Only one thing prevents this episode from being the truly macabre and horrific story it was intended to be. When Allison (Rosalyn Landor) initially escaped from the Choronzon Society, it was with real fear and trepidation as to what her outcome would be if she was used to summon the satanic figure of Lord Chornzon. But fast forward to the end of the story, and she turns into a willing accomplice for Charles Randolph (John Carson) in revealing Michael Roberts (Ray Lonnen) as the 'eagerly' arriving victim with the scrying glass. The two motivations are at odds with each other and don't make sense. If the story were written with Allison escaping under the pretext of working with Randolph it would have been more credible. One doesn't have to feign fear and indecision when there's no one looking. Otherwise, this was an effective tale of demonic evil and black magic that ends with one of the principals now under the spell of the satanic cult. No happy ending as it were, just a victory for the cultists.
Review of Guardian of the Abyss
