Best One Character Episode of The Twilight Zone
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Best One Character Episode of The Twilight Zone
What is your favorite episode of The Twilight Zone that has only one character? I know they all feature mostly one but I'm looking for the least number of secondary characters. I'm trying to write a short film and only have one good actor and would like to find some inspiration.
My personal favorite so far is "Time Enough At Last". Of course, it has Mr. Bevis' boss and wife but they're somewhat small parts.
My personal favorite so far is "Time Enough At Last". Of course, it has Mr. Bevis' boss and wife but they're somewhat small parts.
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Originally Posted by u-stu
What is your favorite episode of The Twilight Zone that has only one character? I know they all feature mostly one but I'm looking for the least number of secondary characters. I'm trying to write a short film and only have one good actor and would like to find some inspiration.
My personal favorite so far is "Time Enough At Last". Of course, it has Mr. Bevis' boss and wife but they're somewhat small parts.
My personal favorite so far is "Time Enough At Last". Of course, it has Mr. Bevis' boss and wife but they're somewhat small parts.
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I was going to say the episode with the prisoner that was exiled to a private moon. However, the robot lady he fell in love with was major secondary character.
How about the episode where the guy releases the devil by mistake and spends the rest of his life trying to catch him again. hmmm I guess the devil was major secondary character.
This is hard. I give up.
How about the episode where the guy releases the devil by mistake and spends the rest of his life trying to catch him again. hmmm I guess the devil was major secondary character.
This is hard. I give up.
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I saw the Rod Serling scripted "The Hitch-hiker" starring the beautiful and tragic Inger Stevens during the July 4th SciFi marathon for the 1st time and its quickly become one of my favorite all time one character type episodes.
Inger Stevens in the Hitch-hiker.
The episode, though the ending was no surprise to my jaded 21st century eyes, is an almost perfectly crafted 26 minutes of television pleasure.
There's the opening scene in which the Mechanic casually portends things in a sly manner. There's the almost cinematic mis en scene-- especially the use of lighting, and camera angles-- at first the vistas appear bright, wide and expansive filled with hope and potential then bit by bit they become darker and claustrophobic until finally there's nowhere left to go and the inevitable is accepted. There's the Hitch-hiker himself, the perfectly cast Leonard Strong, who although he only utters 6 words in the entire episode uses a knowing, almost sardonic, gaze to communicate a pitch perfect feeling of restrained malevolence or is it empathy for a lost soul? There's even a 60's era, pushing the envelope type moment, when Stevens character essentially promises the prospect of sexual favors in a desperate but failed attempt to keep the Sailor from leaving her alone with the road and the Hitch-hiker. And of course there's the brilliant final reveal through the rear view mirror followed by those 6 fateful words.
"I believe you're going … my way?"
Oh and even though it's based on an old Orson Welles performed Mercury Theater radio play the spiced up dialog is pure Serling...
"Three days and three nights now driving. Past Tennessee, into Arkansas. Three days and three nights. Stop for food and then drive. Stop for food and then drive. Stop for food, and the routine goes on. Towns go by without names. Landscapes without form. Now it isn't even a trip, it's a flight. Route 80 isn't a highway anymore, it's an escape route. So I keep going, conscious of only one thing. I've to get where I'm going and I can't let that hitch-hiker close in on me! On the fourth day, halfway across New Mexico, I took a side road hoping to lose the hitch-hiker. At 11 o'clock at night, the engine stopped and I sit there in the front seat, refrigerated by fear. Out of gas!"
Refrigerated by fear!? In what universe do ordinary people posses the genius to talk like that-- why only in the Twilight Zone of course. (cue the theme music)
But for me, above everything else, what lifts this fable from being merely a good though slightly dated "entertainment" to the level of flawed masterpiece is the performance of Inger Stevens. I was so haunted by her after watching it that i was compelled to search the net to find out more about this gorgeous lady whose name sounded eerily familiar even though I couldn't think of anything she had been in.
IMDB's mini-biography described her as "the beautiful loner or lady of mystery, an innate sadness seemed to permeate many of her roles."
Yes, that's it I thought to myself!
There is a sadness, a necessary sadness, in her performance which is at the heart of the production-- which sustains it and in so doing gives the episode the weight of authenticity.
Great stuff!
----
A few notes: Inger Stevens committed suicide by barbituate overdose at the age of 35. She had a reputation for dalliances with the stars and her sexual prowess was legendary leaving such luminaries as Anthony Quinn, Bing Crosby, Harry Belafonte, and a young Burt Reynolds, among others, gasping for air in the wake of her nearly unquenchable desire. At the time of her death she was married to the African American actor Ike Jones. This union was kept secret to insulate her career from the effects of racial bigotry prevalent at the time.
Inger Stevens shortly before her death in 1970.
Inger Stevens in the Hitch-hiker.
The episode, though the ending was no surprise to my jaded 21st century eyes, is an almost perfectly crafted 26 minutes of television pleasure.
There's the opening scene in which the Mechanic casually portends things in a sly manner. There's the almost cinematic mis en scene-- especially the use of lighting, and camera angles-- at first the vistas appear bright, wide and expansive filled with hope and potential then bit by bit they become darker and claustrophobic until finally there's nowhere left to go and the inevitable is accepted. There's the Hitch-hiker himself, the perfectly cast Leonard Strong, who although he only utters 6 words in the entire episode uses a knowing, almost sardonic, gaze to communicate a pitch perfect feeling of restrained malevolence or is it empathy for a lost soul? There's even a 60's era, pushing the envelope type moment, when Stevens character essentially promises the prospect of sexual favors in a desperate but failed attempt to keep the Sailor from leaving her alone with the road and the Hitch-hiker. And of course there's the brilliant final reveal through the rear view mirror followed by those 6 fateful words.
"I believe you're going … my way?"
Oh and even though it's based on an old Orson Welles performed Mercury Theater radio play the spiced up dialog is pure Serling...
"Three days and three nights now driving. Past Tennessee, into Arkansas. Three days and three nights. Stop for food and then drive. Stop for food and then drive. Stop for food, and the routine goes on. Towns go by without names. Landscapes without form. Now it isn't even a trip, it's a flight. Route 80 isn't a highway anymore, it's an escape route. So I keep going, conscious of only one thing. I've to get where I'm going and I can't let that hitch-hiker close in on me! On the fourth day, halfway across New Mexico, I took a side road hoping to lose the hitch-hiker. At 11 o'clock at night, the engine stopped and I sit there in the front seat, refrigerated by fear. Out of gas!"
Refrigerated by fear!? In what universe do ordinary people posses the genius to talk like that-- why only in the Twilight Zone of course. (cue the theme music)
But for me, above everything else, what lifts this fable from being merely a good though slightly dated "entertainment" to the level of flawed masterpiece is the performance of Inger Stevens. I was so haunted by her after watching it that i was compelled to search the net to find out more about this gorgeous lady whose name sounded eerily familiar even though I couldn't think of anything she had been in.
IMDB's mini-biography described her as "the beautiful loner or lady of mystery, an innate sadness seemed to permeate many of her roles."
Yes, that's it I thought to myself!
There is a sadness, a necessary sadness, in her performance which is at the heart of the production-- which sustains it and in so doing gives the episode the weight of authenticity.
Great stuff!
----
A few notes: Inger Stevens committed suicide by barbituate overdose at the age of 35. She had a reputation for dalliances with the stars and her sexual prowess was legendary leaving such luminaries as Anthony Quinn, Bing Crosby, Harry Belafonte, and a young Burt Reynolds, among others, gasping for air in the wake of her nearly unquenchable desire. At the time of her death she was married to the African American actor Ike Jones. This union was kept secret to insulate her career from the effects of racial bigotry prevalent at the time.
Inger Stevens shortly before her death in 1970.
Last edited by Holly Martins; 07-29-08 at 09:12 AM. Reason: added image
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Originally Posted by rw2516
Agnes Moorehead-"The Invaders"
There are a lot of great episodes, but this has always been my favorite. A great performance and the best twist ending in the entire series.
#14
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I always liked "Where is Everybody?". Sure, other people show up, but 95% of the episode is a guy who's totally alone. Besides, it features the set that would later be used for Hill Valley in Back to the Future.
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I like all the choices list so far.
There are two more I liked and I can't remember the names. The one where the guy meets with the devil who makes him immortal. And the other was A Stop at Willoughby.
*EDIT - Escape Clause is the name of that one.
There are two more I liked and I can't remember the names. The one where the guy meets with the devil who makes him immortal. And the other was A Stop at Willoughby.
*EDIT - Escape Clause is the name of that one.
Last edited by macnorton; 07-30-08 at 02:57 PM.
#16
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"A Kind of Stopwatch" has numerous supporting characters, but it's really about the one guy. The ending is more or less a retread of "Time Enough at Last".
#19
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It might not technically be a one character show but 'The Lonely" with Jack Warden where he is a convict sentenced to live on the moon as punishment.
He eventually gets a female android as a mate.
He eventually gets a female android as a mate.
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Originally Posted by JeffTheAlpaca
It might not technically be a one character show but 'The Lonely" with Jack Warden where he is a convict sentenced to live on the moon as punishment.
He eventually gets a female android as a mate.
He eventually gets a female android as a mate.
I'll go with "Time Enough at Last."
#21
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Two
"Two" was similar to "Where is Everybody" but 2 people one man Charles Bronson and one woman are the only people left on earth.
it was the season premiere for Season 3.
it was the season premiere for Season 3.