James Neilson always struck me as a very competent director, who was responsible for some very solid work, if not a distinguished one. His episodes for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' (twelve altogether) were all watchable, and a vast majority of them above average and in the case of "Crack of Doom" and "Reward to Finder" great. None of his episodes were 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' high points or classics, but none were series low points as well. One though up to this point did nearly come very close.
That being "The Percentage", an episode that had a good premise and even greater potential but didn't fullfill them enough. The episode actually started off so well and had all the makings for a potentially good at least episode, but frustratingly crashed to a big thud towards and at the end. So instead it was one of the worst episodes of a mostly very solid Season 3 and was nowhere near close to the incredibly high standard of the season when it first started. This is being said with regret.
As said, "The Percentage" starts off incredibly well, with lots of intrigue in the thought provoking, tight scripting and characterisation. The episode is very well acted, Alex Nichol doing a great job at making Eddie as difficult to trust without going overboard.
Hitchcock's bookending entertains in an ironic sense, there is some slickness in the filming and the theme music is suitably macabre.
Unfortunately, the second half is nowhere near as strong as the first and is pretty much a mess. Far too convoluted and implausible, with too many vague motivations and it would have benefitted from not trying to do too much and slowing the action well. Neilson's direction is routine and the writing loses its tautness and becomes too talky and confused.
What jars badly to the extent that it brings down the episode significantly is the ending, which is tacked on, too suddenly introduced and anti-climactic. The sets are perfunctory and cheap looking.
Overall, wanted to like it but a waste of potential. A contender for Neilson's weakest episode for 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents'. 4/10.