The Hitchhiker - Hired Help

Karen Black gets the high honors of being the “villain suffering her comeuppance” in this episode of The Hitchhiker, called Hired Help. I think the hot topic of illegal immigration that has been ongoing for significantly the last ten years actually at the forefront of Hired Help calls to our attention that the exploitation of those from other countries (Mexico here) has been alive and well for quite some time. This was made around 1984/85, so the topic has had its relevance, and that this privileged white woman with zero empathy for a sewing machine operator under her garment factory’s employ who hurt herself, needing medical attention, is barking at illegal immigrants to get back to work after such shock has yet to wear off sort of hits a nerve, I imagine. The workers look at her with the appropriate repulsion, but she addresses a loyal employee who has doggedly worked without time off with such little regard that any respect that she might have had was immediately lost. But they need the work and she knows that, with her put-upon husband (Donnelly Rhodes) key at negotiating contracts for her while she orchestrated the use of immigrants due to paying less and monetarily accruing more. Her home is  of that 80s plastic art deco style, with the silk sheets and pillow cases, the naked European painting on the wall, and fancy wine glasses (and the obvious impressive wine collection). Of course she drives the cherry convertible right into her factory while the hired help probably make enough to provide a bit for their families. So Black’s Kay Mason isn’t exactly employer of the year. She has that tendency towards bellowing loudly when she doesn’t get her way, is rather nasty when the production in the factory has even the slightest setback, and her neediness is great (see how she wants to go on a vacation but is so despondent because the hubby is on the golf course with a potential client she picks up a new employee she finds attractive, later attempting to seduce him after much drink). Fernando Allende is noticed standing next to a wall with this painted image of a “dark god” and has that sinister stare with the piercing eyes. But Kay is instantly drawn to him, perhaps suspecting he might be a potential fuck. Black might have been a bit over the top in the latter part of her career but that face is built for a cult following. Her outbursts are a bit much in this episode, but I think the whole point was to react to her with revulsion. Her hard workers well being mean little to her, and the work environment carries this obvious animosity and anxiety. Back home where she lives extravagantly off the sweat and work of others, Black seems to be the master of her domain. Then comes the “death angel” Black is warned about by her maid, not heeding to it, considering it all just preposterous superstition she finds obnoxious. So Allende proves otherwise, following her to the bedroom while working on a backyard project with cement as she lures him by hand to “fix the air-conditioning”. He then proceeds to disrobe, with her barely in her gown, quite turned on by his methodical approach. He gives her some unexpected rough sex and then those black wings emerge, with Black awakening to this spell overtaking her. Seeing her maid, the dog, and eventually her husband with glowing eyes, Black is overcome with terror. Snakes in flower pots don’t help matters…nor does a gun she plucks from a cabinet. She isn’t about to allow her soul to be taken…finally the superstition she so boldly called poppycock doesn’t seem like such balderdash. 

The music is heavy in this episode, really depended upon to sell Allende's mystique and intimidating presence. His eyes lock on Black and one wonders why she'd take a chance on him. When he barely speaks, continuing to offer only that strong gaze, Black not getting bad vibes from him you'd think would deter her from wanting him at all alone with her. I guess arousal in the dark, dangerous man usurped any form of caution. But the show gives us the pleasure of seeing her come-apart, so her not taking precautions served her a due diligence.