Ep 17. One More Pallbearer

In The Twilight Zone season 3 episode 17, entitled "One More Pallbearer," we meet Paul Radin, a wealthy and powerful man who enjoys manipulating those around him. Radin harbors a grudge against three people who he feels have wronged him in the past, and he decides to exact revenge on them by constructing an elaborate scheme.

Radin invites his three enemies, a physics professor, a journalist, and a military officer, to a private bunker that he has built beneath a cemetery. He tells them that they are there to witness a nuclear warhead that he has provided to the government, and that they must choose one of them to be the sole survivor of the impending nuclear attack.

However, as the night wears on, it becomes clear that there may not be a warhead at all. Radin's plan is revealed to be a cruel and elaborate ruse, designed to humiliate and torture his enemies for his own amusement. As tensions rise and the bunker descends into chaos, Radin is forced to confront the true depths of his own cruelty and the consequences of his actions.

With its powerful themes of revenge, power, and man's darker nature, "One More Pallbearer" remains a haunting and thought-provoking entry into The Twilight Zone's rich and varied collection of episodes. Featuring strong performances from the cast and stunning cinematography, this episode is a stark reminder of the dangers of cruelty and the need for compassion and understanding in an increasingly complex world.

As with many episodes of The Twilight Zone, "One More Pallbearer" raises more questions than it answers. What drives Radin to such extremes of behavior? What do his three victims truly represent, and what is the nature of their past transgressions against him? And in the end, can Radin truly face the consequences of his actions and find redemption in the face of his own monstrousness?

Ultimately, "One More Pallbearer" asks us to confront the darker parts of our own selves -the parts that revel in cruelty, that seek power over others, and that are driven by a sense of vengeance. By doing so, it challenges us to be better and to seek compassion and empathy for all people, even those we may perceive as our enemies. In the age of modern political divisiveness and social instability, this is a lesson that remains as relevant and profound as it was when this episode first aired in 1962.