November 21, 2023 • 40 mins
Most of the stations aired two episodes each week, usually on the weekends and many times back to back.Many of the stories are based on Rod Serling's scripts from the original Twilight Zone series, and are slightly expanded and updated to reflect contemporary technology and trends and the lack of a visual component. In addition to adapting all of the original episodes aired on the TV series, the radio series has also adapted some Twilight Zone TV scripts which were never produced, scripts from other Serling TV productions, and new stories written especially for the radio series.
Taking Serling's role as narrator is Stacy Keach. Different Hollywood actors, such as Blair Underwood and Jim Caviezel, take the lead role in each radio drama. In addition, several stars who appeared on the original TV series, such as H.M. Wynant, Orson Bean and Morgan Brittany, appear, although purposely not in the roles they originated on television. The series features a full cast, music and sound effects and is produced in the flavor of classic radio dramas but using today's technology.
In addition to being an homage to the original Twilight Zone TV series, the radio dramas pay tribute to the era of classic radio drama, including allusions to radio dramas such as Gunsmoke, the presence of radio legend Stan Freberg in many episodes, and the sons (Stacy Keach, Ed Begley Jr.) of radio drama personalities Stacy Keach Sr. and Ed Begley as stars in the series.
Taking Serling's role as narrator is Stacy Keach. Different Hollywood actors, such as Blair Underwood and Jim Caviezel, take the lead role in each radio drama. In addition, several stars who appeared on the original TV series, such as H.M. Wynant, Orson Bean and Morgan Brittany, appear, although purposely not in the roles they originated on television. The series features a full cast, music and sound effects and is produced in the flavor of classic radio dramas but using today's technology.
In addition to being an homage to the original Twilight Zone TV series, the radio dramas pay tribute to the era of classic radio drama, including allusions to radio dramas such as Gunsmoke, the presence of radio legend Stan Freberg in many episodes, and the sons (Stacy Keach, Ed Begley Jr.) of radio drama personalities Stacy Keach Sr. and Ed Begley as stars in the series.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:10):
You unlock this door with the keyof imagination. Beyond it is another dimension,
a dimension of sound, a dimensionof sight, a dimension of mind.
You're moving into a land of bothshadow and substance of things and ideas.
You've just crossed over into the twilightzone. Captain, what look in
(01:07):
the viewer switch lenses? Yes,sir, it was at two five five
dash four one seven. I don'tsee anything, maybe not now, but
something glittered down there. We wentover a lake, you know, I
(01:30):
know it wasn't that. Well,we'll take a closer look, but it's
probably the lake wasting our time again? What are we turning for? I
saw something? What? Something metallic? Carter? Yeah, he thinks,
(01:52):
so almost there and then we'll know. You look at that trees rivers a
regular incubation lab on this planet.I know what you're thinking, don't It's
got to happen sometime. Yeah,who says only the astrophysicist, the biologists
(02:17):
and Mason. You've got aliens onthe brain. You're contact happy. Maybe
we've been out too long. Doyou really think man is the only intelligence?
All right? All right, sowe're going to meet another race.
Great, it would be great.It's going to happen sooner or later.
Why not to us, man,that would be something another. Here it
(02:37):
is in the viewer, looks likeit might be a ship. Don't count
on it. Let me see thatwe're passing over, aren't we going to
please? We should at least stopand take some specimens. Mason's right,
Captain, but it's your call inyour flight chairs. We'll set down,
(03:20):
Captain Ross, Lieutenant Mason, LieutenantCarter aboard spaceship X eighty nine, cruising
above the thirteenth planet of star systemfifty one. In a little while.
Supposedly, the ship will be landedand specimens taken vegetable, mineral, and
if any animal. These will bebrought back to overpopulated Earth, where technicians
(03:45):
will evaluate them, and, ifeverything is satisfactory, stamp their findings with
the word inhabitable and open yet anotherplanet for colonization. These are the things
that are supposed to happen. Inactuality, they will not happen at all,
but will instead be superseded by eventsfar more unusual. Because the thirteenth
(04:08):
planet of star system fifty one justhappens to be located in the twilight Zone,
and now the Twilight zone and ourstory Death Ship, starring John Schneider
with Stacy Keach as your narrator.You heard the man strap in we're going
(04:33):
down. What's the matter with thecaptain? Beats me? I can hardly
talk to him anymore. He hasbeen acting pretty strangely. You said it
as if he's fighting something. Yeah, us, you really think it's a
ship? If it is, Idon't see how it could be from Earth.
(04:55):
We've got this run all of ourselves. They might have gotten off course
not this far setting down rite,captain retros look out the porthole. Mother
(05:27):
of God, it's a ship,all right? Or was now it's a
bunch of metal twisted in easy.Don't open the hatch till we check the
atmosphere. I'll take a reading.Put your suits on, we won't need
helmets. Airs good, Let's go. Mike can't get out there fast enough,
(05:53):
can you? What does that mean? It means I don't like impulsive
behavior. Impulsive If I made anymistakes, you're on the verge. Well,
then you let me know when Icross the line, won't you?
Oh? I will. Don't youworry. We stay together and nobody takes
(06:15):
any risks. That's in order,I understand, Captain Carter, Yeah,
all right, then let's go.It looks like one of our ships.
(06:42):
Don't jump to conclusions, well doesn'tit? From what I can see of
the markings, it does. Constructioncould be standard everywhere. Sounds like you're
arguing both sides. You don't meanit could be from another species, do
you? I don't mean anything yetit is one of ours. How could
(07:03):
it get so far off course?Go aboard, Captain. I don't like
it. We have to find outwho they are, don't we How will
we know if we don't the rightbut stay together. Let's put our gloves
on sure thing. Yeah, prettyfamiliar, isn't it even? All bent
(07:32):
up like this? It's from Earth, no doubt about it. We don't
know that, but Captain, lookat the shape the staling. We don't
know it, Carter. Hat's justjammed. Maybe the cabin is still pressurized.
They're not likely. Doorframes probably twisted. We'll try it together. If
(07:55):
it doesn't open, forget about it. Forget about it. There isn't time.
We have a schedule to keep it'smoving. Let's go. This must
be the main cabin looks like ourship. Here's your flashlights over here.
(08:26):
What it's my body? You turnhim over, dog, give me your
hand. Dear god, wait aminute, do you see what I think
I see? There's another one againstthe wall. Help me lift it,
(08:50):
don't I said? What is goingon here? That one has a face
like nothing's going on? And thethird one, he Carter, try the
auxiliary lights. But Captain Nick,is it just me? Or are we
standing here looking at free bodies withthree faces that look exactly like our faces?
(09:13):
Auxiliary lights? I don't understand.It's not what it seems, not
what it's just hang on here,come to lights, all right? Then?
First thing's first. Here's an IDwallet in this one's breast pocket,
(09:37):
and here's his government card picture andall it says Lieutenant Robert Mason. See
it, that's my name, isn'tit? That's my face, just like
the one in my pocket right here? Well, isn't it? Put it
back? Everybody see it the sameas mine, identical? Put it back.
(10:01):
I don't get it. The samewith the second one. What is
this? They're letting it get toyou? Get to me? This is
my picture me. Hang on,lay them out and get something to cover
them with. Both of you Captain, look at the third one and tell
me it's not I see it.Cover them now now I'm not touching them
(10:22):
again, Carter, nobody else touchedthem. I don't know about you,
fellas, but I need an explanationfor this need. We're leaving this wreck
now, I said, Now,everybody out, that's us in there.
(10:52):
We're dead. Our ship is wherewe left it, just as we left
it. Look ahead of your fiftyyards. What do you see? That's
our ship over there, the sameplace we left it a few minutes ago,
not this one. And those bodiesaren't ours, but they are.
No you saw them. I don'tknow what I saw, neither to you.
(11:15):
You agree with him, Mason?What We're going back to our ship
and radio the base. They'll tellus what to do. Well they shouldn't
we what? Barry are dead?They're not ours. Get that through your
head. Now let's go you too, Mason, right move, We're alive.
(11:43):
I tell you live. Nothing.Try again. I've been trying it
(12:09):
for it again, Captain, there'sno point if it. What is this?
It was working before? Maybe it'sthis planet. What are you talking
about? Maybe there's an interfering fieldthat's ridiculous. Try the radionic signal,
(12:31):
Captain, it's not going to it. Well, you do as I say,
Yes, sir again again if itdoesn't work the first time, they
(12:54):
didn't hear us. The return signalis automatic. Do I have to tell
you that? All right, let'sgo over this again. There's an answer
here somewhere. Those bodies and theother ship aren't ours that much, we're
sure of Well, use your hands, these are our bodies these right here,
(13:16):
agreed. I don't know anymore.Why listen, you both. Remember
what they told us in training aboutthe theory of circumnavigating time. They said
it might be possible for us toleave Earth in one year, and when
we got back, even though wethought it was the same year, it
might be the year before or theyear after. Remember that it was only
(13:39):
a theory. Kept it's more thana theory. It's what happened to us.
We went through some kind of atime warp right into the future.
And that chip over there is inthe future. Is that what you're saying?
Only the probable future? And whatdoes that mean? It means that
we're not dead. It also meansthat we're going to be dead. Not
(14:00):
if we don't take off. Ifwe don't go up, we can't crash.
But our orders they don't say tokill ourselves. We're alive now,
and the only way to be certainwe stay alive is not to go up.
Then we can't possibly crash. Weavoid it prevented. If I've made
(14:20):
up my mind, we stay.It's easy enough for you to decide,
meaning you have no one waiting foryou back on Earth, so I have
no reason to go back, andI'll be just as happy here as I
would be on Earth. Is thatit? I think we should vote on
it. Oh you do. You'renot the only one, Captain. I'm
the only one who gives the order, even when our lives are concerned.
Huh, especially where your lives areconcerned. We stay for how long?
(14:46):
I'm not setting any time limit.Carter, a month, two months,
I'm not setting any limit. Wehave enough food left for three weeks,
Captain, I've no doubt there's ediblefood outside. We saw the landscape,
trees, vegetation. How will weknow what's edible and what isn't. We
haven't got the equipment to test it. We'll watch the animals. I saw
(15:09):
no animals, Captain did you therewill be well, if there are,
there'll be a different form of life. What they eat might be deadly poisonous
to us. We'll worry about thatwhen the time comes. Right now,
there's only one thing to worry about, preserving our lives. It may not
even be necessary to stay here permanently. We may figure something out, but
for now, the decision is tostay, not our decision, Captain.
(15:33):
Have you a better solution than workingat minimum capacity? The ship's electrical reserve
can hold out for months. Itwon't be working at minimum capacity. Why,
we're going to need heat, lotsof it. But it's only twilight
and already the temperature outside is minusthirteen degrees. Would you rather lift off
take the risk of duplicating that shipover there? How can we duplicated?
(15:58):
Captain? How can there be twocrash ships? Two of me dead,
two of Mason, two of you. Will go over it again until we
find an answer, because we haveto. I think I'll lie down me
too. It's been quite a day, and that's getting dark out fast,
(16:19):
very very dark. Where am I? Mike? That's you, boy,
(16:45):
mister Cramer? How did you?How did I When did you get home?
Home? On leave. Are youyou're looking? I expect Mary's mighty
please to have you back. Didyou see Mary? She don't know.
(17:07):
I have to go. Wait up, I'll walk you. I don't understand
how long you've been home? Ijust got here. Oh you rocket boys
share traveling form of these days.Mary know you're coming. I don't think
so. You've got a surpriser.Huh, yes, surpriser. How long
you got? I'm not sure youall right? Mike? Hello, Mike,
(17:33):
Missus Nolan. Oh, Mike Furlough. I don't know him. Oh,
Missus Nolan still makes that long walkto town every day. She'll go
on forever forever. Hey, maybewe can do some hunting while you're home.
H'm Mike got my shotgun with me. Always carry it now in case
I see something. Not that Iever hit anything, But hey, where
(17:56):
are you going? Oh? Iget it? Get a hurry, Mary.
There's a card. It's the partsin front Mary. Mary, I'm
home, the living round in thekitchen. Mary. Where are you?
Mary? Mary? Are you upstairs? Oh? Mary? Why are you?
(18:30):
Why are you lying there on thebed like that? I'm here?
Can't you hear me? I'm it, says telegram to missus Michael Carter regret
to him. Carter regret to informCarter, what is this? I'm talking
(18:53):
to you? Who are you?What are you? What's the matter,
Captain, what's the matter with you? I was home? Where home?
(19:14):
My home? You were here?You are here? No, No,
I swear I saw Mary. Shewas there with a telegram. It said
that I'd been killed. You're alive. Those people I know? Kramer,
Missus Nolan, I just remembered dead. Stop at Carter. Cramer was killed
(19:40):
in a hunting accident. Missus Nolan. It never happened. There's an explanation
for this. What explanation? Idon't know what. But we'll find it.
We'll find it, Carter. We'llgo over it again and again until
we do. You me, Mason, where's Mason? He was in his
(20:03):
bunk. Well he's not there,now, is he? I've been here
the whole time. The hatch isstill locked. Mason, Mason, where
is he? Where'd he go?You tell me? There's nothing but his
blanket. A blanket, my blanket. What's it doing on the grass fishing
(20:34):
pole? Can't be? Oh,there you are. I thought i'd never
find you. Jeanie. I looklook, I can't be. I'm just
(20:56):
ready, daddy, and mine's hungry. Tell your fault, Jeanie, is
it really you? What's the murder? Daddy? Come here? Oh,
come here, Jeanie, Jeannie?What is it, daddy? Oh?
It is you? What's wrong withyou? Oh? Nothing, I'm uh,
(21:18):
you know, I'm just glad tosee you. That's all. Oh
that wasn't your mother? You werejust calling just now? Was it?
You're acting weird, Jeanie? Wasit? Yes? Daddy? You know?
Dad? Where is she over bythe table? Where? Where?
(21:41):
Mm hmmm? You scared me,honey, bursting out of the bushes like
that. I was just setting outthe fried chicken. Oh god, Ruth,
Oh god, what is it,sweetheart? What's wrong? Nothing?
(22:03):
Now? Are you sure? Yes? Eh? Yeah? Oh yes,
all this for lunch? Yes,my goodness, so emotional over a little
potato salad and chicken? Where's Genie? Back there by the pond? Were
you asleep? Are you still asleep? This is a dream. I hope
(22:23):
I never wake up. I justhope I go on dreaming. And Bob,
Ruth, Bob, who's let's go? Mason? Why is he here?
Stand behind me? But just doit? Get out of here.
Ross I said, let's go getaway from us. You're coming back with
(22:45):
me, back where you belong onthe ship. No, Bob, you're
having a hallucination. Lieutenant, No, it's real. It isn't And you're
leaving with me. No, youthink you can take me turn stop it,
(23:06):
don't do you're coming back staying here? You can't. I won't let
you. No, yes, back. I don't want to be here.
I don't want to be here.Take it easy, Ruth, There was
(23:34):
no ruth. No, Genie,you lie quit go with me. Oh,
look at your bill phone. Lookwhat does the clipping say? Read
(23:56):
it? Leave me alone. I'llread it for you. Space pilot's family
dies in car crash. The wifeand seven year old daughter of astronaut Robert
Mason died early this morning when thecar they were in. Not true.
Now do you still insist you werewith them? You alive? They dead?
I was with them, I was, and you took me away.
(24:18):
It's not true, Mason. Youtook me away from my wife, my
home. I were here all thetime. You and Carter he was gone.
No, we just couldn't see him, that's all. What are you
talking about? I know what itis now, that's what I'm talking about.
Give me that clipping. I waswrong. It had nothing to do
with circumnavigating time, nothing at all. Mason. Remember what you thought when
(24:44):
you saw that ship over there?Alien contact? That's what you thought,
And that's exactly what's happened to us, the Captain, there are no such
things. Listen to me. Neitherof you was where you thought you were
at home. That ship over thereisn't hours, and those bodies aren't ours.
We've been tricked by who by whoeverit is that lives on this planet
(25:06):
and doesn't want anyone else to livehere. Now, who's crazy? Don't
you understand? We haven't seen them, but there are aliens here, but
aliens who aren't strong enough to chaseus away by force or kill us.
So what can they do? Howcan they keep their planet from being colonized
by mind control? That's how bypicking at our brains and finding the death
(25:30):
fear and making use of it,by showing us our ship crashed and us
dead inside of it, scaring usso much that we didn't dare take off
again, and therefore haven't been ableto make our report about this planet.
They even know that we can't radioor report to Earth because there's too much
interference. You didn't believe there wasinterference before. I believe it now.
(25:53):
Everything that's happened to us since welanded on this planet has been a delusion.
No, it happened was a delusion, even Mason's disappearance. Well,
why not. If they can makeus believe we saw a crash ship,
saw our own bodies inside that ship, they can make us believe anything.
(26:15):
That ship over there, that pilottwisted metally, it's not real. Is
that your theory? You may seeit, even think you touch it.
That doesn't prove it exists. What'sgoing to prove it doesn't exist? Captain?
What's going to prove that everything you'dsaid is true? I'll tell you
what's going to prove it, LieutenantMason, us going up, taking off,
(26:36):
and going all the way back toEarth, proving that there's nothing holding
us back but fear and delusions.Now take your positions and let me at
the controls. Wait a minute,in your seat's shoulder straps. What if
you're wrong? I'm right. Youthought you were right before you were ready
(26:57):
to keep us here indefinitely. Youwere so sure then in a few minutes
we really will be dead. Flightseats. Now, No, what do
(27:18):
you think you're I'm with Mason onthis. Get your hands off those switches.
That's an order. Are you soarrogant that you'll take a chance on
killing us just to prove your point. I'm still a captain of the ship
and you'll do what I say.You're not the captain of our lives.
Put your sidearm away. You arenot taking us up. You want to
(27:42):
stay here, then starve, freeze, never see earth again. Put it
away, Mike, that's no answer. Then what is I suppose He's right?
You agree with him? Now he'sgot a point. That's a big
one. We can't just stay here. We do that, and we know
what it'll have happened. That's agiven. It's a matter of food and
(28:03):
the power supply and the temperature atnight. We don't have a choice.
I guess we don't. There's onlyone place left to go, and that's
up. God, have mercy onour souls. Pressure rising drive, reactor
(28:29):
check coordinates, jack gyro stabilizer activevertical thrust energize, Then prepare for liftoff.
Jack two hundred three hundred five onehundred. Here we go twelve fifteen
(28:56):
hundred gaptain, look at that twentyto fifty twenty seven, fifty three thousand,
four five six thousand. We're out. Release shoulder straps. We did
(29:18):
it, boys, Check the viewerchecking, well, see anything down there?
Now? You were right. IfI ever see anything glittering that viewer
again, I'll keep my mouth shut. I was right, Captain. What
(29:48):
are you? What are you doingnow? Taking her down? We're landing?
What you say that again? Howdo we know what it is?
There's no reason we shouldn't go back? Is there no reason? Are you
out of your mind? Captain?For God's sake? Think the other ship?
The bodies that looked like ours allan illusion. That's what we were
(30:11):
afraid of, but none of itwas real. Maybe that's still a hypothetical.
We have to get out of herewhile we have the chance. Now,
stand aside. Get your hands offthe controls. We have orders Carter
pick up specimens for analysis. Weare going to pick them up. No,
we're not. You're not going tonot You've done it. Now you've
(30:33):
done it. Let me at themain controls. You were write the first
time? That was us down there. We're gonna crash. Now, No,
we're going to die. We're notgoing to die. I'm not going
to let us die. Auxiliary thrusters. It's no use the stabilizer. The
(30:56):
stabilizer. Heck, I don't understand. Shut up, you're a coward,
Carter. You don't even have theguts to fight for your own life.
(31:18):
We're still going to land, youbet, we're going to land, and
when we do, you're going tosee that the other ship is gone,
vanished because it was never there inthe first place. Retros, slow air
speed, I've got it. I'llget in your places. We're not going
(31:38):
to crash. He's been right allalong, hasn't he? I don't know.
Prepare for a touchdown. Now,take a look out the port.
(32:17):
It's too dark to see anything.Use the spotlight. Looking well, landscape
looks the same, clear, clear, But how do we know we're facing
in the right direction? Give methat. Come on, take a good
(32:37):
look, hills, trees and whatis it? Let me see? Oh
no, no, no, gone, captain vanished? Is that what you
said? All right, it's stillthere. I'll say it is the same
(32:59):
wreck. That doesn't mean I'll tellyou what it means. It means you're
wrong, dead wrong. Hang on, there's an explanation for this, and
that would be I don't know yet, but you'll never know, and neither
will we. Now we'll have togo up again, and this time we'll
really crash and be killed and endup looking just like those four. Now,
(33:22):
what did you say we're not goingto crash? How do you know
we're not going to crash because wealready have crashed? Explain that. Stop
fighting at Captain, You're all outof explanations. What are you There's only
(33:42):
one explanation left, and you knowwhat it is, Mason, I know
nothing of the kind. Yes youdo. Carter was home and that telegram
was really there. I was withmy wife and daughter because I'm like them.
Now, No, accept it,captain, accept what. Stop trying
(34:05):
to prove that we're alive. Weare alive. I don't know what it
is that's happening here, but there'san answer somewhere somewhere. I've given you
the answer. I don't accept it. We're going over this again. We're
going to find the real answer.Maybe you should listen to him. Can't
you see that's what we've been doinggoing over it again and again. Then
(34:25):
we'll just have to keep going onuntil what happened to the lights? Mason?
I let us die, Captain,I can barely see you. It's
like I can see through you.Let go of us, let us die.
No, No, we're alive,alive. We're going over it one
(34:47):
more time from the beginning. Youhear me, one, captain? What
(35:22):
look in the viewer switch lenses?Yes, sir, it was that two
five five dash four one seven.I don't see anything, maybe not now,
(35:43):
but something glittered down there. Wewent over a lake, you know,
I know it wasn't that. Well, we'll take a closer look,
but it's probably the lake wasting ourtime again, What are we turning for?
I saw something? What? Somethingmetallic? Carter? Yeah, he
(36:07):
thinks, So we're almost there.Then we'll know. You look at that
trees rivers a regular incubation lab onthis planet. I know what you're thinking,
don't It's got to happen sometime.Yeah, who says? Only the
(36:31):
astrophysicist and biologists, and you've gotaliens on the brain. You're contact happy.
Maybe we've been out too long.Do you really think man is the
only intelligence? All right, allright, So we're going to meet another
race. Great, it would begreat. It's going to happen sooner or
later. Why not to us?Man? That would be something another?
(36:52):
There it is in the viewer,looks like an It might be a ship.
Don't count on it. Let mesee that we're passing over, aren't
we going to? Will you please? We should at least stop and take
some specimens. Mason's right, Captain, But it's your call in your flight
(37:19):
chairs. We'll sit down, CaptainRoss. Lieutenant Mason, Lieutenant Carter aboard
(37:39):
spaceship X eighty nine, cruising abovethe thirteenth planet of Star System fifty one.
In a little while, supposedly youshoot your bootl pictured of a man
who will not see anything he doesnot choose to see, including his own
death. A man of such indomitablewill that even the two men under his
(38:05):
command are not allowed by him tosee the truth, which truth is that
they are no longer among the living, That the movements they are now about
to make, the words they arenow about to speak, have all been
made and spoken countless times before,and will be made and spoken countless times
again, perhaps even unto eternity.Pictured of a Latter Day Flying Dutchman Sailing
(38:30):
into the Twilight Zone death Ship starringJohn Schneider with Stacy Keach as your narrator,
(39:04):
was adapted for radio by Dennis Etchisonand written for the Twilight Zone by
Richard Matheson. Heard in the castwere Jeff Lupeton, Tom Mcolroy, Frenette
Leebo, Amanda Amari, Doug James, and Ellie Weingart. To learn more
about the Twilight Zone radio dramas andto obtain audio cassettes and CDs of these
(39:25):
programs, visit our website at twilightZone Radio dot com. The producers of
the Twilight Zone wish to thank CBSEnterprises, Carol Serling, Dennis Etchison,
Dick Bresha Associates, Claire Simon,Casting, Terry Jennings, Exim Satellite Radio,
Sirius Satellite Radio, our sponsors,and our radio affiliates for helping make
(39:46):
this series possible. This copyrighted radioseries is produced and directed by Carl Amari
for Falcon Picture Group. Audio editing, sound design, Foley effects and mix
for the Twilight Zone Radio draw areby Serny American Creatives Craig Lee, Michael
Slayback, Bob Benson and Jason Rizzo. To learn more about the twilight Zone
(40:08):
Radio dramas and to contact us,visit our official website at twilight Zone radio
dot com. Doug James speaking
You unlock this door with the keyof imagination. Beyond it is another dimension,
a dimension of sound, a dimensionof sight, a dimension of mind.
You're moving into a land of bothshadow and substance of things and ideas.
You've just crossed over into the twilightzone. Captain, what look in
(01:07):
the viewer switch lenses? Yes,sir, it was at two five five
dash four one seven. I don'tsee anything, maybe not now, but
something glittered down there. We wentover a lake, you know, I
(01:30):
know it wasn't that. Well,we'll take a closer look, but it's
probably the lake wasting our time again? What are we turning for? I
saw something? What? Something metallic? Carter? Yeah, he thinks,
(01:52):
so almost there and then we'll know. You look at that trees rivers a
regular incubation lab on this planet.I know what you're thinking, don't It's
got to happen sometime. Yeah,who says only the astrophysicist, the biologists
(02:17):
and Mason. You've got aliens onthe brain. You're contact happy. Maybe
we've been out too long. Doyou really think man is the only intelligence?
All right? All right, sowe're going to meet another race.
Great, it would be great.It's going to happen sooner or later.
Why not to us, man,that would be something another. Here it
(02:37):
is in the viewer, looks likeit might be a ship. Don't count
on it. Let me see thatwe're passing over, aren't we going to
please? We should at least stopand take some specimens. Mason's right,
Captain, but it's your call inyour flight chairs. We'll set down,
(03:20):
Captain Ross, Lieutenant Mason, LieutenantCarter aboard spaceship X eighty nine, cruising
above the thirteenth planet of star systemfifty one. In a little while.
Supposedly, the ship will be landedand specimens taken vegetable, mineral, and
if any animal. These will bebrought back to overpopulated Earth, where technicians
(03:45):
will evaluate them, and, ifeverything is satisfactory, stamp their findings with
the word inhabitable and open yet anotherplanet for colonization. These are the things
that are supposed to happen. Inactuality, they will not happen at all,
but will instead be superseded by eventsfar more unusual. Because the thirteenth
(04:08):
planet of star system fifty one justhappens to be located in the twilight Zone,
and now the Twilight zone and ourstory Death Ship, starring John Schneider
with Stacy Keach as your narrator.You heard the man strap in we're going
(04:33):
down. What's the matter with thecaptain? Beats me? I can hardly
talk to him anymore. He hasbeen acting pretty strangely. You said it
as if he's fighting something. Yeah, us, you really think it's a
ship? If it is, Idon't see how it could be from Earth.
(04:55):
We've got this run all of ourselves. They might have gotten off course
not this far setting down rite,captain retros look out the porthole. Mother
(05:27):
of God, it's a ship,all right? Or was now it's a
bunch of metal twisted in easy.Don't open the hatch till we check the
atmosphere. I'll take a reading.Put your suits on, we won't need
helmets. Airs good, Let's go. Mike can't get out there fast enough,
(05:53):
can you? What does that mean? It means I don't like impulsive
behavior. Impulsive If I made anymistakes, you're on the verge. Well,
then you let me know when Icross the line, won't you?
Oh? I will. Don't youworry. We stay together and nobody takes
(06:15):
any risks. That's in order,I understand, Captain Carter, Yeah,
all right, then let's go.It looks like one of our ships.
(06:42):
Don't jump to conclusions, well doesn'tit? From what I can see of
the markings, it does. Constructioncould be standard everywhere. Sounds like you're
arguing both sides. You don't meanit could be from another species, do
you? I don't mean anything yetit is one of ours. How could
(07:03):
it get so far off course?Go aboard, Captain. I don't like
it. We have to find outwho they are, don't we How will
we know if we don't the rightbut stay together. Let's put our gloves
on sure thing. Yeah, prettyfamiliar, isn't it even? All bent
(07:32):
up like this? It's from Earth, no doubt about it. We don't
know that, but Captain, lookat the shape the staling. We don't
know it, Carter. Hat's justjammed. Maybe the cabin is still pressurized.
They're not likely. Doorframes probably twisted. We'll try it together. If
(07:55):
it doesn't open, forget about it. Forget about it. There isn't time.
We have a schedule to keep it'smoving. Let's go. This must
be the main cabin looks like ourship. Here's your flashlights over here.
(08:26):
What it's my body? You turnhim over, dog, give me your
hand. Dear god, wait aminute, do you see what I think
I see? There's another one againstthe wall. Help me lift it,
(08:50):
don't I said? What is goingon here? That one has a face
like nothing's going on? And thethird one, he Carter, try the
auxiliary lights. But Captain Nick,is it just me? Or are we
standing here looking at free bodies withthree faces that look exactly like our faces?
(09:13):
Auxiliary lights? I don't understand.It's not what it seems, not
what it's just hang on here,come to lights, all right? Then?
First thing's first. Here's an IDwallet in this one's breast pocket,
(09:37):
and here's his government card picture andall it says Lieutenant Robert Mason. See
it, that's my name, isn'tit? That's my face, just like
the one in my pocket right here? Well, isn't it? Put it
back? Everybody see it the sameas mine, identical? Put it back.
(10:01):
I don't get it. The samewith the second one. What is
this? They're letting it get toyou? Get to me? This is
my picture me. Hang on,lay them out and get something to cover
them with. Both of you Captain, look at the third one and tell
me it's not I see it.Cover them now now I'm not touching them
(10:22):
again, Carter, nobody else touchedthem. I don't know about you,
fellas, but I need an explanationfor this need. We're leaving this wreck
now, I said, Now,everybody out, that's us in there.
(10:52):
We're dead. Our ship is wherewe left it, just as we left
it. Look ahead of your fiftyyards. What do you see? That's
our ship over there, the sameplace we left it a few minutes ago,
not this one. And those bodiesaren't ours, but they are.
No you saw them. I don'tknow what I saw, neither to you.
(11:15):
You agree with him, Mason?What We're going back to our ship
and radio the base. They'll tellus what to do. Well they shouldn't
we what? Barry are dead?They're not ours. Get that through your
head. Now let's go you too, Mason, right move, We're alive.
(11:43):
I tell you live. Nothing.Try again. I've been trying it
(12:09):
for it again, Captain, there'sno point if it. What is this?
It was working before? Maybe it'sthis planet. What are you talking
about? Maybe there's an interfering fieldthat's ridiculous. Try the radionic signal,
(12:31):
Captain, it's not going to it. Well, you do as I say,
Yes, sir again again if itdoesn't work the first time, they
(12:54):
didn't hear us. The return signalis automatic. Do I have to tell
you that? All right, let'sgo over this again. There's an answer
here somewhere. Those bodies and theother ship aren't ours that much, we're
sure of Well, use your hands, these are our bodies these right here,
(13:16):
agreed. I don't know anymore.Why listen, you both. Remember
what they told us in training aboutthe theory of circumnavigating time. They said
it might be possible for us toleave Earth in one year, and when
we got back, even though wethought it was the same year, it
might be the year before or theyear after. Remember that it was only
(13:39):
a theory. Kept it's more thana theory. It's what happened to us.
We went through some kind of atime warp right into the future.
And that chip over there is inthe future. Is that what you're saying?
Only the probable future? And whatdoes that mean? It means that
we're not dead. It also meansthat we're going to be dead. Not
(14:00):
if we don't take off. Ifwe don't go up, we can't crash.
But our orders they don't say tokill ourselves. We're alive now,
and the only way to be certainwe stay alive is not to go up.
Then we can't possibly crash. Weavoid it prevented. If I've made
(14:20):
up my mind, we stay.It's easy enough for you to decide,
meaning you have no one waiting foryou back on Earth, so I have
no reason to go back, andI'll be just as happy here as I
would be on Earth. Is thatit? I think we should vote on
it. Oh you do. You'renot the only one, Captain. I'm
the only one who gives the order, even when our lives are concerned.
Huh, especially where your lives areconcerned. We stay for how long?
(14:46):
I'm not setting any time limit.Carter, a month, two months,
I'm not setting any limit. Wehave enough food left for three weeks,
Captain, I've no doubt there's ediblefood outside. We saw the landscape,
trees, vegetation. How will weknow what's edible and what isn't. We
haven't got the equipment to test it. We'll watch the animals. I saw
(15:09):
no animals, Captain did you therewill be well, if there are,
there'll be a different form of life. What they eat might be deadly poisonous
to us. We'll worry about thatwhen the time comes. Right now,
there's only one thing to worry about, preserving our lives. It may not
even be necessary to stay here permanently. We may figure something out, but
for now, the decision is tostay, not our decision, Captain.
(15:33):
Have you a better solution than workingat minimum capacity? The ship's electrical reserve
can hold out for months. Itwon't be working at minimum capacity. Why,
we're going to need heat, lotsof it. But it's only twilight
and already the temperature outside is minusthirteen degrees. Would you rather lift off
take the risk of duplicating that shipover there? How can we duplicated?
(15:58):
Captain? How can there be twocrash ships? Two of me dead,
two of Mason, two of you. Will go over it again until we
find an answer, because we haveto. I think I'll lie down me
too. It's been quite a day, and that's getting dark out fast,
(16:19):
very very dark. Where am I? Mike? That's you, boy,
(16:45):
mister Cramer? How did you?How did I When did you get home?
Home? On leave. Are youyou're looking? I expect Mary's mighty
please to have you back. Didyou see Mary? She don't know.
(17:07):
I have to go. Wait up, I'll walk you. I don't understand
how long you've been home? Ijust got here. Oh you rocket boys
share traveling form of these days.Mary know you're coming. I don't think
so. You've got a surpriser.Huh, yes, surpriser. How long
you got? I'm not sure youall right? Mike? Hello, Mike,
(17:33):
Missus Nolan. Oh, Mike Furlough. I don't know him. Oh,
Missus Nolan still makes that long walkto town every day. She'll go
on forever forever. Hey, maybewe can do some hunting while you're home.
H'm Mike got my shotgun with me. Always carry it now in case
I see something. Not that Iever hit anything, But hey, where
(17:56):
are you going? Oh? Iget it? Get a hurry, Mary.
There's a card. It's the partsin front Mary. Mary, I'm
home, the living round in thekitchen. Mary. Where are you?
Mary? Mary? Are you upstairs? Oh? Mary? Why are you?
(18:30):
Why are you lying there on thebed like that? I'm here?
Can't you hear me? I'm it, says telegram to missus Michael Carter regret
to him. Carter regret to informCarter, what is this? I'm talking
(18:53):
to you? Who are you?What are you? What's the matter,
Captain, what's the matter with you? I was home? Where home?
(19:14):
My home? You were here?You are here? No, No,
I swear I saw Mary. Shewas there with a telegram. It said
that I'd been killed. You're alive. Those people I know? Kramer,
Missus Nolan, I just remembered dead. Stop at Carter. Cramer was killed
(19:40):
in a hunting accident. Missus Nolan. It never happened. There's an explanation
for this. What explanation? Idon't know what. But we'll find it.
We'll find it, Carter. We'llgo over it again and again until
we do. You me, Mason, where's Mason? He was in his
(20:03):
bunk. Well he's not there,now, is he? I've been here
the whole time. The hatch isstill locked. Mason, Mason, where
is he? Where'd he go?You tell me? There's nothing but his
blanket. A blanket, my blanket. What's it doing on the grass fishing
(20:34):
pole? Can't be? Oh,there you are. I thought i'd never
find you. Jeanie. I looklook, I can't be. I'm just
(20:56):
ready, daddy, and mine's hungry. Tell your fault, Jeanie, is
it really you? What's the murder? Daddy? Come here? Oh,
come here, Jeanie, Jeannie?What is it, daddy? Oh?
It is you? What's wrong withyou? Oh? Nothing, I'm uh,
(21:18):
you know, I'm just glad tosee you. That's all. Oh
that wasn't your mother? You werejust calling just now? Was it?
You're acting weird, Jeanie? Wasit? Yes? Daddy? You know?
Dad? Where is she over bythe table? Where? Where?
(21:41):
Mm hmmm? You scared me,honey, bursting out of the bushes like
that. I was just setting outthe fried chicken. Oh god, Ruth,
Oh god, what is it,sweetheart? What's wrong? Nothing?
(22:03):
Now? Are you sure? Yes? Eh? Yeah? Oh yes,
all this for lunch? Yes,my goodness, so emotional over a little
potato salad and chicken? Where's Genie? Back there by the pond? Were
you asleep? Are you still asleep? This is a dream. I hope
(22:23):
I never wake up. I justhope I go on dreaming. And Bob,
Ruth, Bob, who's let's go? Mason? Why is he here?
Stand behind me? But just doit? Get out of here.
Ross I said, let's go getaway from us. You're coming back with
(22:45):
me, back where you belong onthe ship. No, Bob, you're
having a hallucination. Lieutenant, No, it's real. It isn't And you're
leaving with me. No, youthink you can take me turn stop it,
(23:06):
don't do you're coming back staying here? You can't. I won't let
you. No, yes, back. I don't want to be here.
I don't want to be here.Take it easy, Ruth, There was
(23:34):
no ruth. No, Genie,you lie quit go with me. Oh,
look at your bill phone. Lookwhat does the clipping say? Read
(23:56):
it? Leave me alone. I'llread it for you. Space pilot's family
dies in car crash. The wifeand seven year old daughter of astronaut Robert
Mason died early this morning when thecar they were in. Not true.
Now do you still insist you werewith them? You alive? They dead?
I was with them, I was, and you took me away.
(24:18):
It's not true, Mason. Youtook me away from my wife, my
home. I were here all thetime. You and Carter he was gone.
No, we just couldn't see him, that's all. What are you
talking about? I know what itis now, that's what I'm talking about.
Give me that clipping. I waswrong. It had nothing to do
with circumnavigating time, nothing at all. Mason. Remember what you thought when
(24:44):
you saw that ship over there?Alien contact? That's what you thought,
And that's exactly what's happened to us, the Captain, there are no such
things. Listen to me. Neitherof you was where you thought you were
at home. That ship over thereisn't hours, and those bodies aren't ours.
We've been tricked by who by whoeverit is that lives on this planet
(25:06):
and doesn't want anyone else to livehere. Now, who's crazy? Don't
you understand? We haven't seen them, but there are aliens here, but
aliens who aren't strong enough to chaseus away by force or kill us.
So what can they do? Howcan they keep their planet from being colonized
by mind control? That's how bypicking at our brains and finding the death
(25:30):
fear and making use of it,by showing us our ship crashed and us
dead inside of it, scaring usso much that we didn't dare take off
again, and therefore haven't been ableto make our report about this planet.
They even know that we can't radioor report to Earth because there's too much
interference. You didn't believe there wasinterference before. I believe it now.
(25:53):
Everything that's happened to us since welanded on this planet has been a delusion.
No, it happened was a delusion, even Mason's disappearance. Well,
why not. If they can makeus believe we saw a crash ship,
saw our own bodies inside that ship, they can make us believe anything.
(26:15):
That ship over there, that pilottwisted metally, it's not real. Is
that your theory? You may seeit, even think you touch it.
That doesn't prove it exists. What'sgoing to prove it doesn't exist? Captain?
What's going to prove that everything you'dsaid is true? I'll tell you
what's going to prove it, LieutenantMason, us going up, taking off,
(26:36):
and going all the way back toEarth, proving that there's nothing holding
us back but fear and delusions.Now take your positions and let me at
the controls. Wait a minute,in your seat's shoulder straps. What if
you're wrong? I'm right. Youthought you were right before you were ready
(26:57):
to keep us here indefinitely. Youwere so sure then in a few minutes
we really will be dead. Flightseats. Now, No, what do
(27:18):
you think you're I'm with Mason onthis. Get your hands off those switches.
That's an order. Are you soarrogant that you'll take a chance on
killing us just to prove your point. I'm still a captain of the ship
and you'll do what I say.You're not the captain of our lives.
Put your sidearm away. You arenot taking us up. You want to
(27:42):
stay here, then starve, freeze, never see earth again. Put it
away, Mike, that's no answer. Then what is I suppose He's right?
You agree with him? Now he'sgot a point. That's a big
one. We can't just stay here. We do that, and we know
what it'll have happened. That's agiven. It's a matter of food and
(28:03):
the power supply and the temperature atnight. We don't have a choice.
I guess we don't. There's onlyone place left to go, and that's
up. God, have mercy onour souls. Pressure rising drive, reactor
(28:29):
check coordinates, jack gyro stabilizer activevertical thrust energize, Then prepare for liftoff.
Jack two hundred three hundred five onehundred. Here we go twelve fifteen
(28:56):
hundred gaptain, look at that twentyto fifty twenty seven, fifty three thousand,
four five six thousand. We're out. Release shoulder straps. We did
(29:18):
it, boys, Check the viewerchecking, well, see anything down there?
Now? You were right. IfI ever see anything glittering that viewer
again, I'll keep my mouth shut. I was right, Captain. What
(29:48):
are you? What are you doingnow? Taking her down? We're landing?
What you say that again? Howdo we know what it is?
There's no reason we shouldn't go back? Is there no reason? Are you
out of your mind? Captain?For God's sake? Think the other ship?
The bodies that looked like ours allan illusion. That's what we were
(30:11):
afraid of, but none of itwas real. Maybe that's still a hypothetical.
We have to get out of herewhile we have the chance. Now,
stand aside. Get your hands offthe controls. We have orders Carter
pick up specimens for analysis. Weare going to pick them up. No,
we're not. You're not going tonot You've done it. Now you've
(30:33):
done it. Let me at themain controls. You were write the first
time? That was us down there. We're gonna crash. Now, No,
we're going to die. We're notgoing to die. I'm not going
to let us die. Auxiliary thrusters. It's no use the stabilizer. The
(30:56):
stabilizer. Heck, I don't understand. Shut up, you're a coward,
Carter. You don't even have theguts to fight for your own life.
(31:18):
We're still going to land, youbet, we're going to land, and
when we do, you're going tosee that the other ship is gone,
vanished because it was never there inthe first place. Retros, slow air
speed, I've got it. I'llget in your places. We're not going
(31:38):
to crash. He's been right allalong, hasn't he? I don't know.
Prepare for a touchdown. Now,take a look out the port.
(32:17):
It's too dark to see anything.Use the spotlight. Looking well, landscape
looks the same, clear, clear, But how do we know we're facing
in the right direction? Give methat. Come on, take a good
(32:37):
look, hills, trees and whatis it? Let me see? Oh
no, no, no, gone, captain vanished? Is that what you
said? All right, it's stillthere. I'll say it is the same
(32:59):
wreck. That doesn't mean I'll tellyou what it means. It means you're
wrong, dead wrong. Hang on, there's an explanation for this, and
that would be I don't know yet, but you'll never know, and neither
will we. Now we'll have togo up again, and this time we'll
really crash and be killed and endup looking just like those four. Now,
(33:22):
what did you say we're not goingto crash? How do you know
we're not going to crash because wealready have crashed? Explain that. Stop
fighting at Captain, You're all outof explanations. What are you There's only
(33:42):
one explanation left, and you knowwhat it is, Mason, I know
nothing of the kind. Yes youdo. Carter was home and that telegram
was really there. I was withmy wife and daughter because I'm like them.
Now, No, accept it,captain, accept what. Stop trying
(34:05):
to prove that we're alive. Weare alive. I don't know what it
is that's happening here, but there'san answer somewhere somewhere. I've given you
the answer. I don't accept it. We're going over this again. We're
going to find the real answer.Maybe you should listen to him. Can't
you see that's what we've been doinggoing over it again and again. Then
(34:25):
we'll just have to keep going onuntil what happened to the lights? Mason?
I let us die, Captain,I can barely see you. It's
like I can see through you.Let go of us, let us die.
No, No, we're alive,alive. We're going over it one
(34:47):
more time from the beginning. Youhear me, one, captain? What
(35:22):
look in the viewer switch lenses?Yes, sir, it was that two
five five dash four one seven.I don't see anything, maybe not now,
(35:43):
but something glittered down there. Wewent over a lake, you know,
I know it wasn't that. Well, we'll take a closer look,
but it's probably the lake wasting ourtime again, What are we turning for?
I saw something? What? Somethingmetallic? Carter? Yeah, he
(36:07):
thinks, So we're almost there.Then we'll know. You look at that
trees rivers a regular incubation lab onthis planet. I know what you're thinking,
don't It's got to happen sometime.Yeah, who says? Only the
(36:31):
astrophysicist and biologists, and you've gotaliens on the brain. You're contact happy.
Maybe we've been out too long.Do you really think man is the
only intelligence? All right, allright, So we're going to meet another
race. Great, it would begreat. It's going to happen sooner or
later. Why not to us?Man? That would be something another?
(36:52):
There it is in the viewer,looks like an It might be a ship.
Don't count on it. Let mesee that we're passing over, aren't
we going to? Will you please? We should at least stop and take
some specimens. Mason's right, Captain, But it's your call in your flight
(37:19):
chairs. We'll sit down, CaptainRoss. Lieutenant Mason, Lieutenant Carter aboard
(37:39):
spaceship X eighty nine, cruising abovethe thirteenth planet of Star System fifty one.
In a little while, supposedly youshoot your bootl pictured of a man
who will not see anything he doesnot choose to see, including his own
death. A man of such indomitablewill that even the two men under his
(38:05):
command are not allowed by him tosee the truth, which truth is that
they are no longer among the living, That the movements they are now about
to make, the words they arenow about to speak, have all been
made and spoken countless times before,and will be made and spoken countless times
again, perhaps even unto eternity.Pictured of a Latter Day Flying Dutchman Sailing
(38:30):
into the Twilight Zone death Ship starringJohn Schneider with Stacy Keach as your narrator,
(39:04):
was adapted for radio by Dennis Etchisonand written for the Twilight Zone by
Richard Matheson. Heard in the castwere Jeff Lupeton, Tom Mcolroy, Frenette
Leebo, Amanda Amari, Doug James, and Ellie Weingart. To learn more
about the Twilight Zone radio dramas andto obtain audio cassettes and CDs of these
(39:25):
programs, visit our website at twilightZone Radio dot com. The producers of
the Twilight Zone wish to thank CBSEnterprises, Carol Serling, Dennis Etchison,
Dick Bresha Associates, Claire Simon,Casting, Terry Jennings, Exim Satellite Radio,
Sirius Satellite Radio, our sponsors,and our radio affiliates for helping make
(39:46):
this series possible. This copyrighted radioseries is produced and directed by Carl Amari
for Falcon Picture Group. Audio editing, sound design, Foley effects and mix
for the Twilight Zone Radio draw areby Serny American Creatives Craig Lee, Michael
Slayback, Bob Benson and Jason Rizzo. To learn more about the twilight Zone
(40:08):
Radio dramas and to contact us,visit our official website at twilight Zone radio
dot com. Doug James speaking
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