The Twilight Zone

[treeplanter]

My all time favorite television show

I thought it might be fun to discuss various episodes of The Twilight Zone from an atheistic vs Christian perspective

Are there any episodes that you feel are particularly attuned towards a Christian conceptualization of God, morality, meaning of life, etc?

Conversely, are there any episodes you can think of that support a worldview wherein man, and not God, is the measure of all things?

My top 5 favorite Twilight Zone episodes are:

Perchance to Dream {S1 / E9}
And When the Sky Was Opened {S1 / E11}
A Stop at Willoughby {S1 / E30}
A Piano in the House {S3 / E87}
Number 12 Looks Just Like You {S5 / E137}

Anyone remember any of these episodes and care to delve into the philosophical musings contained therein?

 

[Bonnie]

My favorite is Night of the Meek.

 

[treeplanter]

My favorite is Night of the Meek.

Yeah, that's a good one
{Well, they're ALL good...}

Art Carney as Santa
I think that's one of the handful of episodes that they shot on tape rather than film so it has a different look and feel

How come it's your favorite?
In a line or two, can you describe, thematically, what you think this episode is about?

Anyway, thanks for replying
I was beginning to think that there might not be any Twilight Zone fans around here

 

[Bonnie]

I just think the story line is so sweet. I love the speech Carney gave his boss, as to why he drinks--because he sees the misery and want around him, and longs to do something about it, but he too is just a poor shlub with no power to do anything...until he finds the sack...

The part I like the best is that when Carney gets the magic sack, he thinks only of gifting those around him. He wants only to bring joy to others with it. Doesn't even think about his own needs. I think that is the heart of Christianity, loving others as ourselves, which is the second greatest commandment according to Jesus.

One of the local stations shows the Twilight Zone 6 days a week and this episode will be on it tomorrow night.

You are right, it was one of the few taped episodes. I forget why, but it may have been to save money. You can look it up on Wikipedia. 😊

I remember some of those episodes, though not always what they are named. When I was little, I remember that the "Stopover in Quiet Town" gave me goose bumps. I also like the one where this guy who is happily married to a nice lady, planning a vacation with her, when things change, and it is just a TV show he stars in. In real life, he was married to a gold-digging shrew, was divorced from her, but she was trying to bleed him dry, with alimony. He is horrified and only wants to get back to his other life.

Most of the episodes were pretty good, but some were better than others. I think the show garnered a few Emmies, maybe for writing. I would need to look it up.

 

[treeplanter]

I just think the story line is so sweet. I love the speech Carney gave his boss, as to why he drinks--because he sees the misery and want around him, and longs to do something about it, but he too is just a poor shlub with no power to do anything...until he finds the sack...

The part I like the best is that when Carney gets the magic sack, he thinks only of gifting those around him. He wants only to bring joy to others with it. Doesn't even think about his own needs. I think that is the heart of Christianity, loving others as ourselves, which is the second greatest commandment according to Jesus.

One of the local stations shows the Twilight Zone 6 days a week and this episode will be on it tomorrow night.

You are right, it was one of the few taped episodes. I forget why, but it may have been to save money. You can look it up on Wikipedia. 😊

I remember some of those episodes, though not always what they are named. When I was little, I remember that the "Stopover in Quiet Town" gave me goose bumps. I also like the one where this guy who is happily married to a nice lady, planning a vacation with her, when things change, and it is just a TV show he stars in. In real life, he was married to a gold-digging shrew, was divorced from her, but she was trying to bleed him dry, with alimony. He is horrified and only wants to get back to his other life.

Most of the episodes were pretty good, but some were better than others. I think the show garnered a few Emmies, maybe for writing. I would need to look it up.

Yeah, I saw that this episode is on MeTV tonight and was going to mention it, but evidently you watch that channel also!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts - nice synopsis that you have provided!

Question for you...so if you see this episode as really highlighting what you believe it means to be a Christian - i.e. to be "other directed" as opposed to thinking of one's self - is it the conscious and glad act of giving a gift from this sack or is it the sack, itself, from which the gifts are distributed, that is the true representation of Christianity?

I ask because you made it a point to mention that Art Carney was a powerless shlub prior to discovering the sack...

I guess what I am trying to get at is this, are you saying that Carney could not have put others ahead of himself and represented "true" Christianity had he not found the sack?

Does the spirit of giving come from inside Art Carney or from the sack?

Perhaps I'm not making myself clear, but what I am wondering is whether or not you believe that one can put others ahead of one's self and stand as a true representation of Christianity without "the sack" - i.e. without a conscious and purposeful acceptance of Jesus Christ?

 

[Bonnie]

Yeah, I saw that this episode is on MeTV tonight and was going to mention it, but evidently you watch that channel also!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts - nice synopsis that you have provided!

Question for you...so if you see this episode as really highlighting what you believe it means to be a Christian - i.e. to be "other directed" as opposed to thinking of one's self - is it the conscious and glad act of giving a gift from this sack or is it the sack, itself, from which the gifts are distributed, that is the true representation of Christianity?

I ask because you made it a point to mention that Art Carney was a powerless shlub prior to discovering the sack...

I guess what I am trying to get at is this, are you saying that Carney could not have put others ahead of himself and represented "true" Christianity had he not found the sack?

Does the spirit of giving come from inside Art Carney or from the sack?

Perhaps I'm not making myself clear, but what I am wondering is whether or not you believe that one can put others ahead of one's self and stand as a true representation of Christianity without "the sack" - i.e. without a conscious and purposeful acceptance of Jesus Christ?

It is just a TV show, treeplanter--I think you are over thinking it. The sack just gave him the ability to carry out his heart's desire to give unselfishly. He already had that desire before he found the sack. I do not think the sack represents any purposeful acceptance of Jesus Christ. The show was just a sweet, charming, gentle episode about the spirit of giving.

But it was sure weird seeing it on videotape!

 

[treeplanter]

It is just a TV show, treeplanter--I think you are over thinking it. The sack just gave him the ability to carry out his heart's desire to give unselfishly. He already had that desire before he found the sack. I do not think the sack represents any purposeful acceptance of Jesus Christ. The show was just a sweet, charming, gentle episode about the spirit of giving.

But it was sure weird seeing it on videotape!

Yeah, I know that it's just a TV show

You must realize, of course, that there are those who might say much the same thing about the bible - i.e. - it's just a book...

I don't see how I am reading any more into The TZ than others read regularly into scripture, I just thought it might prove an interesting and fun diversion to discuss various episodes from the different perspectives of CARM posters, that's all


Again, when you say that the sack "gave him the ability to carry out his heart's desire to give unselfishly", you seem to be implying that he was incapable of giving unselfishly prior to obtaining the sack

Surely, one is not required to have the wherewithal to provide to others such material possessions as baseball bats, smoking jackets, and bottles of brandy in order to give unselfishly of him / herself, right?


On a second note, what do you think Rod Serling was trying to say about Christianity, if anything, in this episode?

*From what I know of Serling's religious background / belief system / faith, he was born into a not particularly observant Jewish family and then, later, in college, he and his bride to be, a Protestant, joined the Unitarian / Universalist Church

 

[Bonnie]

Yeah, I know that it's just a TV show

You must realize, of course, that there are those who might say much the same thing about the bible - i.e. - it's just a book...

I don't see how I am reading any more into The TZ than others read regularly into scripture, I just thought it might prove an interesting and fun diversion to discuss various episodes from the different perspectives of CARM posters, that's all


Again, when you say that the sack "gave him the ability to carry out his heart's desire to give unselfishly", you seem to be implying that he was incapable of giving unselfishly prior to obtaining the sack

Surely, one is not required to have the wherewithal to provide to others such material possessions as baseball bats, smoking jackets, and bottles of brandy in order to give unselfishly of him / herself, right?


On a second note, what do you think Rod Serling was trying to say about Christianity, if anything, in this episode?

*From what I know of Serling's religious background / belief system / faith, he was born into a not particularly observant Jewish family and then, later, in college, he and his bride to be, a Protestant, joined the Unitarian / Universalist Church

Art's character did not have the means before the sack to give physical gifts to people. He was as poor as they were. While smoking jackets. baseball bats, and bottles of brandy might not seem like the right sort of gifts to give, they can still be given unselfishly. And bring joy to others.

I have no idea what, if anything, Serling was trying to say, or even if it was about Christianity. But the meek--Art Carney's character--did get his most heartfelt wish, at the end. And it wasn't a selfish wish.

This is the TV board. It isn't designed for discussing religious beliefs. And I will not get sucked into it on here. It was just a TV show.

 

[treeplanter]

Art's character did not have the means before the sack to give physical gifts to people. He was as poor as they were. While smoking jackets. baseball bats, and bottles of brandy might not seem like the right sort of gifts to give, they can still be given unselfishly. And bring joy to others.

I have no idea what, if anything, Serling was trying to say, or even if it was about Christianity. But the meek--Art Carney's character--did get his most heartfelt wish, at the end. And it wasn't a selfish wish.

This is the TV board. It isn't designed for discussing religious beliefs. And I will not get sucked into it on here. It was just a TV show.

Yes, I am fully aware that Art Carney did not have the means to give "physical" gifts such as smoking jackets, baseball bats, and bottles of brandy prior to obtaining the sack

You're missing my point, though...

My point is that Art Carney didn't need the sack in order to give unselfishly of himself!
Art Carney didn't need the sack in order to bring joy to others!

Your words, Bonnie:
"he too is just a poor shlub with no power to do anything...until he finds the sack..."
"The sack just gave him the ability to carry out his heart's desire to give unselfishly"

Your words, as evidenced from above, seem to suggest that to be 'other directed' means that one must give material goods rather than to give of one's self

To give unselfishly means a heck of a lot more than just smoking jackets, baseball bats, and bottles of brandy, doesn't it?


PS
If you have no interest in speculating upon what Serling was trying to say and no interest in discussing anything that goes any deeper than 'good show' and 'great episode' - fine, it's your loss, but I don't think it's fair of you to suggest that I have somehow "sucked you into" a discussion of religious beliefs

After all, it was YOU who responded to my OP and I made it very clear, in the OP, what I was looking for

I said: "I thought it might be fun to discuss various episodes of The Twilight Zone from an atheistic vs Christian perspective"

I asked if: "there any episodes that you feel are particularly attuned towards a Christian conceptualization of God, morality, meaning of life, etc?"

I wondered if: "there any episodes you can think of that support a worldview wherein man, and not God, is the measure of all things?"

Not only that, but let's not forget that you responded in your 2nd post:
"I think that is the heart of Christianity, loving others as ourselves, which is the second greatest commandment according to Jesus."
Obviously, you're not shy about discussing religious beliefs so why object now?

PS PS
What better place than the TV board to discuss religious beliefs as they pertain, specifically, to a TV show?

 

[LifeIn]

A Stop at Willoughby {S1 / E30}

That's one of my most favorite episodes: A Stop at Willoughby. It is also disturbing, as I don't think suicide is ever a preferable solution. But then it wasn't really suicide. It just looked like that to everyone other than the one who ended up in Willoughby. I don't think it is so much a philosophical episode as a psychological one. What's really TZ-ish is the name of funeral home that picked up the man after he jumped from the train - Willoughby, and the fact that the happy life in the town of Willoughby continued even after the "death". Was this heaven? The man was not even aware that he had died. Or did he? That's the paradox of the film. Of course they had to write him a really nasty wife so we, the audience, would not have mixed emotions at the end, feeling sorry for the wife he left behind. Whatever happened to the man, we are all happy for him. I have not seen this film in at least 40 years, yet the scenes are still vivid to me.

 

[treeplanter]

That's one of my most favorite episodes: A Stop at Willoughby. It is also disturbing, as I don't think suicide is ever a preferable solution. But then it wasn't really suicide. It just looked like that to everyone other than the one who ended up in Willoughby. I don't think it is so much a philosophical episode as a psychological one. What's really TZ-ish is the name of funeral home that picked up the man after he jumped from the train - Willoughby, and the fact that the happy life in the town of Willoughby continued even after the "death". Was this heaven? The man was not even aware that he had died. Or did he? That's the paradox of the film. Of course they had to write him a really nasty wife so we, the audience, would not have mixed emotions at the end, feeling sorry for the wife he left behind. Whatever happened to the man, we are all happy for him. I have not seen this film in at least 40 years, yet the scenes are still vivid to me.

Yeah, he kind of created a heaven of his own making - a place where a man can slow down and live life full measure, without the constant "push, push, push" of demanding bosses and wives...a place that he then somehow managed to deliver himself to

This episode speaks nostalgically and mockingly to my younger self and the naive conviction that if you want something bad enough and long enough and wish for it hard enough - it'll come true...

Like you said, a paradox

 

[treeplanter]

The Twilight Zone is just too good to limit myself to a Top 5!

Here are another 5 episodes that I rank among the all time best:

Walking Distance {S1 / E5}
The Hitch-Hiker {S1 / E16}
The Grave {S3 / E72}
Five Characters in Search of an Exit {S3 / E79}
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge {S5 / E142}

Apropos that all 10 of my favorites come from odd numbered seasons, no?

 

[HillsboroMom]

Have you guys seen the new series by Jordan Peele? It's stunning. I think there's only 10-20 episodes, but they're all beautiful.

 

[Bonnie]

No, ,never heard of Jordan Peele...who is he or she?

 

[MMDAN]

Who could forget season 5 episode 3 - "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" with William Shatner.

 

[HillsboroMom]

No, ,never heard of Jordan Peele...who is he or she?

Jordan Peele - IMDb

Jordan Peele, Writer: Get Out. Jordan Haworth Peele attended Sarah Lawrence College as a member of the class of 2001. His mother is white and his father is black. Jordan is married to comedian Chelsea Peretti, with whom he has a son. He is known for co-writing and starring in the comedy Keanu...

www.imdb.com

He's an amazing writer and director.

 

[Bonnie]

Who could forget season 5 episode 3 - "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" with William Shatner.

Oh, yeah, the gremlin one....