Newspaperman Bradley's habit of playing practical jokes puts morgue attendant Pop Henderson in danger of losing his job.Newspaperman Bradley's habit of playing practical jokes puts morgue attendant Pop Henderson in danger of losing his job.Newspaperman Bradley's habit of playing practical jokes puts morgue attendant Pop Henderson in danger of losing his job.
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Did you know
- TriviaIn the morgue setting of this episode, the refrigerated drawers are kept below freezing. Normally, morgue drawers are just above freezing, the idea being to retard decay without freezing body tissues solid.
- Quotes
[introduction - Hitchcock is standing next to a sign reading "The Hitchcock Rock"]
Self - Host: Good evening. It grieves me to announce that it will impossible for my cousin, Alvin Hitchcock, to entertain you with his singing. He fell victim to a crowd of teenage souvenir hunters. After first helping themselves to bits of his clothing, they began snipping off locks of his hair. He held still for that. After all, he certainly needed a haircut. But when they had exhausted his hair, they refused to stop snipping. He was very popular. This was all we found
[holds up guitar]
Self - Host: Tonight's program was to have included many of greatest hits - "I Dig You, Darling, 'Cause You're Sick, Sick, Sick", "The FBI's Breaking Up That Old Gang of Mine", "Take Off Your Leather Jacket, Mother - You Shall Not Ride Tonight" and Tchaichovsky's Rock and Roll Concerto. Substituting for his concert is a play, "The Jokester". However, as a tribute to Alvin, let us first observe one minute of noise.
- SoundtracksFuneral March of a Marionette
Written by Charles Gounod
"The Jokester" mostly did a quite good job with its premise, though did fall short of reaching full potential. It is not as good as "Post Mortem", but despite a few not so minor debits it is a solid outing and proof that Hiller's work was still worth a look. There are far better 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' episodes, including the Season 4 opener "Poison", but it is infinitely better than the very weak previous outing "Don't Interrupt" (one of my least favourites of the series).
It is not a great episode. It is very far fetched at the end, with what happens being like being in a universe different to reality like with not checking for a pulse.
Did feel too that it did get too over silly at times and at others a little too cruel.
However, a lot works. Albert Salmi was looking as though he was really enjoying himself, and is an expert mix of the funny and the unsettling. Hitchcock's bookending is amusing, fitting with the story's tone more than ideally, while Hiller's direction is some of his most accomplished.
Moreover, the production values are slick and atmospheric, neither overblown or cheap. The music fitted very well, at times ominous and at other times offbeat. The dialogue is entertaining and thought provoking, while not being too reliant on too much talk.
While the story isn't perfect, it is never dull and isn't too derivative despite it not being novel. It is often suspenseful and it is also darkly offbeat.
Pretty good episode all in all. 7/10.
- TheLittleSongbird
- Apr 19, 2023
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1