Ep 9. She'll Be Company For You

She'll Be Company For You, the ninth episode of Night Gallery's third season, is a spine-tingling mixture of horror and suspense. Directed by Jeannot Szwarc and written by Alvin Sapinsley, it originally aired on November 14, 1972.

The episode opens with a young woman named Elaine Latimer (played by Phyllis Diller) arriving at a funeral home to pick up the urn containing the ashes of her deceased husband. The funeral director, Mr. Pratt (played by John McIntire), is a kind and sympathetic man who tries to comfort Elaine in her grief. He also invites her to return to the funeral home any time she needs to talk or be around people.

Feeling lonely and isolated in her large, empty house, Elaine takes Mr. Pratt up on his offer and starts visiting the funeral home on a regular basis. Over time, she develops a close friendship with a female mannequin on display in the funeral home's showroom. She talks to the mannequin, dresses it up in different outfits, and even brings it home with her on occasion to keep her company.

As Elaine becomes more and more attached to the mannequin, strange things start happening around her. She hears mysterious noises in her house, sees shadows moving in the corners of her eyes, and feels an eerie presence watching her. She also starts treating the mannequin like a real person, setting a place for it at the dinner table and having conversations with it.

Mr. Pratt becomes concerned about Elaine's mental state and tries to gently convince her to seek help. But Elaine refuses to listen to him, insisting that the mannequin is her only friend and companion. She believes that the mannequin is alive and can hear her, and that it is trying to communicate with her in its own way.

As the episode builds towards its chilling conclusion, the line between reality and fantasy becomes increasingly blurred. Elaine's grip on sanity is tenuous at best, and the mannequin seems to be exerting a strange, unsettling influence over her. Viewers will be kept on the edge of their seats wondering what will happen next, and whether Elaine's growing obsession with the mannequin will lead to her downfall.

Overall, She'll Be Company For You is a masterfully crafted tale of psychological horror that will leave viewers with shivers down their spines. With its eerie atmosphere, complex characters, and expert pacing, it showcases all the best qualities of Night Gallery as both a horror anthology series and a showcase of top-notch television talent. Fans of horror and suspense will not want to miss this unforgettable episode.