Fine episode. Often the 60-minute entries lacked the tightness of the 30-minute earlier Hitch series. The suspense here, however, rarely lets up thanks to ace performances from the three principals. So how's Fonda going to get revenge on Emhardt for killing his father. Fonda heightens tension with a convincing turn—half barbershop charming, half steely determined. And how does poor simple-minded Reese help brother Fonda since he seems too harmless to care. And of course there's blubbery Emhardt, perfectly cast as the small town big-shot. If there were a Hitchcock repertory team, Emhardt would head it up. I doubt anyone had more appearances for TV Hitch than the rotund actor. But then he was so good at being detestable, as he is here. For a Beverly Hills boy, Fonda does really well at playing a hillbilly, his lanky frame an apt contrast to the blobbish Emhardt. Anyway, it's a superior hour-long entry, with a good ironical ending that works really well.
Review of Return of Verge Likens
