...it could've been so much better.
The problems with this episode are mainly due to a huge plot hole in the storyline, and the casting. Or better, the miscasting.
Plot holes: We're told and shown that Ilsa can't tolerate human voices. This is demonstrated by tweaking the voices around her to sound garbled along with adding some screeching noises in an early scene. Poor Ilsa covers her ears because she's so tormented by this noise.
But then that problem disappears! For 90% of the rest of the episode, she stops covering her ears. That is until those evil children in her class start repeating her name: Ilsa, Ilsa, ILSA, ILSA, LWSAH, ILLSSHAH, and then worse, when her fellow clairvoyants come from Germany to pick her up and start conveying their THOUGHTS to her -- their thoughts become garbled as well.
Also, Ilsa's apparent telepathy -- and some occasional clairvoyance -- come and go. If she knows what's going to happen, why doesn't she stop her new "mother" from burning the letters that are being sent from Germany? Yes, she can't speak or write, but she could certainly express her anger via a tantrum, or tears.
And while most of the cast is good, including Barbara Baxley, Ms. Baxley is just too old to play the grieving mother. With all the heavy eye shadow and thick lashes, she looks like she'd be more at home playing some washed up lounge singer. Especially when she yells at the teacher in a critical scene near the end. Her voice is so gravelly, she almost sounds like Bette Davis, not some 40-something mother.
Same for Frank Overton. While he was only 46 when this was made, he looks a good 10 years older, even with the heavy 'tan' makeup. He seems very uncomfortable and not because of the storyline. Perhaps he wasn't in good health as he died only 3 years later at the young age of 49. A good actor, just miscast.
I agree with the others though, than Ann Jillian does a great job as the telepathic child. Especially in the last 15 minutes or so when she's required to show and FEEL the emotions she's experiencing.
But the best actor of all in this episode is the young boy who's asked to recite from a book about sailing ships. He's 100% natural, with none of the often grating "I'm a child actor" overacting that comes with some young performers. The episode is worth it for his 15 seconds alone.
The problems with this episode are mainly due to a huge plot hole in the storyline, and the casting. Or better, the miscasting.
Plot holes: We're told and shown that Ilsa can't tolerate human voices. This is demonstrated by tweaking the voices around her to sound garbled along with adding some screeching noises in an early scene. Poor Ilsa covers her ears because she's so tormented by this noise.
But then that problem disappears! For 90% of the rest of the episode, she stops covering her ears. That is until those evil children in her class start repeating her name: Ilsa, Ilsa, ILSA, ILSA, LWSAH, ILLSSHAH, and then worse, when her fellow clairvoyants come from Germany to pick her up and start conveying their THOUGHTS to her -- their thoughts become garbled as well.
Also, Ilsa's apparent telepathy -- and some occasional clairvoyance -- come and go. If she knows what's going to happen, why doesn't she stop her new "mother" from burning the letters that are being sent from Germany? Yes, she can't speak or write, but she could certainly express her anger via a tantrum, or tears.
And while most of the cast is good, including Barbara Baxley, Ms. Baxley is just too old to play the grieving mother. With all the heavy eye shadow and thick lashes, she looks like she'd be more at home playing some washed up lounge singer. Especially when she yells at the teacher in a critical scene near the end. Her voice is so gravelly, she almost sounds like Bette Davis, not some 40-something mother.
Same for Frank Overton. While he was only 46 when this was made, he looks a good 10 years older, even with the heavy 'tan' makeup. He seems very uncomfortable and not because of the storyline. Perhaps he wasn't in good health as he died only 3 years later at the young age of 49. A good actor, just miscast.
I agree with the others though, than Ann Jillian does a great job as the telepathic child. Especially in the last 15 minutes or so when she's required to show and FEEL the emotions she's experiencing.
But the best actor of all in this episode is the young boy who's asked to recite from a book about sailing ships. He's 100% natural, with none of the often grating "I'm a child actor" overacting that comes with some young performers. The episode is worth it for his 15 seconds alone.