The Twilight Zone (TV Series) The Mighty Casey (1960) User Reviews

"He pitches like nothing human".

[classicsoncall · 7/10 · 30 March 2010]

It's said that one's personal golden age occurs around the age of eight to ten. In that case, mine was one of the goldenest. Even though the Yankees got smoked by the Pirates in 1960, they came back the following year to take out Cincinnati in the World Series. The 1959 Topps Baseball card set to my mind was the best looking one of all time, and the era offered such greats as Mantle (#7, same as The Mighty Casey - coincidence?), Mays, Aaron, Kaline, Williams, Spahn and Burdette; I could go on but you get the idea.

When a team twenty games out of first place considers a single win a streak, the appearance of a player who 'pitches like nothing human' is a sure fire recipe for a rise in the standings. I'm glad Rod Serling could take things a little less seriously every once in a while and just go for grins. Jack Warden makes his second appearance as a Twilight Zone headliner in this episode, he was also featured as a convicted criminal on an outer space asteroid in the seventh episode - 'The Lonely'. Warden could play a lot of different roles; here he's the meathead manager of a cellar dweller appropriately named the Hoboken Zephyrs. That would have made them the fourth major league team from the metro New York area, slight overkill but Serling was a New York boy himself.

The similarity of the story to "The Wizard of Oz" is unmistakable, even if the result is somewhat the opposite. The Tin Man also needed a heart to become human, but once Casey gets one, he can no longer be heartless. There's some kind of cosmic serendipity in that observation, I think I'll stick with it.

You know, I give Serling credit for going out on a limb with his prophetic narrative at the end of the story. He said it was rumored that Coach McGarry moved his team out West a few years later and came up with a pitching staff like nothing human. I always wondered how Koufax and Drysdale did it.

"The Mighty Casey" is light-hearted TZ episode

[chuck-reilly · 7/10 · 9 July 2008]

The Hoboken Zephyrs, a perennial losing minor league team is given a big boost when pitching sensation Casey (Robert Sorrells) shows up under the guidance of his benefactor, Dr. Stillman (Abraham Sofaer). The team's manager, Mouth McGarry (Jack Warden), can't believe what he's seeing. Every pitch Casey throws is over 100 MPH and he's striking out opposing batters by the bushel-load. Casey, of course, is a robot and he's programmed to become the greatest pitcher since Cy Young himself. Although McGarry discovers the truth about his ace hurler early on, he keeps it to himself. Why rock the boat when the team is on a winning streak? With Casey on the mound and tossing serious heat, the Zephyrs quickly climb up the standings and McGarry has never had it so good---until the inevitable happens. Casey finally breaks down due to a mechanical glitch and the doctors at the local hospital find out that his "injury" has nothing to do with his rotator cuff (since he doesn't really have one). The poor fellow is disallowed to continue his career now that it has been determined that he isn't human. But there is a way out of this dilemma for Casey and his teammates. If a real human heart is transplanted into his main CPU, Casey will become an official "human being" and be able to take the mound once again. After Dr. Stillman performs this difficult procedure, Casey resumes his career, but without his previous success. Instead, every hitter tees off on every pitch he throws and it's soon apparent that Casey is washed up for good. But his ineffectiveness has nothing to do with his pitching mechanics. "I just can't strike these poor guys out anymore, Mr. McGarry," he explains. "I have a heart now. I just can't ruin their livelihoods. I'd feel real bad if I struck them all out. They have families to feed." It is then decided that Casey can no longer be a professional baseball player since he's now more suited for "social work."

"The Mighty Casey" is played for obvious laughs and there are quite a few funny moments. Jack Warden is at his best as the befuddled manager who spends most of his time scratching his head. Sorrells (as the robot Casey) has an out-of-this-world look about him and seems to have come straight off the assembly line. Creator Serling closes the show with a few punch lines himself. He informs the viewers that Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale might have been manufactured at the same laboratory as the Mighty Casey. Spoken like a true Giants fan.

Enjoyable but very slight...

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 20 June 2010]

This is an episode of "The Twilight Zone" that is well worth seeing, but I'll freely admit that the show is far from one of the better ones of the first season. Part of this is because there really is nothing other-worldly or "twilight zoney" about this one--just a somewhat humorous and very slight show from start to finish.

The show is about Casey. We are expected to believe that this guy is an ultra-realistic robot who can pitch amazingly well and no one can detect that he's NOT a robot until late in the season. And, when they do, his creator comes up with a way to get around this--but it leads to further complications.

Overall, this certainly won't make you love the series but at least it is entertaining. Nuff said.

Anyone who hates this episode...

[christgab · 7/10 · 7 September 2021]

...is a coward. Truly incredible story by my boy Rod.

What About Steroids?

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 9 October 2008]

This is a decent enough episode about a baseball team that must resort to a robot to get the job done. Of course, when the whole cheating thing comes into play, the game is diminished and it becomes about the people in charge and their decisions. It's about what happens when we inject humanity into the equation. When Casey begins to mow down the hitters he is indeed a robot. This is a rock and a hard place. He can't pitch because he's not human--how do we make him human. Like in the Wizard of Oz, we give him a heart. In Damn Yankees there is a song, "You Gotta Have Heart." That's a baseball movie. Of course, once we get a heart, we begin to see that there are others around us that we need to be concerned about. Suffice it to say, those who get their wishes too easily don't always profit very much. This is no exception. But it leaves you with hope that cheating can win out in the end.

A big wind comes to the Zephyrs

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 26 April 2019]

This Twilight Zone episode tends to be a bit whimsical, a tale that could have come from the pen of a Damon Runyon or a Paul Gallico. It's another Joe Hardy type player who comes to the Zephyrs and moves them considerably up in the baseball standings.

It's mighty Casey, a pitcher who is a robot played by Robert Sorrells and who was created by Abraham Sofaer who must be a baseball fan because Casey has built into him a fast ball like Sandy Koufax and a sweeping curve like Warren Spahn. Casey is mowing them down at the plate and the Zephyrs are on the move to the delight of their manager Jack Warden.

As for Paul Harvey's 'rest of the story'. One can look to Star Trek the Next Generation and Data's quest to become more human. Or even more simply to Jack Haley's wish in The Wizard Of Oz.

Before Steroids

[dougdoepke · 19 June 2006]

Hapless Hoboken baseball team hopes to turn fortunes around by employing unbeatable robot as star pitcher. In the process, however, they get a surprise.

A rather tragic episode whose attempt at whimsy doesn't come off despite winning performance by gangly Robert Sorrells as the genial robot. Apparently the production was almost wrapped when the star Paul Douglas suddenly died. As a result, much had to be reshot on a hurry-up schedule using Jack Warden. And it shows. As reviewer Mulrooney points out, the direction is "merciless", to say the least. Sorry to say, an inferior entry.

Interesting to compare current steroid scandal in major league baseball with premise of this show. Whereas robotic Sorrells has to become more "human' to stay in the league, some major leaguers now work at an edge by becoming more bionic. Ironically, the Mighty Casey's process is being reversed by today's homerun sluggers chasing the big bucks whatever the human cost. Although the episode may stand as an artistic bust, it does remain oddly topical.

Mighty?

[AaronCapenBanner · 6/10 · 26 October 2014]

Jack Warden plays a professional Baseball manager of the perennial losers the Hoboken Zephyrs, who one day is approached by a mysterious inventor who promises him a chance to reverse his team's misfortune by giving his android named Casey a chance at play. Skeptical but desperate, the manager gives Casey a chance, and is astonished and delighted when Casey hits home-run after home-run, becoming a media sensation and giving the Zephyrs a fighting chance at the pennant until Casey's identity is threatened with exposure... Warden makes this otherwise featherweight episode tolerable, though remains among the least efforts in the canon. Will appeal most to Baseball fans.

Twilight Zone Commits an Error

[Samuel-Shovel · 4/10 · 4 May 2017]

One of the weakest episodes from Season 1 by far. It's attempt at being whimsical and light doesn't hit home and there's nothing particularly Twilight Zone-esque about this episode. It feels very short and there's not a lot of substance here. Some of this might have to do with the last minute re-shoots but, even so, the story and script are weak as far as Twilight Zone's concerned. This seemed like it came right out of a mediocre sitcom.

Good episode BUT!

[skarylarry-93400 · 6/10 · 24 November 2021]

It's funny, when Casey is told about facing Joe Dimaggio, the only one that pronounced "DIMAGGIO" correctly was Robot Casey, who never even heard of him.

After the heat comes the smog.

[mark.waltz · 4/10 · 22 February 2019]

The one true misfire of The Twilight Zone fantastic first Season indicates that Rod Serling must have been advised to follow up very dramatic episodes with something light and fluffy as the series began to take flight. This deals with a fictional Hoboken professional baseball team coached by the terrific Jack Warden. All of a sudden aided by the arrival of the incredibly strong Robert Sorrells whose pitching ability seems almost supernatural. There's a reason actually, because he's not human. But when Sorrells that's the addition of a human heart, well I know somebody changes the way he plays, and it isn't to the team's favor.

While good as far as an anthology series episode regarding baseball is concerned, as a Twilight Zone episode, it fall short. It lacks in a strong story, a moral, and thus ironically lacking in heart. it's interesting as far as seeing a young Jack Warden, having been seen in the season's earlier "The Lonely", and as usual, he is terrific, being the one strength that keeps this episode from being a complete disappointment. What he has in talent and charisma, Sorrells completely lacks. I don't really like "The Twilight Zone" as fluff without anything really to say, so it comes down to the fact that this Casey ain't so mighty.

Jack Warden; One of the Best

[Easygoer10 · 8/10 · 26 April 2019]

I love the fact that Rod Serling paid $27,000 out of his own pocket to cast Jack Warden. The reason why is under "Trivia" for this particular episode. All I will say is that reason was sad. Regardless, I have always admired the range of Jack Warden, so it's great seeing him in this.

Kind of weak

[ericstevenson · 6/10 · 17 July 2018]

It's a shame I end my reviews today with a weaker episode. There's a baseball player named Casey who's revealed to be a robot. It's not a twist. It's told to the audience about six minutes in. It does kind of remind me of the 1951 version of "Angels In The Outfield" if only because I saw it recently. People say that Casey can't play because a player must be human.

They decide to give him a heart. He then doesn't play as well because he feels bad for the opposing team. The manager then gets the blueprints. Rod Serling's narration implies he builds more robots to win games. How can they win games if they have hearts as they must to qualify as human? It's by no means terrible, it's just one of the weakest episodes. **1/2

The Might Casey strikes out.

[BA_Harrison · 4/10 · 17 December 2017]

The coach of a down-on-its-luck baseball team, The Hoboken Zephyrs, tries out an unlikely left-handed pitcher called Casey (Robert Sorrells) and is amazed when the lad turns out to be the best pitcher he has ever seen.

There was a worrying moment early on when I thought that The Mighty Casey's big surprise would be that the Zephyrs' new star pitcher is a robot; thankfully, that's not the case, that particular plot development coming reasonably quickly. Unfortunately, the final twist-that Casey is no longer able to compete because, with a new heart, he can now feel compassion-isn't any better. It's a silly revelation that makes no sense: most great sportsmen have a heart and feel compassion, but it doesn't make them any less competitive.

As such, this proves to be a very disappointing penultimate episode for Season One.

The robot player

[AvionPrince16 · 6/10 · 6 March 2023]

So we follow a man in charge of a baseball team who will get introduced a man who will be in fact a robot and will be used to help the manager to help the team to get higher rank. And it will be a success. But a medical visit make that robot player disqualified because of its state despite his awesome performances as a base ball player. But when they will put inside him a heart and make him human we will notice that he will consider things that usually a roblt dont consider: the feelings, the fear, the insecurities. I mean it really maka us aware of what make the difference between a machine and a human. And i found the morality pretty good with that sci-fi touch who is not too much. I enjoyed it anyway. And we will see that the manager will used 9 robots to make him win at any cost. Greediness.

Casey at the pitch

[Calicodreamin · 5/10 · 3 June 2021]

Not a strong episode, the premise was weak and the message unclear. The acting was decent, but again too weak of a storyline to be enjoyable.

Baseball Fantasy

[StrictlyConfidential · 5/10 · 9 June 2021]

"The Mighty Casey" (Episode 35) was first aired on television June 17, 1960.

Anyway - As The story goes - A broken-down baseball team soars when a new player, a human-looking robot, pitches shut-out after shut-out. He must be altered to become more human, but how will this affect his superhuman skills?

Fun TZ change of pace episode.

[vitoscotti · 10/10 · 24 June 2023]

A wonderful fantasy baseball episode. Logic, and reality, are stylishly thrown to the wind. Certainly a true classic Twilight Zone episode. Oddly, I don't remember seeing it years ago as a kid. I enjoy how Rod Serling tackles various subjects he's passionate about. As here baseball. So comical the implied reference to the Brooklyn Dodgers who moved to Los Angeles and had one of MLB's all-time greatest starting pitching staffs during and after this episode. A true treat seeing Jonathan Hole. A staple of classic TV with many appearances. I especially remember him usually playing clerks in seven appearances on the classic 60s sitcom "Green Acres". Brilliant performance by Jack Warden. His other TZ episode being another masterpiece playing Corry in "The Lonely".

"I don't know anybody named Joe DiMaggio, sir "

[Coventry · 5/10 · 4 August 2017]

Right after the greatest episode of "The Twilight Zone" season one – the downright phenomenal "The After Hours" – regretfully comes one the weakest episodes… "The Mighty Casey" is a rather goofy, childish, uninteresting and tension-free tale about bad baseball teams and sentimental human emotions. In other words, two subject that yours truly doesn't hope to find in his favorite Science- Fiction TV-show. Jack Warden plays the coach of an awfully performing baseball team, the Hoboken Zephyrs, which suddenly sees the opportunity to become successful thanks to the incredible talents of their new pitcher. The reason why odd Casey is such a fantastic player, however, is because he's an emotionless robot. When the foul play gets discovered, Casey's creator proposes to provide his robot with an actual heart in order to make him even more human, but apparently this physical upgrade has a disastrous impact on his pitching performance. I'm having some difficulties identifying the purpose of this episode. If a brilliant scientist like Dr. Stillman manages to build such a realistic robot like Casey, why would he only use it to play baseball with the lousiest team in history? And what's the moral of this tale, anyway? As soon as you follow your heart and show emotions, you can't be successful in life anymore? If so, that's a pretty lousy and discouraging message.

You cant win them all

[darrenpearce111 · 4/10 · 4 February 2014]

This threadbare sporting story is the penultimate entry of season one. Set in the past, so this robot pitcher Casey (Robert Sorrell) would seem to be a one off. Baseball coach McGarry (Jack Warden) is struggling with the Hoboken Zephyrs until Casey's robot precision pitching sees them winning. Casey picks up an injury and McGarry has more trouble.

The baseball league is not meant for robots (Richard Matheson's 'Steel', series five, is better where boxing is for robots only in a very near future) so there has to be a couple of twists as it cant be fair play.

One of the very few weak entries in the fabulous first series.

One star is one too many

[ablbodyed-2 · 1/10 · 7 March 2021]

To call this episode absolutely moronic is a compliment for what is on the screen. I enjoy TZ and I am watching them in order. I thankThankTHANK my lucky stars that I didn't see this early on, though, of course I have a long familiarity with the show and know that this is an anomaly. And as an aside, how could he have pitched that many games in such a short period? Every team would know that there was something wrong, and the protests would have shown the truth. I realize that you can't apply real-world logic to a fantasy, but....

FOR BASEBALL FANS WHO DREAM BIG!

[tcchelsey · 10/10 · 18 March 2023]

Something different from Rod Serling, all about a super duper left handed pitcher who helps a hapless baseball team --because he has NO heart, NO compassion? Now the question. What if he has heart and compassion?

Watch the rest, and especially the bewildered (if not astounded!) Jack Warden as the team skipper. Accolades to the good old team doctor, well played by Abraham Sofaer. Sofaer was born in Burma and had one long career, playing distinguished gentemen in several classic films, one after the other. He is perfect for this role as the doc who "changes" things. Rod Serling's ace in the hole!

A must see, even if you're not a baseball fan with some laugh out loud situations, even for the TWILIGHT ZONE. I do agree with the last reviewer, this does come off as a Damon Runyon-eque tale with some fun characters, and could have had possibilities for a movie. The material is there. Also look for character actor Rusty Lane, a staple in many westerns, often in ALFRED HITCHCOCK'S tv show.

From SEASON 1 EPISODE 35 remastered CBS dvd box set.

Bad.

[bombersflyup · 1/10 · 19 August 2019]

The Mighty Casey isn't interesting or clever. Of course when given a heart it won't want to pitch anyone out... blah. Senseless because a robot has no use for blood and the heart has nothing to do with your conscious, but still obvious. Serling has some good stuff, but the majority are misses.

Nice comic episode

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 11 July 2017]

A floundering baseball team experiences a steady winning streak after robot pitcher Casey (a likable performance by Robert Sorrells) gets added to the team.

Directors Alvin Ganzer and Robert Parrish keep the enjoyable story moving along at a brisk pace as well as maintain an amiable lighthearted tone throughout. Rod Serling's sweet script makes an amusing point about how having a heart in turn gives a person too much compassion and hence blunts one's competitive edge. The sturdy acting by the game cast helps a lot: Jack Warden as gruff manager Mouth McGarry, Abraham Sofaer as friendly scientist Dr. Stillman, Alan Dexter as greedy jerk team owner Beasley, and Don Kelly as eager shortstop Monk. The goofy sound effects further add to the overall infectiously silly charm. A cute show.

Casey at the bat

[nickenchuggets · 8/10 · 29 December 2023]

While I never was interested in sports, The Twilight Zone has a way of making basically every subject or premise interesting through its quality storytelling and morals. This episode, an early one from the show's first season, shows how even non-living things can occupy a special place in the minds of those close to them. The Mighty Casey begins in New Jersey. McGarry (Jack Warden), is the manager of a demoralized and objectively terrible baseball team known as the Hoboken Zephyrs, and they never win any games. McGarry is met by Doctor Stillman, a man who introduces him to someone he believes is going to make a welcome addition to the Zephyrs: Casey (Robert Sorrells). When Stillman tells McGarry Casey is a robot, there's no way he can believe him, but Casey demonstrates his abilities by throwing fastballs and slowballs that can't be dealt with. Casey goes on to make the Zephyrs perform really well and restores their reputation, but after being hit in the head by a baseball one day, he is medically investigated and discovered to not be a human being. The baseball commissioner visits Casey and tells him he is disqualified from playing baseball as the rules dictate only men (not machines) can play. Stillman proposes giving Casey an actual heart, seeing as how that is the only thing differentiating him from a person in the commissioner's eyes. Stillman successfully completes the operation. However, because of his new heart, Casey now possesses sympathy and doesn't want to make members of opposing teams sad by striking them out. Casey quits baseball to work in the social field. Certain that the Zephyrs will perform terribly again now that Casey is gone, Stillman gives Casey's blueprints to McGarry as something to remember him by. Suddenly, McGarry has an idea and catches up to Stillman, telling him he wants to construct a whole baseball team of Casey androids. While a pretty simple and comedic episode, I did enjoy The Mighty Casey when I first saw it almost 4 years ago and still do to this day. The backstory to it is admittedly kind of sad, but you'd never guess it by watching such a lighthearted episode. Actor Paul Douglas was originally supposed to play McGarry in this, as he already played a baseball manager in a previous movie he did in the 50s. He died not even a week after Serling finished shooting the episode. As a result, Serling had to film the entire thing again with a new actor for McGarry, and was not reimbursed by CBS for his trouble. No matter how good of a writer you are, companies will always find ways to rip you off. Still, I think the way this episode turned out was worth the reshoot, and Serling once again proved himself in the realm of fantasy television.