One Step Beyond Season 1 Pleasantly Paranormal
By
Kristin Battestella
On
a whirlwind whim, I plunged into the First Season of the 1959 speculative
anthology series One Step Beyond. Despite
its shorter length and oft comparisons as the inferior, poor man’s Twilight Zone, this debut is a pleasant,
thinking person’s spin on the unexplained.
Perhaps
director and host John Newland (The Man
Who Never Was, The Loretta Young Show) does introduce these twenty-two,
twenty-five minute episodes in Sterling-esque fashion, but there’s none of The Twilight Zone’s depression or moody during
the thirty second openings or ending tags – which claim these tales are real
and based on true accounts. Although One
Step Beyond begins with too many standard plots such as possession, ghosts
or haunted houses, death, children trapped in mines, and even creepy dolls and
Titanic tales amid the assorted paranormal phenomenon, there’s an entertaining,
classy style to the irony. Some otherwise fine examinations on prophetic
dreams, war stories, and executions may happen too many episodes in a row, but
old-fashioned sophistication balances with the bizarre and unease. Nowadays we’ve
probably seen all these plots before, but some outcomes are unexpected and even
tender, innocent, or touching. Then scandalous talk of domestic unhappiness,
alcoholism, and divorce or suggestive suggestions on abuse, rape, and family
guilt, and surprising but now tame curses like jackass also standout along with
fresh analysis on hypnosis, coincidence, synchronicity, clairvoyance, spirituality,
Indian mysticism, Biblical parallels, and faith. Not everything is always
explained or tidy at the end of each show, and this fact or fiction, believe it
or not style might annoy modern audiences who expect complete clarification.
However, it’s also pleasing to see television that leaves the viewer thinking
on the how and why.
One Step Beyond creators/writers/producers Merwin Gerard (Mrs. Columbo, Daniel Boone) and Collier Young (Ironside, The Hitch-Hiker) and writer Don Mankewicz (I Want to Live!) would seem to have fine
concepts and ideas without finish, but the stories are fleshed with enough
drama, suspense, and fine casting to enthrall. Though it doesn’t seem as if One Step Beyond has as many stars as
other anthology shows, there are a lot of recognizable faces from other classic
television programs behind the scenes and onscreen. From Charles Beaumont’s (The Twilight Zone) penning of “The
Captain’s Guests,” Ross Martin (Wild Wild
West) in “Echo”, and Patrick Macnee (The
Avengers) in “The Night of April 14th” to Cloris Leachman (The Mary Tyler Moore Show) in “The Dark
Room”, Beverly Washburn (Old Yeller)
in “Premonition,” Mike Connors (Mannix) and Yvette Vickers (Attack of the 50 Foot Woman) in “The
Aerialist,” and Werner Klemperer (Hogan’s
Heroes) in “The Haunted U-Boat,” there are plenty of stars anchoring the superior
episodes. One Step Beyond gets better
as it goes on thanks to prophetic circumstances and train suspense in “Emergency
Only,” to close to home WWII fears in “The Dream,” and not often seen WWI
inspiration in “The Vision.” Latent lesbianism and Carrie like pyrotechnics also stand out in “The Burning Girl” with
Luana Anders (The Pit and the Pendulum),
Edward Platt (Get Smart), and Olive
Deering (Samson and Delilah). This
episode is so pre-Carrie Carrie it’s
shockingly Firestarter – a “Dirty, no
good devil, witch” girl not allowed to dress up and go to the party by her
angry, jealous, nutty dominating aunt because she “starts fires from within
her” indeed. Of course, the episode calls the scenario a case of spontaneous
combustion instead of pyrokinesis, but I guess we didn’t know much about either
in the fifties!
Granted,
some of these colloquialisms, dated dialogue, and bad fake accents hamper the
more put on, substandard players and make for a stock company feeling on One Step Beyond. However, the sometimes
goofy acting, melodramatic screams, and serious face contortions aren’t so bad
as to make any episodes here in Season 1 unwatchable – although some contemporary
audiences may find a few old-fashioned statements confusing or amusing: “When
he has something to drink, he is gay.” On the other hand, of the time masochism
is more uncomfortable. Women can’t drive and always get hysterical – but at least
they are good looking! It’s understood that men are entitled to spend the night
on the town with other women, but they can never believe the women telling them
something is afoot. This doesn’t ruin One
Step Beyond, but the mostly white casting, stereotypical Italian portrayals,
and further racism are definitely noticeable today. African American or Asian characters
are subservient porters or servants with hardly any lines or development –if they
are seen at all – yet it’s surprising to see Nazi soldiers depicted somewhat sympathetically
on early American television. Fortunately, there is a certain grace and
chemistry with the smaller cast – often only two or three billed players – and
the well plotted, intriguing, and speedy tales forgive any datedness. Actually,
the lack of out there, science fiction tales, or pop music, and mid century
references and other fad stylings keeps One
Step Beyond from being irrevocably dated. Well, except for the separate
beds!
The
sweet classic cars, men in suits, old-fashioned nurse get ups, casual smoking
and drinking, fedoras, old onscreen cameras, circus fun, and swanky furniture
we do see on One Step Beyond, however,
are indeed mid century cool. There’s even an early Ouija board plot appearance!
Some period dressings, turn of the century settings, and WWI designs probably aren’t
that accurate and reused set pieces and décor are apparent at times, of course.
The large, ornately dressed sets, costumes, and American and British themes,
however, suggest enough time and place for the atmosphere and mood – foreign,
old world appearances, French and Spanish accents, and even nautical tales and
The Blitz add further flair, too. I suspect what wide shots and special effects
footage we do see is borrowed stock, but good fog and lighting seamlessly hide any
reused material. It’s also refreshing to just have the one and two camera, over
the shoulder, standard production letting scenes play out as intended up to the
twists instead of today’s in your face CGI. I have to say though, what is this Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond sponsorship
and titling?
Though
available on several retro channels, in syndication, and thru streaming options
like Netflix and Hulu Plus, public domain offerings varying in quality and
incomplete compilation DVDs make viewing all three seasons of One Step Beyond difficult. Only One Step Beyond: The Official First Season is
properly available, with the remaining episodes from Seasons 2 and 3 mostly elusive.
Other best of compilations and volume sets do not have all the episodes, and
erroneous listings and show inclusions or exclusions are confusing or downright
infuriating for a completist. Fortunately, the speedy availability, short
duration, and fine anthology quality of this First Season of One Step Beyond is a quick, family
friendly fix for classic television fans and spooky audiences looking to get
their bizarre viewing on – audiences of other anthology series should
definitely take One Step Beyond.
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