"The Fever"
The first episode I watched that fateful night was The Fever, a kooky little tale about a man, his wife and an evil slot machine. Mr. and Mrs. Kook win a free trip to Las Vegas, but Mr. Kook hates gambling, sees it as a waste of time and money. After scolding his wife about putting money into a slot machine, he ends up in an awkward position with a drunk dude trying to get him to gamble... he ends up pulling the arm of the slot machine and UH OH... the claws of addiction have sunk themselves into Mr. Kook. Soon enough this former gambling hater is stuck at the same slot machine, trying to dig himself out of a debt hole... to the point of insanity.
The dude is a dick so I'm glad he gets his comeuppance; you could say he pays the ultimate price! LOL!!! My favorite part is when he starts hearing the slot machine talk to him, a weird kind of frog/robot voice that calls out to him, "Fraaannnklllinnn". There's even some coin sounds in there for good measure. I give this one 3 out of 5 showgirls.
"Last Flight"
I love this episode. It combines a few of my favorite things... Time Travel and the Twilight Zone. This is an excellent example of time travel because it doesn't produce a paradox effect like so many other stories and movies do (Terminator series, looking at you).
A British pilot from World War I lands at a U.S.A.F. base 42 years later. When he lands, the Commander and his Exec wonder who he is and why he's flying such an old plane. He mentions that he was out on patrol with his squad when he flew into a thick, white cloud. The pilot mentions the name of one of his squad mates which confuses the Commander... because that squad mate is nice a Vice Air Commander person who is scheduled to visit the base that day. That scares the pilot, because his squad mate is supposed to be dead.
With further explanation, the pilot describes how they were ambushed by a squad of German pilots and ditched his squad mate to retreat as a coward. The Exec explains that the squad mate can't be dead because he's due to tour the base, and was one of the heroes of WWI. The pilot realizes that he can change things so he fights his way out to his plane and takes off.
A little while later, the squad mate shows up, now a Vice Air Commander, and the Commander and Exec ask him about the pilot. The VA CC explains that the pilot had flown away, but out of nowhere came, guns blazing, and took out several of the German planes before being killed himself... saving the life of the VA CC.
The story of redemption in a time travel setting is awesome to me. The pilot hates himself throughout the episode for ditching his squad mate, honestly believing that he caused his friends death. When he realizes that he's being given a second chance, he takes it to redeem himself.
This episode deserves a 5 out of 5 John Connors
"Purple Testament"
This one will be quick...
A soldier on the battlefield has been predicting the deaths of his fellow soldiers. When he looks at them he sees a light on their face which signals that they will die. After being told that he is getting transferred away from the front lines, he sees himself in the mirror and catches that his face is shining... instead of fighting against fate, he continues on knowing that he'll be the next one to die.
This is one of many of Serling's anti-war episodes, most of which I agree with. I don't really have much to say about this one. I enjoyed it, but I was also doing paperwork at the time, haha. With that, I award it 4/5 dog tags.
"Elegy"
This is an episode that I'd never seen before. Three astronauts land on a random planet and find there are several buildings that resemble a 1940's style earth. By exploring more, they find several people that are frozen in place. While theorizing why the people are frozen, an old man reveals himself to them. The old man asks them what they'd be most happy doing before explaining what's going on. Each of them unanimously agree that being on the ship on their way home is what they'd be most happy doing. The old man then explains that the planet they've landed on is actually a graveyard and each of the people there is frozen doing the things they are the happiest doing. He is just a caretaker to ensure the graveyard remains undisturbed... which is why he drugs the astronauts... cause with man, there can be no peace. The episode ends with the caretaker dusting off the astronauts, frozen, doing the thing that made them most happy... on the ship on their way home.
For an episode I hadn't seen before, I enjoyed it. It's not like listening to a new song by a band you like, where you have that couple of times before you actually can enjoy it. This episode was liked right away. I give it 3 out of 5 frozen astronauts.
"Mirror Image"
Meh... a chick is waiting for a bus when she realizes that there is a twin of hers interacting with people without her. She then theorizes that a being from the mirror world is trying to escape into her world. She tries to explain this to a gentleman who's also waiting for the bus. Eventually he calls the police to have her committed which he feels bad about. After she gets taken in by the police, he sits down waiting for the bus when he sees somebody steal his bags and run out of the station. He gives chase to the person, only to realize it's a mirror image of himself... trying to escape into our world.
I don't like this episode that much... not sure why, but it just didn't hold my attention all that much. I don't feel like the episode lived up to its premise enough. I give it 2/5-2/5's (cause it's a mirror, get it?!?!!?)
"A World of Difference"
This one is slightly out of order from how I watched it. A man in his office hangs up the phone with his wife and discovers that he's actually an actor on a sound-stage. He spends the entire episode arguing with his real bitch wife and studio execs about how he's not who they think he is. When his agent tells him that they are cancelling production on his movie and are already tearing down the set, he rushes back to the studio and wishes that he could be back with his fake wife. He opens his eyes to see that he's back in a regular office building and his wife is there. He rushes her out of the office and suggests they take an early vacation while he faintly he hears the studio hands tearing down the set.
This episode is like a grownup version of Muppet Babies. I wish I could imagine my Radio Flyer into a time machine to see what Nanny was like in the 50's, just like this guy could imagine himself into a different life. My interest wasn't held throughout the entirety, and though I appreciate the premise, I've seen better variations... like that one time Bobby imagined himself doing something hilarious in his crazy Bobby World. 3 Howie Mandels out of 5.
"The Monsters are Due on Maple Street"
One of the famous ones. Hopefully anyone reading this blog (if anyone) doesn't need me to explain this episode or how brilliant it is. It's such a wonderful bit of commentary that transcends generations. Many other stories have discussed the same topic, each pretty astutely... put a small group of people together, insert some kind of unknown threat, and they'll turn against each other. Check out The Mist for example.
Little side note, I always get pissed at the kid who brings up the space alien talk... he's the one who really gets everyone riled up. That little pissant.
Really, Serling's end quote sums up the brilliance of this episode:
"The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices, to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill and suspicion can destroy, and a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own - for the children, and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is that these things cannot be confined to the Twilight Zone"
This quote was especially poignant considering the current social-political landscape... so much hatred, prejudice and mistrust. We're always looking for the problem, and never looking for a solution. Always focusing on the negativity in our differences, rather than synergistic positivity. It's a sobering thought... Serling was a genius and there's a reason this one is a classic. 5 out of 5.
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