While there were some misfires in it, 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' was a very interesting and more than worthwhile series if you love the master of suspense. At its best though, it was brilliant. Season 1 had some great and more episodes, as well as a smaller handful of misfires. It was great to see Robert Stevenson back in the director's chair for the first time since "There's an Old Woman" and the story idea grabs the attention enough at least.
"Mink" could and should have been a good deal better than it was. It is not one of the worst episodes of Season 1, none of it is on the same levels of weak as "The Hidden Thing", but it had potential to be a lot more exciting than it turned out and it was a great of a promising start but runs out of gas too early. There are better episodes in the season, and we are including Stevenson's entries, this is certainly no "And So Died Riabouschinska".
There are good things about "Mink". Ruth Hussey is very good in the lead role and is the main reason as to why the second half is just about worth sticking with. The cast are all fine, though the rest of the cast are never on the same level as Hussey. The episode is slick visually and has some nice atmosphere, mink coats always catch the eye on film and television.
It is also an episode with a promising first half, where there is some real intrigue and it is easy to invest in Paula's predicament. The bookending, with one exception, is typically ironic and the main theme is suitably devillish.
For me, the second half is not as interesting. The story does thin out and loses its tightness, there is no real suspense and the mystery becomes bland and obvious. The ending is so anaemic too that it's almost immediately forgotten about and it is easy to question was there an ending or a twist.
Stevenson's direction is on the uninspired side in the second half and the dialogue never properly crackles. While usually loving Hitchcock's bookending and generally it's humorous here, the wife beating remark really doesn't hold up and is in bad taste.
Overall, watchable but uneven and bland. 5/10.
