Syfy Twilight Zone Marathoning Part 4

Meredith and Weaver in The Obsolete Man

New Year's Day, January 1st, 2023

4:00am – An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

I typically don't include this in with my Twilight Zone list of overall episodes, but every year Syfy includes it, I find myself mesmerized by this Cannes winner in short film 1962. It deserves an official review someday. An execution that seems to be rescued by rope break might or might not be an illusion. Does the swim and run to his wife exist in his own mind as a fantasy or will he make it home? Shot to make the wildlife and environment so inviting and worthy of awe as guns go off and the snap of the rope, not to mention, the procedure before the execution horrifying...this is really special and I see why Serling was find of it.

4:30am – What’s in the Box

I just find this more and more appalling with each and every viewing. Demarest and Blondell as bickering married couple right before they have this astonishingly violent confrontation at the end where a punch sends the missus out the window...shown on a television set with a little magic from repairman wizard Holloway. Holloway looks at us with a nod that he did the Lord's work. This noisy exchange of bitterness and rage gets old from the beginning scene and never quits. Ugh

5:00am – Sounds and Silences

Imagine following up the noise of the previous episode in the marathon with this loud blowhard, Flemington, pointing his finger at everyone, including a tired wife who is fed up with his attraction to loud sounds, especially of war and battle. His employees, for some reason, at his model ship company, have tolerated his blather for years, mocking him when he isn't present. His wife put up with him for twenty years. Good God, I always want to turn him off after give minutes. This episode is always a trial to get through. The fifth season at its worst.

5:30am – The Encounter

This was made to stir conversation and confront issues prevalent but, at the time, and still today, the message is just as potent. I feel this returning to syndication was important. This should be in marathons and seen by fans. Even if perhaps it might be perceived as flawed, prejudiced, and racist, Neville Brand's war veteran isn't positioned as a hero. He's a disaster, a mess drinking himself further and further into an abyss, a sword he took after killing a Japanese officer who surrendered. When Takei jumps out the window, the door suddenly opening, the spirit of vengeance emerging from that sword complete, Serling had to know this would garner some trepidation from the studio and sponsors ...this episode must've really ruffled feathers back in 1964.

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6:00am – Walking Distance

I was never cool with Syfy cutting out the Ronny Howard scene, but I get that they just must find some material to cut out. The importance of Gig Young's reactions and the camera shooting as he turns...this is that episode where this technique is vital to it's dramatic power. But seeing his parents again, 20 years later, getting wrapped up in the atmosphere of home. And the music. God, it hits me so hard. No more meeey go rounds, no more cotton candy, no more band concerts...

6:30am – Static

I could just see Ed Lindsay (Dean Jagger) kicking up a fuss while at a restaurant booth looking out at families and couples staring into their cellphones. Carmen Mathews (as Vinnie, Ed's former fiance he would have married in 1940) is just perfect in her boardinghouse tenant role, especially in one scene where she gets to him about what they could have been, even shutting him up for a moment to listen to what she had to say. I am surprised the tenants tried to get rid of the radio, believing it would help him "with his delusions" about specials from "spirit radio", old programs of the past reminding Ed of what he once had...and lost. The radio seems to give Ed a second chance, though. It does sort of abruptly end. It feels like another ten minutes was meant between getting the radio back and seeing Vinnie young again. Jagger is basically the old man shaking his fists at the sky telling everyone to get off his lawn, but maybe the second chance will help in his Ed finding happiness without all the sourness. 

7:00am – The Obsolete Man

The Chancellor and the State he represents, I think, would be welcome by many today. I think Serling thought of Hitler among others when writing the script, but watching this episode some 60 years later, it doesn't feel dated at all. I can see how this sort of system of power would be alluring to those looking to use a weapon against people they feel threatened by. Meredith has such conviction and cleverly provokes Weaver's haughty and confident Leader of the State (until they consider him too weak to be in charge any longer), eventually antagonizing him beautifully by using the camera as it records his final time on earth while trapping the Chancellor in the room with him. I truly believe there are people today who considers The State not too altogether villainous. Now today I have a hard time believing a character portraying Wordsworth would read a Bible and quote scripture, debate whether or not God exists, while the Chancellor starts to deteriorate into a terrified and begging, pleading and pitiful representative of The State, an embarrassment to whatever authoritarian regime he stands for. When I was a teenager watching Twilight Zone for the first time during marathons (I was only able to watch it at my uncle's house since I didn't have cable for a time in like 1994), this episode (especially the ending with how The State's executioners surround Weaver while humming, acting as if they were zombies about to devour him) really made an impression. The style, Meredith's performance, how Weaver went from this towering figure to a shriveling coward, and the oppressive nature of it all, concluding with Serling's closing narration on retaining human dignity and freedom, all definitely landed.

7:30am – Cavender is Coming

Carol Burnett as Mr. Bevis with a touch of "It's a Wonderful Life". Well, not just a touch. The fifth season running on fumes at times in terms of original ideas. The guardian angel does get his wings...Jesse White works off Burnett well, even if the story and general comedy goofiness seems to begging for laughs. Folks throwing themselves into mirrors and out windows seem speak to the effect of doing whatever it takes for a reaction.

I will go with a different approach for this block. Since running through 125 episodes will be tough to discuss each episode in depth. In the fifth season, especially, you see a lot of old sponsors blurred during the closing credits. It would appear Serling was really under pressure from the studio to placate sponsors for profit.