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THE SPECIAL ONE, directed by Gerd Oswald, is an
entertainingly paranoid Sci-Fi tale.
Richard Ney is cultured and urbane as the human-looking alien, Mr. Xeno.
He brings to mind Michael Rennie, in "The Day the Earth Stood Still",
but has a more sinister screen presence.
MacDonald Carey offers able support as the father of an intellectually
gifted son. He plays the kind of concerned, sensitive dad most of us
would love to have had growing up.
"Happy Days" fans may enjoy seeing Marion Ross, as what else
... a mother. Edward Platt, who scored big several years later, as 'The
Chief' on "Get Smart", has a small role as a government employee.
The Teleplay, by Oliver Crawford, has some curt dialogue. When Carey
briefly detains the human-looking alien, to talk to him about his son's
tutoring schedule, Xeno (Ney), abruptly ends the conversation after
a short while with, "This little colloquy has already cost me two
and a half minutes."
The FX involve people walking through walls, as well as laser-like beams
of light. The Special Photographic Effects were Designed and Created
by Project Unlimited, Inc.
My favorite scene takes place when Carey discovers that Xeno/Ney is
in his son's room in the middle of the night. Secretly following him,
Carey is stunned to see Xeno exit by walking through the front door.
Director of Photography, Kenneth Peach, is quite creative here, utilizing
fish-eye lenses, shadows on walls, and low camera angles to help weave
an other worldly mood.
The music, by Dominic Frontiere, is tense and foreboding, helping to
build a growing sense of dread throughout the episode.
THE SPECIAL ONE will be fairly watch able for most Sci-Fi viewers. Those
who watch "The Outer Limits" for weird-looking aliens may
be disappointed. BACK TO: EPISODE
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