The Monster of Moon Ridge

Palladin is called in to resolve a Shakespearean witchy mystery, and he discovers that the evil is a smokescreen to protect the handicapped. Walter Coy, Barney Phillips, and Ralph Moody make up a good cast of supporting characters.

The story is a bit vague on what kind of illness caused many children to be mentally afflicted at a young age. The father of the girl claims most of the children were driven out of town and treated like animals because they never mentally matured. That seems a bit harsh.

Palladin eventually finds the source of the mystery. The fantasy resolution for two grown children is that their respective parents will stay far out of town and keep out all visitors except trusted friends. The story is fantastical in a wonderful way, but unrealistic and likely to create more problems in the future.

Paladin once again goes after the Triple;Headed Demon of Ignorance, Prejudice, and Superstition in this episode, emerging as the Champion of an "invisible minority" too long shunned and misunderstood by Society.

Intrigued by local tales of a horrific Creature lurking on a nearby mountain (encountered mostly by disreputable townsmen whose accounts fail to make much of an impression on the Sheriff, although he none the less arms himself with a protective talisman), Paladin, after meeting a reclusive widower whose shy young daughter has also apparently seen the Creature, decides to investigate --- and promptly falls victim himself to "The Monster of Moon Ridge".

Paladin's (rather one-sided) verbal exchanges with the Creature, and his reactions to with its equally alarming "Keeper", create some very entertaining moments for the viewer! And as this episode concludes, we are poignantly reminded that while all people may be created equal, "Monsters", as a rule, most certainly are not.