The Deadly story
Plumber Jack Staley, who has been blackmailing housewives for fabricated dalliances throughout a suburban neighborhood, sets his sights on new target Margot Brenner. In retaliation, Margot gathers all the wives of the neighborhood to confront Jack together. United, the women blackmail Jack into performing housework for them in the value of the money that he has extorted from them and more. Directed by: Don Taylor. Story by: Lawrence Treat, Robert C. Dennis.
11 total · 1 choice · 4 major · 6 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| blackmail | choice | Jack blackmailed housewives by making up stories of infidelity and threatening to reveal them. In the end, he was himself blackmailed. |
| coping with having a bad reputation | major | Mrs. Brenner faced having to cough up $500 or else have her reputation besmirched by a blackmailing plumber. Mrs. Brenner offered the newlywed bride Ann Warren some words of support in response to Ann's concerns about the other area wives gossiping about Ann behind her back. |
| extramarital affair | major | Jack blackmailed housewives by making up stories of infidelity and threatening to reveal them. |
| husband and wife | major | Lewis and Margot Brenner. |
| poetic justice | major | The story ended with the blackmailing plumber being blackmailed by the many housewives he had extorted money from. |
| female stereotype | minor | Mrs. Brenner commented on the gossiping nature of the women in town. |
| law enforcement | minor | Mrs. Brenner called a police sergeant to help her expose Jack as a blackmailer. |
| newlywed couple | minor | Mrs. Brenner referred to Anne Warren as an unhappy young bride. |
| painting | minor | Jack commended Mrs. Brenner on her landscape painting. |
| romantic jealousy | minor | Mr. Brenner feigned jealousy at the milkman. |