Original Twighlight Zone Suggestions.

[RJDiogenes]

I've never heard that either. I'd have to give it some thought. It's true of "Time Enough At Last"-- the character contemplated suicide and opted out-- and "Number 12 Looks Just Like You"-- the whole story is about her resisting conformity. I can't think of any way it would apply to "Midnight Sun," however.

I don't think "The Obsolete Man" has aged well. It's obviously a product of the political fears of the time. "The State has proven God does not exist" may have been the scariest world people could imagine then; if the episode were written today, it would be "The State has proven God does exist, and He's on our side. Which side are you on?"

True, but the point of the episode goes beyond the specificity of that metaphor. And the State denying freedom of religion is just as bad as the State denying freedom from religion.

 

[Gov Kodos]

I've never heard that either. I'd have to give it some thought. It's true of "Time Enough At Last"-- the character contemplated suicide and opted out-- and "Number 12 Looks Just Like You"-- the whole story is about her resisting conformity. I can't think of any way it would apply to "Midnight Sun," however.

I don't think "The Obsolete Man" has aged well. It's obviously a product of the political fears of the time. "The State has proven God does not exist" may have been the scariest world people could imagine then; if the episode were written today, it would be "The State has proven God does exist, and He's on our side. Which side are you on?"

True, but the point of the episode goes beyond the specificity of that metaphor. And the State denying freedom of religion is just as bad as the State denying freedom from religion.

It goes beyond religion, when the state becomes the owner and evaluator of the people, when they are property of the state and their value is only in their usefulness to the state and what it deems valuable, that state is an evil. Today, we think nothing of the state being free to launch drone attacks on people even citizens deemed terrorists all without trial and all for our safety, of course. Obsolete Man, we have them.

 

[Admiral2]

I've never heard that either. I'd have to give it some thought. It's true of "Time Enough At Last"-- the character contemplated suicide and opted out-- and "Number 12 Looks Just Like You"-- the whole story is about her resisting conformity. I can't think of any way it would apply to "Midnight Sun," however.

I don't think "The Obsolete Man" has aged well. It's obviously a product of the political fears of the time. "The State has proven God does not exist" may have been the scariest world people could imagine then; if the episode were written today, it would be "The State has proven God does exist, and He's on our side. Which side are you on?"

True, but the point of the episode goes beyond the specificity of that metaphor. And the State denying freedom of religion is just as bad as the State denying freedom from religion.

It goes beyond religion, when the state becomes the owner and evaluator of the people, when they are property of the state and their value is only in their usefulness to the state and what it deems valuable, that state is an evil. Today, we think nothing of the state being free to launch drone attacks on people even citizens deemed terrorists all without trial and all for our safety, of course. Obsolete Man, we have them.

Let's really settle this.

The Obsolete Man is any person that is deemed an obstacle to the forward progress of the State, be that person believer or atheist, reader or writer, architect or artist, hawk or dove. The definition of "obsolete" depends entirely on The State's definition of progress, however that state defines it.

Which means the story itself is timeless.

 

[Klaus]

Let's really settle this.

The Obsolete Man is any person that is deemed an obstacle to the forward progress of the State, be that person believer or atheist, reader or writer, architect or artist, hawk or dove. The definition of "obsolete" depends entirely on The State's definition of progress, however that state defines it.

Which means the story itself is timeless.

I'll buy that for a dollar!

 

[Guy Gardener]

I have several external multi-terabyte hard drives.

And not that many usb ports.

In the last 6 days I have watched 51 episodes of Being Erica and my drama external hard drive (3gb) is plugged into my PC, which is not my Syfy Hard drive (3gb), which is resting comfortably in a bookshelf, which is where my Twilight Zone is secured.

Hello.

 

[RJDiogenes]

The Obsolete Man is any person that is deemed an obstacle to the forward progress of the State, be that person believer or atheist, reader or writer, architect or artist, hawk or dove. The definition of "obsolete" depends entirely on The State's definition of progress, however that state defines it.

Yup, that's it exactly.

 

[I am not Spock]

Maybe 'The Thaw' in Voyager season two is the episode an earlier poster thought of, when he said it ripped from 'Five Characters in Search of An Exit'. The Thaw is not that similar story wise, but it does feature a crazy ass clown, and a confined set, and is more of a low budget (but effective) bottle episode; as is FCISOAE

 

[RJDiogenes]

The one with Michael McKean? I think you're right.