Shane continued in the crime drama mold, though he began to add trappings of gothic horror to a few stories, but he too was replaced after having completed a further nine episodes.

In addition to serving as the host of the series, Karloff also starred in five episodes: "The Prediction", "The Premature Burial", "The Last of the Sommervilles", "Dialogues with Death", and "The Incredible Doctor Markesan".

Other performers included: Rip Torn, George Grizzard, Natalie Trundy, Bethel Leslie, Patricia Medina, Patricia Barry, Richard Anderson, Richard Chamberlain, Elisha Cook, Conrad Nagel, Larry Pennell, Russell Johnson, Diana Millay, Philip Carey, Kathleen Crowley, Susan Oliver, Rodolfo Hoyos, Jr., J. Pat O'Malley, Robert Vaughn, Marlo Thomas, John Ireland, Jeanette Nolan, Virginia Gregg, Hazel Scott, Lloyd Bochner, Scott Marlowe, Judson Pratt, Olive Sturgess, Mary Astor, Marion Ross, Hazel Court, MacDonald Carey, Donna Douglas, Natalie Schafer, Phyllis Thaxter, Estelle Winwood, Antoinette Bower, Jane Greer, Dick York, Jocelyn Brando, Richard Carlson, William Windom, George Kennedy, Cloris Leachman, Monte Markham, Nancy Kelly, Patricia Breslin and Edward Binns.

But when they do—the strong shadows living in the black and white, the awesomely overwrought score by composers Jerry Goldsmith and Morton Stevens (if only they had music like that again), the storytelling not using gore and cheap scares as crutches—the results are genuinely goosebump-inducing.

Alan Patterson (Leslie Nielsen) is a businessman who meets a couple of mentally disturbed people, Merle Jenkins (George Grizzard), and Lily Hanson (Natalie Trundy), whose envy of him and his life becomes obsessive.

Hank Hattering (Tom Nolan) is a little boy who lives his life in the fantasy world of his daydreams, fighting a made-up enemy, while his parents, Bart (Frank Overton) and Gale (Bethel Leslie), argue over custody of him as they separate.

Connie Walworth (Constance Ford) is a widow who is shocked to learn that her late husband's Uncle Archer did not leave a will, and thus left no inheritance for her.

Duncan Corey (Rip Torn) is set to inherit his brother's valuable land and the house on the property, with the stipulation that he has to spend the night there and live there for one year.

In a resort town being plagued by a serial murderer, Mr. Freitag (Martin Gabel), a lonely school teacher, sits in a boat, the "Suzie-Tee", and is struggling to drown a woman by pushing her head under water as she tries to fight to save herself.

Harry Elser (Elisha Cook Jr.) is a mentally disturbed man who plots an assassination of a candidate for Mayor, Walker Wylie (Conrad Nagel).

Television writer Sam Lynch (Mort Sahl) overhears two men, Mr. Clark (Werner Klemperer) and 'Baby' Hoffman (Julian Burton), plotting the kidnapping and possibly the murder of a socialite, Kay Salisbury (Sue Randall), for a ransom demand of $100,000 from her father, Charles (Frank Albertson).

When she was young, Laura (Donna Douglas) became obsessed with admiring her reflection in a room in the attic that was full of mirrors, eventually falling through one to her death as an old woman.

Noel manages to take the heroin and make a break for it, but when he completely goes missing, his elder brother, Darryl (Philip Carey), begins a frantic search for him.

A detective inspector, Harry Roberts (Kenneth Haigh), for the Scotland Yard is summoned to Dark Falls, Wales to investigate the murder of a man by a hay-fork and a bill-hook.

She goes to her neighbor and attorney, Howard Yates (James Gregory) for help with the invasion, and so he can represent her husband, Charles (Ross Elliott), who is charged with murder when a dead body is found in the trunk of his car.

But the investigation shifts to a new suspect, Mr. Merriman (Thayer Roberts), when Ohrback's blood does not match a sample at the crime scene, and evidence of the broken leg of a rare Italian doll is found.

While en route, they are accosted by a fiendish pair, Master Styx (Richard Kiel) and Squire Moloch (Henry Daniell), at gunpoint, and Robert offers to sign over .5 million pounds to them.

Dr. Frank Cordell (Robert Vaughn) is conducting chemical experiments in his laboratory when he stumbles on to a strange gas that turns him into a violent homicidal maniac.

The Extra Passenger: Simon (Richard Lupino) plots the death of his wealthy Uncle Julian (Terence de Marney), who unbeknownst to him is a warlock.

Bandleader Eddie Wilson (John Ireland) attempts to revive his career by using voodoo music, but after a boost, things take a turn for the worse.

A Scotland Yard psychologist, Sir Guy (John Williams) is an expert on the Ripper, and believes the current murders were done by the original killer who he claims had received immortality through blood sacrifice.

Pete Jago (Edmon Ryan) and police psychologist Dr. John Carmody (Donald Woods) are investigating and are skeptical of Guy's claims.

Low on funds, he goes to a pawnshop owned by a miser, Mr. Spengler (Robert Cornthwaite), but is now run by a mysterious pawnbroker (John Emery), who offers Hector three months of fame and fortune in exchange for his soul.

Priscilla has inherited property and a large sum of money that her three greedy Leggett cousins, Edna (Virginia Gregg), Jared (Howard Freeman), and Adelaide (Lillian Bronson), are after.

A magician, Mario Asparos (Harry Townes), uses a book he inherited from his dead uncle, Radan, to invoke a demon, despite his wife Monika (Ilka Windish) and his friend Toby Wolfe (Henry Silva) trying to stop him.

Timothy runs from the house and passes out, and is found by a hunter Jacob Blount (Ken Renard), who summons Sheriff Buckner (Crahan Denton).

Beatrice Graves (Natalie Schafer) causes concern for her nephew, Paul (William Shatner) when she buys an old painting of The Grim Reaper, thought to be connected to the mysterious deaths of its previous owners.

Edward finds himself a scheming bride, Victorine Lafourcade (Patricia Medina), who plans to eliminate him for good so she can run off with his money, and her lover, Julian Boucher (Scott Marlowe).

Each episode of the first season featured a specially composed score; the main theme and majority of writing was by Pete Rugolo, with additional compositions by Jerry Goldsmith and Morton Stevens.

The British label Tadlow Music released two albums featuring several of Goldsmith's scores, re-recorded by City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and conducted by Nic Raine.