Third episode of this series is first-rate, as Lin McCarthy plays Arthur Douglas, a skeptical man who nonetheless agrees to have his fortune told by a psychic(played by Jocelyn Brando) at a cocktail party in a ritzy New York apartment. She foretells a dark fate for him on a train with a beautiful woman(played by Paula Raymond) who just may kill him - which is strange, because he does indeed take the train back home soon after, and there is such a woman, though of course things may not be all that they are foretold... Eerie offering is among the best from the series, with surprising and effective story turns and direction by host John Newland.
11 Reviews
Skeptical Arthur and his encounter with weirdness.
planktonrules17 May 2018
"One Step Beyond" was an old TV series that dealt with the supernatural. To enjoy it the most, it would help if you believe in things like ESP, precognition and the like. I don't...but still found "Emergency Only" entertaining and worth seeing.
At a dinner party, Arthur Douglas is introduced to a woman who can apparently see the future. He thinks she's a phony and encourages her to tell him his future...just so he can laugh when none of it comes true. Amazingly, however, just the opposite happens...it ALL comes true and it scares the pants off Artie!
The reason this one worked was that it was so well written...especially the surprise ending. Overall, this one is worth seeing...whether you are a skeptic (yup) or not. And, all the episodes are available for free download from archive.org....a site often linked to IMDB.
At a dinner party, Arthur Douglas is introduced to a woman who can apparently see the future. He thinks she's a phony and encourages her to tell him his future...just so he can laugh when none of it comes true. Amazingly, however, just the opposite happens...it ALL comes true and it scares the pants off Artie!
The reason this one worked was that it was so well written...especially the surprise ending. Overall, this one is worth seeing...whether you are a skeptic (yup) or not. And, all the episodes are available for free download from archive.org....a site often linked to IMDB.
Third times a charm, very good episode!
b_kite22 October 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The third episode of "One Step Beyond" has a group of friends at a cocktail party were it is revealed Ellen Larrabee (Jocelyn Brando) can predict future events throw a hypnotic state, having successfully predicted events in the past. Arthur Douglas (Lin McCarthy) is very skeptical of this practice, but, has his future told by Ellen anyways. Ellen depicts a horrid event were Arthur meets terror at the hands of a beautiful knife wielding woman (Paula Raymond) upon his train back to Chicago. As suspected the events Ellen predicts start to unfold...
I was really intrigued by this story from start to finish, it builds good suspense up until the final, I was afraid however that what was predicted was indeed going to happen making for a rather predictable conclusion, but, as I hoped there was a nice surprise ending which ends for the better for everyone involved, and that I didn't see coming. The cast as usual does a good job here. And as usual John Newland does great in front and behind the camera, as he has directed every episode so far.
I was really intrigued by this story from start to finish, it builds good suspense up until the final, I was afraid however that what was predicted was indeed going to happen making for a rather predictable conclusion, but, as I hoped there was a nice surprise ending which ends for the better for everyone involved, and that I didn't see coming. The cast as usual does a good job here. And as usual John Newland does great in front and behind the camera, as he has directed every episode so far.
Jocelyn Brando is excellent
bmulkey-3426029 July 2022
She plays a genuine psychic at a party.
I am a fan of this talented and beautiful lady and yes she is Marlon's very own sister.
Sadly, Miss. Brando is only to be found in the first seven minutes of the ep. After that it is somewhat less good. Thus, the 9 rather than 10 stars.
I am a fan of this talented and beautiful lady and yes she is Marlon's very own sister.
Sadly, Miss. Brando is only to be found in the first seven minutes of the ep. After that it is somewhat less good. Thus, the 9 rather than 10 stars.
Good episode
searchanddestroy-115 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
That's the third episode I discover from this TV show, that I am not sure was released in France. But maybe I am wrong. Anyway, it is quite thrilling, eerie as I guess the other épisodes of this TV series are, in the line of OUTER LIMITS or more precisely TWILIGHT ZONE. The story of a man more or less involved in a to be train accident. A man who can foresee what's going to happen. You think of course of another tale from this very show, the one speaking of the Titanic wreck. Nearly the same scheme. I have already seen such a topic in another episode, in another series: TWILIGHT ZONE or maybe something else. There were so many. But, concerning this one, it's worth to be watched.
Much better than expected - an ending with an unexpected twist
kcgreen-5217926 March 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This episode (#3) is top-notch. After watching the first two, which were unrealistic storylines, I expected this to be more of the same. Boy was I wrong.
Somehow I knew when Ellen Larabee - the attendee/amateur psychic at the afternoon cocktail party - predicted the near-term future for Arthur Douglas it wasn't gonna be good. The forecast sounded dire, but never came to a conclusion since she was awoken before completing it. That, of course, left the audience to surmise a gruesome ending for Mr Douglas. But, alas, a twist at the end that became uplifting. Mr Douglas actually ended up saving the day for everyone on board the train.
This episode was so well-written and directed I can't say enuf. (I'm normally very critical of shows.) Of particular note was the superb dialogue between Mr Douglas and the conductor. Everything flowed in this episode. I've watched ten other episodes and none come close to this one.
Somehow I knew when Ellen Larabee - the attendee/amateur psychic at the afternoon cocktail party - predicted the near-term future for Arthur Douglas it wasn't gonna be good. The forecast sounded dire, but never came to a conclusion since she was awoken before completing it. That, of course, left the audience to surmise a gruesome ending for Mr Douglas. But, alas, a twist at the end that became uplifting. Mr Douglas actually ended up saving the day for everyone on board the train.
This episode was so well-written and directed I can't say enuf. (I'm normally very critical of shows.) Of particular note was the superb dialogue between Mr Douglas and the conductor. Everything flowed in this episode. I've watched ten other episodes and none come close to this one.
Quality episode.
Sleepin_Dragon22 May 2024
At a cocktail party, Arthur Douglas agrees to have a reading from a psychic, a sceptical man, who believes he has both feet firmly on the ground, hears how he's about to meet a beautiful young woman, who will ultimately bring about his demise.
Definitely the best episode I've done across so far, this packs quite a punch, even after all these years. I always try to quantify what people would have had as an alternative, and this would have been quite unique, quite horrifying.
It manages to be tense and suspenseful, and deliver an unexpected twist at the end.
Lin McCarthy and Paula Raymond both shine as the two lead characters, his mania is very well played out, and her dazzling presence makes for a very tense, enjoyable ride.
Quality episode.
8/10.
Definitely the best episode I've done across so far, this packs quite a punch, even after all these years. I always try to quantify what people would have had as an alternative, and this would have been quite unique, quite horrifying.
It manages to be tense and suspenseful, and deliver an unexpected twist at the end.
Lin McCarthy and Paula Raymond both shine as the two lead characters, his mania is very well played out, and her dazzling presence makes for a very tense, enjoyable ride.
Quality episode.
8/10.
The fickle finger of fate
kapelusznik185 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
****SPOILERS**** Laughing off a prediction that seer Ellen Larrabee, Jocelyn Brando, made while in a trace at a Manhattan cocktail party skeptic of the paranormal Chicago businessman Arthur Douglas, Lin McCarthy, goes on his marry way to the local airport for a flight back home. He should have realized when the flight was canceled due to bad weather that him taking a train to Chicago which was one of the predictions that Ellen made about his future plans.
Still cocky in his feeling that what Ellen said about his future was nothing but bunk little by little all her predictions started to come together that started to slowly unnerve him. It's when he run into a woman passenger, Paula Raymond, whom he switched cabins with on the train that Douglas fears started to intensify in that everything about her was exactly as Ellen predicted. Including what she said was waiting for him at the end of the train trip.
***SPOILERS***By now paranoid with fear Douglas completely freaked out and pulled the train emergency cord causing it to stop suddenly and cause serious damage to all on board including the terrified out of his whits Douglas. As it soon turned out everything that happened to Douglas and the passengers on board was not for the worst but the best for them. And it was Douglas' hysterics that in the end prevented a far greater tragedy then the one that happened and that he was responsible for.
Still cocky in his feeling that what Ellen said about his future was nothing but bunk little by little all her predictions started to come together that started to slowly unnerve him. It's when he run into a woman passenger, Paula Raymond, whom he switched cabins with on the train that Douglas fears started to intensify in that everything about her was exactly as Ellen predicted. Including what she said was waiting for him at the end of the train trip.
***SPOILERS***By now paranoid with fear Douglas completely freaked out and pulled the train emergency cord causing it to stop suddenly and cause serious damage to all on board including the terrified out of his whits Douglas. As it soon turned out everything that happened to Douglas and the passengers on board was not for the worst but the best for them. And it was Douglas' hysterics that in the end prevented a far greater tragedy then the one that happened and that he was responsible for.
Emergency Only
Prismark1011 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
At a cocktail party. A sceptical and cynical, Arthur Douglas is introduced to Ellen Larrabee who is regarded to have psychic abilities.
Douglas is meant to on a business trip on a plane. Ellen tells him that Douglas will go on a train journey and describes some minor and key events including meeting a beautiful woman. A journey that will lead to disaster.
On his way to the business trip. All planes are cancelled due to bad weather and he must take the train.
Douglas becomes increasing frantic as Ellen's predictions start to become true. A panicked Douglas pulls the emergency cord and he ends up injured.
The last laugh was on Ellen. She did see a version of the future and Douglas's action saved all the other passengers. The train came to a stop just before it would have collided with a stranded freight train.
Douglas is meant to on a business trip on a plane. Ellen tells him that Douglas will go on a train journey and describes some minor and key events including meeting a beautiful woman. A journey that will lead to disaster.
On his way to the business trip. All planes are cancelled due to bad weather and he must take the train.
Douglas becomes increasing frantic as Ellen's predictions start to become true. A panicked Douglas pulls the emergency cord and he ends up injured.
The last laugh was on Ellen. She did see a version of the future and Douglas's action saved all the other passengers. The train came to a stop just before it would have collided with a stranded freight train.
Hammy isn't the word
Goingbegging11 June 2022
This was only the third episode in the long-running series 'One Step Beyond', so perhaps our host John Newland hadn't yet got into his stride. For once at least, we're excused his usual cod-psychic explanations of paranormal events. He just falls back on "You may believe it, or not. But the real people who lived this story - they believe it. They know. They took that... One Step Beyond."
A woman believed to be clairvoyant is not in the mood to do her party-trick at this small fashionable soiree in New York, until a self-declared sceptic taunts her into trying her special powers on him.
Soon she's deep in her trance, and considering that the actress trained with her brother Marlon Brando, her act is pretty unconvincing. But the message coming through is that he needs to beware of taking a particular sleeper-cabin on a particular train, where he will meet a dark-haired lady wearing a ring in the shape of a coiled serpent. He is able to laugh this off, because he is due to travel by plane, but when the weather turns bad, he is forced to take the train after all.
We can't reveal the chain of events that leads to the dramatic climax. But in any case, our attention is fixated on the sheer improbability of a woman half as glamorous as Paula Raymond accepting a drink in the dining-car from a total stranger acting as weirdly as Lin McCarthy, often staring in silent horror, as he recognises parts of the mystic forecast actually happening.
A woman believed to be clairvoyant is not in the mood to do her party-trick at this small fashionable soiree in New York, until a self-declared sceptic taunts her into trying her special powers on him.
Soon she's deep in her trance, and considering that the actress trained with her brother Marlon Brando, her act is pretty unconvincing. But the message coming through is that he needs to beware of taking a particular sleeper-cabin on a particular train, where he will meet a dark-haired lady wearing a ring in the shape of a coiled serpent. He is able to laugh this off, because he is due to travel by plane, but when the weather turns bad, he is forced to take the train after all.
We can't reveal the chain of events that leads to the dramatic climax. But in any case, our attention is fixated on the sheer improbability of a woman half as glamorous as Paula Raymond accepting a drink in the dining-car from a total stranger acting as weirdly as Lin McCarthy, often staring in silent horror, as he recognises parts of the mystic forecast actually happening.
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