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A religious themed show such as this is largely a matter of taste, particularly the ending atmospherics which are not exactly subtle. Up to that point, the plot of a missing Jesus statue is nicely handled, just the right amount of Christmas thematics without being heavy-handed. Still and all, if memory serves, this was one of the most talked about of the early episodes. It obviously struck a popular chord. Perhaps it was because the audience enjoyed seeing the two bloodhounds tracking after a two-dollar statuette, not for its dollar value, but because of its sentimental and symbolic value to a poor parish church. The solution itself is appropriate to the lightweight story. There's also a good look at some regulars among the Webb stock company of actors, particularly .the ever-cranky Ralph Moody and the slyly eccentric James Griffith. Little Billy Chapin also appears, a fine little actor soon to make a permanent mark as one of the two terrified children in that great Gothic classic, Night of the Hunter (1955).
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