spawndude

I have a memory of a sci-fi story that has been bugging me for years!!! I believe it must have been a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episode. At least I'm pretty sure its one of these.

I may be remembering this entirely wrong but here is what I can recall.

In this story I remember the main character can somehow control time. Near the end of the story a nuclear attack occurs (from the Russians???) and the character does his time control thing and stops (from his perspective) the nuclear rocket several feet above the ground. However, time is not actually stopped, just moving very, very slowly, as in maybe the rocket will move 1 inch every 1 million years. The story leaves us realizing the hero has not really prevented the catrastrophe, just postponed it, knowing that eventually the rocket will hit the ground and explode.

Is this a Twilight Zone or Outer Limits episode or something I must have dreamed?

Josh-da-man

Sounds like an episode from the 80s Twilight Zone.

"A Little Peace and Quiet." (Wikipedia link with description and screencaps)

The Valeyard

Sounds vaguely like the story above (80s). Definately isn't from the original Twilight Zone series. I'm not familiar enough with the original Outer Limits.

Was the story in Black & White or Color?

dstrauss

Yes, it's "A Little Piece and Quiet" from the 1985 Twilight Zone series. I found a copy floating around the net a year ago, it's still a really creepy ending.

spawndude

I remember it being in black and white and the character being a male. Also, I remember thinking at the time he might could get a tall ladder and somehow take the explosives out. ( I was probably about 14ish, early-mid 60's)

However, I'm sure you guys are correct. I've asked others who are about my age and none of them remember the episode either.

I must have seen that "A Little Piece and Quiet" episode and it became comingled with memories of "Time Enough at Last" and "A kind of Stop Watch". Time and countless hours of television viewing have probably conspired to create a false memory.

Thanks for your help.

RoboDad

You may have also jumbled it up a bit with "The Premonition", an episode of the original Outer Limits. In this episode a test pilot is about to crash-land, when he and his wife (who was in her car near his impending crash site) get caught in a time "warp", where time is moving, but very, very slowly.

AGuyNamedMike

That's the one that immediately came to my mind.