Original Airdate: December 2, 1963
NOTE: At this point during the original broadcasts (between CORPUS EARTHLING and NIGHTMARE), OL skipped a week due to JFK’s assassination.
“NIGHTMARE” is considered one of the greats, and rightly so. The tale of human POWs being interrogated and tortured on the planet Ebon, features some of the best writing and acting of the series. The superb cast includes an extremely young Martin Sheen, Ed Nelson (“NIGHT OF THE BLOOD BEAST”, “THE BRAIN EATERS”, & TV’S “PEYTON PLACE”), James Shigeta (who really stands out), David Frankham (“RETURN OF THE FLY” & the original “STAR TREK”), and great Sci-Fi/horror/TV veteran Whit Bissell. – And that’s just the human cast. John Anderson (“PSYCHO”) plays the main Ebonite interrogator and he’s terrific. Dominic Frontiere’s music is a literal nightmare itself, full of bizarre melodies, rhythm and sound stylings. The story is told on a surreal set with imaginative camera angles and hazy hallucinations. And the Ebonites look great – a memorable OL bear achievement.
This is another one of my favorites. I particularly like the sequence where the prisoners decide they must kill Major Jong, a presumed traitor. ("Thank you for waiting. I've finished eating.") The pacing is tense and loaded with intelligent dialogue. It remains a very adult and thinking episode. The ending touches a nerve and offers a conclusion we might rather keep in the closet. One fantastic ep!
Here’s an example of the OL bubble gum cards that were produced in the 60’s:
“Prepare the chamber!”