Old School TV: One Step Beyond- 'The Executioner'

As an experiment in randomness, I let a man and a set of virtual dice decide what Horror/Sci-Fi Anthology Show and Episode I'd review.

The lucky winner is an old favorite of mine...

In 'The Executioner,' a young man is found sneaking around near a Union Camp during the Civil War.

They check his pockets and find a list of supplies to be shipped out that night.  Well, he's boned.

He's sentenced to be killed the next day via firing squad.

He asks to see his dog before he's killed, but he learns that it is dead.  It had been whining all night and got killed 'by accident.'

The next morning, it is his time and they want him blindfolded.

It is at this point that he starts hearing his dog and telling him to stay away for its own safety...but only he 'sees' it.

The Commander shows up and is apparently attacked by the dog...but still nobody sees it.  He dies.

Our Host shows up and says that nobody confirms or denies the story.  Insightful.

An interesting ending, but not much else.  This thing is pretty much all build-up.  Other Episodes have had some intrigue throughout or something at least to keep the tension high.  This one just has an attempt at human drama before the odd ending.  To sort of steal a comparison from myself, imagine the classic Twilight Zone Episode involving a thing...on the...wing of a plane was just a big build-up to him actually getting on the plane.  It wouldn't be nearly as good, right?  I get that maybe the idea is that you're watching to see if they will execute the guy.  I just don't see it as interesting of a hook as other Episodes here or from other Series'.  That said, the Production Values are nice for early TV and the Acting is good.  I don't think that I've noted this before but every Episode was apparently Directed by our Host John Newland.  He had a pretty prolific Career as a Director too, doing shows like Wonder Woman and even one Episode of the original Star Trek!  Good for you.  I can see the appeal of this Episode, but I just don't think they nailed it here.  Newland can take my criticism well though, since he apparently lives in the dark void of space...

A decent Episode that really only has the ending being all that interesting.  You also have to deal with the constant 'whining dog' soundtrack for the middle part, so mixed results.