Twilight Zone - The Long Haul / Third from the Sun

 While watching the 14th episode of the first season of The Twilight Zone, "Third from the Sun", I couldn't help but think of "Probe 7, Over and Out", the 9th episode of the fifth season. By the fifth season, episodes felt like they were just taking from past season stories and parsing them here and there as the fatigue and creative energy of those responsible for the show's success started to wane and fizzle. In "Probe 7, Over and Out", Basehart's astronaut had left behind Earth on an exploration mission, periodically tapping in to his command station for further instructions and communication. When his Probe crashed on some seemingly unpopulated planet away from Earth quite a distance, Basehart learned of his former planet's near catastrophe. In early first season, "Third from the Sun" has Weaver, a scientist, and Maross, a pilot, plotting to leave behind the Earth-like planet as nuclear apocalypse seemed imminent (48 hours). But in order to do so Weaver and Maross must avoid detection from a nosy bureaucrat named Carling (Edward Andrews), who obviously sneaks around and interrupts a "card game" (actually a meeting to coordinate their escape plan) to scan the living room and see who is together. I think for anyone watching, you can see that Carling has a good idea what they are up to, so Weaver's William Sturka and Maross' Jerry Riden realize time is of the essence and the least little mistake could cost them that spaceship ride off the planet, as doom awaits the entire planet as their government planned to bomb another government, knowing that retaliation would inevitably leave most of their side of the planet wiped out. But Carling is loyal to his government's cause and totally against any dissent. Sturka and Jerry were basically traitors for wanting to get off the planet and go to another that isn't so pro-war and pro-destruction, with the irony of Earth being that place not lost on TZ viewers...that was the whole point. To present this story as if it took place on a future Earth, only for the revelation to be that it was a planet very similar to Earth is supposed to lead to that, "A-ha! Clever, very clever!" reaction. While in "Probe 7, Over and Out" Basehart had left Earth as it was about to suffer a fate practically identical to the planet Sturka and Jerry were leaving, the reverse was the case for "Third from the Sun". Sterling's show often played tricks on the viewer for irony sake...these two families thought they were leaving behind one planet for a safer haven of another, not realizing that Earth could be in a very similar situation if governments didn't knock it off and try to share Earth without resorting to bombing each other into oblivion. Great shows like Twilight Zone not only caution but cause you to take pause and assess its message...planets always plotting to drop bombs on each other would seem to not be isolated to just Earth. It would be nice if Earth was a planet that could serve as a safe harbor, not some dystopian hellscape.