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?
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