Last night I saw a Twilight Zone I'd never seen before

[pokerfan]

Turns out it was based on this little story:

An old man and his dog were walking down this dirt road with fences on both sides, they came to a gate in the fence and looked in, it was nice - grassy, woody areas, just what a 'huntin' dog and man would like, but, it had a sign saying 'no trespassing' so they walked on.

They came to a beautiful gate with a person in white robes standing there. "Welcome to Heaven" he said. The old man was happy and started in with his dog following him.

The gatekeeper stopped him. "Dogs aren't allowed, I'm sorry but he can't come with you."

"What kind of Heaven won't allow dogs? If He can't come in, then I will stay out with him. He's been my faithful companion all his life, I can't desert him now."

"Suit yourself, but I have to warn you, the Devil's on this road and he'll try to sweet talk you into his area, he'll promise you anything, but, the dog can't go there either. If you won't leave the dog, you'll spend Eternity on this road."

So the old man and dog went on.

They came to a rundown fence with a gap in it, no gate, just a hole. Another old man was inside. "Scuse me Sir, my dog and I are getting mighty tired, mind if we come in and sit in the shade for awhile?"

"Of course, there's some cold water under that tree over there. Make yourselves comfortable "

"You're sure my dog can come in? The man down the road said dogs weren't allowed anywhere."

"Would you come in if you had to leave the dog?"

"No sir, that's why I didn't go to Heaven, he said the dog couldn't come in. We'll be spending Eternity on this road, and a glass of cold water and some shade would be mighty fine right about now. But, I won't come in if my buddy here can't come too, and that's final."

The man smiled a big smile and said "Welcome to Heaven."

"You mean this is Heaven? Dogs ARE allowed? How come that fellow down the road said they weren't?"

"That was the Devil and he gets all the people who are willing to give up a life long companion for a comfortable place to stay. They soon find out their mistake, but then it's too late. The dogs come here, the fickle people stay there. GOD wouldn't allow dogs to be banned from Heaven. After all, HE created them to be man's companions in life, why would he separate them in death?"

Author: Earl Hamner

[mcscajun]

1. "What reason would they have for wantin' to keep Rip out?"

"Well they was a'feared Rip would've warned you. And he would've by the time he got a whiff of that brimstone. You see, Mr. Simpson, a man, well he'll walk right into Hell with both eyes open. But even the devil can't fool a dog!"

Gotta love those old Classic TZ episodes.

[pokerfan]

2. I guess Will Rogers was right

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."


Serling: "Travelers to unknown regions would be well advised to take along the family dog. He could just save you from entering the wrong gate. At least it happened that way once in a mountainous area of the Twilight Zone."

[bif]

3. TZ=The best show ever

Man, was Rod ahead of his times or what. His monologues at the beginning of the show are incredible. Were people way smarter back then or was Rod just way ahead of them?

[mcscajun]

4. That was in the Golden Age of Television

The expectations were higher, the writers hired for TZ (and many other anthology shows) weren't hacks, and the actors were for the most part marvelous.

Forty years later..."Fear Factor". Ugh.

But yes, Rod Serling was brilliant. :)

[slj0101]

15. Serling was way ahead of the curve.

Mind you, this was a time when talking horses and bumbling castaways were considered quality entertainment. The man was a genius.

[Aristus]

5. I always loved that episode. I think it was the best written of Rod Serling's eps.

(He wrote about half of them, and critics don't look kindly upon his writing style. I happen to agree with some of the criticism of the writing of his episodes. He was a little too simplistic for me. OTOH, his prologues and epilogues were masterfully written, no matter who wrote the text of the story.)

I loved the way both Heaven and Hell looked fairly innocuous, like verdant meadows in the backwoods somewhere. The only distinguishing feature was a tell-talk sinister column of smoke in the background of Hell.

Great episode.

[pokerfan]

6. Well, Heaven did have a gate

And Hell was just a gap in the fence.

"I always thought there was a lot of singing and dancing in Heaven. How come I don't hear no music?"

"Because you're on the outside. The minute you step inside that gate you'll hear your favorite hymn."

[Frank Cannon]

10. I believe that ep was actually written by Earl Hamner

Of "Spencer's Mountain" and "The Waltons" fame.

But yes, Serling was great, too.

[Aristus]

12. You know, you're right! I remember now. Earl Hamner wrote that episode.

I remember him narrating "The Waltons" and thinking what a great voice he had.

[cmkramer]

13. Rural themes

I think Earl Hamner wrote all - or most - of the episodes that had a kind of rural folk legend theme to them. Another one would be "Jess Belle" about a woman who resorts to witchcraft to get a man. or "The Witching Pool".

[Broken_Hero]

7. Good story, never heard of it before

thanks for sharing :)

[Gormy Cuss]

8. Same author wrote the book that was the basis for "The Waltons"

TZ writer credits are one of the things I watch for now. That was a great episode.

[MnFats]

9. Serling and his writing staff were very progressive....they were one of the first..

...maybe THE first..... television show to use black actors in stories where race was not central to the story.....He did air a lot of stories with messages about prejudice!

Incidentally, I was glued to the tube a few nights ago when they were selling "The Rifleman" DVD. An early western, Chuck Connors was the star. A widower who lived with his son, played by Johnny Crawford, on a ranch. Of course he had to use his gun at least a couple of times in the show to keep the peace.
anyway, they showed an excerpt from a show where a Spanish dandy-type in flamboyant costume draws the mean-spirited attention of the town thugs, who harass and beat him up until Connors steps in. Johnny asks what's going on. Connors explains that some people become frightened or angry when they meet someone who's different from them. "That's wrong," Connors declares.
the rest of the show, if i recall, goes to driving home that point.

[Dervill Crow]

11. Both wonderful shows.

Both The Rifleman and The Twilight Zone were on in re-runs through the 1960s in the afternoon here, and I watched almost every single day after school, along with Alfred Hitchcock Presents. That was good television.

[slj0101]

14. "The Hunt"- one of my favorites!

"Even the devil can't fool a dog." :D