Ep 18. The Shadow In The Well

In season 1, episode 18 of Rod Serling's Night Gallery, titled "The Shadow In The Well," viewers are taken on a suspenseful journey through the haunted backwoods of Ireland. The episode begins with a young English couple, David and Anne, traveling through rural Ireland on their honeymoon. They come across a dilapidated home in the countryside, which is home to a brooding Irishman named Michael Hanrahan. Despite warnings from the locals about Michael's sinister reputation, David and Anne decide to stay at his home for the night.

As they settle in for the evening, Michael regales them with stories of his family's curse; for generations, every Hanrahan male has met a violent and untimely end. David is skeptical, but Anne becomes increasingly frightened by Michael's tales and the strange noises she hears. She eventually discovers a well behind the house, which emits a chilling howling sound.

As the night goes on, Anne begins to have vivid nightmares about the well and the shadowy figure she saw lurking within it. Meanwhile, David becomes more interested in Michael's family history and delves deeper into the mysterious origins of the curse.

The tension builds as the couple's stay turns into a battle for survival against the malevolent forces that seem to be lurking within the old house. With each passing moment, the line between reality and nightmare becomes increasingly blurred, and it becomes clear that the Hanrahan curse is not something to be taken lightly.

As with all episodes of Night Gallery, "The Shadow In The Well" is masterfully written and expertly acted. The moody atmosphere and slow-burn suspense keep viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish. The episode's haunting imagery and excellent use of sound effects are also worth noting, with the howling from the well serving as a particularly memorable element of the story.

Overall, "The Shadow In The Well" is a standout episode from the first season of Night Gallery. It showcases the show's ability to take classic horror tropes and elevate them to new levels of terror and intrigue. Fans of the horror genre will undoubtedly enjoy this episode's eerie atmosphere and gripping storyline.