The Mind and the Matter

Description: Season 2, Episode 27

Air Date: May 12, 1961

Plot Summary: A man, tired of humanity, gains omnipotence and wills all the people out of existence.

Review: Hmm...was this episode secretly based off of my desires? While this won't be the last we see of omnipotent characters, I believe this is the only one that was trying to be humorous with the material. Well, at least I'm hoping they were going for laughs as it's virtually impossible to take this scenario seriously. We simply meet a guy, named Beechcroft, who is part dork and part asshole. After we go through a typical day in Beechcroft's life, he suddenly snaps whereby we learn how annoyed he is with the crowded populous and monotony. After having lunch with another geek, who I get the feeling is subtly in love with Beachbaby, he is given a book that is titled the same as our episode. Reading the book quite hurriedly, Bitchboy suddenly gains the power to will the world in a way he sees fit.

The first order of business is to get rid of all the humans in the world. For some reason, the second order of business is going to work. Psh...are you shitting me, dude? You've instantly become a god and you waste your time with your job?! My, my, my! In typical TZ fashion, Beechy is tired of the situation almost immediately. It's been, like, what, a couple of hours? Give it a century or so--sheesh. Spicing things up, he manipulates the weather a bit, but this amusement is short lived. Beechcroft strangely has conversations with a physical representation of himself as they discuss ways to ease the boredom. Babybitch decides to recreate humanity but they will all look and act as he does. This part is especially dumb, as you might guess, and the worst part was the actor dressed up as a woman as well as the horrendous-looking masks. Realizing that he's an asshole, Beechcroft simply brings back humanity and is miraculously content with the way things are and life in general. Well, the message is pretty straightforward, and the episode does an adequate job of presenting it. It's not exactly a classic, but it's not terrible either.

Shadow Play

Description: Season 2, Episode 26

Air Date: May 5, 1961

Plot Summary: A man about to be executed claims that the entire world is nothing more than his dream.

Review: Bringing an end to the hot streak of mediocrity is a pretty decent episode. The story is like a cross between "Inception," "Groundhog Day," and a ton of other films and TV shows that have borrowed heavily from this concept. We meet a guy, named Weaver, shortly after he has been sentenced for a murder we don't get details toward. Weaver believes that the events unfolding are simply a dream he has each night; the people in this dream change positions as they are random individuals from his life that his subconscious fills in. Although Weaver is certain that the dream will eventually end, the pain of being executed is real to him, and he would rather not continue to experience it over and over. Due to the complexity of the dream, various people try to help out Weaver after he proves to them that he has imagined everything. Despite his best efforts, Weaver fails to prevent his own execution, and his dream starts anew with all the people switching their roles. And that's all she wrote.

The story is surprisingly more simplistic than you'd imagine, but I think that helps make the concepts easier to grasp. I do wish they spent more time discussing the themes and questioning reality, but I understand they wanted to focus more on the nightmarish fear a person experiences. While we have a ton of reference points to understand the episode better, this was definitely innovative for the time. I liked the notion that the nightmare could not be escaped even when the dreamer realized the situation. More so, the episode examines the age old notion of solipsism: that you, the individual, are certainly the only real person. Could the world simply be in the mind of one individual? Could our own desire to be real establish the world because the dreamer wills it so? It's some heavy shit that's for sure. All I know is that I am either the realest dream ever, or I'm someone's voice of reason or something!

The Silence

Description: Season 2, Episode 25

Air Date: April 28, 1961

Plot Summary: A loudmouth is challenged to not speak for a full year in exchange for $500,000.

Review: Does this episode count as a classic? I see it aired quite a bit so I'm assuming it's at least mid-level classic. Regardless, it's another so-so episode for me. What are we at--like 5 in a row now? You're killing me here, season 2! There are a few amusing aspects to the story but not a lot happens, and it's not really a relevant tale or timeless. We simply get a loudmouth yuppie-type who is hanging out at a boy's club in the '60s. I don't know if people are even familiar with these kinds of settings anymore, but I know they still partially exist today. Anyway, this loudmouth is having financial trouble due to his squandered inheritance and gold digger wife. Another old chap at this club has grown wary of the loudmouth and bets him $500k that he won't be able to go a whole year without talking. Needing that money, and with his reputation on the line, the loudmouth accepts the challenge.

They decide to keep the loudmouth in the club's basement and monitor his every move. Every move?! Needless to say, the loudmouth is going months and months without talking and the old chap is getting worried. To try and force the loudmouth to snap, the old chap tries to talk shit about the loudmouth's wife cheating on him--which she probably was. Yeah, I'll be gone for a year, honey, love you, miss you, bye! As the final minutes of victory tick down, the loudmouth emerges to collect his money only for the old chap to reveal he is broke and planned to resign from the club. Still not speaking, the loudmouth next reveals he knew he couldn't win conventionally so he severed his vocal cords. Dun dun DUN! And that's pretty much all there is to the episode. The final twist isn't even that shocking with all things considered. Eh, I can see why others may find an appeal to this episode, but I felt it was predictable and lackluster.

The Rip Van Winkle Caper

Description: Season 2, Episode 24

Air Date: April 21, 1961

Plot Summary: Thieves plan to sleep for a hundred years in order to safely spend the gold they've stolen.

Review: This yet another meh episode. While it has a few interesting ideas, the scheme that the thieves concoct is clearly mindless and destined to fail. In other words, I can't fully take the story line seriously when I can't suspend my disbelief enough. Essentially, four experts combine their skills to pull off a heist on a train en route to Fort Knox. After stealing a paltry $1 million (even by 1961, this is pittance when split 4 ways) in gold, the thieves retreat back to a hideout in the middle of the desert. Here, the thieves plan to use a kind of suspended animation chamber to put themselves to sleep for a 100 years. Uh, come the fuck on, man. How could they not see this would be a horrible idea? Try 25 or 50 years TOPS! This was the height of the Cold War to boot--what guarantee would there be that the world would still be there? Regardless of any kind of debate, the thieves go along with this plot, and, sure enough, awake 100 years later.

Using 1961 sci-fi logic, there are no real explanations of how this works, but the thieves wake up as if not a second has passed. Somewhat doubting the situation, they realize the truth when one of the flunkies is found decomposed in their chamber. With limited water and a car to drive them toward civilization, the remaining thieves pack up except one of them decides to fuck it all up; the one thief runs another flunky over and then destroys the car. Hmm, sounds intelligent. With only two thieves left, they begin marching through the desert while carrying their gold. One flunky loses his water bottle and the other thief demands gold in exchange for water. Instead of making this a plan to trick the guy into carrying all the gold and exhausting himself, the waterless thief simply beats the other flunky to death. You're killing me here, TZ! Finally, the last thief stumbles upon other humans and offers them gold before the thief dies of thirst. As it would turn out, the futuristic humans don't care about gold as they found a way to synthesize it artificially. Okay...well, that would have been a lot more dramatic, and fitting of the TZ tone, had the last thief realized that truth for himself but whatever.

They just dropped the ball too many times throughout the episode when there were opportunities to make this memorable. The final thief should have deceived the one guy into carrying the gold then laughed as he took all the gold without having to carry it. Then, being the most evil of the bunch, the thief is cocky with his triumph only to realize all the trouble was for naught. Hell, make it so he still ended up in prison for the crime or something too. There were a lot of options squandered.

A Hundred Yards Over the Rim

Description: Season 2, Episode 23

Air Date: April 7, 1961

Plot Summary: A lost pioneer from 1847 suddenly finds himself in 1961.

Review: We seem to be on a hot streak of mediocre episodes, and this one is no different. As I've stated before, it's not as though these are bad stories, they simply lack a certain oomph to make them memorable. The thing that bothered me about this episode, in particular, was the lack of an explanation for the time traveling; this inexplicable ability to time travel is a plot device TZ appears to abuse. The first couple of times you see this plot device it's acceptable, but after a bunch of uses I've grown wary of the setup as a cheap means to skip exposition. At least keep things interesting as a few episodes accomplished, such as "A Stop at Willoughby," where it was kept ambiguous as to whether it was even real or not.

Anyway, we meet a caravan of pioneers heading toward California in 1847. The main guy is played by Cliff Robertson, best known as Uncle Ben from the Raimi "Spider-man" franchise; a curious bit role is another pioneer played by John Astin aka Gomez Addams. The pioneers have become lost, low on food and water, and are about to give up. Uncle Ben's son is sick as well so Uncle Ben decides to scout around for water. The moment he goes over a hill, or the rim as they term it, Uncle Ben is inexplicably transported to 1961. After nearly being run over by a truck, Uncle Ben stumbles upon a diner where he curiously looks around. The couple that owns the diner helps Uncle Ben a bit as he explains to them the situation. The couple calls for a doctor as they ponder whether or not Uncle Ben is crazy or a legitimate time traveler. Uncle Ben magically finds an encyclopedia that mentions his son living an accomplished life. This leads Uncle Ben to the realization that he must get back to his time in order to bring medicine to the boy. The doctor ends up calling the police who try to arrest Uncle Ben, but he manages to climb back over that hill first. Back in 1847, Uncle Ben gives the son medicine and carries on with their traveling with the confidence that everything will work out. Ehh, it's a decent little tale. If we hadn't watched the fish out of water phenomenon a bunch of times already this would have felt entertaining. As it stands, this is an episode that hardly stands out due to its striking similarities to other episodes.

Long Distance Call

Description: Season 2, Episode 22

Air Date: March 31, 1961

Plot Summary: A boy continues to talk to his deceased grandma through a toy telephone.

Review: This is another average episode for me. It has a creepy concept, but it doesn't play it up to be as scary as it could have been. Imagine if the parents talked to the ghost and it sounded disturbing or it wasn't really the ghost of the grandma at all. I know TZ rarely wanted to freak out the audience, but I hate to see an idea like this softened for the kiddies.

The plot is that it's Billy-boy's birthday and his sick grandma has given him a toy phone. They establish that the grandma has a close relationship with Billy, and they make a point of showing the jealousy of Billy's mom. Not sugarcoating the situation, the grandma tells Billy-boy this will be her last birthday with Billy as she is dying, but Billy can always talk to her through the phone. Well, that's not a weird thing to say to a kid at all! Sure enough, grandma goes bye bye but not before speaking nonsense. Grandma says that her son, Billy's dad, was taken from her by the wife/mom and that she thinks of Billy as her son now. What is with wives and mothers in law? Silly women. "She's trying to destroy me!"

Anyway, Billy's behavior begins to change, and he puts himself in dangerous situations at the behest of grandma's ghost whom he talks to incessantly on the phone. It would seem grandma wants Billy-boy to join her in the afterlife. When that bitchy mom takes away the phone Billy decides to drown himself. Paramedics manage to save the kid, but he's comatose or something due to this. The dad, believing that things are real, speaks with the grandma on the toy phone and begs for her to leave Billy-boy alone--that Billy isn't her son. Grandma appears to listen and Billy makes a miraculous recovery. Overall, it's a good episode, but the potential to make things genuinely frightening were squandered. If they had fully utilized the setup, this could have easily been one of the best episodes without question.

The Prime Mover

Description: Season 2, Episode 21

Air Date: March 24, 1961

Plot Summary: A gambler attempts to use his friend's telekinetic powers to make money.

Review: This is a middle of the road kind of episode for me; it has its moments, but it could have been better. We don't get much in the way of back story for the characters, but the episode begins by introducing us to three people working at a diner or something: the main guy, a wannabe gambler, named Ace, the apparent owner of the diner, Jimbo, and the waitress/girlfriend of Ace, named Kitty. Ace is playing some little slot machine they have and losing consistently; ironically, the moment Ace stops playing the next person to try the slot machine wins. While mulling over the idea of marrying Kitty, Ace and Jimbo watch a car crash nearby. When the two men go to help, Jimbo reluctantly reveals he has telekinetic powers and flips the car over. It doesn't take long for Ace to realize they could use this ability to make money so they embark to Las Vegas immediately.

Of course they win huge as Jimbo can easily manipulate dice, the roulette wheel, etc. After winning hundreds of thousands of dollars, which would be the equivalent of millions now, Ace is still not content as Jimbo says he needs time to rest his powers. Little Kitty-cat does not like this level of greed, and tells Ace she is going home. For some reason Ace decides to pick up a new chickadee for luck as he challenges a local gangster to a private game of craps. Predictably so, Ace is winning until he decides to go all or nothing right when Jimbo's powers are tired again. Ace loses everything like an idiot, that chickadee runs off, and Jimbo claims he has permanently lost his powers. The two go back home where Ace asks Kitty to marry him. What? And I thought this guy was done with gambling. Kitty even flips a coin in regard to whether she'll say yes. That's funny--flip that coin again and we'll find out if you get divorced. The episode ends with Jimbo using the force on a broom--proving he did not really lose his powers after all. Overall, it's a decent tale but nothing really sticks out. The girls are cute--especially this one background extra--but the episode is straightforward without a lot of extra depth TZ is known for.

Static

Description: Season 2, Episode 20

Air Date: March 10, 1961

Plot Summary: An old man, miserable with life, reminisces about the good ol' days with the aid of a mysterious radio.

Review: I really want to like this episode, but it's hard to get past the similarities to other episodes that dealt with the same themes. I've already covered the rose-colored glasses phenomenon--and will continue to touch on it in future episodes--which is essentially all the story breaks down into. Now, I'm not saying this was a bad episode, it simply deals with familiar material that was done better. Plus, on the bright side, the food of the '60s was still great...so slide over grandpa and give me your pudding! I'm not asking...

The story begins with the main character, Ed, seemingly, angry at the sheer existence of television. That's a good one. Just be glad you never lived to see the nightmare of today's era. Arrrghh, if I could only destroy all the cell phones on the planet! Staying at a boarding home, Ed doesn't like the way people watch the TV hypnotically, and this inspires him to grab his old radio from the basement. After paying a dumbass, dancing boy (don't ask) to help him lift the radio, Ed tries to tune into those classic jams of the '40s. You know like...umm...and...uhhh...yeah, I've got nothing. The only problem is that no one can hear the songs but Ed. Rightfully so, the other people living at the boarding home think he's finally lost it.

We then get drama between Ed and a borderline gilf named Vinnie. Vinnie, huh? It would appear Ed and Vinnie were once an item decades ago, but complications stopped them from ever getting married. Whew...it was rare to dodge that bullet back then, Eddy--better thank your lucky charms. Essentially, Vinnie tells Ed that he's living in the past, and his nostalgia is probably due to the fact that their anniversary was coming up or something. Vinnie convinces Ed to admit he did really love her long ago which appears to make him quite angry. Not caring if the radio signals are in his head, Ed escapes into his perceived happiness. One day, Ed comes home to find that they threw away his radio; this doesn't matter since Ed buys it right back. However, before any serious resolution can occur, Ed suddenly finds himself transported back into the past to, seemingly, fix his mistakes. Alternatively, we could view the ending as a gloomier one where Ed has succumbed to his manifesting dementia. Take your pick.

Overall, this is nothing really new to TZ. Sure, the ending and setup are a bit different, but we get it. Actually, I think a more ballsy ending would have made this episode stand out. Like, keep the whole Ed returning to 1940 aspect, but then cut to the present with him drooling or something. The closing lines from Mr. Serling could be extra somber and really hit the message home.

Mr. Dingle, the Strong

Description: Season 2, Episode 19

Air Date: March 3, 1961

Plot Summary: A loser is suddenly given superhuman strength by invisible aliens.

Review: Oh good lord. I think it's safe to say this is a contender for the top 10 worst episodes list. I often mention the timeless nature to TZ and the universal appeal of the stories, but this is definitely not an instance of that notion. Obviously they intended this to be a comical episode, but it fails...hard! The effects look like you're watching a terrible B-movie from the drive-in era. Burgess Meredith and Don Rickles are completely wasted as well. Killing me here, son.

The story focuses on the titular character, Mr. Dingle, who is a simpleton to say the least. After getting his ass kicked in the most terrible of fashion, two-headed martians, who are conveniently invisible, show up to test out a strength enhancement on a weakling for unnamed experimental purposes. Keep in mind, Mr. Dingle keeps coming to the same bar where he gets his ass kicked by the same guy over and over. Why? Unknowingly given the strength enhancement, Mr. Dingle tests out his power which is a bit inconsistent. This catches the attention of gawkers and the media alike who want to study this marvel. Despite demonstrating his unbelievable strength, and beating up that bitch who picks on him, people quickly doubt Mr. Dingle once he loses the powers. Imagine you just saw a guy do all kinds of crazy and verifiable shit in front of you, then he loses the power, and everyone thinks he was just tricking them. Yeah, that's one fucking elaborate scam! As the cheesy as fuck martians are about to leave, even cheesier aliens from Venus show up. That's a good one. I wasn't around in '61, but I have to imagine this looked like shit even back then. Well, the Venus aliens decide they want to make Mr. Dingle a genius now. And that's how the episode ends--with Mr. Dingle having superhuman intelligence for a time being. It's not the humor that bothers me, necessarily, it's the sheer ridiculous nature to the plot coupled with the horrendous effects. Mr. Serling, what were you thinking with this one?

The Odyssey of Flight 33

Description: Season 2, Episode 18

Air Date: February 24, 1961

Plot Summary: Passengers on a plane en route to New York find themselves displaced in time.

Review: This is another classic episode and another instance where I disagree with that assessment. As with "The Invaders," the story is a novelty the first time you see it, but it can't stand up to multiple viewings. It's kind of ironic really since the story is about time travel, and this episode is hopelessly dated to the '60s. On top of that, TZ was always working within the confines of a tight budget, and the ideas necessary to tell this tale properly cost too much money; as a result, the effects look terrible or aren't shown at all.

I don't necessarily mind the story for what it is, but the material is spread thin as we are introduced to the flight crew and passengers on the beloved flight 33. While the primary focus deals with the flight crew, and one annoying stewardess, we do get padding in the form of a few passengers bantering and another stewardess. The crew realizes they are suddenly speeding up past mach 1; this probably should have destroyed the plane as one of the crew mentions. This phenomenon appears to have something to do with a magic portal through time and space. Flight 33 does go through this portal, or whatever it is, and realize they're in dinosaur times. Welcome...to Jurassic Park (just picture the voice)! I love the casual nature to seeing dinosaurs as well. See...Mr Hammond, you were wrong about people giving a damn about dinosaurs. The flight crew decides they will magically go through the portal again and end up hearing a voice on their radio afterward. They appear to be back in the present, but they quickly realize they're in 1939 instead. The episode ends, quite abruptly, with the crew saying that the fuel is low, but they will attempt another pass into this godforsaken portal. Wait, what? Just land in 1939! Hell, even if I was stuck time traveling and ended up in 1939 I would stay. You could warn people about everything and probably be hailed as a hero (or institutionalized). Come on...think of the food! All the pizzas you could eat! Don't even pretend I'm the only one who dreams of being a fat ass time traveler?! But, yes, the episode feels shallow and short with little understanding of anything. The lack of a proper conclusion serves as the icing on the cake.

Twenty Two

Description: Season 2, Episode 17

Air Date: February 10, 1961

Plot Summary: A woman, staying at a hospital, believes her nightmare regarding an ominous nurse is real.

Review: Once more, we have an episode that is actually based on an existing story. I haven't read the source material, but most horror veterans should be familiar with the core concepts as this particular tale has inspired many incarnations; the most remarkably, similar instance of this would be the first "Final Destination" film. There have also been interpretations of this story as if it's an urban legend of some kind; an episode of "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction" tried to portray this tale as such. I, for one, think this is a cool episode and probably falls in the underrated category. It does receive recognition, and it does appear in marathons, but it's not one of the staple episodes. I will probably have to make a list of top 10 episodes as well as top 10 underrated. Might as well throw in a top 10 worst, right?

So we have a woman, named Liz, who is staying in a hospital due to fatigue or something. She claims to be a dancer, but, at the same time, they mention she's a stripper. Hmm, well, if she's a stripper, she's the classiest one I've seen (not that I see many strippers--I promise!). Each night Liz has had a reoccurring nightmare that involves her following a shady nurse to the morgue or room 22. When Liz arrives, the nurse taunts Liz with the statement "Room for one more, honey." After this, Liz would wake up from the dream, but she is convinced it is real or an extension of reality in a way. Two things: the nurse is played by that little chickadee, Arlene Martel, from the "What You Need" episode. The second item is that they use an awesome lighting effect to obscure the nurse's face which, in turn, creates an unsettling look; that's some next level Kayako shit right there.

Liz is portrayed in an almost cartoonish manner for whatever reason, but it kind of goes hand in hand with the '60s persona she exudes. Liz's doctor, played by the villainous-looking Jonathan Harris, does not believe her as he brings in the actual night nurse to show to Liz. I have to mention I loved that Liz refers to the doctor as laughing-boy; a girl with the same humor as me...oh, Lizzy baby! Under the direction of laughing-boy, and without support from her manager, Liz is told to control her dream by doing things differently this time. That night, like clockwork, the dream appears to begin, but Liz attempts to alter the circumstances. Despite her best efforts, the dream still plays out like usual with the nurse appearing and beckoning Liz toward the morgue. A hysterical Liz is sedated and laughing-boy laments that Liz somehow knew that the morgue was room 22 without ever going there.

We cut to Liz being released from the hospital as the fatigue has been overcome, but we get the inference that she was not fully helped. When at an airport that night, Liz notices the circumstances of her dream being recreated in an indirect manner. She feels a sense of dread and unease as she attempts to rationalize the series of events before her. When about to board the plane, Liz realizes that the stewardess is the same nurse from her dream and delivers her same line. Oh man, sexy nurse and stewardess?! Just need the schoolgirl outfit to complete my dream trifecta! Scared senseless, Liz runs away from the plane as it takes off moments later. To Liz's horror, the plane suddenly explodes, confirming her dreams as a premonition of doom.

This is most certainly classic horror at its finest, and the twist was original for the era; it's definitely a timeless and relatable story. While the original story takes a slightly different approach, the heart of the story is what compels others to use the material. It plays off human fear and the belief that our dreams have meaning or can be omens.

Ms. Martel in stewardess form:

A Penny for Your Thoughts

Description: Season 2, Episode 16

Air Date: February 3, 1961

Plot Summary: After a series of unusual events, a man realizes he has gained the ability to read anyone's mind.

Review: This is yet another of the underrated episodes, and it's actually really funny to boot. This episode has always resonated with me since it was one of the last episodes in the series I ever saw as a kid, and I remember thinking that it should air more during those marathons. You have the first Darrin, Dick York, as the main character, Mr. Poole, and he always performs with a goofball charisma that works well; I know we already saw Mr. York before, but that wasn't the kind of performance I associate with him. Anyway, when buying a newspaper, Mr. Poole throws in a coin that lands on its edge rather than one side or the other. As Mr. Serling acknowledges, you have a 50/50 chance for heads or tales, but one time in a million you get neither. It's not really explained, but we can assume Mr. Poole has triggered the magic of the TZ universe to give him telepathic powers--mind reading to be precise. I love how all these assholes keep bumping into Mr. Poole without saying a word, then, in their mind, they talk shit on top of it. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Poole is nearly ran over and the driver is talking mad shit as well--the audacity! To be fair, the trash talk back then would be nothing compared to the mindless drivel I'd expect from people in the present. My goodness, can you imagine?!

For some reason, Mr. Poole does not fully grasp his new found power until he goes to the bank he works at. At this point, he realizes what is happening and entertains himself with the ability. The best moment, and a hilarious gag in general, is when Mr. Poole tries to read the mind of some bimbo counting her money. Big shock, she gives off no thoughts at all. Hah, you dumb, greedy bitch! See, TZ always knew the real deal with people. This reality is cemented by Mr. Poole's boss being overheard cheating on his wife. You know, I never realized how much infidelity went on in this series until now. While this is occurring, Mr. Poole comes to the realization that one of the girls he works with likes him; I guess he likes her too. She's no Samantha, though, that's for sure! Mr. Poole first loses the bank a client due this client trying to cheat them, but he also overhears one of the employees plotting to rob the bank. When trying to foil the theft, it turns out the employee was merely daydreaming about doing it as he's simply an old man content with his shitty life. Oh come on, grandpa, don't give up! Mr. Poole is momentarily fired until the boss realizes that the lost client from earlier really was trying to cheat the bank. The boss offers Mr. Poole his job back, but, with the help of the girl that likes him, Mr. Poole convinces the boss to promote him instead. This is mostly accomplished by blackmailing the boss in regards to his mistress; Mr. Poole also asks for the bank to buy the old man a vacation since he feels bad for grandpa. When going home to probably screw his new girlfriend, Mr. Poole knocks over the coin from earlier and loses his power. And that's pretty much all she wrote.

While the events of the story aren't fully fleshed out, it's presented with a whimsical charm and serves as a more upbeat tale. It's worth acknowledging that there is this sense of fun to the experience that is somewhat atypical to TZ. I have been critical of the episodes that were meant to be funny in the past, but that's because their jokes didn't feel as timeless as this idea. People can always relate to the notion of discovering terrible thoughts lurking behind the pleasant smiles of everyday individuals. Let's be honest, humans incessantly lie, and it would probably drive someone crazy to know the degree to which people lie. They do mention Mr. Poole losing his naivety after assuming people were nice, but the episode keeps things positive rather than dwelling on the horrors such a power would reveal. Overall, this is one of the better episodes in the series, but I'm not sure if it will quite make the cut for the top 10 list.

The Invaders

Description: Season 2, Episode 15

Air Date: January 27, 1961

Plot Summary: An old woman is tormented by tiny aliens that land of the roof of her house.

Review: This is another one of those classic episodes I don't think deserves the legendary status. I never really felt this episode was anything special and the twist is cheesy as hell. The story is simply too outlandish and nonsensical with all things considered. I mean, the no dialogue gimmick is interesting, but if I close my eyes it just sounds like I'm listening to porn--all that heavy breathing and moans! There are certainly better episodes that don't receive any recognition, so what makes this one stand out and worthy of the endless reruns?

In a nutshell, the story is simply about an old lady freaking out by little aliens attacking her. We are led to believe that the setting is in the middle of nowhere, or the past, but in reality it is a different planet altogether. The little aliens are not actually aliens, but, are, in fact, human astronauts that have landed on a world with giant humanoids. What I don't understand is why would astronauts land on a planet that would be this hostile? Plus, this is supposed to be the first ship yet they just happen to land on a planet with humanoids? Was there no surveying ahead of time? And while the old lady does start the fight, why wouldn't they simply escape instead of trying to fight her? Ehh, I find the whole situation questionable and forced in an attempt to deliver an underwhelming twist. TZ's typical flair was missing this time around or something. I can appreciate what they were going for, but it could have been a lot better with a less corny twist.

The Whole Truth

Description: Season 2, Episode 14

Air Date: January 20, 1961

Plot Summary: A used car salesman finds himself incapable of telling a lie.

Review: This episode is essentially the plot of "Liar Liar," or, I should say, "Liar Liar" took this plot. While the episode was striving for comedy more specific to the era, I can't help but praise the awareness of TZ writers once again. The '50s and '60s are infamous for their apparent naivety, but TZ writers have shown over and over that people knew what was up with the world. Even though it's barely 1961, they were already wary of the quality of manufactured goods, and everyone has always known politicians are the biggest liars on earth (yet people continue supporting them). These bonus aspects add to what would be an, otherwise, mediocre experience.

So we meet the used car salesman himself, Hunnicut, as he's already hard at work conning people into buying his lemons. The episode makes great use of pointing out the typical tricks associated with these sleazy salesmen--you know, the fast talking, bullshitting, gimmicks these clowns employ. At one point, an old man shows up to sell his car as Hunnicut is more than eager to swindle him on the deal. Unbeknownst to Hunnicut, the old man has unburdened himself of the car--a car that forces the owner to tell the truth at all times. They mention that the car is haunted as an explanation, but this is questionable at best. Immediately, Hunnicut is stuck telling the truth which hurts his business as his entire car lot is full of junkers. Hunnicut also gets in trouble with his wife and gets knocked out by his employee. Huh...we REALLY need to bring back the days when you could punch someone for messing with you; I think this would solve a lot of problems. Anyway, Hunnicut eventually comes across an equally sleazy politician who almost buys the car; as a professional liar, the politician detects something is wrong with Hunnicut's honesty. This leads to Hunnicut being coerced into selling the car to some politician they want to see get stuck telling the truth. It turns out that this particular politician is none other than the (then) current leader of the Soviet Union, Khrushchev. Eh, this is a corny conclusion to say the least. Plus, come on TZ, you've established the notorious lying of politicians then throw in an anti-soviet statement? The pot calling the kettle black for sure. Oh well. In the end, this is a moderately entertaining episode that had a few poignant points to make that add a little interest to an ordinary tale. It's not bad, but it's not especially noteworthy.

Back There

Description: Season 2, Episode 13

Air Date: January 13, 1961

Plot Summary: A man inexplicably finds himself time traveling back to 1865--hours before Lincoln's assassination.

Review: This episode borders more on the moderate side as it has interesting themes to consider, but the execution is severely lacking. We are first shown cliched, rich guys in the most cornball of ways with such references as "old chum" if that helps set the tone. The main character, Corrigan, is played by Russell Johnson who makes yet another appearance. Corrigan and his crew are discussing the plausibility of time travel and whether or not you could alter history. Hey, old chums, mind if I get in on this conversation?! Come to think of it, what happened to the days when a bunch of old men (and me) could sit around and debate philosophy Plato-style? Anyway, Corrigan ditches the retirement home, and magically finds himself transported to 1865. This is heavy, Doc! I really didn't like the casual nature to the time travel as it makes absolutely no sense. Was this supposed to be divine intervention? A weird rift in time and space? If so, how could Corrigan change his clothes? I have no clue, but it seems like some supernatural force was at work to deliberately mess with Corrigan; not even addressing this issue is nearly unforgivable as well.

When Corrigan realizes the exact date, he attempts to warn the people that the president is going to be assassinated, but he is arrested instead. Out of nowhere, a fruity guy appears to release Corrigan from jail which you will realize is an outlandish contrivance. When taken back to the weird guy's home, Corrigan realizes he's been drugged. It turns out the guy is actually John Wilkes Booth and Corrigan appears to have inspired the assassination on a whim; I don't know if that was the intended implication, but that's how the story presents the setup. Unable to stop the assassination, Corrigan is magically returned to the present as he realizes he couldn't alter time in the grand scheme but was able to make a small change. Due to Corrigan trying to warn the public, one police officer believed the warning and this resulted in him becoming wealthy; in turn, his descendant, whom we met earlier, was no longer an employee at the retirement home but became a member of the club. And that's pretty much all she wrote.

If they had simply offered a reason for why the time traveling occurred, I think my mind would be at ease in accepting the situation. Also, the notion that Corrigan could have led to the assassination is pushing my sensibilities to the limit. While I'm no theoretical physicist, I contend that if time travel could exist, by default, time can be altered. Would this create universe-destroying paradoxes? Perhaps, but time travel in essence establishes time altering. To say a time traveler already made their trip, thus, became an existing part of history, cannot possibly occur. This would entail that all of time itself was predestined and that a time traveler had to make their journey in order for the events of time to exist. But this creates a paradox since there would have to have been a time line in which that time traveler didn't originally come back. As I've mentioned before on this topic, we look at the big picture and draw conclusions, but, realistically, if we could travel through time, we could test things in a small scale. Meaning, if I invented a time machine and plan to travel back in time 5 minutes, technically I should run into my future self before I even did the test. Now, keeping that knowledge in mind, and assuming I did meet a future self from 5 minutes ahead, this would provide me with the knowledge to come back 6 minutes earlier instead. Then 7 minutes. Then 8 minutes. You see the paradox, right? If I have knowledge of the future, I can alter it. Therefore, there would be an endless loop, or time itself can be changed. That is the only way things could feasibly work without somehow imploding the cosmos. In fiction we often depict an event that cannot be averted due to forces beyond human comprehension, but if the small scale can be altered, it would stand to reason that all things could be changed. One more thing...wouldn't the time traveler add matter to the universe, thus, breaking the law of conservation of mass? Meaning, the matter that comprises me is already in existence, yet if I time travel, I am adding that same matter to the universe again. This would extend to whatever microorganisms are on my persons as well. Or are they time travelers with me? Okay, I'm going waaaay off here. Enjoy the episode!

Dust

Description: Season 2, Episode 12

Air Date: January 6, 1961

Plot Summary: Divine intervention comes to the rescue of a man about to be executed.

Review: This is pretty much as bland as a TZ episode can get. I struggled to write the plot summary in such a way as not to outright spoil the entire episode, but it's virtually impossible due to how little actually happens in the story. Seriously, all that happens in the episode is some guy is in jail for killing a little girl when he was drunk; apparently it was an accident, and the guy hit her with his wagon or something. This is supposed to be the old west by the way--not that it matters since this has little bearing on the situation. There is an annoying peddler, who looks like a fat Indiana Jones, who revels in the idea that the guy is being executed. The only person who seems to empathize with the guy being executed is the sheriff, but we don't learn much about why he even cares. When the guy's father comes to beg for forgiveness or whatever, Indiana Jones tricks the father into buying magic dust which he claims will make the townspeople spare the man from being executed. When the father tries to use the dust, of course nothing happens, but, magically, the rope being used in the execution snaps. I suppose the townspeople see this as some kind of divine intervention and they free the guy permanently. The episode then ends with Indiana Jones returning the money he received for the dust to random peasant children. And that's it. I mean, what's there to analyze with this one? It's a pretty straightforward tale that is padded out by meaningless dialogue. I guess when you have to fill an entire season worth of stories, you're going to have a few phoned-in episodes.

The Night of the Meek

Description: Season 2, Episode 11

Air Date: December 23, 1960

Plot Summary: A drunken, store Santa Claus discovers a magic bag that gives people whatever they want.

Review: It may be a bit early for Christmas but oh well. This is another classic episode although it's difficult to find a way to air the episode appropriately. In other words, you want to air the episode during marathons, but it feels out of place; at the same time, it feels odd to air at Christmas time all alone. Anyway, this story has been ripped off numerous times, quite blatantly as well, but it carries a certain, whimsical aspect to it that the ripoffs fail to capture. Also, despite this being 1960, they touch on the commercialization of the holiday; oh, if they only knew how bad it would be down the road.

At whatever random store this is supposed to be, Piglet, aka John Fiedler, is annoyed, because the Santa they hired, Corwin, is off drinking at the local bar. Corwin is played by the great Art Carney who brings a lot of conviction to this role. After getting kicked out of the bar, Corwin returns to the store in a drunken stupor where he makes a mockery of himself in front of all the kids. That'll teach you kids for believing in Santa! When Piglet tries to fire Corwin, Corwin provides a poignant speech on the state of Christmas, its loss of meaning, and a general observation regarding the suffering of humanity. TZ usually wasn't one for sugarcoating reality. Corwin further explains that he wishes he really could be Santa Claus and allow the meek to inherit the earth.

Since Corwin has just stepped into the Twlight Zone, he stumbles across a random sack, that a cat knocks over, that pours out gifts when, at first, it spilled out only trash. I have to interject, however, because the sound effects for the cat are, perhaps, the worst in film history. I mean, was someone's kid on set simply meowing? So Corwin begins running around giving people whatever gift they want out of the magic bag in the very manner of a real Santa. Corwin stops at, what appears to be, a homeless shelter, but a suspicious nun gets Corwin arrested as she believes the items to be stolen. At the police station, the cop has called in Piglet since they believe Corwin must have robbed the store for the gifts. When Piglet looks in the bag there are only empty cans and that cat again. The cop realizes something strange is going on, and Piglet asks for a random wine bottle to prove that the bag is magical. Corwin, of course, provides the specific bottle with a special note attached regarding Piglet. After a night of gift giving. Corwin realizes the bag has gone empty as one of the homeless guys observes there's nothing left in that bag for Corwin himself. Corwin says the only thing he would want would be the ability to do this every year. Shortly after, Corwin finds a sleigh with reindeer as he is in disbelief. An elf girl appears and tells Corwin he is Santa Claus, and the two fly off into the moonlight. The episode ends with the cop and a drunken Piglet shocked to see Corwin flying off in the sleigh.

Whether it's Christmas or not, or whether you practice or believe in Christmas or not, the themes are still relevant and touching. There is a sense of wonder, magic, and togetherness to the season that extends beyond any kind of religious context. And no matter how commercialized or selfish the people become, there will always be the childlike hopes and dreams that Christmas invokes. I think this episode captures those sentiments perfectly with the deeper theme of those perceived as weak rising up to help those in need. The selfless nature of Corwin is commendable especially in light of the fact that he's a drunk, cynical of a miserable world. Finally, all of this comes together well as the TZ universe is capable of many extraordinary feats, and we often forget the good parts.

A Most Unusual Camera

Description: Season 2, Episode 10

Air Date: December 16, 1960

Plot Summary: After robbing an antique store, thieves realize they stole a camera that can take photos of the future.

Review: It's tough to say at the moment, but this is certainly a contender for my top 10 episodes list. The story is just so much fun--able to balance the humor and horror effectively. Others have tried to capture the imagination of this episode, in some form or another, over the years, but they can never realize the proper approach. Yet again, the story is timeless due to its play on human greed and the curious nature of the camera itself. The ending also provides a great payoff--with a fitting conclusion yet still leaving the audience desiring more.

The story begins with the thieves already looking over the loot they stole from the antique store. The thieves are a couple, Chester and Paula, and they're clearly dimwits. Immediately you notice the humor as Paula reads off, from a newspaper, all the things that were allegedly stolen by the thieves as Chester counters the claims with the antiques simply being fakes. One of the best lines is when Paula mentions 3 Picasso paintings and Chester says "Three posters in frames." That's awesome! When Paula is done, they realize that the one thing never mentioned was an odd looking camera; this is 1960 and they already think it looks old, so are we talking a turn of the century model? Chester tests the camera, and when the photo comes out it shows Paula wearing a fur coat. At first they believe it is some kind of trick photography where it applies an image over the person you take a picture of. Really? Would that kind of shit even be possible now? Moments later, they break open a suitcase and find a fur coat inside that Paula wears in the exact position depicted in the photo. That night, Chester contemplates the ability of the camera to show the future as he takes a picture of the door. Strangely, this photo reveals Paula's idiotic brother, Woodward, coming through the door; he's played by the sailor from "The Hitch-Hiker." Sure enough, Woodward does show up as he's recently escaped prison. Now they are certain the camera can foretell the future. But, seriously, what kind of name is Woodward? Was he born a snooty butler? That will be all, Woodward.

At first Chester considers all the good that the camera could do for the world while Paula disagrees. When Chester thinks of a way to make money with the camera, he quickly changes his tune; this banter is presented quite amusingly. The three crooks go to a horse race and take photos of the winning board; they use the results displayed to acquire vast amounts of money quickly. Before they can count all the money they've won, the crooks are spending it lavishly as their French waiter looks on. The waiter notices an ambiguous phrase written on the camera that he translates as "10 to an owner." Getting rid of the waiter, the crooks begin to argue about how to use the remaining photos since they have used up 8 already. Big surprise, the flunkies accidentally use another photo in the shuffle that shows Paula screaming. Chester interprets this photo as Paula's reaction to Woodward trying to kill him, and Woodward interprets this as Paula's reaction to Chester trying to kill him. The two imbeciles fight until they fall out the nearby window; the photo actually showed Paula screaming from this sight. Quickly getting over the loss, Paula takes a photo of the dead bodies before grabbing all the money for herself. She is interrupted, however, by the waiter who comes to steal the money for himself. As the two argue over the situation, the photo Paula took comes out, and the waiter notices there are more than two bodies shown. Shocked, Paula runs to the window to check, trips, and falls out the window. The waiter, not bothered by this turn of events, looks down below at the 3 dead crooks. He then realizes the photo actually had 4 bodies total and ends up falling out the window as well. And so our unusual camera awaits the next person to discover its abilities.

I know it's hard for me to properly illustrate the jokes and the level of humor they were striving for, but the episode is perfect when you watch it. Unfortunately, I don't think this episode receives the kind of legendary status it should. Once more, I think this is a case of mid-tier popularity--meaning, it will be shown in TZ marathons sometimes, but is optional whereas the main classics receive constant re-airings. I wouldn't go as far as to say it's underrated, however, since it does get a moderate amount of attention. Overall, this is one of the best episodes for me, and it captures the essence of what TZ was all about: imaginative ideas, great storytelling, and a fun twist.

The Trouble With Templeton

Description: Season 2, Episode 9

Air Date: December 9, 1960

Plot Summary: An aging actor reflects on the prime of his life after being intimidated by a new director.

Review: This episode is a huge letdown with all things considered. Essentially the story is comprised of themes and plot elements the show has already gone over. Yeah, this may be 45th episode, but you can't be recycling that soon. The story is nothing more than an old actor realizing he's at the end of his life. The actor thinks fondly of his first wife, who died young, and compares his feelings for her to his current, cheating trophy wife. Then we skip to the actor going to rehearsal for a new play he's starring in, but there's a new director that is a hard ass. For some reason, the actor is so overwhelmed by the raw machismo of the director that he runs away...well that's what I got from that scene at least. The actor finds himself back in time at the peak of his acting. Here, he comes across his first wife and old friends, but they see his old self rather than remembering him at his peak. The wife starts behaving irrationally, and the actor tries to explain, in the most incomprehensible manner, that he has traveled through time. Unable to properly communicate what is happening, the actor is told to go back to wherever he came from and he obliges. Back in the present, the actor finds a script in his pocket that entailed the scene we had just viewed. The actor interprets this as the dead people were simply telling him to live his life; not sure how he gathers that conclusion but okay. When the new director approaches him, the actor lays the ground rules of how this play will be and reasserts his prowess. I guess this restores his zest for life or whatever. That's it.

It's tough to explain, because this episode could have been decent if we hadn't already experienced this scenario before--and done better and more concise the first time. We get it, the past always seems better than it really was, except that wasn't entirely the message. I don't quite follow the notion that his past friends and wife were acting out a script. Are they ghosts, a dream, what the fuck? Plus, say you're time traveling, old man, yeesh! Why was the actor scared shitless by the director anyway? Ugh, this episode makes no sense. There was a silver lining, however, as the actor was portrayed well by Brian Aherne. He also delivered some great lines like how he wants to sleep then go to oblivion, how he doesn't care about his cheating wife, and when he talks shit in general; in this respect, he was an awesome character. Overall, this episode just doesn't bring much to the table and the story is confounded by nonsense.

The Lateness of the Hour

Description: Season 2, Episode 8

Air Date: December 2, 1960

Plot Summary: Some time in the future, a woman grows tired of her parents increased dependence on robots.

Review: You may recall I mentioned this episode when reviewing "The Hitch Hiker" as this is the only other episode to star the lovely and talented Inger Stevens. I wish she could have starred in an episode every season, but I've already discussed the troubled life she had. Still, she brings a strong performance and always presents subtlety and depth to her characters. Another thing I have to address is in regards to the shitacular quality of the picture. This was an attempt to cut costs, which backfired greatly, and was thankfully only used on a handful of episodes.

It's not entirely clear what time in the future the story takes place, but I would say there are implications that this is like post-WWIII or something; or I could be reading too deeply into the details. Regardless, Jana (Ms. Stevens), is a girl who lives, in a secluded mansion, with her parents that are completely taken care of by a slew of robots. I have to say, starting the episode off with orgasmic sighs from an old lady was not the best way to open. It was damn sexy though (I kid, I kid!). Mercifully, Jana is annoyed by the groans of ecstasy and gets the robot to stop massaging grandma for two seconds. Okay, I'm spending too much time on this scene, but it was humorous to me. Jana is angry that her parents are wasting their lives away, in a pampered state, and no longer experiencing life as normal humans; Jana wants to live this normal life in the outside world.

There are hints sprinkled about as to what the twist will be, and an astute viewer should pick up on them quite easily. Anyway, Jana threatens to leave if the father doesn't get rid of the robots, and of course he relents in this situation. After destroying the robots, the parents wonder about how they will get used to a life without them while Jana is simply excited about the prospects of doing more with their lives. When Jana rattles on about getting married and having kids the mom has a weird reaction that Jana picks up on. This leads to a, mostly, predictable twist in which you learn Jana herself was a robot all along. As mentioned earlier in the episode, the father installed memories of having lived a full life in all the robots to which Jana was no different. With the illusion of family destroyed, the episode ends with the father reprogramming Jana to be the new maid. Sounds legit.

I felt like they missed an important aspect to cover which was Jana's sense of emotions. The other robots lacked emotions, and even though they discuss Jana being unable to love, she seems to express numerous emotions at will. I'd think they would want to examine why her personality was so prominent while the other robots were mechanical. This was definitely a missed opportunity to explore what it means to truly be alive. Other than that, this is a creative episode as it was one of the first instances of a character not realizing they're actually a machine. I think we can probably lump this episode in the underrated category, because it rarely gets any recognition and it's a cool little tale. Lastly, this episode was made in 1960 and it's 54 goddamn years later...where the hell are my robots?! I swear I've met people who have to be robots...or maybe I'm the robot.

Nick of Time

Description: Season 2, Episode 7

Air Date: November 18, 1960

Plot Summary: A couple stopping by a small town is entranced by a seemingly innocuous, fortune-telling machine.

Review: I don't know if this episode is a full-blown classic yet, but it has received significantly more praise over the years...and rightfully so. Even though not a lot happens in the story, it's engaging with a great aura of mystery. So we meet a couple, to which, the husband is played by William Shatner when he was still a pretty boy. They're waiting in some little town, in the middle of oblivion, as their car is being repaired. To bide their time, the couple goes to the local diner as we get a feel for their situation. There, the couple comes across some gimmicky fortune-telling machine that also doubles as a napkin holder. The way it works is you put in a penny, ask a yes or no question, pull the lever, and a card with an answer will pop out. Hell, I'd give it a few pulls for shits and giggles. Willy, nervous about a promotion and a bit on the superstitious side, asks about said promotion and receives a favorable response. It's important to note the vague nature to the answers written on the cards; as we will see, it's quite easy to read too much meaning into the answers. Of course Willy gets his promotion and he becomes intrigued with the little machine.

Perhaps too quickly, but forgiven for the time constraints, Willy becomes obsessed with the, seemingly, accurate fortunes provided by the machine especially after a near-death experience. Willy's wife becomes worried, but I liked that they included a subtle inkling that she too was impressed by the fortunes. Willy begins to believe that the machine can foretell the future and wants to know more to the point that it's influencing his decision making. The wife manages to rationalize with Willy by explaining to him that he's in control of his own life and that she would rather live her life not knowing such answers even if it were possible. The couple pulls their shit together and decides to leave the town and ride off into the sunset. In an apropos ending, a different, and disheveled, couple comes into the diner shortly thereafter. This couple is the end result of allowing vague predictions to control your life as they have been trapped by their obsession with the machine. On the bright side, I wouldn't mind being trapped at this particular diner, gladly becoming a total fat ass, eating all their food for so cheap. 1960s food...yum!

Although the setting may be a bit dated given the old-people/college student atmosphere of most diners nowaday, the themes are very much timeless. You can't let fear control you and people often see what they want to see without putting their emotions aside. Seeing the possible path Willy could have taken, had he let the fear control him, was a fitting conclusion. At the same time, the audience is left to their own imagination regarding whether or not the fortunes were real. This is just an all around fun, entertaining, and creative episode that gets you thinking.

Eye of the Beholder

Description: Season 2, Episode 6

Air Date: November 11, 1960

Plot Summary: A disfigured woman attempts her 11th surgery to look "normal" in a world where not all is what it seems.

Review: Once again we come to one of the classic, and more legendary, episodes. There are actually quite a few different themes going on here, and I'll try and address each one. But I think we all know this story, right? A woman is believed to be unbearably ugly to the point that she will be removed from society if her last surgery doesn't create a change. Surprise, surprise, it is revealed that she is actually beautiful, by our standards, and everyone else in the world looks grotesque. The twist is presented excellently--with a fantastic buildup coupled with superb editing and lighting trickery. It's a timeless tale, and the episode itself never specifies when or where this story could be taking place--just somewhere out in the Twilight Zone. A great touch to a great episode.

The first thing I want to examine is the title itself: eye of the beholder. On the surface, this is self-explanatory as beauty is subjective and this weird world doesn't see beauty as we would. Going deeper, we see that beauty in this world is shaped purely by society rather than any kind of innate attraction. This is interesting as beauty is a shifting idea and can change quite easily. I don't necessarily agree that society completely shapes what is beautiful, but definitely allowing others to determine beauty will create unusual outcomes. Modern society is trying, in vain, to skew what others should find attractive despite there being innate factors at play that are biological. Though, most of these kind of debates will always break down into a nature vs. nurture situation. I'm not sure when plastic surgery would have become a mainstream phenomenon, but TZ was probably ahead of the game in presenting this idea. Although, the episode mentions that they're more experiments than surgery.

It's important to note that this TZ world values normalcy above any kind of personality traits an individual has; essentially, this is as shallow as it comes. Normalcy is also seen as synonymous with conformity as this world is under some kind of totalitarian regime; I suppose this could be interpreted as a shot at communism with a Stalin-esque leader. At the same time, the desire for one, ideal look could be similar to the nazis and the aryan traits. Regardless of the intention, I think most would agree variety is preferable to one (or technically no) choice. I'm just surprised TZ didn't go the extra mile and say non-normal people would be eliminated rather than being dumped in a commune of some sort.

With so many interesting plot elements being presented at once, it's no wonder this episode would stand out among the others. There are numerous philosophical aspects to consider as well as being a grim interpretation of a world comprised of conformity run rampant. After all, you can't control what would be considered the desired traits or what would be the general consensus of normalcy. Besides being a cool story (bro), the technical aspects were well done. These innovative approaches were usually present in the best episodes and is what makes them timeless and relevant.

The Howling Man

 

Description: Season 2, Episode 5

Air Date: November 4, 1960

Plot Summary: A stranded traveler stumbles upon a monastery with a suspicious individual being locked away.

Review: I don't know what it is about this episode, but I've always found it interesting. Maybe it's the grand scope of the story despite the episode only involving a handful of characters discussing the world. It makes you want to know more about the back story, and what's going on, while maintaining accessibility to audiences in light of the setting taking place nearly a century ago. There were also a few, subtle themes to consider that aren't explicitly mentioned.

The story starts off in, I guess, 1960 as we see the main character, Ellington, as an old man telling his story to someone off screen. In the years following WWI, Ellington was wandering around Europe as he became lost and sickly; I'm really not sure what's wrong with the guy since he can't be thirsty and he shouldn't be that hungry after one day. Ellington seeks shelter at a hidden monastery, of sorts, but the brothers there want to turn him away. When Ellington's request to stay is rejected, he passes out and is taken care of by these monks against their better judgement. Although Ellington believed he was hallucinating, he realizes that he keeps hearing a man howling from within the monastery. For no particular reason, this howling man is being locked in a cell right out in the open; you'd think they would lock this dude up as far from human sight as possible but contrivances, right? This howling man looks like some kind of POW and tells Ellington that the brotherhood is full of crazy people, and he needs help escaping. Somewhat skeptical of the howling man's story, Ellington is approached by the leader of the monastery who decides to disclose the bizarre truth.

It would appear the howling man is, in fact, the devil in the flesh. Oh shit! During the height of WWI, the leader of the monastery happened across a peaceful village amidst the turmoil where the devil was attempting to wreak havoc. The devil is presented as an active force of evil that roams around causing trouble wherever he can, but this guy saw through the human appearance. Although it's severely glossed over, this leader managed to capture the devil with a magic staff. Yeah...umm, if you want to convince someone you caught the devil you might want to give a little more than you used your magic staff. Anyway, with the devil contained, WWI ended and the world was given a reprieve from the horrors of the devil. Certainly not believing this ridiculous tale, Ellington once again talks with the howling man who emphasizes the madness of the monks to believe he's the devil. However, Ellington is interrupted and locked in a room while he is asked to sleep. Of course Ellington lets the curiosity get the better of him as he escapes his confines and talks with the howling man one last time. Ellington resolves to free the man but is hesitant upon realizing that the only thing blocking the howling man's escape is this so-called magic staff. Shrugging this off, Ellington removes the staff and plans to escape with the howling man only to realize he really was the devil! There is a pretty cool transformation effect as the howling man goes from prisoner to cliched devil attire. I really liked that there was a subtle look of relief on the leader of the monastery's face; it was as if to emphasize that looking after the devil was no longer his problem. Ellington comes to terms with the fact he was deceived and decides to hunt down the devil over the years. It is explained that this release of the devil is what caused WWII as we cut back to old man Ellington. Somehow Ellington managed to capture the devil himself and was explaining this story to his maid who we can infer was questioning the howling. Big shock, when Ellington leaves, the maid releases the devil yet again. Mr. Serling closes the tale out by mentioning an old saying about how you can catch the devil but you can't hold him for long.

Besides the usual morality tale about curiosity, I think we could throw in the notion that the path to hell is paved with good intentions. Furthermore, the ending is bleak as we could assume the episode is saying the devil is released once more to create a WWIII; this may have been a nuanced jab at the growing Cold War sentiments. I wish we could have been given more back story about where this magic staff came from and how the hell one goes about capturing the devil. As it stands, this is a cool episode that leaves the imagination swimming with ideas. It also addresses the feeling that the world wars were so horrific that, surely, they were the work of the devil--a far cry from the glamorization we see in modern society. Finally, if a tale such as this were even halfway realistic, then the devil must be on the loose again, because this world is a nightmare!

A Thing About Machines

Description: Season 2, Episode 4

Air Date: October 28, 1960

Plot Summary: A grouchy man believes his appliances are out to get him.

Review: I really don't know what to make of this episode; it's like a cross between "Maximum Overdrive" meets an episode of "The X-Files." The story doesn't appear to have an inherently noticeable theme unless it's something more relevant to that specific era. Maybe it was meant to be a statement of "get with the times" to the old people of 1960? Or maybe I'm way off and they're taking a shot at post-WWII consumerism? I don't think that's the case though since the main character, Finchley, is a rich snob who appears to be deep, deep in the closet; that scene of Finchley calling up "girlfriends" must have really been for the lulz. Anyway, I would think a direct shot at consumerism would be more aptly demonstrated through middle class America; besides, TZ has already addressed this topic to a degree.

So we meet Finchley who is such an utter asshole. His snobbish behavior is almost comical in the cliche nature of his superiority complex. At first I thought they were trying to be funny with this episode, but they appear to be playing the story straight. There's a brief cameo from Barney Phillips who is fixing Finchley's TV for the millionth time as we learn Finchley doesn't take care of his shit very well. Finchley hates appliances and contraptions for whatever reason despite having a house full of them. It's not long before we see that the machines are quite literally after him--I guess because they hate douchebags too. Finchley ends up annoying his assistant to the point that she quits on him, and he's left alone with the deadly machines. Gradually Finchley is tormented until he runs out of his home and is chased around by his car. This was kind of painful to watch since you see a driver in just about every shot. Eventually, Finchley is chased to his pool where he drowns himself out of fear of coming to the surface. The episode simply ends with the grouchy son of a bitch being found dead the next day with the mention of neighbors noticing him running around like a lunatic. I suppose this means it was all in Finchley's head, but that only emphasizes the pointlessness to this tale. Eh, your guess is as good as mine as to what was going on here. I mean, hell, the episode is called "A Thing About Machines." What is the thing?! I think it's safe to mark this episode under the forgettable section.

Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room

Description: Season 2, Episode 3

Air Date: October 14, 1960

Plot Summary: A cowardly criminal must come to terms with his failures in life after he is forced to add murder to his repertoire

Review: Although this is a mostly forgettable episode, and one I barely remember seeing, it is the origin for the famous line, "You talkin' to me?" made notorious in "Taxi Driver." Other than that aspect, the story is essentially a wimpy guy arguing with himself in a room. That's not the kind of scope or creativity I like from my TZ episodes. This isn't to say that the episode has nothing to offer in terms of its themes, but it lacked that extra oomph TZ often provides. All that happens is a guy named Jackie is getting nervous--as the title proclaims--since he is worried about a crime job his handler is preparing. Speaking of this handler, count how many times Jackie says the guy's name, George; yeah, they went a bit overboard with that one. Jackie is a weasel-type of criminal, and an obvious bitch, but he's no murderer which is why George wants him to kill a guy that owes them money or whatever; George figures a bitch like Jackie would never be suspected since he's a low-level criminal. Also, Jackie must do this job or else he will be the one to die instead.

Jackie then sees a more confidant mirror image of himself that speaks to him; this is where that famous line comes into play. The two discuss Jackie's pathetic life and how he is always pushed around and does what he's told. The mirror image represents Jackie's true potential and wants to become the dominant personality in order to set Jackie on a proper life path. Little bitch Jackie tries to resist, but the mirror image semi comes out of the mirror and takes over; the two personalities actually change position. When George returns to kill Jackie for failing in his mission, the new Jackie kicks his ass and talks a bit of smack for good measure. The episode concludes with the implication that the new Jackie will seek out a respectable life where they don't have to check into shitty hotels or work for clowns like Georgie here. For the most part, the themes are commendable and timeless, but the presentation is lackluster. If there were an added layer of depth, or a twist of some sort, that would have made this episode more memorable. As it stands, it's a decent episode hindered by a lack of production value and an uninteresting premise.

The Man in the Bottle

Description: Season 2, Episode 2

Air Date: October 7, 1960

Plot Summary: A couple, struggling financially, discovers that an ordinary glass bottle actually contains a genie.

Review: As I've mentioned numerous times, I am a sucker for genie tales, however, this episode is on the generic side. It's not that the story is bad, but it's predictable and follows a, mostly, cookie-cutter approach to genies and the outcomes that arise. I mean, from the moment the couple discovers the genie, you can quickly determine where this story will end up; this story would have benefited from TZ's classic twists to spice things up a bit.

So we meet an old couple, owners of an antique store, that are neck-deep in debt. Not quite sure where that much debt is coming from, but I guess we can go with it. A local woman comes begging the husband for money in exchange for an alleged family heirloom. Since this appears to be a common incident, the husband takes pity on the woman and offers her a buck for the heirloom which is a plain old, glass bottle. When the woman is walking out, she admits the bottle was just something she found in the trash. Even though she does apologize for this lie...what a bitch! The couple eventually starts to argue over this little transaction as the wife addresses the fact that they need every single dollar. The husband does her one better as he explains that this antique store is more of a burden than a business and has been slowly killing his family. Amidst the fit of rage, the husband knocks over the bottle and unleashes the genie inside. This genie is dressed like a sleazy salesman from the 1800s and looks just as creepy--not the trustworthy sort. I've never understood how genies always understand the logistics of the era they're in, but this one is no different. This genie also magically knows everything about the couple and their woes.

The couple is told they have 4 wishes as they quickly blow a wish with the infamous "prove you're a genie" routine; this leads to the genie fixing the broken glass on a display. From there, the couple wishes for a million dollars as the genie laughs sadistically. That probably should have been your cue not to trust this asshole. The first thing the couple does with their money is to give it to random neighborhood people they're friends with...I guess. This joy is short-lived, however, as some tax bitch shows up and claims they owe most of it in taxes. Uhh yeah, nice try. Assuming a tax bitch would instinctively show up the moment you had money, you would not owe 90% of what you had! Well, after the money that has been given to friends, the couple only has $5 to spare. The genie shows up and tells us the usual spiel about "be careful what you wish for" and so forth. The couple then makes a blatantly idiotic wish to be the ruler of a country, who can't be removed from power, in the last century. I'll give you one guess which country the husband becomes the leader of--you got it? It's nazi Germany! They even made the husband turn into Hitler. Come on, dude, you should have seen that outcome a mile away. This leads to the husband making the final wish to restore everything back to normal, and that's the end of their wishes. Fools. The couple then realizes you can't gain happiness through mere wishes as they look on the bright side with their fixed display. But because the universe hates them, the husband accidentally breaks the glass on the display again. In the end, the genie bottle is dumped in the trash where it supposedly won't open again for 101 years.

Overall, this is essentially the standard genie tale with a slightly more evil genie. We all know the morality behind the tale itself and most people understand the typical rules about needing to be specific toward the wishes. I wish they would have done more with the material, offered up a new angle to explore, or added a cool twist, but you can't get everything you want (hooray for lame puns). Despite this complaint, the episode is decent enough and respectable in its own right--it's simply middle of the road.

King Nine Will Not Return

Description: Season 2, Episode 1

Air Date: September 30, 1960

Plot Summary: Miraculously surviving a plane crash, a WWII captain searches for his crew amidst a desert.

Review: Now we come to season 2 and there are a few, slight changes. For starters, the opening is different as well as the main theme, however, I prefer the season 1 opening. Mr. Serling's appearances when narrating become more frequent, and they add the title to the closing credits. None of the changes are dramatic, although, this season does conclude sooner than the first and has less episodes. As for our season 2 opener, this episode is simply average--not all that great but still respectable. I appreciate the themes it was trying to touch on, but it felt similar to better episodes.

The story takes place in the middle of WWII as we see the wreckage of a bomber that has crashed somewhere in an African desert; they mention Tunisia so I will assume it's the Sahara. The only survivor of the crash appears to be the captain, but he can't seem to find the remains of his crew. The captain's memories are hazy as he can't recall the crash or how he could have possibly survived it. Hmm...are you detecting the similarities to other episodes yet? The captain roams around the nearby area trying to find a trace of his men, but all he can find are mere hints as to what became of them. The captain, on occasion, believes he sees a member of the crew, but it is nothing more than a mirage each time. With the captain growing increasingly erratic, and talking to himself, he notices jets flying over his head. He recalls what jets are, but he also recalls that they did not exist during WWII and is unsure how he knows this fact. Going completely insane, and laughing like a lunatic, the captain sees a mirage of the crew and realizes they must surely be dead. It's okay though, since the captain wakes up in a hospital, and it's really 1960 after all. A doctor and some kind of military liaison explain that reading an article in a newspaper set off the captain and sent him into a psychological breakdown. Apparently, the captain never went on the last mission where the bomber crashed and only recently were the remains found. The captain has been blaming himself all these years as he felt guilty that he wasn't there for his men; I suppose it's meant to be a kind of survivor's guilt. Coming to terms with his horrible dream, the captain still feels as though a part of the dream were real. Since this is the TZ, the episode ends with a nurse talking to the military liaison guy and they find sand in the shoes of the captain. Oh shit!

I'm not going to necessarily hold it against the episode that the presentation felt similar to others, but it sure didn't help things. Rather than throwing in a final zinger, it probably would have been more powerful to let the themes stand on their own merit. There were probably ways to do things a little different, but it's still decent. I liked that they addressed the fact that people were psychologically scarred from war, and WWII severely impacted the lives of TZ's writers. I would also think the story presented an early version of post traumatic stress disorder. In a way, this episode touched on the kind of mental problems vets could have, even years later, which is something worth showcasing. Overall, not too bad of a way to kick off the second season.