After being forced against his will to retire, Professor Fowler is devastated beyond belief, and contemplates suicide when he doesn't feel his years of teaching have made an impact on anyone. That very same night, he has a life altering experience that makes him rethink a lot of things. I randomly came across this episode on television a couple nights ago. What immediately got my attention was that the amazing Donald Pleasence was the main star. Being that I'm a big Twilight Zone fan, and I love Donald Pleasence, it's a no-brainer for me. This is not your typical Twilight Zone episode. There are some unlikely occurrences like there are in most episodes, but it's a little bit different. A lot of Twilight Zone episodes end on an unhappy note. This one gives the viewer a happy ending, and honestly? I felt it was the right decision. Donald Pleasence is fantastic, as stated above. His character is incredibly easy to elicit sympathy from. I was even close to welling up with tears at one point for him. Teaching is Professor Fowler's life, and his passion. He feels he's an abject failure, and he thinks he's not capable of doing anything else. When you're so used to doing something for years, it's a bit hard to say "Well, what's next?" The message here is that don't be so quick to doubt your capabilities or the impact you've made on people. No matter what happens, there is always a "next"
9.5/10
9.5/10