Static

Dean Jagger plays Ed Lindsay, who is currently living in the same boarding house for 20 years, and become a crotchety old man, dissatisfied with the modern world, and especially television, which his fellow boarders watch obsessively. When Ed discovers an old radio in storage, he is bewildered but delighted when it plays only old time big band music like Tommy Dorsey, which it turns out only he can hear, convincing the others he's going senile, but an old flame(played by Carmen Mathews) still secretly loves and believes him... Sadly videotaped episode suffers for it, but sincerity of the performances and charming nature of the premise make up for it.

Static reminds me of a science fiction version of one of Charlie Chaplin's early short films, like Behind the Screen or Film Johnnie, where he pokes fun at his own craft of film-making. Similarly, in this episode, Rod Serling rails against the descent of civilized society, who used to be able to integrate radio entertainment into a social family environment, and into a race of mindless zombies staring thoughtlessly into the hypnotic box in the living room.

The story concerns an aging couple (who, for various reasons, never married but have lived together basically as husband and wife for decades) whose lives are thrown into turmoil as a direct result of the garbage on television. Imagine if that happened today, the whole world would collapse! Dean Jagger plays Ed Lindsay, who one day throws up his hands in disgust at how television has taken over everyone's lives, and so decides to dust off the old radio and see what's on.

This episode approaches the exact reason that the subject of time travel is so endlessly entertaining, because everyone imagines visiting another time, particularly as we get older and reminisce about our lost youth. Ed seems to have a past full of regrets, and laments what his life has become, and he looks to the radio as a way to transport himself back to the happier days when he was a young man. This is the stuff our great grandparents must have reminisced about...

The episode makes an interesting comment on the role of entertainment in American life, as Ed soon becomes just as engrossed and obsessed with the radio as the rest of the family is with the television, and he soon finds himself more concerned about catching his favorite programs than with spending time with his family.

Before long they begin to wonder about him, especially after they attempt to phone the radio station due to some bad reception and discover that the station he has been listening to doesn't seem to exist. This is where the supernatural seems to come in, although it's debatable whether there is really something supernatural going on or just Ed's mind beginning to slip in his old age.

Personally I think it's a little of both, although this is certainly one of the more realistic and immediately relevant episodes of the twilight zone, especially concerning the amount of time Americans spend being entertained by some form of media and the effect it has on our lives. In Ed's case, his sanity seemed to be cut loose by the very medium of entertainment that he used to bring himself back to the happiest times of his life.

Although there isn't much narrative, and a conclusion that doesn't really satisfy, there's a lot I like about this. Ed Lyndsay (Dean Jagger) is an aging man living in a boarding house who finds 1940's shows on his radio. Ed listens to 'Im Getting Sentimental Over You' played by Tommy Dorsey's band and becomes nostalgic. Yet there seems to be no station actually broadcasting the shows he's hearing and reliving so fondly. He comments on TV turning the minds of the other boarders to mush. Very early on this episode shows TV as a dull medium with its cigarette advertising (as a one Mr Rod Serling used to do along with his announcements for the next week) and so many channels with only rubbish on them (even then!). Radio is shown as a more intimate, inspiring, and imaginative medium through Ed's point of view. Another aging boarder Vinnie (Carmen Matthews) becomes concerned with Ed's 1940's radio obsession, and for very personal, emotional reasons.

The message is to live your life to the full and to find yourself and happiness before its too late. I so love the Zone for the universality and timelessness of its meanings.

Now go and tune in to a TV that shows great early 60's sci-fi and get nostalgic.

This episode of the Twilight Zone rates as one of the best. No monsters, no UFOs etc., etc., just magic.

There is so much truth here that you could fill 2000 words.

Watch it and see.

One of my favourite all time Twilight Zone lines here: (yes I have a shortlist and wonder when the book is coming out; they did it with Scarface -- mark my words) A reference to the brain turning to Oatmeal watching too much Television.

I like the way it touches on many aspects of human nature and how we cope with loneliness -- under the pressure of growing old.

Dean puts in a fine acting performance.

Keep an eye out for a famous cast member from 60s TV series "Bewitched"

It's a interesting subject to discuss and share, all old people are nostalgic with their past time, I realize it with my father who refuses at any means the new technologies and correlated stuffs, thus happens with Ed Lindsay (Dean Jagger) who missed the opportunity to marry Vinnie (Carrie Mathews) in the past, he complains over the TV that replaced the radio, then he brings back a old radio and starting listen an old tunes of Tommy Dorsey from a radio station that actually close thirteen years before, just he hear this songs, when someone else enter in the room the broadcasting disappears catching just a static, however the ending is too moving, stay tuned !!!

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First watch: 2019 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25