The Twilight Zone - What You Need

Ernest Truex (Charlie in the TZ episode, Kick the Can) is Pedott, a suitcase novelties salesman who pounds the pavement of the city (I’m thinking Chicago as the prick bartender talks of dropping a lot of money on a pitcher in the episode), peddling his wares but what he also has to offer is what people need…he seems to have the uncanny ability to see into the future, providing items for folks that will help them better themselves. It might not be anything extraordinary but these items do come in handy. A former star pitcher with a bum left arm that quit on him gets a ticket to Scranton, PA. A young woman is given cleaning agent that will help clean the coat of the pitcher. A comb for a fellow who awakens to a vehicular accident needing to straighten his hair for a newspaper photo is provided. And then there is the bitter, selfish, caustic, odious Fred Renard (Steve Cochran), plopped down at the bar to gobble his booze and brood over how he was “born under the wrong zodiac”, feeling as if he has always gotten a raw deal from life. So here is Pedott giving folks items that help them, events spawned by a certain sight that comes to him in this spark of clairvoyance, and Renard sees an opportunity to “cash in”. Instead of appreciating the scissors given to him by Pedott that rescue him from a elevator strangling (through a trapped scarf), Renard wants to bet on the races (horses score him $250 dollars). He isn’t satisfied, breaking into Pedott’s apartment, waiting for him in the dark, a neon sign the only light silhouetting his presence as pillows of cigarette smoke also indicate Renard is there making himself at home.

Pedott’s first vision when in the bar as Renard sat behind him seemed to offer deep concern. I thought Truex played it as if someone walked over his grave, this serious look of grave dread. The music in this episode really is incredible in how it works alongside Truex’s change in expression when his visions come. And when he is terrified of Renard (Cochran is always a menace and only poses danger to Truex, grabbing his shirt, twisting his face into this unpleasant scowl, making demands, and telling Pedott that they are partners whether he likes it or not), Truex really wears that fear of just what he might be capable of. And that imposition pressed upon him regarding the demands to pony up or else, what Pedott does (not just others get what they need, so does Pedott…) makes complete sense. It is simply self-preservation, and considering Renard’s awful character, who can blame him?

What You Need does seem to fall victim to being in a truly great first season, often overshadowed by the likes of Where is Everybody?, Time Enough at Last, Walking Distance, And When the Sky is Opened, Third from the Sun, among others. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worthy to be mentioned in the same breath, because I think the use of music and Truex’s performance are indeed so damn good, What You Need deserves a reevaluation. I think because it isn’t a favorite during the Syfy holiday marathons, many might not realize how special an episode it is. Clairvoyance, though, is a plot device that has seen so much use over the years in television and film, What You Need might suffer, but I think its pleasures are enough to win plenty of TZ fans over. Truex is better known for Kick the Can, but I think anyone that has seen that episode plenty of times should give What You Need a go. I prefer the latter, quite frankly, but Kick the Can has persevered as a classic episode because of its message. People of a certain age that long to be young again, and understand that particular Truex character, just take to it, and I totally get it. But Truex’s subtle shifts in facial expression from exhilaration in helping down and out folks to terror when seeing his own potential demise at the hands of Renard are the kind of performance art I personally take to. I think this is one hell of a performance.