A yuppie businessman Ted Miller (David Dukes) is bicycling one day in the city when he's mysteriously hit by a driverless car. He returns home and soon discovers Melody (Susan Blakely) a former roommate from his college days 15 years ago. Melody is down on her luck and needing somewhere to stay. Ted remembers a pact they made in which If one always needed help, they would be there for one another, he agrees to let her stay the night, but then more strange things start to happen and Ted soon learns a harsh lesson when his adolescent past collides with his fake greedy materialistic present. This is a pretty good episode that revolves around the idea of selling out what you believe in and unkept promises only to have your past come back to haunt you, it's an idea that's been done a lot in these kind of anthology series, but it works great here. Both Dukes and Blakely are great and the later plays her part exceptionally well. As usual there's a bit of softcore sex, nudity, and a pretty dang good twist ending to cap it off. It's not the best of the first 5 episodes aired, but it defiantly hit's the best in the message it tries to deliver.
2 Reviews
Nothing dies harder than your innocent youthful ideals
Woodyanders21 November 2010
Warning: Spoilers
Self-centered yuppie attorney Ted Miller (well played by David Dukes) is reunited with Melody (a fine and touching performance by the lovely and radiant Susan Blakely), an old flame and former college roommate who still firmly clings to her 60's hippie ideals. Ted allows the jobless and destitute Melody to spend the night at his posh apartment, but things soon fall apart when Melody realizes that Ted has sold out his wide-eyed youthful beliefs in favor of greed, success, and shallow materialism. Director Christopher Leitch, working from an intriguing script by Alvin Sepinsky, does a sound job of creating and sustaining an eerie and enigmatic atmosphere and adroitly incorporates a cool supernatural element into the main narrative in a subtle, spooky, and satisfying way that culminates in a genuinely tragic and poignant conclusion. Moreover, this episode offers some spot-on commentary about how the 60's love generation severely compromised their initial nonconformist ways and wound up becoming complacent soulless cogs in the very system they were originally opposed to being a part of. Blakely's excellent and affecting portrayal of the sweet, hapless, and fragile Melody really hammers this point home (of course, we also get some choice gratuitous female nudity from the ravishing Ms. Blakely and a dab of sizzling soft-core sex as well). Dukes likewise registers strongly while Alberta Wilson lends able support as Ted's hard-nosed law office partner and girlfriend Jill Friedlander. Paul Van Der Linden's slick cinematography makes fluid use of a prowling Steadicam and delivers a breathtaking opening aerial shot of a bustling city. Michel Rubini's shivery score hits the shuddery spot. A typically sturdy and worthwhile episode of this often enjoyable anthology series.
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