# NOT in praise of The Twilight Zone **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [November 20, 2025, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021 "2025-11-20T20:39:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![f.coli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eada6e/32.png) [@f.coli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/f.coli)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2025, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/121 "2025-11-23T21:21:24Z")
> a pilot finds himself in the desert with his plane wrecked I didn’t like that episode very much, either. I kept waiting for _something to happen_, but he just kept wandering around, sometimes seeing his comrades, who would then disappear. Dull. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/122 "2025-11-23T21:51:24Z")
> [@f.coli](#): > > I didn’t like that episode very much, either. I kept waiting for _something to happen_, but he just kept wandering around, sometimes seeing his comrades, who would then disappear. Dull. The doctors in the hospital discussed his case- “survivors guilt”, but then the nurse then found sand!!! in one of his shoes. It is baded on the sad tale of the _Lady Be Good._ ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2025, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/123 "2025-11-23T22:57:42Z")
I find a few of the Western-themed episodes to be rather dull: “Dust,” “The Gift,” and “The Grave” come to mind. They were either retreads of campfire stories, or otherwise one-note. But the episode I’m always least-happy to see is the third-season’s _The Fugitive._ Charles Beaumont is the writer of record, but by that time he was already ill, and he may have had an uncredited co-writer. It’s not so much an issue of it being dull, as it is the “ick factor”–the premise includes a romance between an old guy and a kid who looks 10 at most (I believe the actress was older). It’s just tough to get past that. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2025, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/124 "2025-11-23T23:01:15Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > But the episode I’m always least-happy to see is the third-season’s _The Fugitive._ Charles Beaumont is the writer of record, but by that time he was already ill, and he may have had an uncredited co-writer. > > It’s not so much an issue of it being dull, as it is the “ick factor”–the premise includes a romance between an old guy and a kid who looks 10 at most (I believe the actress was older). It’s just tough to get past that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that one (for which I am now glad (having read the summary)) ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/125 "2025-11-23T23:17:12Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > It’s not so much an issue of it being dull, as it is the “ick factor”–the premise includes a romance between an old guy and a kid who looks 10 at most (I believe the actress was older). It’s just tough to get past that. Oh, pshaw - she was actually thirteen! Practically an old maid! Why Jerry Lee Lewis married his thirteen year old cousin and nobody thought that was…creepy…right? Ummm…anyway… Well, hey, c’mon - it’s aliens. Who are we to judge an alien culture and concern ourselves if a one thousand-year old crab monster wants to marry a no doubt biologically incompatible teen human (I’m sure he waited until she was at least fifteen to pop the question, not like that Jerry Lee Lewis guy!). I mean… Okay, it’s creepy AF 😒. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/126 "2025-11-24T01:25:46Z")
_“I’m not suggesting the inefficiencies of “El Machino” will lead to the downfall of Chili’s, but a nearly 10% failure rate of flour tortillas might be indicative of deeper business-model flaws”_ ---
**Author:** ![MuleSkinner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/779978/32.png) [@MuleSkinner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MuleSkinner)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/127 "2025-11-24T02:04:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > “Time Enough At Last”. It’s a post-apocalyptic world due to an H-bomb; everything’s been destroyed. > **[time enough at last — Postimages](https://postimg.cc/GByYSHzQ)** ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/128 "2025-11-24T21:41:02Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > It’s not so much an issue of it being dull, as it is the “ick factor”–the premise includes a romance between an old guy and a kid who looks 10 at most (I believe the actress was older). It’s just tough to get past that. I have, but it isnt shown quite like that, and it does end with _Mrs. Gann will be in for a big surprise when she finds this under Jenny’s pillow, because Mrs. Gann has more temper than imagination. She’ll never dream that this is a picture of Old Ben, as he really looks, and it will never occur to her that eventually her niece will grow up to be an honest-to-goodness queen — somewhere in The Twilight Zone._ **(from wiki)** But I understand how some can see “creepy” there. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2025, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/129 "2025-11-24T23:41:18Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Well, hey, c’mon - it’s aliens. Who are we to judge an alien culture and concern ourselves if a one thousand-year old crab monster wants to marry a no doubt biologically incompatible teen human (I’m sure he waited until she was at least fifteen to pop the question, not like that Jerry Lee Lewis guy!). I mean… I guess it depends on if anyone grew nipples on the crab monster with a permanent marker. [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lfz94pZtvcY/maxresdefault.jpg) ](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/lfz94pZtvcY/maxresdefault.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/130 "2025-11-25T00:07:24Z")
That is, claws down, one of the funniest gags in OPM. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/131 "2025-11-25T00:53:41Z")
Well, I’ve skimmed through this thread and I haven’t spotted the one episode that I can’t decide if it is really terrible, or something I find hilariously so bad it’s wonderful. And that episode is “The Last Pallbearer”. Billionaire Trumpesque dude sets up a fake nuclear war bunker and plans to humiliate three people who hurt his widdle feelings in the past by demanding that they beg for their lives during a fake nuclear attack he’s arranged. The three people though are just so obnoxiously moral and upright that they decide to leave and face death rather than stay with the jackass and live. The dialogue is what makes the show. It’s so ridiculously overstuffed and melodramatic. Nobody on Earth would talk like these four people. And you would never want to spend nuclear winter with any of these four pontificating stiffs either. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/132 "2025-11-25T00:57:15Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > The dialogue is what makes the show. It’s so ridiculously overstuffed and melodramatic. Nobody on Earth would talk like these four people. And you would never want to spend nuclear winter with any of these four pontificating stiffs either. > > I love it. Sounds like it needs the MST3K/Rifftrax treatment. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/133 "2025-11-25T01:04:20Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > And that episode is “The Last Pallbearer”. Here you go. > **["The Twilight Zone" One More Pallbearer (TV Episode 1962) - Full cast &...](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0734608/fullcredits/)** > > "The Twilight Zone" One More Pallbearer (TV Episode 1962) - Cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/134 "2025-11-25T01:21:29Z")
That’s it! “One More Pallbearer”! Somehow I always get the title wrong. But yeah, I agree, that’s some prime Rifftrax fodder there. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/135 "2025-11-25T01:34:04Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > And that episode is “The Last Pallbearer”. > > Billionaire Trumpesque dude sets up a fake nuclear war bunker and plans to humiliate three people who hurt his widdle feelings in the past by demanding that they beg for their lives during a fake nuclear attack he’s arranged. > > The three people though are just so obnoxiously moral and upright that they decide to leave and face death rather than stay with the jackass and live. Is that the one where he hallucinates that the attack DID take place, and after he emerges from the bunker he collapses in despair in front of a leaky water pipe amidst the ruins? Meanhoo everyone else is puzzled as to why this guy is losing his mind as they go about their daily business. Yeah, just caught it on Paramount-it’s a water sculpture, didn’t remember the cop who tries to help him tho. Note I haven’t seen most of these in many decades. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/136 "2025-11-25T03:10:46Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > The Last Pallbearer Written. by Rod himself, probably in an afternoon in front of the pool, which would explain the dialog. > [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > And you can easily tell which ones those are, because every character talks like…Rod Serling. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/137 "2025-11-25T03:23:23Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > The dialogue is what makes the show. It’s so ridiculously overstuffed and melodramatic. I’ve been reading through the thread and a lot of the things that some posters hate don’t bother me at all. I mean, TV production was primitive compared to today (and TTZ was pretty low budget for a network show - nobody was going to force _Bonanza_ to shoot on videotape during that era), some of the stories really didn’t adapt well to TV, there were battles with censors, and Rod Serling had a thing for putting airplanes in episodes, even when they weren’t necessary to the plot. But the dialog! There are almost no genuine conversations between characters. Instead, they take turns making speeches. Even when they aren’t speechifying, the speech is too formal, stilted, even for the more formal speech of the early 60’s. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/138 "2025-11-25T06:05:13Z")
I recall “One More Pallbearer” and I vaguely recall enjoying it. A rich, entitled asshole finds out he’s not nearly as smart as he thinks he is, and normal people can’t stand to be around him. The realization that they will not worship him as their lord and savior is such a blow to his warped worldview that it drives him to madness when he is confronted with that reality. Seems like a pretty good message to me. Something we could use more of these days, to be honest… ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/139 "2025-11-25T12:53:21Z")
Oh, it’s relevant to today alright. Imagine Serling as Trump’s speech writer: “They feast upon any canine unlucky enough to pause for a curious sniff. When that meat becomes insufficient to their hunger, they turn to their neighbors’ felines, for they find the local strays too tough and stringy for their liking…” ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2025, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021/140 "2025-11-25T15:32:40Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > I always thought it was a little weird in the Twilight Zone of the 60s that the stories were so often very basic and kind of stupid. And people forgive it because, hey, it was the 60s, TV was stupid. I think one reason people my age (a late boomer) remember TZ so fondly is because it was pretty unique among entertainments available to a little kid at the time. The rest of TV was mostly Father Knows Best/Leave it to Beaver. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/not-in-praise-of-the-twilight-zone/1025021.md?page=8)