burn-o-meter: 3
Overall rating: 7.25 stockings
When a crotchety stranger moves into town, he makes plans to retire in peace. Those plans are thwarted when precocious little girl blackmails him into socializing with his neighbors and threatens to reveal his secrets.
Burn-o-Meter: N/A
Overall rating: 7.5 ghost marbles
The Last Escape: For an aging and arrogant illusionist, a dangerous water trick promises lasting fame . . . or infamy. Don’t try this stunt at home, folks.
Burn-o-Meter: 8.5
Overall rating: 7 straitjackets
Bystander apathy reaches a dangerously high level in this episode about the perils of infidelity.
Burn-o-Meter: 7
Overall rating: 8 Samantha nose wiggles
By the pricking of my thumbs, something ghostly this way comes . . . and then goes . . . and then comes again. In this homage to the Bard, a murder suspect plays peek-a-boo with the specter of his victim. Is it all the result of theatrics, or is something supernatural at play?
Burn-o-Meter: 7.5
Overall rating: 8.25 ghostly Pekingese
When a fugitive from justice holds a feuding couple hostage, it becomes difficult to determine who is terrorizing whom. Could a brush with death be just what the therapist ordered?
Burn o’ Meter: 9.5
Overall rating: 8.5 soothing cigarettes
What happens when a ridiculously lonely woman catfishes a mysterious ventriloquist? Annie and Kathryn are about to find out in this iconic—if melodramatic—episode.
Burn o’ Meter: N/A
Combined Rating: 7
Annie’s Top 3 Episodes:
Conversation Over a Corpse
The Motive
Lamb to the Slaughter
Kathryn’s Top 3 Episodes:
Breakdown
The Creeper
The Motive
After a fraternity prank goes horribly wrong, beachcombing students find themselves with fake blood on their hands. Is the demon liquor to blame once again?
Burn o’ Meter: 6
Combined Rating: 7.5 fire pokers
When a butterfly-stomping salesman screeches into town, heartache is bound to follow. But this selfish motorist is about to get a taste of his own medicine. . .
Burn o’ Meter: N/A
Combined Rating: 8 jugs o’ poison
To what lengths would you go to prove a theory? In this week’s episode, major sacrifices are made in the name of science. But are the results reliable?
Burn o’ Meter: N/A
Combined Rating: 8.75 perfectly sewn buttons
Annie and Kathryn set out to determine who’s really pulling the strings in this futuristic episode about “delooxe” marionettes and marital dissatisfaction.
Burn o' Meter: 7.5
Combined Rating: 7 interlocking rings
When creepy folks abound, is it really possible to lock danger out? This week’s surprising answer hits a little too close to home for Annie and Kathryn.
Burn o’ Meter: N/A Combined rating: 8.5 pairs of important work shoes
When two elderly sisters take to serving a special blend of arsenic-infused tea, murder and laughs are bound to follow. Annie and Kathryn giggle along to this week’s deliciously dark episode.
Burn o’ Meter: 1 Combined Rating: 8 glasses of weed killer orange juice
In this star-studded episode, Annie and Kathryn try not to lose their heads (or necks) while determining the nature of reality in Marriner’s Waxworks.
Burn o’ Meter: 8.5
Combined Rating: 7 French razors
It’s a real tearjerker of an episode this week as Annie & Kathryn review yet another Hitchcock-directed tale. Tune in for answers to essential life questions like, “How long can one go without blinking?”
Burn o’ Meter: 5 Combined Rating: 9 teardrops
Good eeevening, and welcome to Good Evening: An Alfred Hitchcock Presents Podcast. In this very first episode, Annie & Kathryn review the classic episode "Lamb to the Slaughter." Join the sisters as they discuss the mysterious ring test, the egg drop experiment method of staging a crime, 50s censorship, and talking horses.
Burn o' Meter: 1 Combined Rating: 8.75 lamb legs