Kay Mason (The Hitchhiker)

The evil Kay Mason

Kay Mason (Karen Black; 1939-2013) is the main villainess from "Hired Help," the penultimate episode of The Hitchhiker's second season (airdate March 26, 1985).

Kay Mason is the owner of what is established as a sweatshop, which employed illegal immigrants to make garments. As she and her husband, Herb Mason, appeared, Kay lashed out and verbally abused several of her employees, and gave little concern when one of her workers--Rosa--injured her hand. Her callousness increased when Luis, another worker and Rosa's uncle, left to tend to her, only for the evil Kay to order him return to work or face deportation, with Luis ignoring his boss's demands.

While making love to Herb, Kay vented over the following day, which would see all of her workers off duty, and under Herb's suggestion, Kay searched for another day laborer and found one in the form of Victor. After taking Victor to her home, Kay became instantly attracted to him and engaged in a sexual tryst with her new employee, despite the warnings from her housekeeper, Maria, regarding a snake tattoo on his hand.

Victor unleashed his supernatural abilities during the tryst, and afterwards, Kay woke up to strange visions, which included (among other things) Maria flashing demonic yellow eyes. Kay later took out a gun for her protection, but was relieved to find Herb, only to see her husband flash the same yellow eyes. Believing that Herb was a demon taking Kay to Hell, the villainess shot her husband to death, but later broke down after realizing that the demon was a figment, and that she had actually killed her husband. Kay's fate was never revealed at episode's end.

Trivia

• Karen Black also played villainesses Julie Eldridge and Amelia in 1975's Trilogy of Terror.