I agree with the other reviewers. There is so much threat in this. We watch Fritz Weaver, agonizing over what he must do. He has been a part of what has led to the situation, and now he wants out. Is he a hero? I just don't know. When all is said and done, he puts his family first. The society is dying. There is going to be a holocaust and there is talk of thirty million casualties. They also seem to know when this is going to take place. The cinematography is really interesting. We are invited to look at middle class America (though I guess it isn't). Pretty streets and trees and the sun shining. We get those expressionistic tilts when people talk. I suppose to say that things are awry. There is a threat to the plot being completed. Edward Andrews knows what they are up to and either wants in or wants to stop it. He is a threatening visage, with those glasses and his sly smile. The conclusion is a lesson for us all. Cold war fear mongering perhaps, but it is the classic Twilight Zone ending that really punched us in the gut when we saw it for the first time.
42 Reviews
"It's coming boy, it's really coming, and a big one too!"
classicsoncall9 March 2010
Warning: Spoilers
If you watch this episode of The Twilight Zone today, and you weren't around in the late 1950's, it's going to be hard to imagine that the paranoia that comes through actually existed back then. I would have been nine years old in 1960, and we were doing duck and cover drills in my parochial school because of a palpable threat that existed from the former Soviet Union. Nikita Kruschev's earlier threat to 'bury' the West was more a defense of Marxism than a military threat, but that's how many perceived it. Rod Serling's treatment of the impending doom of nuclear annihilation takes center stage in this story, and elevates it to one of the great classics of the series.
With my recent acquisition of the Twilight Zone Definitive Edition, I'm watching the stories in episode order, ever on the lookout for my favorites from back in the day. This is the first one I'm willing to consider for my personal Top Ten list, as it slowly builds a foreboding atmosphere and increases the tension with hints of an insider conspiracy at subversion. The character of Carling (Edward Andrews) is a curious one, the viewer is never sure what faction he represents. Does he want in on the plan being formulated by Sturka (Fritz Weaver) and Jerry (Joe Maross), or is he looking to expose them? There's some great cryptic dialog among them at the card party, filled with double meaning and secrecy that portends an unknown fate.
Others on this board have mentioned the effective use of odd camera angles done with surreal effect. I thought the pocket watch hand off was cleverly done shifting the scene from the Sturka living room to the workshop basement. It's an abrupt shift that catches you a little by surprise, once again ratcheting up the tension for what's to follow. The one thing that could have been done to make the twist ending even better would have been to refrain from telegraphing the outcome with the title of the story. 'Third From The Sun' is just too much of a dead giveaway if you're paying attention, and makes the revelation of the destination planet almost a foregone conclusion. But lay it on an unsuspecting first time watcher without the preview, and I'll bet it takes most anyone by surprise.
With my recent acquisition of the Twilight Zone Definitive Edition, I'm watching the stories in episode order, ever on the lookout for my favorites from back in the day. This is the first one I'm willing to consider for my personal Top Ten list, as it slowly builds a foreboding atmosphere and increases the tension with hints of an insider conspiracy at subversion. The character of Carling (Edward Andrews) is a curious one, the viewer is never sure what faction he represents. Does he want in on the plan being formulated by Sturka (Fritz Weaver) and Jerry (Joe Maross), or is he looking to expose them? There's some great cryptic dialog among them at the card party, filled with double meaning and secrecy that portends an unknown fate.
Others on this board have mentioned the effective use of odd camera angles done with surreal effect. I thought the pocket watch hand off was cleverly done shifting the scene from the Sturka living room to the workshop basement. It's an abrupt shift that catches you a little by surprise, once again ratcheting up the tension for what's to follow. The one thing that could have been done to make the twist ending even better would have been to refrain from telegraphing the outcome with the title of the story. 'Third From The Sun' is just too much of a dead giveaway if you're paying attention, and makes the revelation of the destination planet almost a foregone conclusion. But lay it on an unsuspecting first time watcher without the preview, and I'll bet it takes most anyone by surprise.
why we watch the Twilight Zone
HelloTexas1117 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
'Third from the Sun' is one of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes because it epitomizes everything we loved about that great old series: spookiness, a sense of impending doom as well as wonder, paranoia, and of course the surprise ending. Though the formula for each episode wasn't written in stone... there could be, and were, variations... there was very definitely a formula in place. Typically, a show began with the situation being set up, an odd set of circumstances either revealed or hinted at, then this was played out through the course of the episode, and at the end, things don't turn out QUITE the way we imagined they would. Rod Serling and his small band of writers had this formula nailed, and it is amazing how fresh they made it seem time and again over a span of six years and about 150 shows. 'Third from the Sun' certainly has all these elements. Two workers at a defense plant sometime in the future (?) have a brief discussion after work. They both seem aware that a nuclear war is inevitable within the next couple of days. It is an open secret, one that people either know or are vaguely aware of, but one that isn't openly discussed. One of them, Sturka, has a wife and daughter and is planning their escape in a prototype spacecraft; a neighborhood couple is to join them. The other worker, Carling, is a 'company man,' a nosey busybody and more than that, an almost Gestapo-like figure who apparently keeps tabs on defense employees and turns in any whose loyalty seems questionable. A lot of the fun in this episode is the unbearable waiting game that goes on before the five people can leave. Sturka and the others must act as though everything is normal so as not to tip their hand to Carling (or anyone else) even though they're all extremely nervous. There is a tension-laced game of cards played at Sturka's home the night they are to leave, and of course Carling shows up. Does he know or doesn't he? There are a few little tricks here and there which most people will take to indicate this is all set in an American society not too far in the future. The phone is different, as is the car, and there is a spacey kind of 'music' that the people listen to, though in every other respect, the people could be straight out of 'Father Knows Best' or 'The Donna Reed Show.' Only at the end do we realize they are on another planet and are trying to escape here, to earth. A really fine episode, well directed and acted; one of Twilight Zone's best.
Thinking the Unthinkable
dougdoepke11 November 2006
Engaging little episode that subtly suggests the US circa 1959 was capable of starting a nuclear holocaust. Although the script tries to soften the allegory with a twist ending, Fritz Weaver's family remain dead-ringers for wholesome American suburbanites, with Weaver as a self-described "cog" in the bomb-making machine. Though obviously on a tight budget, Director Richard Bare does an excellent job dislocating viewers with odd camera angles and well placed effects. Edward Andrews is great, as usual, as a sinister government official-- too bad he never got the recognition he merited. The episode may have lost some of its bite with the end of the Cold War and the ebbing of the nuclear "threat".. Nonetheless, it took a lot of guts for the writers to even imply that leaders of a look-alike nation might launch a millions-dead first strike against an unnamed enemy. But then, science fiction has long served, not only as a vehicle of exploration, but as an effective cover for commentary of all political stripes. This entry remains a subtly provocative one for the conformist 1950's.
The Twilight Zone At Its Best!
glenn0188017 June 2006
This is the reason I watch The Twilight Zone.
The episode Third from the Sun is absolutely amazing to watch. The twist ending has to be one of the best ever used during the series five season run. Fritz Weaver does amazing job as the main character in the episode. Edward Andrews has to be one of the creepiest villains ever in the Twilight Zone, he does a great job. You should also pay close attention to the amazing camera angles used by director Richard L. Bare. I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to get into The Twilight Zone and also those who are already fans but have not had the chance to see this great episode.
The episode Third from the Sun is absolutely amazing to watch. The twist ending has to be one of the best ever used during the series five season run. Fritz Weaver does amazing job as the main character in the episode. Edward Andrews has to be one of the creepiest villains ever in the Twilight Zone, he does a great job. You should also pay close attention to the amazing camera angles used by director Richard L. Bare. I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to get into The Twilight Zone and also those who are already fans but have not had the chance to see this great episode.
Out Of The Fire And Into The Frying Pan.
rmax3048234 June 2013
Warning: Spoilers
A nuclear exchange is scheduled to take place in 48 hours but only a few people know about it. One is Fritz Weaver, who is a scientist at the weapons plant. He and his neighbor plan to take their families that night, sneak into the grounds, and steal the space ship that's sitting there all ready to take off. Their goal: the third planet in a solar system eleven million miles away. There are a few stretches of rough road but the plan succeeds and they wonder what they'll find on the new planet.
The new planet, of course, is Earth and the planet from which the two families are escaping has evolved almost parallel to our own.
I thought the set up was rather neat, before the irony of the ending is grasped. The world in which Fritz Weaver and the others live looks almost exactly like ours did in 1960. Almost all the set decorations and props are familiar. There's one of those vulgar sunburst clocks up on the wall. The sofas have skinny little wooden legs. You can find most of the household items in some Goodwill store today. It's the same, and yet not the same. The tchotchkes on the mantelpiece, if examined, don't look like familiar figures. The record player requires only the touch of a finger on a shiny black surface. The telephone is strange. The car makes a whining sound. Nicely done.
It's odd to see Fritz Weaver in an early role. He looks too young to be Fritz Weaver. He's a fine, reliable performer, and never seemed to get the roles he deserved. Of course, his horsey face is something other than conventionally handsome. The fly in the narrative ointment is Edward Andrews, who was never anything else because he's so good at projecting sarcasm and ominous insinuations.
The new planet, of course, is Earth and the planet from which the two families are escaping has evolved almost parallel to our own.
I thought the set up was rather neat, before the irony of the ending is grasped. The world in which Fritz Weaver and the others live looks almost exactly like ours did in 1960. Almost all the set decorations and props are familiar. There's one of those vulgar sunburst clocks up on the wall. The sofas have skinny little wooden legs. You can find most of the household items in some Goodwill store today. It's the same, and yet not the same. The tchotchkes on the mantelpiece, if examined, don't look like familiar figures. The record player requires only the touch of a finger on a shiny black surface. The telephone is strange. The car makes a whining sound. Nicely done.
It's odd to see Fritz Weaver in an early role. He looks too young to be Fritz Weaver. He's a fine, reliable performer, and never seemed to get the roles he deserved. Of course, his horsey face is something other than conventionally handsome. The fly in the narrative ointment is Edward Andrews, who was never anything else because he's so good at projecting sarcasm and ominous insinuations.
a look into a possible future
bobbeecher2 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is a wonderful episode for many reasons, especially the twist ending (which I will not reveal!).
Yes, the camera angles are canted, giving the viewer a slightly off-balance look at this future world. I especially like the contemporary music playing on the home stereo when Sturka comes home. Very cool source music cue! However, props from the 1960's still can't take us too far into the future. The sunburst clock over the mantle is pure 60's kitsch. An Ericofon is used -- perhaps the most modern-looking telephone of its day. However, it has a dial in its base. Also, check out the family automobile, something that looks like a late 50's car, but with an updated sound effect -- it sounds like it runs on electricity. Perhaps the best use of props is the most-reused-flying-saucer from the stores of MGM. You've seen this spaceship in many other episodes and in movies.
One disturbing thing about the future is that a housewife would serve chocolate cake with lemonade! I'm not ready for that leap.
I think it was interesting that the protagonist, Sturka, who was so appalled at mankind's use of destructive power, was played by Fritz Weaver, a man who was, himself, a conscientious objector during WWII.
Yes, the camera angles are canted, giving the viewer a slightly off-balance look at this future world. I especially like the contemporary music playing on the home stereo when Sturka comes home. Very cool source music cue! However, props from the 1960's still can't take us too far into the future. The sunburst clock over the mantle is pure 60's kitsch. An Ericofon is used -- perhaps the most modern-looking telephone of its day. However, it has a dial in its base. Also, check out the family automobile, something that looks like a late 50's car, but with an updated sound effect -- it sounds like it runs on electricity. Perhaps the best use of props is the most-reused-flying-saucer from the stores of MGM. You've seen this spaceship in many other episodes and in movies.
One disturbing thing about the future is that a housewife would serve chocolate cake with lemonade! I'm not ready for that leap.
I think it was interesting that the protagonist, Sturka, who was so appalled at mankind's use of destructive power, was played by Fritz Weaver, a man who was, himself, a conscientious objector during WWII.
'whish-up-over-and-whammo' .
darrenpearce11124 November 2013
The quote above is taken from a conversation early on between two government employees about the imminent prospect of nuclear war. Along with 'The Shelter', 'One More Pallbearer',and other episodes, this entry explores the fear at the time of such a human disaster. Sturka (Fritz Weaver from The 'Obsolete Man') plans to get his family away in a spaceship capable of reaching another habitable planet. The tension mounts brilliantly, especially during the card game. Edward Andrews is brilliant as Carling, the watchful obstacle in the way of the plan. The situation calls for meticulous reasoning while on the edge of madness as Sturka and his colleague are forced to keep their apocalyptic knowledge secret. A great blend of grave seriousness and fantasy so defining of TZ.
What Planet Could It Be?
AaronCapenBanner25 October 2014
Fritz Weaver and Joe Maross play two government employees who come to the awful realization that a terrible apocalyptic war is imminent, and how both men must prepare their families to make a dangerous journey to escape their doomed world in a government spacecraft, and how a sneaky government agent(played by Edward Andrews) tries to uncover their plan, and stop them, regardless of whether he even believes their doomsday prophecy or not... Utterly predictable story is helped by a fine cast and inspired direction, making this effort better than it has any business being. Still, this is highly regarded by many, who found the final twist a surprise!
Escaping a holocaust
bkoganbing10 October 2018
This Twilight Zone story has Fritz Weaver and Joe Maross as a pair of rocket
scientists who are keeping the progress of their work secret from their organization. That's because nuclear war is about engulf the planet and they
want to use that rocket to escape and head into outer space to find a new home
out there.
They run afoul of security man Edward Andrews playing one of his usual officious snooping types.
Will they make it and in addition the conclusion has quite a kicker to it. This is one of the best Twilight Zone stories out there, not to be missed.
They run afoul of security man Edward Andrews playing one of his usual officious snooping types.
Will they make it and in addition the conclusion has quite a kicker to it. This is one of the best Twilight Zone stories out there, not to be missed.
AMAZING CAMERA WORK
sidneyreed508 February 2019
An unforgettable "twist".
IrishLass2401 January 2010
I happily enjoyed a wonderful Twilight Zone marathon on the SyFy Channel this New year's weekend. Of all the wonderful shows I had the pleasure of seeing, this one stands out above many others. As is often the case with this wonderful series, Rod Serling took a simple story and turned it into a thinking man's thriller.
The story tells of two men who work at a government space facility. When they discover that the world as they know it is coming to an end, they decide to steal a spaceship to help their families escape to safety. What brings the story beyond the mundane is a classic "twist" ending that takes most viewers by surprise. I loved the episode and believe most other viewers will also. Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be happy you did!
The story tells of two men who work at a government space facility. When they discover that the world as they know it is coming to an end, they decide to steal a spaceship to help their families escape to safety. What brings the story beyond the mundane is a classic "twist" ending that takes most viewers by surprise. I loved the episode and believe most other viewers will also. Give it a try, I'm sure you'll be happy you did!
This is the eve of the end.
Hey_Sweden9 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Two government scientists, William Sturka (Fritz Weaver, "Marathon Man") and Jerry Riden (Joe Maross, "Run Silent, Run Deep"), know that world apocalypse is imminent. But they mean to do something about it. They intend to steal a spacecraft and take it to a distant star which they believe has the potential to sustain life. Standing in their way is a smarmy stooge, played by another top character actor, Edward Andrews ("Elmer Gantry").
Touching upon the fears of the time, with the Cold War and nuclear holocaust very much on peoples' minds, this decent episode really hits home when portraying the nervousness of our central characters. Director Richard L. Bare ("This Rebel Breed") enlivens the proceedings with some occasional ingenious camera placement as well as usage of Dutch angles. Sturka, his family, Riden, and his wife are definite all-American types, allowing an average viewer to be able to identify with them.
Overall, this episode is mostly talk, but it's generally interesting and entertaining, and the three principal actors, Weaver, Maross, and Andrews are all very good. Adding solid support are the appealing Denise Alexander ("Crime in the Streets") as Sturkas' daughter, Lori March ('Three Steps to Heaven') as his wife, and Jeanne Evans ("The She-Creature"), to whom director Bare was married at the time, as Ridens' spouse.
Now, some people may be able to predict the standard 'Twilight Zone' big reveal at the end, but for this viewer it definitely helped seal the deal. It drove home the point that for many peoples, certain ideas and fears could be indeed universal.
Scripted by Mr. Serling, based on a short story by Richard Matheson.
Seven out of 10.
Touching upon the fears of the time, with the Cold War and nuclear holocaust very much on peoples' minds, this decent episode really hits home when portraying the nervousness of our central characters. Director Richard L. Bare ("This Rebel Breed") enlivens the proceedings with some occasional ingenious camera placement as well as usage of Dutch angles. Sturka, his family, Riden, and his wife are definite all-American types, allowing an average viewer to be able to identify with them.
Overall, this episode is mostly talk, but it's generally interesting and entertaining, and the three principal actors, Weaver, Maross, and Andrews are all very good. Adding solid support are the appealing Denise Alexander ("Crime in the Streets") as Sturkas' daughter, Lori March ('Three Steps to Heaven') as his wife, and Jeanne Evans ("The She-Creature"), to whom director Bare was married at the time, as Ridens' spouse.
Now, some people may be able to predict the standard 'Twilight Zone' big reveal at the end, but for this viewer it definitely helped seal the deal. It drove home the point that for many peoples, certain ideas and fears could be indeed universal.
Scripted by Mr. Serling, based on a short story by Richard Matheson.
Seven out of 10.
Very Disappointed
ratssaidskinner10 June 2015
Warning: Spoilers
As an avid TZ enthusiast and viewer, I was extremely let down by it. The "it" to which I referred, is the title of this episode not to mention one or two "clues" within this one.
I presume we all know the "Third from the Sun" means Earth. I also presume most TZ fans know (or have a good idea) just how the writers think much of the time. Heck, it isn't called The Twilight Zone without reason!
By the first five or six minutes, the plot was very obvious. And when I saw the props used as telephones shown in a couple scenes, I knew these were not phones used on Earth then. (I wonder why the phones did not have the number 9 on them. Odd. I still cannot figure that out!
Poorly acted--fair at best combined with the predictability factor being as close to 100% as possible, I am very disappointed with this season- one episode as, ironically, season-one has the best episodes of all five seasons, in my opinion.
I presume we all know the "Third from the Sun" means Earth. I also presume most TZ fans know (or have a good idea) just how the writers think much of the time. Heck, it isn't called The Twilight Zone without reason!
By the first five or six minutes, the plot was very obvious. And when I saw the props used as telephones shown in a couple scenes, I knew these were not phones used on Earth then. (I wonder why the phones did not have the number 9 on them. Odd. I still cannot figure that out!
Poorly acted--fair at best combined with the predictability factor being as close to 100% as possible, I am very disappointed with this season- one episode as, ironically, season-one has the best episodes of all five seasons, in my opinion.
Twilight Zone Classic
VenVes27 December 2013
This is Twilight Zone at it's best. Amazing acting both from the protagonists and the villain(s). Incredible twist at the end that puts a bow on it. It even took me by surprise and usually I can see these coming. That is because the episode simply captures you entirely and doesn't let you consider anything outside it's bounds. The tension keeps building and building until the climax. This is an example of what I watch T.Z. for. It screws with your head, but makes sense at the same time. It's out of this world, and yet closer than you think. The suspense of watching as the villain picks up the item and investigates it is exhausting. His is one of the most powerful performances in this episode, conveying a sense of relation to most governmental agendas. Don't take my word for it though, just watch it.
A lesson in how to build up tension
Coventry25 May 2016
"Third from the Sun" is an episode in the marvelous TV-series "The Twilight Zone" that should be showed in film classes all around the world and ought to be watched by every aspiring scriptwriter who considers writing his/her own (thriller or Sci-Fi) screenplay one day! Why? Not because of its legendary and infamous end twist (because, in all honesty, it's really not *that* difficult to predict), but because this episode masterfully demonstrates pure and non-stop tension building from start to finish! Throughout the entire running time, the three male protagonists behave suspicious, act extremely nervous and only share minimum bits of the information they have, and this doesn't just generate curiosity among their female counterparts but also among the viewers that guess along continuously. William Sturka and Jerry Riden are both employees of a secret governmental nuclear plant and dispose of inside information of a dreadful catastrophe about to happen in less than 48 hours. They plan an escape for them and their families, but their supervisor – the oddly menacing Mr. Carling – has figured out their intentions and subtly (
VERY subtly) confronts them. It has to be said, the twist at the end of this episode is pretty near to pure genius! Unfortunately the otherwise impeccable script, inspired by a short story by Richard Matheson - who else, suggests a little bit too obviously where it's going and the episode's title doesn't really help, neither. Still, also if you did envision the twist, "Third from the Sun" is particularly fun because you can – in retrospect – spot all the ingenious little details. For example, keep an eye open for that curious phone or listen to the bizarre noise of the car whilst driving
Back in 1960, this episode must have scared a few folks...
planktonrules3 October 2009
Warning: Spoilers
This is a rather timely episode for 1960, as the Cold War and fear of nuclear annihilation were ever-present. There were nuclear missiles galore and many spent time during their school days having nuclear blast drills--the tension was terrible. In the midst of this, "The Twilight Zone" made this episode about two warring factions that are about ready to bring Armageddon. Both sides have escalated the conflict and now in a research facility, a few of the workers are worried that this end of their world is coming at any time. So, in a desperate effort, they plan on sneaking back to the base where they work and stealing a rocket on the launchpad. Perhaps on some other world they'll be able to find peace and be able to start new lives. The end of this is a great Twilight Zone twist--making an already tense and exciting episode even better.
The best twist so far
gridoon202428 February 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"Third From The Sun" is not the best overall episode among the first 14 of "The Twilight Zone", but it does have, in my opinion, the best final twist out of all of them (yes, even counting the slightly overrated "Time Enough At Last"). It's a real humdinger - never in a million years would I have thought of it, and yet it's quite simple! But although the ending is easily the best part of this episode, the rest of it is not bad at all, either; it's a pointed anti-nuclear, anti-totalitarian, anti-authoritarian parable, imaginatively directed (all those weird and tilted camera angles are there for a reason), and effectively acted, especially by the calmly creepy and loathsome Edward Andrews. The series at this point is going from strength to strength. *** out of 4.
Escape to Salvation
hellraiser72 October 2020
This is another honorable mention that I enjoy watching. Once again, another episode based on a short story from one of my favorite author's Richard Matheson. The episode could be part of a history lesson as this story obviously acknowledged the intensity of the cold war and nuclear power.
The episode is a simple escape thriller, I really like the atmosphere of tenseness just like the characters you really feel that time is not on anyone's side as the clock hands are the ticking away toward doom, and this family window of time to salvation is closing fast.
One of the things that make the episode is in the characters and dialog which is surprisingly good there are some memorable lines. I really like Fritz Weaver who is an alumni of anthologies, he's really good as the tortured dad whom feels guilty for contributing to the engineering of the planet's destruction.
I really like how we see how human he truly is that he really isn't a bad guy, like a lot of people that worked where he was he got into it with good intentions and I feel genuine reasons where he wanted to defend his home so his family would be protected. But we see after a while as he's worked there for a long while and the war grew more intense, he started to change his mind as well as realize how bitter the cool aid the governmental powers he served really is.
I like how he states a reality on his role on things but also the kind of sad reality that has been constructed that he's a mere cog in a giant governmental/military machine, even if he quit, it wouldn't make a difference because they would always find someone else to replace him like any spare part.
From this we see his escape plight isn't just a race for survival but also you could say a form of redemption as he wants his daughter to still have a future by giving her a new world which their old world can no longer provide her. We of course get an antagonist whom is a coworker, I think.
This is a villain you plain dislike and is kind of creepy as he's got a little of the mannerism of a stalker which is one of the things he is. From the white outfit he wears and glasses, it really reflects the kind of evil he is which is just cold calculating sociopath with bland soullessness.
The guy is also a cultist, you can tell this guy has chuged down gallons of cool aid the powers that be have been serving up for years. He's so devout to it but it's a blind devolution, as the powers that be were wrong and aren't invincible nor gods but are as mortal as him. He sees the family's plight of escape as a form of weakness for the deities their supposed to serve and of course is going to do everything to prevent them from escaping, despite the fact he's about to die to.
This I feel is the message of this story which is not to let ourselves give totally into governmental/military powers. For as much as they might serve us, they do not make nor should they determine the course of our lives. Our lives are our own and we are the only ones that get to do that. Any power that attempts to dictate our lives is morally corrupt and must never be obeyed.
But of course, the other thing that makes this episode is the ending which made this story even more interesting because it takes our preconceived assumptions and turns them upside down. Will the family escape to salvation and what salvation will they find, you'll just have to wait and find out?
Rating: 3 and a half stars
The episode is a simple escape thriller, I really like the atmosphere of tenseness just like the characters you really feel that time is not on anyone's side as the clock hands are the ticking away toward doom, and this family window of time to salvation is closing fast.
One of the things that make the episode is in the characters and dialog which is surprisingly good there are some memorable lines. I really like Fritz Weaver who is an alumni of anthologies, he's really good as the tortured dad whom feels guilty for contributing to the engineering of the planet's destruction.
I really like how we see how human he truly is that he really isn't a bad guy, like a lot of people that worked where he was he got into it with good intentions and I feel genuine reasons where he wanted to defend his home so his family would be protected. But we see after a while as he's worked there for a long while and the war grew more intense, he started to change his mind as well as realize how bitter the cool aid the governmental powers he served really is.
I like how he states a reality on his role on things but also the kind of sad reality that has been constructed that he's a mere cog in a giant governmental/military machine, even if he quit, it wouldn't make a difference because they would always find someone else to replace him like any spare part.
From this we see his escape plight isn't just a race for survival but also you could say a form of redemption as he wants his daughter to still have a future by giving her a new world which their old world can no longer provide her. We of course get an antagonist whom is a coworker, I think.
This is a villain you plain dislike and is kind of creepy as he's got a little of the mannerism of a stalker which is one of the things he is. From the white outfit he wears and glasses, it really reflects the kind of evil he is which is just cold calculating sociopath with bland soullessness.
The guy is also a cultist, you can tell this guy has chuged down gallons of cool aid the powers that be have been serving up for years. He's so devout to it but it's a blind devolution, as the powers that be were wrong and aren't invincible nor gods but are as mortal as him. He sees the family's plight of escape as a form of weakness for the deities their supposed to serve and of course is going to do everything to prevent them from escaping, despite the fact he's about to die to.
This I feel is the message of this story which is not to let ourselves give totally into governmental/military powers. For as much as they might serve us, they do not make nor should they determine the course of our lives. Our lives are our own and we are the only ones that get to do that. Any power that attempts to dictate our lives is morally corrupt and must never be obeyed.
But of course, the other thing that makes this episode is the ending which made this story even more interesting because it takes our preconceived assumptions and turns them upside down. Will the family escape to salvation and what salvation will they find, you'll just have to wait and find out?
Rating: 3 and a half stars
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Lejink16 October 2019
For most of its running time this episode of the Twilight Zone seems more run of the mill, even dull, compared to other episodes. Two employees at a top secret government manufacturing facility, one a scientist, the other a test pilot, are secretly planning to quit the planet with their families, on board a spacecraft they plan to commandeer. The inside word is that there will be mutually assured destruction in 48 hours and they've decided to make a break for it. However both men are on the radar of the vulture-like security man played by Edward Andrews, who suspects their ultimate plan.
As the minutes of the episode go by there's only a little tension as the two families finally make it to their rendezvous, only to be met by Andrews whose suspicions have proven to be right, but again you're wondering what the ultimate point of the story is, only for all to be revealed in the last seconds, in a neat twist.
Apart from Andrews as the escapees' creepy pursuer, I found the acting in this episode to be a little stiff and awkward and as indicated, it's quite slow moving until the big reveal at the end, although there is a clue to the outcome in the show chapter's title.
All in all, this is a quietly effective Cold War parable, eerily prescient in its first twenty minutes of the real life paranoia surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis of just a few years later.
As the minutes of the episode go by there's only a little tension as the two families finally make it to their rendezvous, only to be met by Andrews whose suspicions have proven to be right, but again you're wondering what the ultimate point of the story is, only for all to be revealed in the last seconds, in a neat twist.
Apart from Andrews as the escapees' creepy pursuer, I found the acting in this episode to be a little stiff and awkward and as indicated, it's quite slow moving until the big reveal at the end, although there is a clue to the outcome in the show chapter's title.
All in all, this is a quietly effective Cold War parable, eerily prescient in its first twenty minutes of the real life paranoia surrounding the Cuban Missile Crisis of just a few years later.
Perhaps I'm the only one to notice, but....
k7kbn-13 July 2006
...when we first see the ship behind the security fence, it looks suspiciously like the ship used in "Forbidden Planet". When the "good guys" are fighting off the "bad guys" so they can get out of Dodge or wherever, the ramp up which they have to climb looks suspiciously like the one that the "Id Monster" from "Forbidden Planet" had to climb.
Finally, when they're well out into space and we can see the interior of the ship...surprise! It IS the same "control deck" as in "Forbidden Planet"! All that's missing is Robby the Robot.
This isn't the first time the "Forbidden Planet" set has been used for other films and TV episodes. In the George Pal "The Time Machine", we can see the "Astrogator's Station" (the large hemisphere containing the means by which the ship is steered). The very Astrogator's Station at which Leslie Nielsen sat before he became Dr. Rumack in "Airplane", and Lt. Frank Drebbin...
Finally, when they're well out into space and we can see the interior of the ship...surprise! It IS the same "control deck" as in "Forbidden Planet"! All that's missing is Robby the Robot.
This isn't the first time the "Forbidden Planet" set has been used for other films and TV episodes. In the George Pal "The Time Machine", we can see the "Astrogator's Station" (the large hemisphere containing the means by which the ship is steered). The very Astrogator's Station at which Leslie Nielsen sat before he became Dr. Rumack in "Airplane", and Lt. Frank Drebbin...
Nuclear War
StrictlyConfidential11 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
"Third From the Sun" (episode 14) was first aired on television January 8, 1960.
With all-out nuclear war about to ignite, William Sturka and a friend steal an experimental spaceship, load their families and set out for an unknown planet.
With all-out nuclear war about to ignite, William Sturka and a friend steal an experimental spaceship, load their families and set out for an unknown planet.
Keep that brilliant twist at the end a secret!
mark.waltz19 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
This is another "Twilight Zone" episode on that must be watched over and over to truly appreciate and gain everything that it discusses and it's less than half hour running time. Here, the government is working overtime to prevents the end of a civilization and obviously now it is too late. For government worker Fritz Weaver, his goal only surrounds getting his wife (Lori March) and daughter (Denise Alexander) to safety. But where do they go? Standing in their way is the slimy Edward Andrews who like the Nazis in "The Sound of Music" shows up as they prepare to leave to attempt to stop them.
A great cast underplays the stressful situation which is going on around them, with the writers showing the family playing cards with friends and not expressing any worry, knowing that it will be their last night in their home. Teenage daughter Alexander only wants to go out for the evening so Weaver must find ways to keep her at home by inviting over coworker John Moross and his wife (Jeanne Evans) for cards.
With a delightfully creepy performance by Andrews, a strong patriarchal performance by Weaver and a surprisingly adult performance by the young Alexander (later known for playing the lovely Lesley Webber on "General Hospital" for many years), this is a delight with a ton of surprises. The closing narration I did not see coming and once again, found myself engaged in a Twilight Zone that had me dropping my jaw with the twists and turns.
A great cast underplays the stressful situation which is going on around them, with the writers showing the family playing cards with friends and not expressing any worry, knowing that it will be their last night in their home. Teenage daughter Alexander only wants to go out for the evening so Weaver must find ways to keep her at home by inviting over coworker John Moross and his wife (Jeanne Evans) for cards.
With a delightfully creepy performance by Andrews, a strong patriarchal performance by Weaver and a surprisingly adult performance by the young Alexander (later known for playing the lovely Lesley Webber on "General Hospital" for many years), this is a delight with a ton of surprises. The closing narration I did not see coming and once again, found myself engaged in a Twilight Zone that had me dropping my jaw with the twists and turns.
Science Fiction Writers Obsessed with Nuclear War
TheFearmakers26 September 2019
Another nuclear war Zone and there are many. This one has so many Dutch Angles (Titled camera) it's simply a Dutch episode so maybe the few normally shot scenes are abnormal here. The whole nuclear war threat lasted until Bill Clinton became President. Of course, they still existed, but not Russia, thanks to Ronald Reagan, so... this plot just got tiresome. Edward Andrews is fun to watch though. I was rooting for him over the whiny, preachy families wanting off the Earth.
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