This one is really outstanding. Excellent writing and performances by everyone involved, really pushing the limits and abilities of a radio performance. Sam Dann was so versatile as a writer, as he could deliver on just about any type of story.
That was excruciating. A man so insensitive, so sunk in himself and his own infantile desires, that he can't even hear the people around him trying to save what's left of the life he's been messing up for years. It's painful watching him determinedly destroy himself, watching his loved ones struggle to save him, knowing their efforts are doomed. The episode is well scripted and well acted - and that just makes the whole experience all the more real and cruel.
Sometimes going back in time might not be the best idea. Better to relive some pleasant memories while keeping your mind firmly planted in the present. All the divisiveness being sold today is snake oil causing alarming growth in psychiatric problems today. Great episode, enjoyed 5/14/2022.
You would. You made those choices because thats who you were. It could not have been different. And if you changed enuff to become wise youd enjoy your current life and not lust for the past.
I taped this episode back in 1989 during one of its revivals. Unfortunately, even though I was taping it from clear channel WCCO, Minneapolis, or KOA, Denver, there were a number of fadeouts and the signals were pretty weak thanks to atmospheric interference. It's nice to hear the whole episode. Thanks much.
I love this comment - whenever I see people complain about the sound quality and any distortion from interference on these, it reminds me that being young, they don't even know about things like interference and the way radio waves were before digital signals became reliable. They didn't have the pleasure of being able to live then, they are listening to these in effort to experience something uniquely enigmatic of yesterday that's never offered, now. That includes this interference they complain about and to me it's funny :) I love the interference and unique sound quality of these - I love the commercial breaks, too; it brings me pleasure and nostalgia. I'm finally getting old enough for people to be curious of "what it was like" when I was growing up and it's fun! I don't feel like a relic - I feel like a time-traveler!
Serling's version predates this radio version - and there are so many common points that the writer/producers might have been sued for plagarism - but Serling died a week or so before the broadcast - the writer credited is Sam Dann - i can't find any mention of Serling
I used to hide behind the sofa and peek out to watch because it was on past my bed time, I love Night Gallery. I think Family guy did something like this too.
I take by the spelling of 'favorites' that you're from the UK. The Brits have done a beautiful job of keeping creative radio alive and flourishing. Here in the US, radio became a cesspool decade ago. Not only is real radio dead but our original radio networks that carried them - CBS, NBC CBS, ABC and MUTUAL were tossed into the dung heap long ago. CBS, NBC and ABC still - sort of - exist as our original TV networks. It's pretty much in name only, though.They have been sold and resold and resold again, which split the original companies into bite-sized chunks long ago. MUTUAL, which never went into TV because just they plain couldn't afford it, shut down for good in 1999.
Sounds like Bill has a bit of schizophrenia. He had no control over his imagination. Unable 2 distinguish the real from the unreal. Holy Don Quixote, Batman!LOL
He does but with one major difference. This protagonist wants to get lost in a past that's dead and gone; Bernie wants to build, finally, the democratic republic we were supposed to build back when the founders gave us the constitutional foundation to build it on. The guy in this episode wants to escape adult responsibility whereas Bernie wants us to accept the responsibility we've been putting off for a dozen generations and finally do the job.
I think this particular episode was recorded from a radio rebroadcast in 1985 or even afterwards. The commercial to buy Tom Bodett's book, "The End Of the Road" is newer because the book wasn't published until 1985.