What did everyone think of "The Lonely"? Watch more Twilight-Tober Zone here - bit.ly/TwilightToberZone Follow Walter on Twitter - twitter.com/Awesome_Walter Follow us on Twitch - www.twitch.tv/channelawesome
THANK YOU! I love the Twilight Zone, especially this episode. However, I try not to shed a tear at the ending. I've always wondered what would happen if both of them went to Earth. Would the female robot be accepted? Walter, you've made Rod proud.
@@amparolopez6236 have you seen the 85 and 02 versions? Never got around to them minus a few episodes.. Are they worth checking out? Saw season 2 of the reboot last night and it was MILES better than season 1... (still not anywhere near the original show though)
This episode made me cry the first time. I love that Alicia wasn’t one of those “turns out to be evil” robots, but she was programmed to love our protagonist and ease his isolation.
"Row-bit" was the original pronunciation in English after it was appropriated from the Czech word "robota" (meaning "drudgery" as in hard, boring work), but over time it became pronounced as "row-bot"
Gotta say I'm loving these little extra scenes they're adding with the cast. I'm not sure if it's intentional or not but this is the second one which gives a different creepier spin on the twilight episode they're reviewing. With this one it feels like all of the robots reactions were inside his head. Not to mention Walters closing narration implies that he could leave....but he's choosing not to, as if the figment of his imagination is more comforting than reality.
@@matthewkoch6937 a depressing but accurate truth. But just imagine if The lonely did something like this, like for the whole episode she looks human but when he gets rescued we see that all along she just looked like a mannequin or a very obvious robot
Who'd have guessed that this episode, made in 1959, is still relevant today, with its themes of loneliness and isolation? I still sob when Alicia is shot at the end, it's pretty heartbreaking, yet bittersweet! 😭💔
I agree with this episode, one theme that the Twilight Zone likes to do again and again but gets right is Isolation and its affects which I think is something that could definitely help us all keep in touch with our close ones especially now
I love how the episode is very open-ended on the matter of Alicia. On the one hand it seems to be suggesting a human-AI relationship isn’t at the point where it can replace a flesh and blood person. And even then I’ve always supposed that might very well just be a ploy to get Corry off the planet and his continuing to be with her wouldn’t be so objectionable if she didn’t exceed the weight limit. But none of this means it’s not a tragedy that they had to disable Alicia. It wasn’t done maliciously but out of necessity because Corry’s exile is so needless and this is what it’ll take to pull him out of it, and doing it so bluntly is the only way to wake him up. The whole situation is so conflicting and offers no simple, painless solutions. Putting aside the ending for a second, I’ve always loved how slow Corry is to take to Alicia. As if he sees it as beneath his dignity to romance and allow himself to be emotionally awakened by an android. As if it’s all an elaborate joke at his expense. But as he realizes it’s all he has the very human instinct for any form of companionship takes over. It’s all very realistic and well, very like our species. But circling back, the episode’s conclusion is all about shattering this comfortable lie Corry’s living in since it’s no longer vital to his survival. The Lonely overall is one of the most straightforward explorations of a pet Twilight Zone theme, that of isolation and alienation. What true aloneness and connection mean.
@@KairuHakubi That is potentially very high up on a list of the greatest character regrets in the whole of the series. I bet Corry had a few sleepless nights pertaining to that. And exactly. I see a lot of people questioning why they didn’t just do that but it not being an alternative on the table makes a much more memorable ending. You just have to take it as a given either all of her has to go or none of her can. And in light of this, shutting her down might’ve been the most merciful, humane choice. Just because she’s an android doesn’t mean she’s hunky dory being subjected to what Corry had been.
I thought Corry came off as a thankless jerk to reject Alicia initially. Of all the things to potentially get on a desert island scenario, another compatible person would top the list assuming you weren't allowed to interact with society via the internet or something. I suppose Corry was representing the 1959 viewer who wouldn't see a machine as a person as much as we could, but you'd figure somebody in society just 4 years before this advanced android exists would be used to android people. Then again the captain just killed a being apparently capable of anything a human can do or feel, which should have its own ethical dilemma. The writers should have had the crew return to Earth only to have society legally recognize Alicia-level androids as persons since the captain's departure and arrest him for murder. THAT would be a twist.
I don't think it's open-ended at all. The episode was never about Alicia and the only focus was on the human condition experienced by Corry. It suggests that, given isolation and loneliness, a machine built in the image of a woman is enough to fulfill a social need of companionship. (Just like the volleyball they named Wilson in Cast Away was enough to fulfill that need.) And they drive that point home by having Corry say that he'll "remember that" it was just loneliness at the end. She wasn't really a woman, just a machine built to look like one. Corry already wanted the supply people to stay with him for just a few minutes to play cards and board games. He was desperate for interaction. Allenby felt compassion for him and brought him a robot that could keep him company, which would not technically break the solitary confinement as it's just one of his machines. It can be inferred therefore that robots are considered non-human machines. If they had human rights granted to them, it would: 1) Be breaking solitary confinement. 2) Imprisoning her there for no reason. 3) If she had humanity, why was she Corry's "possession" as per the wording of the instruction manual? The description from her instructional manual stating: "You are now the proud possessor of a robot built in the form of a woman." That's how she was first introduced, and only after that do we hear "My name's Alicia. What's your name?" We are given that she is a robot first and foremost, and the form of a woman secondarily. And also a thing to possess. It's not very open-ended that robots are considered merely machines. People certainly don't describe humans like that. That's why it was a sick joke to Corry. He wanted another person, but he got a machine that looked like what he couldn't have. To him, machines were "bolts and wires." I suppose he was feeling anger due to the loneliness and some prejudice based on his idea of what makes a machine. And that triggered the hurt reaction from Alicia. He wasn't suddenly "emotionally awakened" by an android, the emotions were already there in the human condition. It was only after seeing that Alicia was capable of crying that he realized he was being unfairly cruel and prejudiced to a machine out if his loneliness. (Cruelty and abuse toward machines would be a subject of another Twilight Zone episode.) But seeing Alicia cry wasn't thematically done for the viewer to empathize with her, it was meant to empathize with Corry and his condition. We see that even though he was a convicted criminal, he wasn't bad and that he could care for others. Which makes it good that now he has a companion to spend time with him so the days didn't just keep going on. But then he starts caring for Alicia and developing feelings of love. That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing since he was initially going to be there for a long time. Oh wait, he was suddenly pardoned and this was his chance to be free. His isolation and loneliness would be solved upon leaving the place he was imprisoned. The only problem is that he wants to take the machine with him and the weight limit does not allow it. She was an anchor literally and emotionally. He had let his loneliness and desperation see past the machine for comfort, but then those emotions became something he needed to let go of. But he needs to let go in order to be free regardless of his emotions and/or how much she helped him during that time in his life. I don't find it conflicting at all. That's the hard truth, or he'd just be self-imprisoning until the next time they come back, and for what? (Freedom vs. a robot meant to keep me company while I don't have freedom. Bye Alicia!) And it's not open-ended that the gun shot and camera shot focused on the face. Destroying the facade revealed the "bolts and wires" of a machine and shattered the illusion. Alicia had been described from the start as a robot built in the form of a woman, and that's how she ended. She didn't act human when Corry tried to get her to leave with him, and we weren't meant to see her as if she were. Only Corry was. And Rod Serling's ending narration: "On a microscopic piece of sand that floats through space is a fragment of a man's life. Left to rust is the place he lived in and the machines he used. Without use, they will disintegrate from the wind and the sand and the years that act upon them. All of Mr. Corry's machines, including the one made in his image, kept alive by love, but now obsolete-in The Twilight Zone." This spot was where a "man's life" was spent It doesn't mention Alicia by name, only that she was just another one of his machines that he used. And although she was a part of his life and loved, she was just no longer needed and left to rust and fade away. It doesn't lament her or tell us to feel it was tragic. Just that she was a tool he used for a moment in his life -- one that cured his loneliness on a small speck of dust in space.
@@spoookypeach "We are given that she is a robot first and foremost, and the form of a woman secondarily. And also a thing to possess. It's not very open-ended that robots are considered merely machines. People certainly don't describe humans like that." Well... "This spot was where a "man's life" was spent It doesn't mention Alicia by name, only that she was just another one of his machines that he used. And although she was a part of his life and loved, she was just no longer needed and left to rust and fade away. It doesn't lament her or tell us to feel it was tragic. Just that she was a tool he used for a moment in his life" I think you're just arguing that the sexism of the 1950s was considered okay.
@@beipiaosaurus if you haven’t seen AI, you’d probably enjoy it. It compels you to think about the concept of designing machines to fully replicate humans, and consider what our responsibility is to them and what level of dignity and respect we owe them. (Oh, and contrary to what people say, it ended exactly the way Kubrick wanted it to. Its conclusion was not Spielberg’s doing and I personally found it to be very bleak).
Five years later, CBS and Desilu would produce "My Living Doll" starring Julie Newmar in 1964. And what would you do with a robot who looks like Julie Newmar!
"The Lonely," "Walking Distance," "Time Enough At Last," and "Nothing In The Dark" were 4 episodes which left me a bit teary-eyed. Great story-telling and performances can do that. Thanks Walter.
@@misspriss2482 Well he was risking staying imprisoned forever to prove her humanity. The captain did the most drastic thing to show him that it's just programming. I think eleven months with the robot had made him lose sight of reality and seeing the wires and realized "oh yeah, she's not real." Sure it's a quick adjustment, but I think he's happier living on earth around real people.
It's reassuring when I read comments like these. I suspected most people in the comments would see the death of the robot as a tragedy. The shocking nature of the ending I suspected would shock most people enough on an emotional level that they wouldn't see it as a humanistic, positive thing. The emotional shock *is* the twist, but I suspect most people need that to remind themselves that she is a robot, and freedom is more important.
Mattress Store I’ll take a fake husband . I’m 33 alone all I do is work hard to connect to ppl so robot would be awesome plus they won’t hurt u unless malfunction lol then run for ur life
It is sad,,moving, and kind of amusing that Walter's reviews are fitting during the Coronavirus pandemic, so we can see how the Channel Awesome gang are affected ,well sort of, like this and Tamara in Sixteen Millimeter Shrine. It gives them some eerie weird ,,kind of sad, fun to do. This is a good episode particularly Jean Marsh as Alicia. You can see a future well respected actress in that performance. One person suggested that he could have taken her disk or programming and reinserted Alicia's personality into another body but I guess that has a lot to do with how AI was programmed in the 50-60's.
Yeah that'd be cool if you guys did them all. I've watched the entire series a few times although it's been a few years. Keep up the good work guys. This is a great series and was a great idea!
I think I'm starting to see why certain episodes are given that special intro and outtro. They're all revolved around the theme of isolation, just like the corresponding Twilight Zone episodes. I like that. That's really clever
This is my favorite of the early Twilight Zones. It made me question what is friendship or love, and is it possible to have those things with something not human. Than it leads to the more direct questions asked from the episode such as "what makes someone human?"
And she was in Dr Who three times, including a short stint as a companion. She was also married to Dr Who (Jon Pertwee) at the time of filming The Lonely
Even as a kid born in 74 this one moved me. I was often left with the TV as a babysitter and Twilight Zone reruns were a major staple. This one struck a chord as I hated that the fembot was ultimately destroyed which always upset me as a child. Always wished she had a happy ending and people wonder why we should fear “The Great Machine Uprising”.
Surprised you left out James' ending line after the captain's remark about leaving behind loneliness, James dejectedly comments that he wasn't lonely until they destroyed Alicia.
As always, Walter, I find your work to be an exceedingly articulate and effective summation detailing the psychological intricacies and complexities that elevate this particular episode of The Twilight Zone. Conceptually, the imposition of protracted, unabated deprivation of company would be torturous for any individual to contend with, which is typically why such solitary punishment is relegated to only the most violently obstreperous of inmates. Even then, from my understanding, this form of retribution is still limited in duration for the sake of the criminal’s sanity, an appeasement that Mr. Corry is curiously denied. In a sense, such inhumane treatment of purported criminality, regardless of the temperament or behavior of the inmate, precipitates interesting discussions in itself, appertaining to the fairness of punishment and the extent of psychological torment that a government should be allowed to inflict upon its deviant populace.
The more evident of the elicited thematic conversations is centralized on the now popular quandary exploring the tenuity of the line between code emulating human behavior and humanity itself. The true constituent elements comprising a person remain nebulous and undefined, and this inability to definitively state what makes an autonomous human has since inspired deep, contemplative depictions in all forms of fictional media. Whether Alicia is capable of learning and developing legitimate feelings for her sole companion or is merely replicating the actions and opinions she witnesses is cleverly left open-ended, though, in a way, it’s also arguable in the end whether or not this question even matters at all. Alicia, regardless of what she was, human or machine, provided Corry with salvation from his loneliness and gave him the company and love that serviced him through his time of desperation and abject solitude.
Lovely episode, and always glad to see Jim featured in your work haha! Additionally, I love the closing commentary underlying Jim’s interrelations with “Felicia”, specifically, the alternate facet of excessive and demoralizing loneliness which, in a beleaguered mind, can manifest as projections or illusions of true humanity and suffice as company. This concept of falling in love with the conjuring of one’s over-wrought imagination and the consequential rumination over whether or not to persist living in this falsified but comforting fantasy could serve as an episode of The Twilight Zone itself. Beautiful job, and I can’t wait to keep discussing these emotionally and psychologically dense episodes with you!
I understand where they were going with having Jim being so isolated that he uses his welding skills and the level of emotions he could show (which I agree was really something to watch at the end) but I can't help but think about his wife Joanna Kay. I was personally excited to see the two of them sitting side by side with each other at the end of the Trolls review. God bless them and the entire Channel Awesome crew supporting each other no matter what in these tough times
Oh God, I wish this series of reviews would never end. Hopefully itwill draw new attention to the legacy of the Twilight Zone, and the great debt modern films owe it.
Definitely a favourite of mine. Great story, interesting subject, good dialogue and a great ending. Love the cast, who really do a great job here. Have watched this particular episode over and over and still get caught up with it. It deals with so many issues on so many different levels.
I thought the ending insinuated that all the heartfelt dialogue between the protagonist and the robot was fabricated by his own mind. Coupled with the phrase “I heard my own thoughts come from her”.
Which is better, in terms of plot and themes, not execution: The Lonely? Or Bicentennial Man? One says a robot is always a robot and will never be more; while the other says a machine can indeed become a man. Bicentennial Man even died for the privilege of being called a man, because his otherwise immortality was why they didn't want to allow him. The Lonely says, no matter what you want to believe, no matter how convincing the appearance, a machine cannot be a human.
You might also state that because Alicia acted and possibly felt and thought in a way so much similar to a human being's, she could have been considered human, whatever she was made of. If you come close enough to the real thing, who can say you're not it? Humans are made too.
To quote an Abridged series: No! A man is a homo sapiens made of meat and blood, not cogs and coolant, and I'm going to assume a Hamster on a wheel. His name is Hamburg.
It's all about free will, the Bicentenial man have free will, he choose to try to become human, Alicia is just a doll that will always do what human say.
People back then used to believe that humans could not endure loneliness. But now we know most people cannot stand most people and prefer to be alone haha
Wow, just did the conversions so I can understand. 130 Fahrenheit is over 44 celcius! I've only been in this type of heat in the Middle East and it's not pleasant. 15 pounds is less than 7 kilos, about the weight of a small child. This was a favourite episode of mine. Of course we've never found anywhere in the universe so far where we're able to breathe, let alone send prisoners to. And I doubt we ever will. Would be such a huge distance from earth we'd never get there!
I totally agree the ambiguity of the robot sentience is key. Most authors approach it like Abrams does, just leave out something relavent to the plot. Twilight zone is brillient at this, ambiguity is key when done well.
Right now Don’t ever want to leave this place, And right now, see it in a different way. So right now, even if you take me on, I'll stand, the lonely Stand, the lonely...
All our live long, were born and reborn. Constantly hatching out of one egg into a bigger egg. Until finally, we either break out, and have a long wide view of the universe, or we give up and settle for just the view of the shell. And all the time guilt keeps snapping at our heels. Guilt that we're smashing the egg that sheltered us. ~ Lt. Dan Muldoon - The Naked City "Line of Duty" (1959)
Too tier episode and set the tone for the series. John Dehner was such a good actor, and it was always nice seeing him in other TZ episodes as well as the Kolchak series in the 70’s.
This was such a powerful episode. The late, great Jack Warden was excellent in this. While the other seasons are mainly remembered for their shock value and surprises, which is fine, Season One was much more dramatic because it explored the complexities of the human psyche.
You guys should also check the 1995 version of The Outer Limits. It was a sci fi oriented anthology ala twilight zone. And was quite the fantastic series on my opinion.
The ending is shocking but not a twist. Or did they intend for the audience to doubt that the woman was a robot? How about this: instead the man is persuaded or forced to leave her behind and then the ending would reveal that she does have actual emotions and now she is going to be alone forever. I think that would make for a stronger ending.
It's shocking if analyzed from a 21st century perspective, but not so much from the '60s. I took a film class with a focus on AI/ Robotics which taught me something (shocker) about the disparity between people of my generation and Zoomers. The episode would be used in a class lecture about how misogynistic/ racist TW was. Then the ending would be highlighted, and the "radical thesis" (to which 85% of the class would emphatically agree) would be that the real ending should have had the men stay behind on the planet while the android left on the rocket ship. My humanistic outlook was the only one in the class, or at least I was the only one vocal enough to oppose the class consensus.
Just imagine the impact of the scene if she was human not a 'robot'. "oh my god she was real.... but I don't understand! the man I got her from said se was a 'robot!'" than the captain is left behind alone for murder.
What did everyone think of "The Lonely"?
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You are doing such a great job with these! I get excited every time you post a new episode 😁🙌🏻
The robot face terrifies me to this day.
THANK YOU! I love the Twilight Zone, especially this episode. However, I try not to shed a tear at the ending. I've always wondered what would happen if both of them went to Earth. Would the female robot be accepted? Walter, you've made Rod proud.
Really good sketch!
Okay you're going to hate me but I thought it was just okay. I still enjoyed the review though
I hope this becomes an annual thing and we go through all 156 episodes eventually.
And then all the reboots
If they did this as one episode review for every day in October, they’d be done on the sixth year.
I just wish they didn’t do skits for the most part
*don't forget the outer limits...some of those episodes were truly disturbing for their day*
@@amparolopez6236 have you seen the 85 and 02 versions? Never got around to them minus a few episodes.. Are they worth checking out? Saw season 2 of the reboot last night and it was MILES better than season 1... (still not anywhere near the original show though)
This episode made me cry the first time. I love that Alicia wasn’t one of those “turns out to be evil” robots, but she was programmed to love our protagonist and ease his isolation.
same, its a very effecting episode
ro-butts :D
I cried at the part where Alica cried after Corry threw her to the ground. Mainly because he lamented on how lonely he was!
Allenby: She is real! Look!
Alicia: Hello my baby! / Hello my honey! / Hello my ragtime gal!
@crazy silly google "One Froggy Evening". It's on Vimeo.
@crazy silly not sure. I found it on vimeo. It's a cartoon
@crazy silly could be
I googled the song "Hello My Baby" and it was written in 1899.
Poor Fembot!!!.Shot in the face.
I love how they pronounce “robot” like Zoidberg lol.
It's obvious the other way around but yeah, it's always funny.
Pop Culture Watch Well duh lol
Rowbit
Ut wasn't exactly a common word then. Maybe it was more in common with the original language's?
"Row-bit" was the original pronunciation in English after it was appropriated from the Czech word "robota" (meaning "drudgery" as in hard, boring work), but over time it became pronounced as "row-bot"
I can understand why Serling explored loneliness so much, since it's so scary.
He had depression too so he probably did feel loneliness throughout his life even when he was surrounded by others.
@@julieporter7805 Indeed. That is also why war was one of the biggest themes given the combat he experienced in World War 2.
@@julieporter7805 Oh goodness....
Is he still alive?
Loneliness is not scary, and is an illusion. When you have a deep connection to yourself, there is no loneliness because there is no other.
@@mrs.6813 When there is no other is exactly when loneliness arrives.
Gotta say I'm loving these little extra scenes they're adding with the cast. I'm not sure if it's intentional or not but this is the second one which gives a different creepier spin on the twilight episode they're reviewing.
With this one it feels like all of the robots reactions were inside his head. Not to mention Walters closing narration implies that he could leave....but he's choosing not to, as if the figment of his imagination is more comforting than reality.
Sadly, sometimes a delusion gives someone more happiness and serenity than the cold, harsh truth ever could.
@@matthewkoch6937 a depressing but accurate truth. But just imagine if The lonely did something like this, like for the whole episode she looks human but when he gets rescued we see that all along she just looked like a mannequin or a very obvious robot
Should have ended with him saying Bye Felicia
@@gregjenkinson7512 I suspect there are actual Twilight Zone episodes that do the same thing. We just have to wait for them to review every one!
@crazy silly Saying "cringe AF" is pretty cringeworthy itself.
Who'd have guessed that this episode, made in 1959, is still relevant today, with its themes of loneliness and isolation? I still sob when Alicia is shot at the end, it's pretty heartbreaking, yet bittersweet! 😭💔
I cried more at the part where Alicia had cried after Corry threw her down!
@@melissacooper4282 Agreed. I found that scene heart wrenching. If a robot can feel pain and it can love, is it really a robot?
She’s a ROBIT!!!
So pumped for Time Enough at Last tomorrow 🙌🏻
I hope they use Doug for it. You know, because he’s That Guy With The Glasses.
One of my all-time favorite episodes. I can't wait!
I hope they reference the Futurama parody.
Didn't know they made a twilight episode about me .
Haha, excellent call, that could easily apply to us ALL during quarantine season! 😊😉
Why do I keep seeing you everywhere?
You're almost like Justin Y.
lost all to the Prince of maddness
Not just you! You and your waifu.
Or me
I agree with this episode, one theme that the Twilight Zone likes to do again and again but gets right is Isolation and its affects which I think is something that could definitely help us all keep in touch with our close ones especially now
It's so weird to see Jack Warden without a mustache. Only in the Twilight Zone, I guess.
Ironically he appeared in another Twilight Zone episode where there was a robot baseball player!
I love how the episode is very open-ended on the matter of Alicia. On the one hand it seems to be suggesting a human-AI relationship isn’t at the point where it can replace a flesh and blood person. And even then I’ve always supposed that might very well just be a ploy to get Corry off the planet and his continuing to be with her wouldn’t be so objectionable if she didn’t exceed the weight limit. But none of this means it’s not a tragedy that they had to disable Alicia. It wasn’t done maliciously but out of necessity because Corry’s exile is so needless and this is what it’ll take to pull him out of it, and doing it so bluntly is the only way to wake him up. The whole situation is so conflicting and offers no simple, painless solutions.
Putting aside the ending for a second, I’ve always loved how slow Corry is to take to Alicia. As if he sees it as beneath his dignity to romance and allow himself to be emotionally awakened by an android. As if it’s all an elaborate joke at his expense. But as he realizes it’s all he has the very human instinct for any form of companionship takes over. It’s all very realistic and well, very like our species. But circling back, the episode’s conclusion is all about shattering this comfortable lie Corry’s living in since it’s no longer vital to his survival. The Lonely overall is one of the most straightforward explorations of a pet Twilight Zone theme, that of isolation and alienation. What true aloneness and connection mean.
@@KairuHakubi That is potentially very high up on a list of the greatest character regrets in the whole of the series. I bet Corry had a few sleepless nights pertaining to that.
And exactly. I see a lot of people questioning why they didn’t just do that but it not being an alternative on the table makes a much more memorable ending. You just have to take it as a given either all of her has to go or none of her can. And in light of this, shutting her down might’ve been the most merciful, humane choice. Just because she’s an android doesn’t mean she’s hunky dory being subjected to what Corry had been.
I thought Corry came off as a thankless jerk to reject Alicia initially. Of all the things to potentially get on a desert island scenario, another compatible person would top the list assuming you weren't allowed to interact with society via the internet or something. I suppose Corry was representing the 1959 viewer who wouldn't see a machine as a person as much as we could, but you'd figure somebody in society just 4 years before this advanced android exists would be used to android people. Then again the captain just killed a being apparently capable of anything a human can do or feel, which should have its own ethical dilemma. The writers should have had the crew return to Earth only to have society legally recognize Alicia-level androids as persons since the captain's departure and arrest him for murder. THAT would be a twist.
I don't think it's open-ended at all. The episode was never about Alicia and the only focus was on the human condition experienced by Corry.
It suggests that, given isolation and loneliness, a machine built in the image of a woman is enough to fulfill a social need of companionship. (Just like the volleyball they named Wilson in Cast Away was enough to fulfill that need.) And they drive that point home by having Corry say that he'll "remember that" it was just loneliness at the end.
She wasn't really a woman, just a machine built to look like one.
Corry already wanted the supply people to stay with him for just a few minutes to play cards and board games. He was desperate for interaction.
Allenby felt compassion for him and brought him a robot that could keep him company, which would not technically break the solitary confinement as it's just one of his machines.
It can be inferred therefore that robots are considered non-human machines.
If they had human rights granted to them, it would:
1) Be breaking solitary confinement.
2) Imprisoning her there for no reason.
3) If she had humanity, why was she Corry's "possession" as per the wording of the instruction manual?
The description from her instructional manual stating: "You are now the proud possessor of a robot built in the form of a woman."
That's how she was first introduced, and only after that do we hear "My name's Alicia. What's your name?"
We are given that she is a robot first and foremost, and the form of a woman secondarily. And also a thing to possess. It's not very open-ended that robots are considered merely machines. People certainly don't describe humans like that.
That's why it was a sick joke to Corry. He wanted another person, but he got a machine that looked like what he couldn't have. To him, machines were "bolts and wires." I suppose he was feeling anger due to the loneliness and some prejudice based on his idea of what makes a machine. And that triggered the hurt reaction from Alicia.
He wasn't suddenly "emotionally awakened" by an android, the emotions were already there in the human condition. It was only after seeing that Alicia was capable of crying that he realized he was being unfairly cruel and prejudiced to a machine out if his loneliness. (Cruelty and abuse toward machines would be a subject of another Twilight Zone episode.)
But seeing Alicia cry wasn't thematically done for the viewer to empathize with her, it was meant to empathize with Corry and his condition. We see that even though he was a convicted criminal, he wasn't bad and that he could care for others. Which makes it good that now he has a companion to spend time with him so the days didn't just keep going on.
But then he starts caring for Alicia and developing feelings of love. That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing since he was initially going to be there for a long time. Oh wait, he was suddenly pardoned and this was his chance to be free. His isolation and loneliness would be solved upon leaving the place he was imprisoned.
The only problem is that he wants to take the machine with him and the weight limit does not allow it. She was an anchor literally and emotionally. He had let his loneliness and desperation see past the machine for comfort, but then those emotions became something he needed to let go of.
But he needs to let go in order to be free regardless of his emotions and/or how much she helped him during that time in his life. I don't find it conflicting at all. That's the hard truth, or he'd just be self-imprisoning until the next time they come back, and for what? (Freedom vs. a robot meant to keep me company while I don't have freedom. Bye Alicia!)
And it's not open-ended that the gun shot and camera shot focused on the face. Destroying the facade revealed the "bolts and wires" of a machine and shattered the illusion. Alicia had been described from the start as a robot built in the form of a woman, and that's how she ended. She didn't act human when Corry tried to get her to leave with him, and we weren't meant to see her as if she were. Only Corry was.
And Rod Serling's ending narration: "On a microscopic piece of sand that floats through space is a fragment of a man's life. Left to rust is the place he lived in and the machines he used. Without use, they will disintegrate from the wind and the sand and the years that act upon them. All of Mr. Corry's machines, including the one made in his image, kept alive by love, but now obsolete-in The Twilight Zone."
This spot was where a "man's life" was spent It doesn't mention Alicia by name, only that she was just another one of his machines that he used. And although she was a part of his life and loved, she was just no longer needed and left to rust and fade away. It doesn't lament her or tell us to feel it was tragic. Just that she was a tool he used for a moment in his life -- one that cured his loneliness on a small speck of dust in space.
@@spoookypeach "We are given that she is a robot first and foremost, and the form of a woman secondarily. And also a thing to possess. It's not very open-ended that robots are considered merely machines. People certainly don't describe humans like that."
Well...
"This spot was where a "man's life" was spent It doesn't mention Alicia by name, only that she was just another one of his machines that he used. And although she was a part of his life and loved, she was just no longer needed and left to rust and fade away. It doesn't lament her or tell us to feel it was tragic. Just that she was a tool he used for a moment in his life"
I think you're just arguing that the sexism of the 1950s was considered okay.
@@beipiaosaurus if you haven’t seen AI, you’d probably enjoy it. It compels you to think about the concept of designing machines to fully replicate humans, and consider what our responsibility is to them and what level of dignity and respect we owe them. (Oh, and contrary to what people say, it ended exactly the way Kubrick wanted it to. Its conclusion was not Spielberg’s doing and I personally found it to be very bleak).
This series is actually making me rewatch this show on Netflix. Its kinda fun
Thanks for saying it's on Netflix, I had no idea. One more cool thing to watch when I'm bored !
@@ThunderLord1 Definitely! I was watching yesterday
@@Eddie_King Drat, false joy - it's not on Netflix here anyway (France). Was too good to be true.
@@ThunderLord1 worth getting on dvd/blu ray
@@pksstr If I ever stumble upon it, I'll grab it ;)
Five years later, CBS and Desilu would produce "My Living Doll" starring Julie Newmar in 1964. And what would you do with a robot who looks like Julie Newmar!
Depends on whether that robot looks like 1964 Julie Newmar or 2020 Julie Newmar.
If was the 1964 Julie Newmar I'm sure that men would have their way with her!
Twilight tober is an amazing production, I'm ready to watch every one!
For real though, that Alicia doll creeped me out.
1 of my favorite episodes. Love the scene where Corry is nararating when he and Alicia are playing chess.
Tell Doug I need a hug.
These extra scenes show that Walter understands _The Twilight Zone_ better than the people who make it now.
"The Lonely," "Walking Distance," "Time Enough At Last," and "Nothing In The Dark" were 4 episodes which left me a bit teary-eyed. Great story-telling and performances can do that. Thanks Walter.
I've always seen the ending as a happy one, I like that he snaps to his senses and is like "yeah let's go". Him being free is also just good
Why should he have had to come to his senses though? He wasn't hurting anybody and he was happier before she died.
@@misspriss2482 Well he was risking staying imprisoned forever to prove her humanity. The captain did the most drastic thing to show him that it's just programming. I think eleven months with the robot had made him lose sight of reality and seeing the wires and realized "oh yeah, she's not real." Sure it's a quick adjustment, but I think he's happier living on earth around real people.
It's reassuring when I read comments like these. I suspected most people in the comments would see the death of the robot as a tragedy. The shocking nature of the ending I suspected would shock most people enough on an emotional level that they wouldn't see it as a humanistic, positive thing. The emotional shock *is* the twist, but I suspect most people need that to remind themselves that she is a robot, and freedom is more important.
@@radiocoffee7700 Plus, if she had been real and if she had loved him, then she wouldn't have wanted him to be stuck like that, anyway.
Mattress Store I’ll take a fake husband . I’m 33 alone all I do is work hard to connect to ppl so robot would be awesome plus they won’t hurt u unless malfunction lol then run for ur life
"The Lonely"
We're ALL lonely here.
I really can’t wait to see tomorrow’s video.
Don't worry , we will have all the time in the world.
Yes, make sure that you equip yourself with PLENTY of reading glasses, just in case! 👓🤓😉
It's just not fair that we have to wait. Not fair at all.
Oh wait my eye sight isnt that bad I can read the big texts.
@@articusramos808 *eyeballs fall off from socket*
It is sad,,moving, and kind of amusing that Walter's reviews are fitting during the Coronavirus pandemic, so we can see how the Channel Awesome gang are affected ,well sort of, like this and Tamara in Sixteen Millimeter Shrine. It gives them some eerie weird ,,kind of sad, fun to do.
This is a good episode particularly Jean Marsh as Alicia. You can see a future well respected actress in that performance. One person suggested that he could have taken her disk or programming and reinserted Alicia's personality into another body but I guess that has a lot to do with how AI was programmed in the 50-60's.
Yeah that'd be cool if you guys did them all. I've watched the entire series a few times although it's been a few years. Keep up the good work guys. This is a great series and was a great idea!
This is one of my favorite episodes
Wow. This series is one of my favorites of all time. Jim is such a powerful mans believable actor too. Well done both of you!
Just want to give Jim a hug now
Ooo that was a very convincing final gasp from Jim 🥺
I think I'm starting to see why certain episodes are given that special intro and outtro. They're all revolved around the theme of isolation, just like the corresponding Twilight Zone episodes. I like that. That's really clever
This is my favorite of the early Twilight Zones. It made me question what is friendship or love, and is it possible to have those things with something not human. Than it leads to the more direct questions asked from the episode such as "what makes someone human?"
"SHE'S NOT A ROBUTT!"
She definitely has a nice robutt 😆
This is one of my favorites, it’s so deep and thought provoking
The robot is Jean Marsh who played Rose in Upstairs Downstairs. I never noticed that before.
Production crew: "Why don't we add more oil so it doesn't dry as fast."
Me: "It's 103° out, why not let them sweat?"
Fun fact, the robot played by Jean Marsh went on to star on the critically-acclaimed British hit TV series Upstairs, Downstairs(1971-1975).
She was also the evil sorceress Bavmorda in the 1988 film Willow.
And she was in Dr Who three times, including a short stint as a companion. She was also married to Dr Who (Jon Pertwee) at the time of filming The Lonely
Excellent writing and quality acting. I'm really liking this series.
one of my all time favorite episodes , really great concept for its time
I never watched this to begin with you’re helping me realize I should I definitely should
You should! Not all of them are great but there's a handful that just rip your heart out and then stomp on it.
Obviously yes. It's a classic for a reason.
Exactly what I felt. It's never really being put forward on TV here (France) but it looks like something every sci-fi lover should try and watch.
Even as a kid born in 74 this one moved me. I was often left with the TV as a babysitter and Twilight Zone reruns were a major staple. This one struck a chord as I hated that the fembot was ultimately destroyed which always upset me as a child. Always wished she had a happy ending and people wonder why we should fear “The Great Machine Uprising”.
Surprised you left out James' ending line after the captain's remark about leaving behind loneliness, James dejectedly comments that he wasn't lonely until they destroyed Alicia.
the light of that last shot is genius
As always, Walter, I find your work to be an exceedingly articulate and effective summation detailing the psychological intricacies and complexities that elevate this particular episode of The Twilight Zone. Conceptually, the imposition of protracted, unabated deprivation of company would be torturous for any individual to contend with, which is typically why such solitary punishment is relegated to only the most violently obstreperous of inmates. Even then, from my understanding, this form of retribution is still limited in duration for the sake of the criminal’s sanity, an appeasement that Mr. Corry is curiously denied. In a sense, such inhumane treatment of purported criminality, regardless of the temperament or behavior of the inmate, precipitates interesting discussions in itself, appertaining to the fairness of punishment and the extent of psychological torment that a government should be allowed to inflict upon its deviant populace.
The more evident of the elicited thematic conversations is centralized on the now popular quandary exploring the tenuity of the line between code emulating human behavior and humanity itself. The true constituent elements comprising a person remain nebulous and undefined, and this inability to definitively state what makes an autonomous human has since inspired deep, contemplative depictions in all forms of fictional media. Whether Alicia is capable of learning and developing legitimate feelings for her sole companion or is merely replicating the actions and opinions she witnesses is cleverly left open-ended, though, in a way, it’s also arguable in the end whether or not this question even matters at all. Alicia, regardless of what she was, human or machine, provided Corry with salvation from his loneliness and gave him the company and love that serviced him through his time of desperation and abject solitude.
Lovely episode, and always glad to see Jim featured in your work haha! Additionally, I love the closing commentary underlying Jim’s interrelations with “Felicia”, specifically, the alternate facet of excessive and demoralizing loneliness which, in a beleaguered mind, can manifest as projections or illusions of true humanity and suffice as company. This concept of falling in love with the conjuring of one’s over-wrought imagination and the consequential rumination over whether or not to persist living in this falsified but comforting fantasy could serve as an episode of The Twilight Zone itself. Beautiful job, and I can’t wait to keep discussing these emotionally and psychologically dense episodes with you!
Great analysis, Hayley! Thanks for speaking on Jim's descent into madness as well! Haha.
@@WalterCulture Haha thanks, Walter!
This is one of my favorite episodes, Jack Warden was so poignant in his loneliness and his loss. I cried at the end.
I understand where they were going with having Jim being so isolated that he uses his welding skills and the level of emotions he could show (which I agree was really something to watch at the end) but I can't help but think about his wife Joanna Kay. I was personally excited to see the two of them sitting side by side with each other at the end of the Trolls review. God bless them and the entire Channel Awesome crew supporting each other no matter what in these tough times
Damn! Everybody on this team is an excellent actor!
Can’t wait for the Purple Testament. My favorite episode.
I love these intros!
These skits are brilliant
I love this 1 in both concept and execution.
Agreed. Sometimes you need a ‘Wilson’ to battle loneliness.
That or a Internet connection.
Still interesting story about the location shot.
I didn't realize I needed Twilight-themed shorts about 2020.
Omg, is that one of those face-zappy masks from the commercials? That's hilarious!
6:42 John Dehner also made more appearances on TZ, most notable of which was his starring role in Mr. Garrity and the Graves.
He also starred in not so amazing, but starring role in The Jungle, one of the realistically scarriest episodes of TZ.
I love this series. Keep it up!
Oh God, I wish this series of reviews would never end. Hopefully itwill draw new attention to the legacy of the Twilight Zone, and the great debt modern films owe it.
And then we got bladerunner with exact same problem to raise : " can androids feel?" Such good episode
*"It's a robit."*
It's October 7th, and I only just realized why this series is called "The Twilight-tober Zone". I was scratching my head for a while.
I like that Channel Awesome is picking up the void that Monster Madness left behind, I guess James doesn't want to do October shorts anymore.
Really good job on the extra scene starring the channel awesome cast this time round👏
I always love watching Jim play crazy people or over the top roles. He's just really really good :D
I think I remember watching this!
Next time Time Enough At Last!
This episode is indeed a masterpiece, few shows nowadays would do that ending, specially in Anime.
This episode & "the exit" are the very best!
Many thanx 👍👍
Definitely a favourite of mine. Great story, interesting subject, good dialogue and a great ending. Love the cast, who really do a great job here. Have watched this particular episode over and over and still get caught up with it. It deals with so many issues on so many different levels.
Channel awesome dropping everything and only doing twilight zone episodes would be a twilight zone episode in itself
I thought Jim would create Felicia just so he could have his own personal chips dispenser.
You Go Walter ! You are the REAL NOSTALGIC CRITIC !!
I thought the ending insinuated that all the heartfelt dialogue between the protagonist and the robot was fabricated by his own mind.
Coupled with the phrase “I heard my own thoughts come from her”.
Which is better, in terms of plot and themes, not execution:
The Lonely? Or Bicentennial Man?
One says a robot is always a robot and will never be more; while the other says a machine can indeed become a man. Bicentennial Man even died for the privilege of being called a man, because his otherwise immortality was why they didn't want to allow him. The Lonely says, no matter what you want to believe, no matter how convincing the appearance, a machine cannot be a human.
You might also state that because Alicia acted and possibly felt and thought in a way so much similar to a human being's, she could have been considered human, whatever she was made of. If you come close enough to the real thing, who can say you're not it? Humans are made too.
To quote an Abridged series:
No! A man is a homo sapiens made of meat and blood, not cogs and coolant, and I'm going to assume a Hamster on a wheel.
His name is Hamburg.
I don’t think that’s what The Lonely said at all, I think its only statement was that the characters involved didn’t see her as “human”
It's all about free will, the Bicentenial man have free will, he choose to try to become human, Alicia is just a doll that will always do what human say.
@@22espec And how do you tell the difference?
I am loving these intros
People back then used to believe that humans could not endure loneliness. But now we know most people cannot stand most people and prefer to be alone haha
This is one of the episodes that only got me passively engaged until I got to the end when the emotions suddenly hit me like a freight train
This episode of famous for introducing two TZ legends, Jack Warden and John Dehner, who both made other memorable appearances in TZ.
This was one of my favorite episodes.
This is one of my favorite episodes of the twilight zone.
Huh, neat. RUclips says this video has "No Views"
So you're alone watching this
In isolation
Wow, just did the conversions so I can understand. 130 Fahrenheit is over 44 celcius! I've only been in this type of heat in the Middle East and it's not pleasant. 15 pounds is less than 7 kilos, about the weight of a small child. This was a favourite episode of mine. Of course we've never found anywhere in the universe so far where we're able to breathe, let alone send prisoners to. And I doubt we ever will. Would be such a huge distance from earth we'd never get there!
I totally agree the ambiguity of the robot sentience is key. Most authors approach it like Abrams does, just leave out something relavent to the plot. Twilight zone is brillient at this, ambiguity is key when done well.
Please please please do a Stop at Willoughby. Its such a depressingly beautiful episode
That’s episode number 30 so Walter will be doing it on October 30! I love that one so much.
I like how these are slowly getting longer
It just depends on whether or not there are skits. They aren't getting longer.
4:16 That was a really good robot voice they came up with when she first speaks. Has a click or pop.
7:55 - 8:08 -- Okay, everyone, say it with me now...
FELICIA: "Something."
I was positive that they would roll out a 'Bye, Felicia' at some point
I liked how you addressed the way they pronounced 'robot', haha
One of my favorite episodes, I was thinking about it just the other day! Weird.
A.I., Baby! I Knew That Was Jean Marsh Before You Said It & I Never Saw Her So Young! Now, I'll Have To Go Watch It! Thank You.
Right now
Don’t ever want to leave this place,
And right now,
see it in a different way.
So right now,
even if you take me on,
I'll stand, the lonely
Stand, the lonely...
So good.
All our live long, were born and reborn. Constantly hatching out of one egg into a bigger egg. Until finally, we either break out, and have a long wide view of the universe, or we give up and settle for just the view of the shell. And all the time guilt keeps snapping at our heels. Guilt that we're smashing the egg that sheltered us. ~ Lt. Dan Muldoon - The Naked City "Line of Duty" (1959)
Ooooooooohhhh....tomorrow is gonna be a BIIIIIIG one.
Too tier episode and set the tone for the series. John Dehner was such a good actor, and it was always nice seeing him in other TZ episodes as well as the Kolchak series in the 70’s.
9min video? YESSIRRR!!
This was such a powerful episode. The late, great Jack Warden was excellent in this. While the other seasons are mainly remembered for their shock value and surprises, which is fine, Season One was much more dramatic because it explored the complexities of the human psyche.
Jean Marsh was really beautiful in that episode.
Am I the only one that heard Walter catch himself trying not to laugh at the ending? 😆
You guys should also check the 1995 version of The Outer Limits. It was a sci fi oriented anthology ala twilight zone. And was quite the fantastic series on my opinion.
The ending is shocking but not a twist. Or did they intend for the audience to doubt that the woman was a robot?
How about this: instead the man is persuaded or forced to leave her behind and then the ending would reveal that she does have actual emotions and now she is going to be alone forever. I think that would make for a stronger ending.
It's shocking if analyzed from a 21st century perspective, but not so much from the '60s. I took a film class with a focus on AI/ Robotics which taught me something (shocker) about the disparity between people of my generation and Zoomers. The episode would be used in a class lecture about how misogynistic/ racist TW was. Then the ending would be highlighted, and the "radical thesis" (to which 85% of the class would emphatically agree) would be that the real ending should have had the men stay behind on the planet while the android left on the rocket ship. My humanistic outlook was the only one in the class, or at least I was the only one vocal enough to oppose the class consensus.
@@12ealDealOfficialwow...I can't believe anyone was dumb enough to think that. Well,.actually I can believe it, unfortunately.
I am going have to watch these episodes
Just imagine the impact of the scene if she was human not a 'robot'. "oh my god she was real.... but I don't understand! the man I got her from said se was a 'robot!'" than the captain is left behind alone for murder.