WWTBAM Bored

Or anybody else who might know. Or anybody else who might have some ideas. Or anybody who has an interesting comment and wants to participate. Who knows, it might end up being fun!

Googlers, thanks but no thanks. That's neither interesting nor fun, so please be so kind as to refrain from sharing your awesome search engine skillz. I'm sure there's a fun political thread somewhere that could use them....

Oh, yeah, the question! Was watching The Silence episode today and learned that it was one of only four episodes in the series that didn't have any supernatural or science fiction elements to it. Do you know the other three off the top of your head? If not, there's some figuring to do! I don't think I've seen enough episodes to give it a decent try.

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:Oh, yeah, the question! Was watching The Silence episode today and learned that it was one of only four episodes in the series that didn't have any supernatural or science fiction elements to it. Do you know the other three off the top of your head? If not, there's some figuring to do! I don't think I've seen enough episodes to give it a decent try.

I've seen almost all of the half hour episodes, and maybe 2/3 of the hour long Season 4 episodes.

I'd think "Time Enough At Last" counts. Nothing really supernatural or science fiction going on there... unless the mass extinction from the hydrogen bomb counts for the latter.

The Brain Center at Whipple's also kind of qualifies... at least until the end when the robot ends up taking the dude from the Dick Van Dyke show's job.

I'll have to think about this in between doing tomorrow's comic and finishing off the LSWE rulez....

lb13

"The Jeopardy Room"... lots of spy-genre stuff, but nothing really science fiction or supernatural at all about it....

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:Oh, yeah, the question! Was watching The Silence episode today and learned that it was one of only four episodes in the series that didn't have any supernatural or science fiction elements to it. Do you know the other three off the top of your head? If not, there's some figuring to do! I don't think I've seen enough episodes to give it a decent try.

I've seen almost all of the half hour episodes, and maybe 2/3 of the hour long Season 4 episodes.

I'd think "Time Enough At Last" counts. Nothing really supernatural or science fiction going on there... unless the mass extinction from the hydrogen bomb counts for the latter.

The Brain Center at Whipple's also kind of qualifies... at least until the end when the robot ends up taking the dude from the Dick Van Dyke show's job.

I'll have to think about this in between doing tomorrow's comic and finishing off the LSWE rulez....

lb13

I would consider a hydrogen bomb wiping out the world and a robot science fiction, particularly in the early 60s. The robot thing is why I discounted Uncle Simon, which comes closest of the eps I've watched today of being plausible.

However, I did see what I think is the first TZ episode I ever saw and one that I had forgotten about that is probably my most favourite of all! So that was exciting. Five Characters in Search of an Exit.

The Monsters of whatever street one was just about the people wasn't it? Or did it have extraneous weird stuff?

Beebs52 wrote:The Monsters of whatever street one was just about the people wasn't it? Or did it have extraneous weird stuff?

I've heard of the ep but don't know that I've ever seen it, or remember it anyway. So we'll have to wait for the Resident Expert to give his opinion....

I'm wrong

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:Oh, yeah, the question! Was watching The Silence episode today and learned that it was one of only four episodes in the series that didn't have any supernatural or science fiction elements to it. Do you know the other three off the top of your head? If not, there's some figuring to do! I don't think I've seen enough episodes to give it a decent try.

I've seen almost all of the half hour episodes, and maybe 2/3 of the hour long Season 4 episodes.

I'd think "Time Enough At Last" counts. Nothing really supernatural or science fiction going on there... unless the mass extinction from the hydrogen bomb counts for the latter.

The Brain Center at Whipple's also kind of qualifies... at least until the end when the robot ends up taking the dude from the Dick Van Dyke show's job.

I'll have to think about this in between doing tomorrow's comic and finishing off the LSWE rulez....

lb13

I would consider a hydrogen bomb wiping out the world and a robot science fiction, particularly in the early 60s. The robot thing is why I discounted Uncle Simon, which comes closest of the eps I've watched today of being plausible.

However, I did see what I think is the first TZ episode I ever saw and one that I had forgotten about that is probably my most favourite of all! So that was exciting. Five Characters in Search of an Exit.

"Five Characters" was a red herring in a Tangredi game last year (where the answer would up being the one where the guy can change faces at will). It is a great episode, and one of only two TZ eps themed around Christmas.

I wouldn't have considered Uncle Simon (I was watching when that one came on today... then the damn Billy Mumy one came on and I had to shut it off... I so despise that one). The robot at the end of Whipple's is really just there as a comedy gag.... though I guess the thought that even company heads could lose their job to machinery is a bit out there...

There is a site I have bookmarked (and obviously ain't going there.... yet) that has a good plot summary of every episode, and I remember there was one where it came right out and mentioned there wasn't a single element of fantasy at all in it... and I can't remember what it was now. It isn't one of the ones already mentioned...

lb13

Beebs52 wrote:I'm wrong

You are... the aliens are controlling the chaos...

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

Beebs52 wrote:I'm wrong

You are... the aliens are controlling the chaos...

lb13

Isn't that life right now!?! I knew as soon as I posted I was an idiot.

As a bonus question, I ask what the only Twilight Zone episode is to feature a squirrel.....

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:

I've seen almost all of the half hour episodes, and maybe 2/3 of the hour long Season 4 episodes.

I'd think "Time Enough At Last" counts. Nothing really supernatural or science fiction going on there... unless the mass extinction from the hydrogen bomb counts for the latter.

The Brain Center at Whipple's also kind of qualifies... at least until the end when the robot ends up taking the dude from the Dick Van Dyke show's job.

I'll have to think about this in between doing tomorrow's comic and finishing off the LSWE rulez....

lb13

I would consider a hydrogen bomb wiping out the world and a robot science fiction, particularly in the early 60s. The robot thing is why I discounted Uncle Simon, which comes closest of the eps I've watched today of being plausible.

However, I did see what I think is the first TZ episode I ever saw and one that I had forgotten about that is probably my most favourite of all! So that was exciting. Five Characters in Search of an Exit.

"Five Characters" was a red herring in a Tangredi game last year (where the answer would up being the one where the guy can change faces at will). It is a great episode, and one of only two TZ eps themed around Christmas.

I wouldn't have considered Uncle Simon (I was watching when that one came on today... then the damn Billy Mumy one came on and I had to shut it off... I so despise that one). The robot at the end of Whipple's is really just there as a comedy gag.... though I guess the thought that even company heads could lose their job to machinery is a bit out there...

There is a site I have bookmarked (and obviously ain't going there.... yet) that has a good plot summary of every episode, and I remember there was one where it came right out and mentioned there wasn't a single element of fantasy at all in it... and I can't remember what it was now. It isn't one of the ones already mentioned...

lb13

The only reason I considered Simon was because I'd already read that about the four so I've been thinking about it and paying attention to the eps that I haven't seen/don't remember. I think the reason I liked Five Characters so much is that it reminded me of Sartre's No Exit.

I was pretty sure that you had a site or two like that so you could eventually get an answer. The fun is in the figuring, but sometimes it just doesn't get it done.

littlebeast13 wrote:As a bonus question, I ask what the only Twilight Zone episode is to feature a squirrel.....

lb13

I guess I've seen more eps than I thought, because I'm remembering the plot of most of these after a few minutes in, but no squirrels come to mind. There had to be some squirrels in the trees on Maple Street, didn't there? Or running about while Arthur Hunnicutt was out Sixth Sensing in the woods....

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:

littlebeast13 wrote:As a bonus question, I ask what the only Twilight Zone episode is to feature a squirrel.....

lb13

I guess I've seen more eps than I thought, because I'm remembering the plot of most of these after a few minutes in, but no squirrels come to mind. There had to be some squirrels in the trees on Maple Street, didn't there? Or running about while Arthur Hunnicutt was out Sixth Sensing in the woods....

Quite possibly... but I'm pretty sure there is only one ep where the word "squirrel" is even mentioned... and it's one of my favorites (even without the squirrel)...

lb13

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:I would consider a hydrogen bomb wiping out the world ... science fiction, particularly in the early 60s.

As someone who spent his fair share of youth participating in duck-and-cover drills and Civil Defense evac drills to fallout shelters, I don't think that was exactly science fiction. Unlikely, perhaps (and thankfully it didn't happen), but definitely possible. And definitely not science fiction.

OK, I finally broke down an cheated... although I still can't really answer the question because I guess it depends on just how SyFy interpreted the term "elements of science fiction and supernatural". Anyway....

Spoiler

The only other episode I found with absolutely none of the above elements, and I can't believe I didn't think of it since it was run during the early part of the marathon, was "The Shelter"... the story about the neighbors who ridicule a man for building a bomb shelter for his family, at least until an attack appears imminent, and they try to force their way into the guy's shelter, eventually tearing down the door as they find out the warning was a false alarm...

So we have that one and "The Jeopardy Room" for sure. As for the third one, I'd imagine it is one of the other ones already mentioned here like "Time" or "Whipple"...

And as for the answer to my trivia question.....

Spoiler

lb13

littlebeast13 wrote:OK, I finally broke down an cheated... although I still can't really answer the question because I guess it depends on just how SyFy interpreted the term "elements of science fiction and supernatural". Anyway....

Spoiler

The only other episode I found with absolutely none of the above elements, and I can't believe I didn't think of it since it was run during the early part of the marathon, was "The Shelter"... the story about the neighbors who ridicule a man for building a bomb shelter for his family, at least until an attack appears imminent, and they try to force their way into the guy's shelter, eventually tearing down the door as they find out the warning was a false alarm...

So we have that one and "The Jeopardy Room" for sure. As for the third one, I'd imagine it is one of the other ones already mentioned here like "Time" or "Whipple"...

And as for the answer to my trivia question.....

Spoiler

lb13

This wasn't a SciFi trivia question (it pisses me off enough that they ask them on screen but only answer them on twitter. Fuck twitter and the horse it rode in on!), I think it was a fun fact on the imdb episode page.

I have to leave for the night now, so I'm glad I got the answer to your trivia question before I left. In my defense, that ep isn't on until 2:30 am. But since I won't be home, I just set it to record. God, how sad is it that I'm actuallly using precious dvr space for ancient squirrel shows.....ha!

SpacemanSpiff wrote:

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:I would consider a hydrogen bomb wiping out the world ... science fiction, particularly in the early 60s.

As someone who spent his fair share of youth participating in duck-and-cover drills and Civil Defense evac drills to fallout shelters, I don't think that was exactly science fiction. Unlikely, perhaps (and thankfully it didn't happen), but definitely possible. And definitely not science fiction.

What's Civil Defense, Grampa Spiff?

Did they have hydrogen bombs, or just atomic bombs? Maybe rather than science fiction, I meant something severely out of the norm happening in the episode. Norm being relative here, to mean that some fantastical or extraordinary thing wasn't pertinent to the plot.

Lackadaisical Stumblebum wrote:I have to leave for the night now, so I'm glad I got the answer to your trivia question before I left. In my defense, that ep isn't on until 2:30 am. But since I won't be home, I just set it to record. God, how sad is it that I'm actuallly using precious dvr space for ancient squirrel shows.....ha!

I hope you aren't disappointed, because the squirrel only gets a cameo (word up!), but it is a very good story nonetheless with one of the best twist endings the show ever produced...

lb13

Would the one with Earl Holliman episode count? I think it was called Is Anybody Here? Or Where is a Everyone? or something like that. He is in a deserted town but the twist is he is an isolation booth and hallucinating to see if people would be able to withstand the isolation of space. It might be considered SciFi because it talks about space travel - but it doesn't really contain any actual space travel and could be consider a straight tale.

frogman042 wrote:Would the one with Earl Holliman episode count? I think it was called Is Anybody Here? Or Where is a Everyone? or something like that. He is in a deserted town but the twist is he is an isolation booth and hallucinating to see if people would be able to withstand the isolation of space. It might be considered SciFi because it talks about space travel - but it doesn't really contain any actual space travel and could be consider a straight tale.

I took it that anything involving dreams/imagination/hallucinations were not to be considered. There are a number of episodes that revolve around dreamworlds, but contain no sci fi or supernatural....

lb13

My list of possibles:

A World of Difference
The Trouble with Templeton
One More Pallbearer
Sounds and Silences

littlebeast13 wrote:

frogman042 wrote:Would the one with Earl Holliman episode count? I think it was called Is Anybody Here? Or Where is a Everyone? or something like that. He is in a deserted town but the twist is he is an isolation booth and hallucinating to see if people would be able to withstand the isolation of space. It might be considered SciFi because it talks about space travel - but it doesn't really contain any actual space travel and could be consider a straight tale.

I took it that anything involving dreams/imagination/hallucinations were not to be considered. There are a number of episodes that revolve around dreamworlds, but contain no sci fi or supernatural....

lb13

Hmmm, I remember one where the guy is on a train going from NYC to CT and he visits where he grew up but he really died. That didn't involve any Sy/Fi stuff but I guess it doesn't qualify under the new rule.



I remember this one most because I used to take the train where the would call out all the same stations. Cos Cob, Rowayton....

How about the episode where a rich guy had a bomb shelter built in the basement of his building.
He then invited some people over he felt had wronged him at sometime during his life and then he faked like a nuclear attack was imminent in an attempt to get the guest to beg his forgiveness?

pcmaxey wrote:How about the episode where a rich guy had a bomb shelter built in the basement of his building.
He then invited some people over he felt had wronged him at sometime during his life and then he faked like a nuclear attack was imminent in an attempt to get the guest to beg his forgiveness?

That's on my list: One More Pallbearer