People Are Alike All Over

Roddy McDowell and Paul Comi play two Earth astronauts on a spaceship mission to Mars that goes wrong when the ship mysteriously crash lands, killing Marcusson(Comi) and leaving Conrad(McDowell) alone and at the mercy of the seemingly friendly human-looking inhabitants who try to help Conrad by giving him food and shelter, and the promised visitations of a beautiful native woman(played by Susan Oliver) who has taken pity on him, though the reason why will become obvious to him when he draws back his window curtain.... Fine performances by the three leads make the difference in otherwise unsurprising tale, though the irony of the title is well put across.

Sam Conrad (Roddy McDowall) and Mark Marcusson (Paul Comi) go to Mars as imagined in 1960. Now we know that the planet could not have anyone like Susan Oliver on it so perhaps Barack Obama is right not to bother with going there.

I like the way the start prefigures the end of the story (visually too) with the question of whether people are the same everywhere? McDowall plays the reluctant adventurer of the two astronauts, well aware that he will have to make his home on Mars. The Martians are attired in an ancient Roman looking way and have a pleasant appearance (especially Susan Oliver).

One of the odd and enjoyable episodes but not one of the greatest. The contrast between the two astronauts is good. Well played by both actors. Rod Serling wrote the teleplay based on a story by Paul W Fairman, whose other writing credits are for z rated sci-fi films and TV. Serling went on to co-write the screenplay for 'Planet Of The Apes'. Will he make a monkey of Roddy McDowall in this?

This Twilight Zone episode features Roddy McDowall and Paul Comi as the two men on the first mission to Mars. Sad to say it is one of many stories on the big and small screen that have become dated with the knowledge we now possess about the red planet.

It's an optimist and a pessimist on the trip. McDowall is skeptical, but Comi says if there's life there they'll be like us because people are alike all over which is as the Deity intended.

Comi is killed in a crash landing but it's McDowall who finds out the truth of that proposition.

This is one good story and sadly one cynical view of humankind.

This "TZ" episode from 1960 features late great character actor Roddy McDowall(from 1980's "Fright Night" fame) as Sam a guy getting ready to go on a space mission to Mars. And his high hope is to find life of aliens and that of martians. Only when the spacecraft is one the planet Sam finds that life and the people are a little different it's not what he expected or what things seem to be. Overall okay episode that twist still it's entertaining with it's science fiction theme that involves aliens and space plus it's some good early work from Roddy McDowall.

Samuel Conrad (Roddy McDowall) is a scientist being sent on a mission to Mars. Feeling ill-prepared and ill-suited for this mission, he's very afraid of what he might find out there. As it turns out, his fellow astronaut Marcusson (Paul Comi) had been dead-on about his perception of all forms of intelligent life; the Martian people seem very inviting, but they have something special planned for Conrad.

Although I figured out where this was going ahead of time, the big reveal is still pulled off brilliantly by Mr. Serling (adapting a story by Paul W. Fairman) and director Mitchell Leisen ("Death Takes a Holiday", "The Mating Season"). McDowall delivers a top-notch performance as the jittery would-be astronaut who finds out that it really is true: no matter where you go in this universe, you'll see the similarities between "us" and "them".

Also starring Susan Oliver, Byron Morrow, and Vic Perrin, 'People Are Alike All Over' can take its place among the best of classic TZ episodes.

Eight out of 10.