Who is the father of Ann Collins’ baby? Her husband had a vasectomy years ago. And Ann hasn’t been with another man. Even more mysterious: as the baby grows inside her, Ann begins to change. She is beset by strange illnesses, pours tablespoons of salt on her food, turns the thermostat to 50 degrees, speed-reads academic tomes. But much bigger shocks are yet to come. Barbara Eden stars in this hypnotic, swiftly paced blend of horror and sci-fi from Richard Matheson, the popular and prolific writer who also penned the novel I AM LEGEND and several notable THE TWILIGHT ZONE scripts.
Acting
Barbara Eden commits to ice baths and salt binges with full melodrama.
Writing
Richard Matheson squeezing maximum weird from minimal budget.
Production
That thermostat at 50 degrees—chintzy 70s shiver acting at its finest.
Director
Lee Philips
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Richard Matheson adapted his own 1953 short story 'The Stranger'—the TV version adds the pregnancy angle for maximum 70s exploitation.
This aired on ABC in 1974, same year as The Exorcist's cultural takeover—networks were desperate for demonic pregnancy content they could actually show in prime time.
US
