Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E10: A Most Unusual Camera

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E10: A Most Unusual Camera

This is an entertaining episode, with a natural twist from the usual ‘seeing into the future’ routine to include a camera that takes photos of what will occur some five minutes in the future.

Obviously this special talent, once discovered, can only be used in so many ways that would be seen as useful, but our criminal duo and the addition of a brother, having stolen the camera in the first place, soon discover ways in which to utilise it to make all the money they can.

The episode moves along nicely, and even the strange addition of the French waiter into the mix doesn’t seem to harm the flow. It is only once we reach the climax of the story, where the camera spits out its final two photographs that don’t seem to add up that everything begins to spiral apart for everyone within the hotel room.

As mentioned, this is an interesting deviation from the norm, and it is another of those Serling episodes where anyone who steps out of line ends up being dealt with appropriately… in the Twilight Zone…

Rating: Say cheese! 4/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E09: The Trouble With Templeton

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E09: The Trouble With Templeton

When I first started watching this episode, I thought it was going to be one that I watched the once, and immediately put on that list of ‘I’ve watched it, but never again’ shows. Well, I was mistaken, and though it wasn’t until the final five minutes of the episode that it all clicked together for me, it was made it so much more enjoyable than I thought it would be, and has enhanced my enjoyment since.

The trappings of advancing age is the tale of this story, with our protagonist reminiscing on his past and on those things that he loved from back then and how much he missed those times. As his day progressively gets worse, he storms out of his play rehearsal to find he has gone back 30 years in time, and can now catch up with his departed love of his life and his best friend. However, things don’t go according to plan, and it seems that all is awry in the past as well.

The final twist as Templeton returns to his own time is just perfect, as was the acting and directing of the two major scenes that complete the story, and allow Templeton to regain his sense of self-esteem. As I said, I particularly enjoy the way the episode turns out, and it is well worth watching without having that final ending revealed.

Rating: Can memories of the past be just seen through rose coloured glasses? 4/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E08: The Lateness of the Hour

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E08: The Lateness of the Hour

I think this episode had the potential to be much better than it eventually turned out to be, and that’s not because it was filmed on videotape to save money and comes across like live theatre because of it.

There was always a strange air about the home of Loren family, with the two parents constantly being doted upon by their hired help, which are in fact robots designed by Dr William Loren. The fact that they won’t allow their grown daughter Jana out of the house, and that every supposed need is taken care of by these robots should surely have sent off alarm bells very early on, even to the most uninterested of viewers. The fact that all of the photos around the house have Jana looking exactly as she was at that time, and none of her when she was ‘younger’, was surely a dead giveaway that the servants were not the only robots living within the household.

Yes, this episode does just dawdle along, and with the resolution obvious from early on, there was no real twist to keep you in suspense to the end.

Rating: Ask me no questions I’ll tell you no lies. 2/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E07: Nick of Time

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E07: Nick of Time

Who doesn’t like a tale about a fortune teller who can see the future and wants to mess with your life? This is a nice variation on the theme that keeps you intrigued to the end without requiring a massive twist to make it enjoyable.

Watching a very young William Shatner playing the lead role along with Patricia Breslin as his young wife, they are particularly good as the couple whose car breaks down in a small town, and while waiting for it to be fixed they stop for lunch in a café that has a fortune telling machine on their table, and by feeding in a coin and asking a question it will pop out a card with its answer on it. Their initial fun turns to morbid curiosity when the answers they get to their questions turn out true. Don in particular in dragged in under its spell, especially when the machine informs them they must not leave before 3pm.

The story is well written and covers all the areas you would expect it to go. The end of the episode surprised me a little, as I expected Don and Pat to be all consumed by the machine and meet some terrible doom. Of course, being the Twilight Zone, there is still someone else’s story that can be tied up in it as well.

Rating: The seer of all in its domain. 4/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E06: Eye of the Beholder

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E06: Eye of the Beholder

This is one of those episodes that transcends the genres that the Twilight Zone proliferates, and becomes one of those wonderfully perfect episodes that should be shown in schools everywhere as a lesson that everyone should learn in regards to racism. Sexism, elitism and every other facet of humanity’s indignant response to those not of the ‘norm’.

Rod Serling once again nails the argument of what is held as ‘normal’ and what is held as ‘abnormal’ in a story that is also perfectly filmed to emphasise its point. Throughout the episode we see Janet Tyler’s face wrapped in bandages after yet another operation to make her ‘normal’, to enhance her beauty such that it is like everyone else around her. She worries constantly of what the result will be given that by law, she is on her last chance. If the operation is a failure she will have to live her life as an ‘abnormal’. At no stage do we see the faces of anyone, until Janet’s face is finally revealed to all, and then their faces too are shown to the camera.

People may say this is an easily discovered plotline; that the end is not really a twist as it is hinted at all the way through. This may be true, but firstly consider the excellent camera work and direction needed to conceal the twist until the reveal, and secondly consider the message that Serling pointedly makes to his audience, one that still has as much meaning today as it did when it was first aired back in 1960.

Rating: Can bandages withhold true beauty. 4.5/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E05: The Howling Man

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E05: The Howling Man

Whilst initially this felt like a Rod Serling story to me, it turns out it was written by Charles Beaumont, and the story and idea is an intriguing one, and while it might take a bit of time to get going, it is worth it in the long run.

As told in a flashback story by the protagonist, he comes across a castle in the middle of nowhere in Europe while looking for shelter. He is initially turned away by the occupants, abut as he is in no condition to travel he is let inside. His discovery inside of a ‘howling man’ who is being held captive within the castle is further complicated by the story given to him as to why he is being held there. He feigns belief in the story, while at the same time deciding he must do something about it.

While the episode does tend to get bogged down by its slow reveal, once the identity of the howling man and his travails are revealed it all comes together in a more than satisfying conclusion. Apart from the fact that once the bottle is uncorked, it appears unlikely it can ever be fully sealed once again. Beaumont’s story still holds up today, because its relevance transcends the years and can always be translated into today’s world

Rating: For goodness sakes just leave the damn door closed! 4/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E04: A Thing About Machines

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E04: A Thing About Machines

Looking back now in this ridiculous age of technology, the idea behind this episode is well worth considering and seeing just how something like this would be a possibility in the mind of a disturbed person.

Our protagonist in this story seems to have a problem. All of his electronic devices and machines seem to have a habit of being broken. It’s just that they are broken by the man in question. And while he seems incapable of interacting with humans he seems even more unable to come to terms with machines. And they seem to be turning on him.

The realms that this episode takes us to is amusingly believable in a corner of the Twilight Zone that takes its vengeance on people whose interactive skills are just not up to it. The idea is a good one, but it does feel by the end that it has been overused without actually making the best use of it throughout.

Rating: Get out Finchley! 3.5/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E03: Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E03: Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room

Another of Serling’s one-room plays that places an enormous amount of emphasis on the actor or actors involved to retain the interest of the viewer given the lack of interaction and change in scenery.

Fortunately Joe Mantell is excellent here in the role of Jackie Rhoads, the nervous man of the episode’s title, who is a two bit criminal working for a mobster. Here in this room he is awaiting instructions, which is to go and kill and storekeeper who has refused to pay their protection money. Jackie starts to talk to himself in the mirror, when to his surprise his reflection starts to talk back to him. Only it isn’t quite his own reflection. Staring back at him is his doppelganger, a confident image as against his own nervous and undecided nature.

The episode focuses on the discussion between the two, with the reflection of Jackie wanting to ‘take over’ their life, and come out into the real world to replace the nervous Jackie and get their life on track. Given the day and age, this episode is excellently filmed and wonderfully acted by Mantell in playing both parts, and the back and forth is completely realistic. When the ending comes it mightn’t be a surprise, but it is convincingly portrayed. An enjoyable sojourn.

Rating: Don’t spin that mirror. 4/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E02: The Man in the Bottle

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E02: The Man in the Bottle

This is a similar twist on the old tale about the monkey paw, that would grant wishes to its owner but usually with a side effect that guaranteed that not all turned out well for the recipient.

Such is the story here, with an antiques dealer buying the bottle, from which magically appears a genie who offers them four wishes. So, not one wish, not three wishes, but four wishes. You get the feeling that this was just to ensure the episode ran for the correct amount of time? Anyway…

Each wish is granted on request, but of course all is not as it seems, and the couple find that there seems no way to ensure they finish in front on the deal. A broken glass cabinet is restored, but eventually broken once again. They wish for money, which they share with others, but they are then hit with a tax bill that leaves them with practically nothing. Arthur wishes to be a placed in a position of power, and he becomes Adolf Hitler in the dying days (literally) of World War II.

While the episode has its moments, and tries to tell the moral story of be happy with what you have, it isn’t able to build on the idea as presented, and eventually becomes an easy episode to watch, but not a memorable one.

Rating: Don’t take that cyanide capsule. 3/5.

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E01: King Nine Will Not Return

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S02 E01: King Nine Will Not Return

The second series of The Twilight Zone kicks off with an average tale of a man who finds himself alone in the desert beside the wreckage of his crashed plane, and with no sign of life anywhere else around him. Despite his best efforts, he cannot locate any other members of his crew, nor can he remember much of anything else. When jet planes fly over the top of him, he can’t understand why he knows what they are, even though they are far more advanced than anything from his time is.

When it comes to the crux of the episode, where we then see our protagonist in hospital suffering from the effects of delayed hallucinations, which his doctors claim have been triggered by the newspaper which claims to have found his plane some 17 years after it crashed without trace, you then have to decide whether it is his mind playing tricks on him, or his claims playing tricks on the doctors.

Despite the reasonable assumption of mind games, this is a fairly lacklustre start to the new series.

Rating: Flying in a blue dream. 3/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E36: A World of His Own

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E36: A World of His Own

This is another easy one room drama piece that serves its purpose without changing the world in which it is played out too much. The idea that words that are spoken onto a tape could take on the physical form of their description, and can then be just as easily negated by taking that piece of tape and destroying it, is an original one and works well. It’s also amusing when Gregory’s wife Victoria doesn’t believe he can do this, even when she twice witnesses him creating and then erasing such physical objects.

The twist works nicely when he goes to his safe and pulls out a tape labelled Victoria and offers it to her. The fact that she goes ahead and erases herself from existence nicely puts a top on the episode. As does the final scene, where Gregory even erases Rod Serling as he options out the end of the episode.

Rating: If only it was that easy. 4/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E35: The Mighty Casey

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E35: The Mighty Casey

Yeah… well… there’s no so much Twilight Zone in this as a robot sci-fi tale, and one that in the long run doesn’t really get anywhere apart form about two minutes of the episode.

The idea of a broken down losing baseball team is not unusual, and the idea of importing something in to help that team also not unusual. The fact that a robot comes in to become the team’s pitcher, and starts firing out opponents left right and centre works okay. And yes, you know eventually they will be found out and the robot will be taken out of the team.

The idea of introducing a heart to the robot in order to qualify as being human is okay, but it is the idea that the robot will then refuse to throw fastballs anymore because he doesn’t want his opponent hurt that is the best part of the episode. Unfortunately it also kills off the rest of the story.

Rating: Metal mickey to the rescue. 3/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E34: The After Hours

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E34: The After Hours

Another of the best episodes from the first series, with a story that keeps you guessing until the very end, and also with an ending that doesn’t feel contrived or particularly downbeat.

As always, the episode is well constructed, with Marsha White coming into a department store to do some shopping. She is taken to the top floor, which she discovers is completely desolate. Her confusion continues when she is served by the one woman on the floor, and taken to the one item on the floor for sale, a thimble which is exactly what she is looking for. As the episode unwinds further and she descends to gain a refund for her ‘damaged’ product, she begins to see mannequins that have an uncanny likeness to people she has seen around the store.

The confusion and tension rises throughout the episode, as not only Marsha but the viewers try to ascertain what is happening, and why she appears to be losing her mind (a common theme on the Twilight Zone). When the conclusion is reached, rather than a nasty surprise, we are confronted by the twist of the story, which is accepted placidly by all concerned. Whether you enjoy the closing act is probably up to the individual, but as a story I enjoy it as well as the gradual build to the conclusion.

Rating: Plastic fantastic. 5/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E33: Mr. Bevis

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E33: Mr. Bevis

The trouble with the guardian angel scenario, certainly here in this series, is that it isn’t the only occasion that it is used, and it is probably used better later on.

Everything about this story is more or less predictable. Average Joe Mr. Bevis manages to lose his job, his car and his apartment all on the same day. Enter his guardian angel, and he awakes to find he has success at work, his rent paid and a brand new car. Of course, in order to keep this he must make changes to his life, which he isn’t keen on doing, so the only choice is to return to the scenario he had before.

Again, it passes the time for half an hour, but that’s about all this episode does. It’s okay, and it is harmless, but it doesn’t engender any real feelings of being an unforgettable piece of television.

Rating: Another for the feelings of power, money and love. 2.5/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E32: A Passage for Trumpet

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E32: A Passage for Trumpet

Another allegory piece by Rod Serling, giving another of his down-and-out characters a chance to seek redemption, or at least a second chance. When Joey decides he has nothing left to live for, he steps in front of a truck to end it all. Sometime later he awakes, and discovers that no one around him can see him, thus believing he is dead.

Wandering around, he comes to a club, and strikes up a conversation with another man, who tells him he is in a holding pattern, not dead yet, and that if he so wished he could return back to the land of the living.

The episode certainly tries to show that even if you think you have nothing worth living for, if you look a little harder you’ll find that it isn’t worth dying over. It’s a pleasant enough notion, but as an episode of the Twilight Zone, I don’t find it particularly enthralling as a part of this series.

Rating: If a bus won’t kill you, what will? 2.5/5

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Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E31: The Chaser

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E31: The Chaser

This kind of story has been done in both print and screen in many different ways over the years, so while the idea has been around for quite a while it still needs to be done well to catch the attention.

Does it here? I don’t know. My problem with the episode is that neither of the main characters are particularly likeable in any way, which makes it difficult to get yourself involved in the episode. Roger comes across as a hard-work-to-please kind of guy, firstly absolutely desiring the attention of his ‘love’ Leila, such that he buys a love potion so that she will direct all her attention to him. Of course, once she does, he finds her so constricting he wants to do away with her. On the other hand, Leila is just annoying in either format, firstly as the woman who wants nothing to do with Roger, and then as the one who is infatuated with him. Annoying both ways – why would you want that?

So there we have it. Two annoying characters in a slightly annoying episode. The story is fine, but it is hard to watch.

Rating: If she isn’t interested it isn’t going to work. 2.5/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E30: A Stop at Willoughby

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E30: A Stop at Willoughby

Now we are back on the right track (no pun intended), with an episode that you can once again decide if the star of the episode is simply a victim of his own mind or has skipped over into that other dimension called the Twilight Zone.

Gart Williams is having a tough old time, as often is the case for people in episodes of this series. He’s struggling in the workplace, being driven into the ground by his boss. His protégé has scarpered to another agency with the big account that he gave to him to handle, and his wife is simply a huge pain in the arse. Is it any wonder that he not only has a frayed mental state, but suddenly starts seeing places that aren’t really there? When he falls asleep on the train on the way home, he is jolted away to the stop at Willoughby, which is bathed in sunshine and looks to be a place in the past. Then the jolt of the train moving off bring him back to his ‘reality’. Each time, his determination to get off grows stronger.

Once again the end of the episode ties in nicely to all of these factors. To those present it appears that Williams has simply stepped off the train and died (with the added bonus of the hearse coming from ‘Willoughby & Sons’). But has he actually moved to Willoughby, which resides in the Twilight Zone? Terrific. And well written.

Rating: Tomorrow I might go fishing. 5/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E29: Nightmare as a Child

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E29: Nightmare as a Child

Another of those not-so-nice episodes, with Rod Serling once again ensuring the bad guy gets his just desserts, no matter how unlikely it is to occur. But then that’s what the Twilight Zone is for.

When Helen Foley meets not one but two strange people on the same day she suddenly becomes in a struggle to remember a part of her past that she has buried deep within her subconscious. A young girl is implying her that she needs to remember something about the man she met, who then comes knocking on her door and prying into her life.

Okay, so if the premise believable? That a man who remembers her but she doesn’t seem to remember him decides he must return to finish off what he started years ago? To me, no, and while Serling does like to write stories where the bad guy gets what he deserves, this one pushes what I’m willing to accept to its limit.

Rating: The ghosts of lifetime past. 2/5

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E28: A Nice Place to Visit

Revisiting The Twilight Zone: S1 E28: A Nice Place to Visit

Ah, Charles Beaumont pulls the wool over many people’s eyes in this episode of a career criminal who finally meets his match when he is shot by a policeman during a robbery. When he awakes he finds he has no injuries and has been joined by a man who says he is only there to give him whatever he wants.

Rocky is right to be suspicious, and he is, until the point comes where he tries to bump off his mate, only to see that he can’t. It is by now that he realises that he is actually dead, and he believes that he has made it into heaven.

Beaumont’s story is cleverly crafted all the way through, as Rocky decides to make the best of his situation and milk it for all it’s worth. As the episode progresses the viewer can see how such a situation – where the protagonist gets everything they want – seems to weigh him down. And thus when the conclusion comes and the moral of the story is revealed, it all makes sense.

Rating: You can’t get too much of a good thing. 3.5/5