![]() Had a Curve to episodes of his western series, The Loner, and even in several of his scripts for Night Gallery -an unapologetically macabre His work from early teleplays like Requiem But his dedication to the downtrodden of the world is found throughout Trumpet,” all Capra-esque episodes with unlikely heroes similar to Professorįowler. Hundred Yards Over the Rim” “The Night of the Meek” and “A Passage for The theme of moral forgiveness appears in many of These types of characters and often awarded them a second chance at life as heĭoes for Professor Fowler here. Like Capra, Serling seemed to possess a genuine affection for Unjustly punished, the aging man who has suddenly found himself in an Work concerns the forgotten members of society: the misunderstood alcoholic with a heart of gold, the convict who is ![]() This maxim seems to have greatly appealed to Serling for much of his Is simply that every human being has value and therefore has the right to feel Capraīelieved in humanity and the overlying message found throughout his body of work Surprise that Serling would be influenced by a storyteller like Capra for hisįilms possess the same brand of empathy found in much of Serling’s work. Which aired in June, takes place around Christmas is probably not a coincidenceīut a deliberate nod to Capra’s classic holiday film. That no one goes unnoticed or unloved in life. Immediately noticeable given its celebration of the common man and the promise Viewing “The Changing of the Guard” the influence of Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) is In many ways but it was, without question, a noticeably different show. Twilight Zone back in January of 1963 it may have resembled its former self Producer Hebert Hirschman with the task of resurrecting the show largely by Yellow Springs, Ohio, thousands of miles away from Los Angeles, leaving incoming At the end of theġ961-62 season he accepted a teaching at his alma mater, Antioch College, in Grind of writing the bulk of the show’s scripts as well as acting as host andĮxecutive producer had taken an enormous creative toll. Of the show’s production crew including film editors Bill Mosher and Jasonīernie and assistant director E. Unemployment, would reluctantly leave the show as would other important figures Long-time producer Buck Houghton, faced with the possibility of sudden Temporary hiatus would have a lasting impact on the show and its creators. It wouldĬease to broadcast new episodes for the next seven months until it was brought back as a mid-season replacement, unseating the very program that had replaced it. The show lived in constantįear of cancellation and at the end of its third season, after failing toĪttract a new sponsor after the departure of Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company, it finally found itself off the air. Likely to the fact that it was a fantasy program. While The Twilight Zone always held aĭedicated fan base it was never a strong candidate when it came to ratings due Of the events that were to happen in his life in the coming years. Serling penned this incredibly warm, moving story that seems to foreshadow many Donald Pleasence delivers in "The Changing of the.This week in TV Guide: October 28, 1967.Likewise, producer Buck Houghton and other long-time members of the crew moved on to other projects when The Twilight Zone did return, their absence would be noticed. The era of prestige television, which Serling had done so much to enhance, had moved on live drama was gone, his Western television series The Loner had been cancelled, and in later years "he often told interviewers that his work would likely be forgotten and that to simply be remembered as a writer would be sufficient enough." Faced with an uncertain future, Serling chose to accept the teaching position at Antioch. The episode, as I mentioned earlier, was the final one to air in the third season, and there were no guarantees that the show would be back for a fourth. In considering "The Changing of the Guard," Durant makes the very good point that Serling, at heart, was an autobiographical writer, and Fowler's existential dilemma mirrors those being realized at the time by Serling and others in the Twilight Zone company.
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