★★★1/2 December 10, 1961 Season 2 Episode 10
If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
This is a somewhat humorous episode and then it slides toward darkness. Jean Carson plays Paula Diedrich. Jean was probably best known as the gravelly voiced “fun girl” from The Andy Griffith Show. You have some small time crooks who steal what they thought was a useless camera. This camera can show 5 minutes into the future. They are none too bright but they don’t seem mean until…until there is money involved.
Personally I thought the ending was a little forced and hurried… but I did like the idea about the camera. This is one of the very few episodes that could have benefitted from a one hour format.
The inscribed plate on the front of the camera reads “Dix å la propriétaire”, which translates in English as “Ten per owner”, i.e. ten photographs per owner.
This show was written by Rod Serling
Rod Serling’s Opening Narration:
A hotel suite that, in this instance, serves as a den of crime, the aftermath of a rather minor event to be noted on a police blotter, an insurance claim, perhaps a three-inch box on page twelve of the evening paper. Small addenda to be added to the list of the loot: a camera, a most unimposing addition to the flotsam and jetsam that it came with, hardly worth mentioning really, because cameras are cameras, some expensive, some purchasable at five-and-dime stores. But this camera, this one’s unusual because in just a moment we’ll watch it inject itself into the destinies of three people. It happens to be a fact that the pictures that it takes can only be developed in The Twilight Zone.
Summary
Married couple Chester and Paula have broken into and robbed a curio shop, hoping to sell the loot for a handsome sum of money. Unfortunately, all of it turns out to be junk or fakes. All, that is, save for a mysterious camera. When they try taking a picture, it turns out to be from five minutes into the future. Soon Paula’s brother Woodward joins them and the three decide to use the camera at a horse track to win big.
Rod Serling’s Closing Narration:
Object known as a camera, vintage uncertain, origin unknown. But for the greedy, the avaricious, the fleet of foot, who can run a four-minute mile so long as they’re chasing a fast buck, it makes believe that it’s an ally, but it isn’t at all. It’s a beckoning come-on for a quick walk around the block—in The Twilight Zone.
CAST
Rod Serling … Narrator / Self – Host (uncredited)
Fred Clark … Chester Dietrich
Jean Carson … Paula Diedrich
Adam Williams … Woodward
Marcel Hillaire … Pierre – Waiter
Franklyn Farnum … Man at Racetrack (uncredited)
Art Lewis … Racetrack Tout (uncredited)
Tony Regan … Man at Racetrack (uncredited)
…
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I think I remember this episode and they take a picture of the race results before the race starts so they can bet on the winner, but the results change because their horse was disqualified.
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no…they won but now that you brought that up…I remember a show…not the TZ but a different show that did that.
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this episode not up the the usual standards- but still – average not terrible.
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The premise sounds excellent – the camera that can see forward, too bad if they didn’t really knock it out of the ballpark like they usually did. I’ve thought on several I’ve seen lately “good for sure but could’ve been better if they had an hour to flesh out the characters a bit more.”
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Well in the fourth season they are an hour… it didn’t work as well on some but still a few were great
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haven’t gotten to watching any season 4 ones yet but could be that he was beginning to run short of new ideas by then?
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He was getting burned out…He didn’t want to go to an hour but the network demanded it…only 18 episodes…but that is 36 half hour…although he bounced back in the 5th season.
This season I’ve underrated most of my life… this is a great season and it will rival the first by the end.
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Yeah I thought this was a great premise but kind of a clumsy ending. I agree it could have benefited from a longer time to more fully develop the story. Still not clear to me how the bellman ended up falling out the window
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Yea I couldn’t bring that up…but yea I felt the same way…all you heard was him yelp.
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I remember this one. It was a bit choppy.
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I found S2 at the library and it’s on the way to me. Once I watch the episodes I will comment on them. You’ve got me geeked about the series now 🙂
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I’m sorry the other hasn’t worked out for you Lisa…if you want a challenge again give it a try again lol…I won’t change anything.
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badfinger,
Interesting concept. I sure wish I had a camera like that at the track.
Regards and goodwill blogging.
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