Set almost entirely within a centuries-old dungeon that has since been repurposed as a local history museum in Massachusetts, the episode brings together two rival witches who first met during the 1600s: the bitter, old-fashioned Mary Hobbs (Sally Gracie) and the modern, affluent Elizabeth Eaton (Linda Thorson).
Every year, the duo shares a powerful magical talisman that grants immense good fortune. Tonight is supposed to be the anniversary of the handoff. There is just one catch: Elizabeth insists they must wait two more weeks until Venus and Mars align. Desperate and destitute after a miserable year of dried-up wells, lightning strikes and lapsed insurance policies, Mary tries to steal the artifact early. This breach of contract reignites a centuries-old feud that began back at the Salem Witch Trials, leading to a fateful transformation that proves you should always read the fine print on your eternal pacts.
Sally Gracie and Linda Thorson carry the entire 30 minutes. Confining the narrative primarily to a single prison cell gives the episode a theatrical, stage-play intensity. The flashbacks to the 17th century seamlessly flesh out their shared history without breaking the suffocating atmosphere of the present-day museum setting. The episode has fun contrasting Elizabeth’s modern approach to witchcraft (investing in stocks, becoming Boston Magazine‘s Woman of the Year) with Mary’s small-minded desire to simply scare villagers. The revelation that Elizabeth secretly orchestrated Mary’s recent string of bad luck out of petty spite adds a delicious layer of malice.
This episode doesn’t have special effects. Instead, it has sharp dialogue, strong performances and a great dark comedy twist. It proves that while time heals most wounds, a centuries-old grudge fueled by magic is nearly impossible to put to bed, especially if you end up as the other person’s feline pet.
Director Richard Friedman also made Phantom of the Mall: Eric’s Revenge, Doom Asylum and the Billy Joel video for “Only Human (Second Wind).” Writer Edithe Swensen did ten episodes of this show and six of Monsters, as well as plenty of other episodic TV.
