In a future totalitarian state, Romney Wordsworth is put on trial for being obsolete. His professed occupation as a librarian is punishable by death as the State has eliminated books. He believes in God, also proof of obsolescence, as the State claims to have proven God does not exist. Following a bitter exchange, the Chancellor finds Wordsworth guilty and sentences him to death, allowing him to choose his method of execution. Wordsworth requests that he be granted a personal assassin, who will be the only one who knows the method of his death, and that his execution be televised nationwide. While televised executions are commonplace and the secretive method is highly unorthodox, the Chancellor grants both requests. A television camera is installed in Wordsworth's study to broadcast his final hour live to the nation. He summons the Chancellor, who agrees to this unusual request out of curiosity, arriving early in Wordsworth's final hour. The librarian reveals that the execution method he chose is a bomb set to go off in the room at midnight. The Chancellor expresses approval until Wordsworth further explains that the door is locked, and the Chancellor will die with him, providing the viewers with a more interesting death than his own. He also points out that, as the events are being broadcast live, the State would risk losing its status in the people's eyes by rescuing the Chancellor. Wordsworth proceeds to read from his illegal, long-hidden copy of the Bible, expressing his trust in God. Wordsworth's calm acceptance of death stands in sharp contrast with the Chancellor's increasing panic as the bomb ticks.
I remember most of those old shows. We seldom watched TV during the day but every evening after dinner we kids would sit in the little front room of the old High ceiling farmhouse and watch all the series shows all week until bedtime. I joined the Army in 65 so I missed the new stuff like Bat Man and others The Munsters and a lot more. I never get tired of watching most of those old shows, I have watched just about every Beverly Hillbillies televised, and of course 10 times each show of Andy Griffith and Barney. After Barney left it was doomed to slowly die.
Yes, I too have seen the episode a few times and one single thought comes to mind each time. Leaders who fear death see nothing wrong with sending others to their death.
True, but to wax philosophically even further, isn’t it strange that a leader who sends soldiers to their death is called a great leader and amasses wealth whilst a soldier who fears death the same as the leader and backs away from it is called a coward and death can be forced upon him.
Great episode! I have all seasons of the Twilight Zone on DVD. Another favorite of mine: "Hocus Pocus And Frisbee." A teller of tall, self-flattering tales has a real one to tell but no one will believe him.
In the end, the Idiot outlived his usefulness. To me, THAT is the lesson...those who think they are safe fail to understand the system that they promote. They are all grist in the mill, given position at the whim of others..
He's interesting, isn't he? You look at some of these guys and wonder how they ever got their first part. I recall the other Twilight Zone episode where he was a bank teller who was in the vault when nuclear destruction occurred. He was a bookworm who thought he found Nirvana when all the humans were gone and the library was all his. Then he broke his glasses. "Time Enough" or "Finally Time Enough" or something like that.
"All the time I need." At the beginning of that episode, his wife destroyed his books & diary writings. While I watched that, I kept cussing out his wife........