The Twilight Zone - The Thirty-Fathom Grave**

I wanted to sort of add this as a companion to a previous episode (Here) since I am going through the fourth season of The Twilight Zone (I once again look forward to "Death Ship", coming up soon). I think of all the TZ scripts I would actually like to own as a "prized possession" from the show, this episode's would be it. I do think this would be a classic in the thirty-minute format, but I do really enjoy this for its attention to detail. The destroyer's activities onboard with the officers under Oakland's command, the jargon and specifics involved in operating the ship is quite an erudite script by Serling, tasked with expanding his work to fit the length commissioned. I think it is obvious that this season was going to be short-lived, and the next season being the series' last (and Serling's creative fatigue perhaps included), suffers maybe because of the hour-length decision. Just the same, those submarine officer ghosts and Kellin's inability to resist the allure of their summoning him to "return" to where he "belongs", accompanied by that familiar TZ soundtrack are the reason this episode resonates as it does. Poor Considine is sent down to investigate by Oakland over and over, the results eventually leaving them with disappointing--if spooky--results. A couple New Years marathons ago, this was on Sunday evening and I didn't recall seeing it but maybe once years ago. I have watched it two more times since so it has imprinted itself on me. I think, as a chance to see Bixby as a young officer right under Oakland's command, and just the particulars that might be of interest to military scholars; there could be reasons to enjoy the extended format for the episode.