The year is October 23, 1998 and a truly unique TV drama is unveiled. The TV Show “Brimstone” begins under, what many consider sacrileges under the unusual plot. Peter Horton stars as Ezekiel Stone, a New York City detective who investigates robberies and murders. In 1983 the detective, one of New York’s finest policemen is appalled when his wife is raped. Infuriated aa he engages in a personal manhunt. He tracks down the criminal and apprehends him only to see this loathsome figure released on a technicality! Now obsessed with vengeance Detective Ezekiel once again finds his guilty prey and this time executes the criminal himself only to die in an unrelated incident months later! Ezekiel Stone, ends up going to hell, not for killing the rapist but for the fact that he enjoyed doing it!

Actor, John Glover, plays what many consider to be the most cunning and charismatic role as the devil. It seems that Satan has a problem. 113 evil spirits have escaped hell, an unprecedented catastrophe for the rules of Hades, so he approaches Ezekiel who has been dead now since 1983 and makes a proposal! If Ezekiel can track down and kill the escaped evil entities who broke out of hell, the detective will have his former life restored and a chance at entering heaven again! But, there’s a catch! Each of the evil villains who escaped hell have unique powers, are virtually immortal unless they can be injured or shot in the eyes, their only weakness. Ezekiel himself has super powers as well and answers only to Satan. There’s another twist to the plot. Ezekiel Stone still loves his wife and is constantly drawn to her, forlorn after losing her in his death. There are several touching scenes showing him observing her from afar, and we are introduced to his aching heart and devotion to her he cannot physically initiate.

John Glover’s devil visits Ezekiel to deliver his twisted encouragement and sarcasm, seemingly taunting Ezekiel to stay engaged in his mission. The devil makes his appearance known throughout the series, engaging with the detective, who at times seems distraught over the deal he has committed to. The devil is powerless on earth so he must rely upon Detective Ezekiel Stone to round up the escapees! The plot continues with an intelligently directed environment, dark, foreboding, misty, and always hiding potential disaster that the detective must wade through in order to fulfill the bargain he made with the devil!

So, with such a unique story that promised a long line of provocative episodes that would never have gotten stale, something happened! In the very first show, Ezekiel unknowingly has been confiding in a Catholic Priest who is one of the 113 escapees, and through confessions he lines up his victims. The detective figures it out and a life and death struggle emerges with Ezekiel using his service revolver to shoot out the eyes of his sinister adversary, the demonic priest! This one episode ignited a letter writing campaign and revulsion by the Catholic Church over the bizarre nature of this one show! As the series continued more pressure was exerted. The Warner Brothers owned production was now caught in a public struggle over religion and a question of using evil as entertainment that many Catholics found reprehensible!

With 13 episodes, only a partial season’s worth of production completed, Fox studios had an option to continue the series, but reneged on their commitment! What could have been a brilliant if not twisted adventure into the realm of good and evil in the most ingenious of fictional concepts was buried before it had a chance to blossom into what would probably would have been 3 or more years of unique and tantalizing entertainment.

John Glover and Peter Horton combining their competent acting roles with a number of supporting actors as the series continued, promised a rich and satisfying if not convoluted sojourn into the spiritual realm, all be it, in a crime genre! This show was outstandingly innovative for its time and even by the script writing of today! What a shame! Fox truly backed off a great show and disappointed a big audience! Much like the “Outer Limits” a brilliant series that exceeded the sensibilities of an easily offended viewership! What does that say about our tolerance for pioneering ideas even if they don’t appear as conventional as expected?