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The Twilight Zone

The Obsolete Man

Season 2, Episode 29, Aired 6/2/61

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Episode Summary

In a future state where religion and books have been banned, a librarian is judged obsolete and sentenced to death.

8.3

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Cast & Crew

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Rod Serling

Narrator/Host
Burgess Meredith

Romney Wordsworth
Fritz Weaver

Chancellor

Fan Episode Reviews (8)

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warmed-over Ray Bradbury

3.0

"Bad"

By OmarCayenne, Oct 08, 2011 Report Abuse

A front-runner for the series' worst episode: strident and overdone, obvious at every turn. Like Bradbury at his most annoyingly preachy, only of course made even more overbearing by Serling's cantankerous outlook. And once again I've got somebody on TV telling me how wonderful books are. People actually liked this one?! lol

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0 1
Great concept but not a great episode

6.5

"Fair"

By johtob, Nov 24, 2010 Report Abuse

I found this episode tried to pull off a great idea for a story but did not have adequate time to do it justice. I found the acting and dialogue of the chancellor to be way over the top in getting the audience to see how utterly evil he and the state was. I understand this was a half hour show but it just felt quite unbelievable at times and corny. I am a huge fan of the show regardless and there are many that I love with only seeing the first two seasons so far. I find that the episodes I'm not as crazy about are mostly like this one. Great ideas that are so two dimensional (good vs evil etc) due to time and the need to push the plot forward.moreless

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A librarian is deemed obsolete.

10

"Perfect"

By NoahGoucher, Jul 06, 2009 Report Abuse

I loved it. Loved it loved it loved it. As a lover of books, Wordsworth is my kind of hero, comparable to Henry Bemis in Time Enough At Last (also played by Meredith). It even pleases me more to hear Wordsworth calmly reading his Bible while locked in. While most bible-readers are portrayed negatively or as too preachy, Meredith is the kind of guy who can read the Bible aloud, knowing he will die, and knowing the Chancellor can't stop him anymore. Serling's stories about fascism deliver, and this is one of the best (ranked under One for the Angels, Miniature and Deaths-Head Revisited).moreless

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1 0
Burgess Meredith finds his way to the twilight zone again this time as a librarian who has no purpose in the future.

9.5

"Superb"

By kurtysskasten9, Jan 01, 2007 Report Abuse

Definitely one of the best lessons to be taught by a twilight zone episode. Reminds me of a mix between farenheit 451, V for Vendetta and 1984, giving that impression that the government feels like the only way to give the people happiness is to control every action. Meredith is great for the part, and plays a character similar to Henry Bemis in "Time Enough at Last," with his love for books. Classic representation of the ever present fear of the uncertainty of the future that we see in many twilight zone episodes, and really makes you wonder about how far is too far when it comes to government control.moreless

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An amazing commentary on society's judgement of others.

9.6

"Superb"

By marysuperfly, Jan 01, 2007 Report Abuse

Rod Serling has once again played on society's need to judge others and search for the perfect world. As a book person who sees the world quickly moving towards a place that deems literature as obsolete, I find this episode somewhat realistic. Scary, but realistic.

I like the obsolete man's ability to pull the Chancellor in to his own world and force him to feel the panic of an upcoming death that cannot be prevented. Because this official of the state shows his cowardice, he, in turn, becomes obsolete. This only proves that no one is safe.

Yet another fine episode.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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Notes
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- The second of Fritz Weaver's two appearances on the original Twilight Zone. He would later go on to appear in the 1985 Twilight Zone episode "The Star," one of the few actors in the original series to do so. Edit
- Included on volume 13 of Image-Entertainment's DVD collection. Edit
Quotes
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- Wordsworth: There is a God! Chancellor: You are in error, Mr. Wordsworth. There is no God! The State has proven that there is no God! Wordsworth: You cannot erase God with an edict! Chancellor: You are obsolete, Mr. Wordsworth. Wordsworth: A lie! No man is obsolete. Chancellor: You have no function, Mr. Wordsworth. You're an anachronism, like a ghost from another time. Wordsworth: I am nothing more than a reminder to you that you cannot destroy truth by burning pages. Chancellor: You're a bug, Mr. Wordsworth! A crawling insect. An ugly, misinformed little creature who has no purpose here, no meaning. Wordsworth: I am a human being! Chancellor: You're a librarian, Mr. Wordsworth! You're a dealer in books and two cent fines and pamphlets and closed stacks and the musty insides of a language factory that spews out meaningless words on an assembly line. Words, Mr. Wordsworth, that have no substance and no dimension, like air, like the wind, like a vacuum that you make-believe has an existence by scribbling index numbers on little cards. Wordsworth: I don't care. I tell you I don't care. I'm a human being. I exist! And if I speak one thought aloud, that thought lives! Even after I'm shoveled into my grave. Edit
- Chancellor: It's not unusual that we televise executions. It has an... educative effect on the citizens. Woodsworth: I have no doubt. Edit
- Subaltern: Stand where you are. No further. You have been removed from office. The field investigators have declared you obsolete. Chancellor: Obsolete? Subaltern: You have disgraced the State. You have proven yourself a coward. You have, therefore, no function. You are obsolete! Edit
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