Mrs. Phelps and I are watching season four of The Twilight Zone, which was when the show's running time was expanded to an hour (or 50 minutes, minus commercials). We've only gone though the fourth season twice, and I don't recall ever having seen the hour-long shows in syndication when I was a child. As a result of this, we aren't as familiar with this season as we are the 30-minutes shows.
So far, the only classic (or near-classic) episode in our estimation is "The Thirty-Fathom Grave."
My favorite happens to be the 1st one broadcast: "In His Image" by Beaumont. There are others I like a lot, but the only other episode which comes close to my 1 fave is "The New Exhibit" written by Jerry Sohl but credited to Beaumont.
Those hour-long comedies, though, can truly test one's tolerance.
I'll have to think harder about those Season 4 episodes, Jim. I'm nearing the end of Season 5 now. What I do remember in general is that the Season 4 50-min episodes had many more high points than I was expecting. Same could be said for Season 5, which has I believe been unfairly maligned.
My favorite happens to be the 1st one broadcast: "In His Image" by Beaumont. There are others I like a lot, but the only other episode which comes close to my 1 fave is "The New Exhibit" written by Jerry Sohl but credited to Beaumont.
Those hour-long comedies, though, can truly test one's tolerance.
I was 8 years old and can remember watching both these eps the night they aired as if it were yesterday.
Will try to report for duty over the weekend.
Step on over to the "Walking Distance" celebration going on and by all means give us your two pence worth.
Since Last Child is not assisting, Zardoz shall speak:
****
1. In His Image [Charles Beaumont scripts satisfy me more than those by Serling or Richard Matheson, and there is not much more satisfying than a segment which shows a religious zealot being pushed onto the underground tunnel tracks of an oncomming subway train!] 2. The New Exhibit [a waxworks museum being rendered redundant by plans for a supermarket ... and this is fiction, I ask you?] 3. Jess-Belle [a most successful cross-fertilization between Earl Hamner's hillbilly country folklore and the romantic horror of jealous witchcraft. a most inspired music score by Van Cleave] 4. Mute [cinematic direction by Stuart Rosenberg gives this thought-provoking Matheson story the look and feel of a feature film. Herrmannesque music by Fred Steiner.] 5. On Thursday We Leave For Home [Serling's incisive & insightful examination on the pros & cons of leadership]
***
6. Printer's Devil [the only TZ directed by Ralph Senensky] 7. Passage on the Lady Anne [the only hour-long episode scored by Rene Garriguenc] 8. Death Ship 9. The Incredible World Of Horace Ford [the only TZ script by Reginald Rose] 10. He's Alive
**
11. Of Late I Think Of Cliffordville [unsure if Satan was ever depicted in female form prior to this, I'm grateful as hell that Julie Newmar was cast as Old Nick(y?)] 12. The Parallel 13. Miniature 14. Valley Of The Shadow 15. No Time Like The Past 16. The 30-Fathom Grave
Watched "Jess-Belle" and "Miniature" last night. The former was exactly how I remember it, with James Best once again playing a rural American southerner. Not a great episode, but not awful. 6/10
"Miniature" on the other hand, was quite enjoyable, especially the humor. Duvall in a non-tough guy role for a change just after another such role, his triumph as Boo Radley in To Kill a Mockingbird. Lennie Weinrib (also the name of Woody Allen's character in Mighty Aphrodite), who played the well-meaning brother-in-law was hilarious, as was Pert Kelton as Duvall's overly-protective mother. John McLiam as the museum guard gave one of his best performances, too. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. 10/10
The only two I thought were even half decent were Jezebel an Satanic Burgess Meredith running the printing press.
You don't like horny Julie Newmar as Ms. Devlin?
Maybe I've never seen that one. The fourth season shows were not in syndication for the many decades, at least in the places where I lived.
True, that. I expect UHF stations only rented the half hour shows for specific time slots and season 4 would not be part of the package deal. Philadelphia's PBS (channel 12) broadcast the entire TZ series during 1991, but by that time TZ was also getting issued onto VHS tapes - so I had 2 sources to rely upon.
The only two I thought were even half decent were Jezebel an Satanic Burgess Meredith running the printing press.
You don't like horny Julie Newmar as Ms. Devlin?
Maybe I've never seen that one. The fourth season shows were not in syndication for the many decades, at least in the places where I lived.
True, that. I expect UHF stations only rented the half hour shows for specific time slots and season 4 would not be part of the package deal. Philadelphia's PBS (channel 12) broadcast the entire TZ series during 1991, but by that time TZ was also getting issued onto VHS tapes - so I had 2 sources to rely upon.
Are you in Philly? I lived there for a couple of years in the early 1990s. My older brother has lived there since 1978.
The Steven Soderbergh film, Kafka (1991), has a boss-employee scene nearly identical to the one in "Miniature." In Kafka, Alec Guinness admonishes Jeremy Irons for not fitting in with his fellow employees. In "Miniature", Barney Phillips has the same words for Robert Duvall. The only difference in the outcome is Duvall is fired whereas Irons is promoted.
Has a wonderful F. Steiner score, esp. the scene when the villain snatches the maiden and it's Duvall to the rescue! 
