mong broadcast historians, The Twilight Zone is often cited as the
most influential speculative series to spring from television's formative
years. Yet, long before that show debuted in 1959, high-quality science
fiction could certainly be found on the airwaves. One of the first programs
to offer sophisticated SF was Tales of Tomorrow, which from 1951 to
1953 telecast the work of such well-known writers as Arthur C. Clarke, Cyril
Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl, among others.
Tales of Tomorrow, Volume 1 presents three segments from that
pioneering anthology show. The premiere episode of the series, "Verdict From
Space," concerns the trial of Gordon Kemp (McAllister), a machinist suspected
of killing a prominent archeologist. However, the accused murderer reveals to
the disbelieving jury that they should actually be worried about a far
greater threat, as the scientist's death occurred just as the two men had
uncovered evidence of an imminent alien invasion.
"Ice From Space" finds the personnel of a remote military base quarantined
after an experimental rocket unexpectedly returns to Earth with a perplexing
payload. Major Dozier (Edmond Ryan) and his men, lead by Sgt. Wilson
(Newman), race against time as the apparently sentient cargo begins to affect
the weather, threatening to change their desert environment, and perhaps the
entire planet, into a frozen wasteland.
Inventor Leland Russell (Arnold Moss) sequesters himself on a secluded
island in "The Bitter Storm," the final adventure on this videotape. Though he
has striven to keep his latest creation a secret, his visiting sister and her
daughter Pat (Woodward) have discovered that the complex contraption in his
living room can record voices from the past. But just how sensitive is the
device, and how far back in time can it detect sound?
A TV time capsule
Throughout television's initial decade, many industry experts believed
that science fiction was suitable only for youngsters. As a result, most SF
programs of the time were simple (yet memorable) space operas such as Capt. Video,
Space Patrol and Tom Corbett, Space Cadet. Tales of
Tomorrow was among the first speculative shows to target a mature
audience, supplying a seasoned sense of wonder that was virtually impossible
to find elsewhere on TV during the early 1950s.
All three episodes on this video are intriguing, with "Verdict From Space,"
which was written by acclaimed author Theodore Sturgeon, offering a sly
commentary on the potential dangers of atomic weaponry, and "Ice From Space"
presenting a surrogate--and in some respects quite literal--Cold War. "The
Bitter Storm" is also engaging, although the story's heavy-handed religious
overtones can be a bit oppressive.
Each black-and-white adventure is performed live, with the action
generally taking place on only one or two studio sets. The actors are all
competent, though viewers expecting to see extensive scenes with either
Newman or Woodward should be forewarned that their roles are relatively
minor. In fact, folks will discover that Raymond Bailey, best known nowadays
for his portrayal of Mr. Drysdale on The Beverly Hillbillies, has a
much more substantial part in "Ice From Space" than his future Academy
Award-winning costar!
Hopefully, upcoming Tales of Tomorrow volumes will spotlight some
of the other famous thespians who appeared on the show, such as Lon Chaney
Jr., Boris Karloff, Leslie Nielsen and Rod Steiger. In the meantime, this
video serves as a marvelous television time capsule, providing modern-day
fans with a rare opportunity to experience an early and unequivocally earnest
attempt at generating genuinely adult science fiction.
