Ep 2. They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar/The Last Laurel

Rod Serling's Night Gallery was an American anthology series that aired in the early 1970s. Each episode was introduced by Rod Serling, best known for his work on The Twilight Zone, and featured macabre and supernatural tales often with a twist ending. Season 1 Episode 2 of the Night Gallery originally aired in a two-story format containing the segments "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" and "The Last Laurel." Below is a description of these two distinct yet thematically connected stories:

They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar: In this poignant and deeply human story, viewers are introduced to Randy Lane, a sales executive approaching the twilight of his career and life with a mix of bitterness and nostalgia. Haunted by his past successes and failures, Lane is a man who feels increasingly adrift in a world that no longer seems to have a place for him. As Randy grapples with his obsolescence and the prospects of a future that appear bleak and uninspiring, he finds himself drawn to a place that was once the symbol of his happier days: Tim Riley's Bar.

The bar, now decrepit and earmarked for demolition, stands as a tangible remainder of Randy's youth and the friendships and dreams he had during what he considers the best period of his life. As Randy peers through the dusty windows and the musty aisles of the establishment, he is overcome by vivid memories and the ghosts of his past. The bar's fate serves as a stark metaphor for Randy's own fear of being discarded and forgotten.

This segment of the episode weaves a tale of the inevitable passage of time and the longing for the past, raising eternal questions about the significance of memory and the pain of losing the touchstones that help define us. The story deftly explores the themes of legacy, loss, and the need for understanding in the autumnal seasons of our lives.

The Last Laurel: The thrilling counterpart to the melancholic reflections in the first segment, "The Last Laurel" introduces viewers to a very different kind of protagonist. Here, the tale delves into the supernatural, drawing back the curtain to reveal a darker side of human ambition.

This time, the audience is thrust into the world of Marius Davis, a once-champion athlete whose body has been ravaged by time and injury, leaving his glory days as a distant memory. Desperate to reclaim his status and lost vitality, Davis discovers a mystical way to release his spirit from his physical constraints, an occult ability that allows him to roam free and enact his will upon the world.

With his newfound power, Davis sets out to satisfy his hunger for competition and victory, targeting his youthful rival. But as he becomes obsessed with this otherworldly talent, the line between his desires and the consequences they bring begins to blur. The story spirals into a chilling examination of the lengths to which a man will go to maintain his pride and his status, even at the cost of his soul.

The narrative weaves suspense and the supernatural to probe the dark corners of ambition, envy, and the perils of a relentless drive to cling to a once-spectacular identity. Davis' manipulation of the metaphysical forces at his disposal serves as an allegory for the pitfalls of playing god and the destructive nature of living in the past.

Both segments of this Night Gallery episode, while divergent in tone and approach, connect through their exploration of themes concerning time, memory, and identity. "They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar" offers viewers a somber reflection on aging and the value placed on people and the places that hold our dearest memories, while "The Last Laurel" takes on a more fantastical and cautionary tone, speaking to the adversities of mortal pride and the dangerous gamble with the unnatural.

As the credits roll on the episode, individuals are left to ponder the value of their personal sanctuaries, the pitfalls of dwelling on former grandeur, and the cost of chasing lost glories at any price. These stories, penned with the hallmark craftsmanship that is a signature of Rod Serling's works, continue to provoke and challenge audiences, standing as timeless parables of human nature.