Anthology Flashback #2: ‘One Step Beyond’ (1959–1961)

“What you are about to see is a matter of human record. Explain it: we cannot. Disprove it: we cannot. We simply invite you to explore with us the amazing world of the unknown… to take that One Step… Beyond.”
?— John Newland, host of ABC’s One Step Beyond

Once you’ve heard that intro, you already know what sort of show you’re in for. Yes, One Step Beyond is a look into the fantastical, the unexplained, the “Would-you-believe-its?” of the era. Delving into strange coincidences, supernatural psychic predictions, ghosts and spiritual possession, the anthology series was designed to raise eyebrows. Of course, there are also those who will instantly believe every strange little tale, just because it’s said to be based on a true story. Most of us are somewhere in the middle, not wanting to instantly dismiss or utterly swallow whatever “they” say. Wherever you find yourself in this spectrum, you may still enjoy One Step Beyond. It is indeed a little like The Twilight Zone, which came out around the same time. However, it retains a light edge over that series as it’s purported to be authentic. In that sense, it’s perhaps more similar to Ripley’s Believe it or Not!

Spooky Tales I’d Recommend

There are some pretty interesting tales in the series. Favorites I’ve seen include “Night of April 14th,” wherein a character (Barbara Lord) predicts a certain disaster in 1912. In “Emergency Only,” the predictions of a psychic (Jocelyn Brando — older sister of Marlon) prove all too accurate for a party-goer (Lin McCarthy). “The Executioner” is one of the more emotionally stirring episodes, as the deceased dog of a Confederate soldier (Buzz Martin) seeks strange revenge against a sadistic Colonel (Crahan Denton). While the series never discusses the accuracy of these tales at length, it is true that some crazy stories do exist, and some do have truth to them. For example, “Night of April 14th” suggests looking into a certain 1898 book by Morgan Robertson (go ahead and Google it), where you might fight an interesting coincidence. Also, as the popular saying goes, truth is stranger than fiction.

Watch The Executioner right now!

Are There Reasons to Believe?

There are many episodes of One Step Beyond, so it’s possible that some tales are truer than others. Still, it seems most of us have witnessed extraordinary coincidences even in our own lives. Speaking personally, one of my high school pals and I once said the same sentence at the same time. It truly seemed absolutely impossible that we’d have both said it! Granted, I don’t even remember what the sentence was, but it was highly unique. That’s why, despite significantly disbelieving in supernatural/psychic stuff, I have to admit that truly bizarre things are possible, based on that one incident alone. In fact, I still wonder about that moment sometimes. Was it just our brains being on the same wavelength? Probably. However, I can still say that even a skeptic has taken that One Step Beyond. Haven’t you ever guessed the next song on the radio (back when we still listened to the actual radio) or knew who was calling before you even answered the phone? In any case, join us next time for a look at one of the all-time great anthology series, The Twilight Zone!

Have you ever taken that One Step Beyond? Let us know in the comments!