Among Rod Serling's strongest attributes as a writer was his ability (when he wanted to) to take an otherwise unlikeable character, and give him the prospect for redemption. Many's the time he accomplished the feat in "The Twilight Zone", and "Lindemann's Catch" is one of his best examples in "Night Gallery." The fishing boat of hard-hearted sea captain Hendrik Lindemann hauls aboard a mermaid. While his cohorts seek to put the creature on display, Barnum-style, Lindemann is not so sure. While Lindemann contemplates her fate, his hard heart begins to soften toward the creature, seeking a way to keep her with him, while at the same time keeping her alive and safe. Finally, he takes a desperate step to keep her alive, with a somewhat predictable -- but still emotionally affecting -- result.
What makes this story work is the sensitivity of the writing, giving the Lindemann character the necessary depth to make the premise work, along with a fine lead performance by Stuart Whitman as Lindemann. Whitman is one of those actors who was all too easily wasted in film and television, but who was truly capable of finely textured performances (e.g., his superb, Oscar-nominated performance in "The Mark"). In this episode, he shows us the gruff sea captain, who does not suffer fools lightly, and yet who still is desperate to keep the mermaid alive because it fills a void in his life.
The episode also contains two other fine performances -- Harry Townes (always an underrated character actor) as the sleazy, would-be mystic Suggs, and Jack Aronson as the sympathetic, yet practical doctor. Also to be commended is the production design, which establishes the feel of a nineteenth century fishing village well. The only downside to the episode is some over-the-top directorial touches, namely the shooting of Lindemann's reaction to what his wish has wrought -- unfortunately, this problem was all too endemic to the series.
Fortunately, those touches are not enough to undermine the strength of the script and Whitman's fine lead performance. A fine episode in a series that had fewer than it deserved.