A Happy 2010... in The Twilight Zone

Submitted for your approval: a year which approaches denotes the chronology of us establishing contact upon an intergalactic scale.  But for now, we turn to an annual tradition with a cable channel taking us through an incredible journey as we countdown to this wondrous year.

There's the signpost up ahead: you've just entered the Twilight Zone Marathon.

During this annual tradition, I fondly recall the subtle tales with which we've been grateful to one Mr. Rod Serling.. tales which have remarkably endured not only humour, satire and parody, but the very essence of Time itself.  So much so, these journeys have recently been transposed from screen to radio, thanks to one Mr. Carl Amari and Stacy Keach, as well as actors who have revived these unforgettable classics.

You can paruse this fantastic dimensional take at this address: http://www.twilightzoneradio.com/index.html

But I regret I digress, as I'd like to share some of my favourite endeavors into the Twilight Zone:

1. Number Twelve Looks A Lot Like You - Chronocast: January 24, 1964

"Given the chance, what young girl wouldn't happily exchange a plain face for a lovely one?  What girl could refuse the opportunity to be beautiful?  For want of a better estimate, let's call it the year 2000.  At any rate, imagine a time in the future when science has developed a means of giving everyone the face and body he dreams of.  It may not happen tomorrow, but it happens now.. in the Twilight Zone."

Somewhere in the future, cosmetics and plastic surgery have replaced braces and contact lenses, and children at age of 19 are required to enter a transformation.  Not unlike my own Regeneration, but on a less randomised course, since this grants them an opportunity to become surgically--if not genetically--altered to resemble one of a limited number of fashion models.

Dream come true, you say? Not quite for Marilyn, whom at the age of 18, has reservations about appearing like everyone else.  For as she has learned from her late father, in a realm without ugliness, there can be no beauty.  And if you're the same as everybody, isn't it the same as being nobody?  Regrettably, poor Marilyn's views are misinterpreted as teen rebellion, as she is promptly sent to a doctor, then a psychiatrist.  But Marilyn's perspectives end up being dashed when she ends up undergoing the transformation herself, unwillingly, of course.

"Portrait of a young lady in love... with herself. Improbable? Perhaps. But in an age of plastic surgery, body building, and an infinity of  cosmetics, let us hesitate to say impossible. These and other strange beings may be waiting in the future, which after all... is the Twilight Zone."

Long before the Orwell/Big Brother hysteria was being revived in 1984, "Number 12 Looks a Lot Like You," not only forwarned us the dangers of society becoming perfect, but what we could lose while acquiring said perfection.  Strangely enough, what makes this a timeless tale is the frightening possibility of it coming true. Especially when one considers how science dedicates itself for not only prolonging life itself, but also focusing on the fact we desire in having perfect bodies.  No matter what the decade, century, or era, we tend to favour the concept of oblierating those imperfections which we deem as ugly.

Apparently, this is one of the best cautionary tales I've witnessed within this dimension.  Speaking of which.. here's another that I find rather intriguing at best... 

2. The Midnight Sun - Chronocast: November 17, 1961

"The word that Mrs. Bronson is unable to put into the hot, still, sodden air is 'doomed'...because the people you've just seen have been handed a death sentence.  One month ago, the Earth suddenly changed its eliptical orbit and in doing so began to follow a path which gradually, moment by moment, day by day, took it closer to the sun. And all of man's little devices to stir up the air are now no longer luxuries--they happen to be pitiful and panicky keys to survival. The time is five minutes to twelve, mignight. There is no more darkness. The place is New York City and this is the eve of the end, because even at midnight it's high noon...the hottest day in history, and you're about to spend it... in the Twilight Zone."

Mysteriously, the Earth has left its orbit and is slowly moving towards the sun, dooming mankind to a scorched extinction, as the scientist theorize.  All of the residents of Mrs. Bronson's apartment house have made attempts for migrating north.  All except for Norma, a young painter who appears to remain calm amidst the madness.

As the hours and days pass, the radio announcer starts losing his sanity, the landlady acts like a wild animal over a cool drink, the electric power stays off for much extended periods of time.  Not to mention a looter barges into Norma's apartment, driven out of his skull from the current circumstances.  Even Mrs. Bronson protests violently for Norma to not paint the sun anymore.


Eventually Norma does paint a waterfall scene for Mrs. Bronson, only to have the landlady hallucinate, then collapse from heat exhaustion.  Suddenly the extreme heat makes the windows burn to the touch, the thermometer to explode and the oils to melt upon her canvas.  Norma screams desperately before collapsing to her death. 


Without warning, Norma awakens, discovering the entire ordeal was nothing more than a feverish nightmare.  Relieved, she is unaware the Earth has indeed left its orbit, however, this time around, it's heading away from the sun, now plunging mankind into an endless ice age, dooming it into a frozen extinction.


"The poles of fear. The extremes of how the Earth might conceivably be doomed. Minor exercise in the care and feeding of a nightmare. Respectfully submitted by all the thermometer watchers... in the Twilight Zone."

Although not as chaotic, nor disastrous as the recent film '2012,' The Midnight Sun still brings chills down ones spine (or is that sweating bullets?) over the fact of how humankind could deal with such extremities as a never-ending day, let alone a possible endless night.  Interestingly enough this tale was popular for the fact there were people who feared the probable mishap of the Earth being flung from its orbit.


Ironically, one must speculate if this tale was the inspiration for the phenomena we now denote as 'global warming,' or perhaps also a forewarning of things yet to come if we aren't a bit more mindful of Earth itself.


Then again, another cautionary tale deals not as somuch environmental change, but rather one upon a more personal note instead.

3. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street - Chronocast: March 4, 1960

"Maple Street, U.S.A., late summer. A tree-lined little world of front porch gliders, barbeques, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice-cream vendor. At the sound of the roar and the flash of light, it will be precisely six-forty-three PM on Maple Street... This is Maple Street on a late Saturday afternoon.  Maple Street--in the last calm and reflective moment.. before the monsters came!"

Throughout my Incarnations, I've always stated Paranoia and Suspicions are far more deadly than the Daleks and F-Clones themselves.  Regrettably, this foray into the Twilight Zone proves it beyond recognition.  By a simple flash of light overhead in the late afternoon, Maple Street finds itself in the grip of a massive power failure.  But not only are the electronic devices are affected, but the automobiles and power lawn mowers as well.


Before anyone can venture forth to learn of this enigmatic malady, a young child forewarns the citizens of Maple Street that aliens from outer space are responsible (for shame, Tommy, The Doctor and myself were nowhere near Maple Street at the time!).  Making matters worse, Tommy suggests a few of these beings might already be living among their community.


As hours pass, suspicions begin growing, especially when Les Goodman's automobile springs to life, the lights in Charlie's house come on, and everyone starts pointing accusatory fingers at each other.


Ironically Charlie ends up shooting Pete Van Horn in the streets, mistaking him for an alien.  Rather than accept the consequences for his actions, Charlie promptly blames Tommy for the scare, causing the inhabitants to become a mob.  Chaos ensues as the entire neighbourhood becomes a murderous frenzy.  Meanwhile two aliens observe their handiwork, as one comments by cutting off the power and throwing the humans into darkness for a short while, they will find their own worst enemy--themselves.


Having witnessing the results first-hand, the alien race plans on going from one Maple Street to the other until all of mankind has exterminated itself.


"The tools of conquest do not necesarily come with bombs and explosions and fall-out. 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 fall-out all 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."

Even though this was briefly parodied in "Family Guy," as with Number 12, this episode always remains timeless.  Mainly because this tale seems to have become the foundation for many paranoia tales, as with "The Trigger Effect," showing what occurs when mankind experiences an inexplicable blackout.  The tale did regenerate within the New Twilight Zone, except instead of aliens being responsible, the culprits were employees from a special branch of the U.S. government, for the power blackouts.  According to them, they were conducting tests to see how small town America would react in the face of foreign terrorism.

Yet, regrettably, I fear, from real events, I've witnessed the Maple Street Effect all too well.  Rather a sad modernisation of the Salem Witch Trials, except then it was simply a means for controlling one through fear and suspicions than anything else.


More disturbing was Mr. Serling omitting the fact the aliens never got the chance for carrying out their plan.  Seems the Daleks and F-Clones didn't care for their plans, for what they hated more than someone beating them to an ingenious plan, was a bunch of smartasses.  Sad, really... but why don't we steer to something a bit more.. compassionate...

4. Long Distance Call - Chronocast: March 31, 1961

"As must be obvious, this is a house hovered over by Mr. Death--that omnipresent player to the third and final act of every life. And it's been said, and probably rightfully so, that what follows this lift is one of the unfathomable mysteries. An area of darkness which we the living reserve for the dead... or so it is said. For in a moment, a child will try to cross that bridge which separates light and shadow... and of course, he must take the only known route, that indistinct highway through the region we call...the Twilight Zone."

You know, I've always said family's important.  And in Billy's case, this definitely rings true as he has formed a strong bond with his grandmother.  While Billy celebrates his fifth birthday, he receives a toy telephone from her as a gift.  Unfortunately, the celebrations are short-lived as Grandma suffers a stroke and passes away moments later.


Before and after the funeral, Billy pretends to communicate with Grandma through the toy telephone.  Or is it really pretend, since Sylvia and Chris, Billy's parents, start noticing their son's strange behaviour.  Especially when Billy starts attempting to 'visit' Grandma in the netherworld (of course, my Uncle Beetlejuice could oblige, but Serling and Burton don't get along, from what I've heard.). 


Sylvia confirms this by claiming to have heard Grandma on the toy phone.  But her rage and fear alienate Billy, who can't comprehend why he cannot talk to his Grandma anymore.  Especially when Sylvia breaks the toy phone.  Disraught, Billy runs off and drowns in the backyard pool.  The paramedics come and attempt on reviving the child, while Chris goes upstairs and temporarily repairs the toy phone (well, I'm assuming, since apparently the toy phone seems to have repaired itself).  Pretending to contacting his mother, Chris pleads for his son's return.  Because Billy is only five, he's never experienced love, playing baseball or driving his first car.  


As Chris pleads with her, Grandma agrees, and the medics are mystified when Billy pulls through.


"A toy telephone... an act of faith... a set of improbable circumstances all combine to probe a mystery, to fathom a depth, to send a facet of light into a dark after-region. To be believed or disbelieved depending on your frame of reference. A fact or a fantasy. A substance or a shadow. But all of it very much a part... of the Twilight Zone."

Though one might find this tale a bit on the schmaltzy side, it does show what faith can really do.  Interestingly enough, though we might find Death a bit morbid, it's interesting how a toy phone can make a child feel as if he can transcend those boundaries by still talking to a loved one.

Despite the fact, I rarely approve of said loved one to allow her living relation to do away with himself, it is intriguing how the faith of another helps his child by remarkable means: convincing the deceased to return the one she loves to the land of the living.  One of the rare tales where it does have a more joyous ending than shocking one... then again... there's one more tale I seem to fancy...

5. The Night of the Meek - Chronocast: December 23, 1960

"This is Mr. Henry Corwin, normally unemployed, who once a year takes the lead role in the uniquely popular American institution, that of the department-store Santa Claus in a road company version of  'The Night Before Christmas.' But in just a moment Mr. Henry Corwin, ersatz Santa Claus, will enter a strange kind of North Pole which is one part the wondrous spirit of Christmas and one part the magic that can only be found...in the Twilight Zone."

Henry Corwin, a downtrodden soul who finds salvation from Jack Daniels, is hired by a department store to play the role of Santa Claus.  Naturally, he loses his job on Christmas Eve when he shows up to work intoxicated, stating the reason behind such is the fact he feels people have forgotten the true meaning of the Holidays.


Discovering a magic sack within an alley, Corwin becomes the real deal when he starts passing out presents to those in need.  Whatever people ask for, the sack automatically provides it with no questions asked.  However, when Corwin starts handing out gifts at a local mission, the police promptly arrest him for distributing stolen goods.  However, when they open the sack, they find nothing but a cat and some garbage.


After he is released from custody, Corwin continues passing out gifts again--until the sack is completely empty.  Witnessing the smiles on the faces of the homeless and poor, Corwin wishes he could put the same smiles on the meek every holiday season.  Wandering the alleyway late that evening, he is approached by a young elf and a sleigh with reindeer--his wish has been granted and next year Corwin, alias Santa Claus, will spread cheer for those in need.


"A word to the wise to all the children of the twentieth century, whether their concern be pediatrics or geriatrics, whether they crawl on hands and knees and wear diapers or walk with a cane and comb their beards. There's a wondrous magic to Christmas and there's a special power reserved for little people. In short, there's nothing mightier than the meek."

Even though the Holidays have come and gone, and this isn't quite a Dickens' Classic, The Night of the Meek is one of the better tales reserved for the fact it reveals the true spirit of the season.  And without the syrupy-sweet overindulgence we get handed with most holiday tales.  Basically it deals with a man who ends up regaining his hope and spirit for the holidays simply by providing for others with a magic sack.

And the fact, he wishes for performing the same miracle for every year at this time.

As 2010 approaches, I hope you all have a Wondrous New Year, and if you wish to share your favourite tales here, it's most appreciated.  Especially in a junction I like to call... The Twilight Zone.