★★★★★ March 27, 1964 Season 5 Episode 26
If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
IMDB has this one rated with 7.4 out of 10. I think it should have been rated much higher. It is an excellent and powerful episode so I’m giving it 5 stars. A thought-provoking episode that is very original. Rod Serling wrote this and he lashed out at hatred in this episode. It was made only 4 months after JFK was assassinated. I rate this a 5 not because of the action or sci-fi…but it makes you think. The best Twilight Zones do that. Some might not like it because it is very dark.
Serling describes darkness covering various areas of the world simultaneously in reference to the evil happenings of the era. It’s a powerful message about a human sickness that all of us can learn and grow from. It was such a great concept to have the sunlight go away and to have total darkness brought on by hate. Maybe it is an act of God that’s being spurred on by men.
George Lindsey (Goober off of the Andy Griffith Show) plays a backwoods redneck policeman in this one. Michael Constantine plays the sheriff who feels guilty about what is going on and realizes the mistakes that he and everyone else has made. Ivan Dixon plays the Reverend Anderson and he and Constantine are the stars of this episode. The acting, writing, and lessons are great in this one.
IMDB Trivia: This episode takes place on May 25, 1964.
Ivan Dixon (Reverend) previously starred in The Twilight Zone: The Big Tall Wish (1960).
This show was written by Rod Serling
Rod Serling’s Opening Narration:
Sheriff Charlie Koch on the morning of an execution. As a matter of fact, it’s seven-thirty in the morning. Logic and natural laws dictate that at this hour there should be daylight. It is a simple rule of physical science that the sun should rise at a certain moment and supersede the darkness. But at this given moment, Sheriff Charlie Koch, a deputy named Pierce, a condemned man named Jagger, and a small, inconsequential village will shortly find out that there are causes and effects that have no precedent. Such is usually the case—in the Twilight Zone.
Summary
In a small town, a man by the name of Jagger is about to be executed after being found guilty of murder. The local newspaperman, Colbey, is convinced that Jagger is innocent. He accuses Deputy Pierce of having perjured himself to get a conviction and accuses Sheriff Charlie Koch of just plain laziness in investigating the case. As the morning of his execution arrives, the townsfolk realize that the sun hasn’t risen that day. They soon begin to understand the cause of the darkness that surrounds them.
SPOILER WARNING WITH VIDEO
Rod Serling’s Closing Narration:
A sickness known as hate. Not a virus, not a microbe, not a germ—but a sickness nonetheless, highly contagious, deadly in its effects. Don’t look for it in the Twilight Zone—look for it in a mirror. Look for it before the light goes out altogether.
CAST
Rod Serling … Host / Narrator – Himself
Michael Constantine … Sheriff Charlie Koch
Paul Fix … Colbey
George Lindsey … Deputy Pierce
Ivan Dixon … the Reverend Anderson
Terry Becker … Jagger
Eve McVeagh … Ella
Douglas Bank … Man
Russell Custer … Townsman
Elizabeth Harrower … Woman
Michael Jeffers … Deputy
Robert McCord … Townsman
Ward Wood … Man
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This does look like a good episode. Kind of odd that the gut is named Jagger and everything turns black like the song Paint It Black.
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Yea I thought the same thing about Jagger.
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This surely looks like a powerful episode, Max. What a brilliant idea to use darkness as an image of hate. Hate is one of the most senseless and dangerous things surrounding humans everywhere. Sooner or later, it might destroy the entire planet.
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Many people rate this a lot lower and it’s not the most entertaining but it makes you think. I love the dialog. Serling was awesome.
Something about Rod Serling I found out…I think you would be interested. It took me by surprise….Right before he died he recorded a radio show about a fictitious Rock Concert called Fantasy Park. The Beatles, Stones and others were there. It was this pretend concert he did…
Here is a short piece of it. I thought you would like it. It blew me away…I never knew this! I have the link below.
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Maybe that is what he was hoping to see when he got to heaven?
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Maybe! I never knew about this and it’s cool.
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Thanks, Max, that sounds intriguing. I am about to leave my house and will definitely check it out when I get back!
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It’s not gotten much lighter over the last half century or so, that’s for sure.
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I sadly agree obbverse…
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Just saw this one about a week ago – one of the best episodes. Thanks for posting – keep the TZ posts coming.
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Thank you!
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The word that came to mind was Christian’s – powerful. Seems like a good one.
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It is Dave…. like Christian said…the idea that hate would cause blackness. It’s more of a thinking episode.
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It is a powerful episode and the speech The Reverand gave is memorable. I like how they had the scene fading into darkness and shrinking at the end.
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I agree…it is powerful. The dialog in it hits true today as much as then.
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I paid attention to the stars this time!!! 😁
I remember this one. And, Serling nearly hisses at everyone at the end. The loss of JFK was devastating. My dad was a freshman in college at the time.
Gotta watch that Deep State. They took out JFK, Lennon & nearly got Reagan. Eisenhower didn’t give us a warning for nothing.
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Cool with the stars! I do think this one is a 5
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Just saw this one about a week ago – one of the best episodes. Thanks for posting – keep the TZ posts coming.
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