The Fugitive (Twilight Zone)
Encyclopedia
"The Fugitive" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
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. They are accompanied by Old Ben, a kindly, grandfatherly gentleman, whom the kids adore. When it is Old Ben's turn at bat, he knocks the ball out of sight, ending the game. They then decide to play "Spaceman", one of their favorite games. Old Ben, who usually plays the spaceman, suggests that Jenny play the visitor from outer space this time. Jenny declines, saying she can't make herself into as convincing a spaceman as Old Ben, so Old Ben assumes his customary role. He runs behind a huge tree to prepare.
When Old Ben emerges (looking like a nightmarish, shelled monster), the children "zap" him with pretend guns, and Old Ben's creation is dispatched to the next life. Old Ben then reappears from behind the tree and announces that the spaceman is gone, and the camera then pans to series host Rod Serling, who, while seated on a park bench, introduces this episode, noting that it combines science-fiction ("the improbable made possible") with fantasy ("the impossible made probable").
Old Ben carries Jenny home (she walks with a leg brace that restricts her movement), where Jenny lives with her unsympathetic aunt, Agnes Gann. As they approach the rowhouse, Ben causes his roller skates
to dematerialize. This is observed by two well-dressed men who are watching the house from across the street. From their reactions, the disappearance of the skates is not surprising.
The two strangers enter the apartment building and question Agnes about Ben. Agnes is not surprised, assuming the police are interested in Ben. She believes him to be of questionable character. Jenny, who has been sent to bed without supper for spending time with Old Ben, overhears the conversation and limps upstairs to his apartment to warn him about the two men. Old Ben reveals to Jenny that he is actually from another planet, a planet Jenny has never heard of and that his appearance is strictly a disguise. Old Ben decides that it is time for him to "skedaddle" again, but before departing he uses a strange device to heal Jenny's bad leg. The two strangers, noticing that Jenny is now walking around without her brace, hatch a scheme to make Jenny temporarily deathly ill, forcing Ben to return and save her.
With the men waiting, Old Ben explains to Jenny that he is not a criminal but the king
of his planet. He grew weary from the pressures of ruling his world, from having so much of his authority overridden by red tape
...and by "the Council", which evidently wields more power over said world than he does. Accordingly, Ben came to Earth for a self-authorized vacation. The strangers tell Jenny that Old Ben's people love him as much as she does; they want him to return and continue the remainder of his 5,000-year reign. Old Ben realizes that he must go back to his planet, but regrets that it would be against the rules for Jenny to go with him. Old Ben is granted a moment alone with Jenny to say goodbye after he promises not to run away.
Jenny comes up with a plan that will keep them together. She has Ben change himself into her identical twin. Since Old Ben's subjects are unable to tell them apart, they are forced to return with both of them.
At the end of the episode, host Rod Serling holds up an 8-by-10 black-and-white photograph of a handsome young man, noting that the photo shows Old Ben's true appearance and that when Jenny grows up, she will become his queen. There has been much speculation about the identity of the uncredited man in the photo.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
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Synopsis
The story opens at a public park, where a group of children are playing softballSoftball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
. They are accompanied by Old Ben, a kindly, grandfatherly gentleman, whom the kids adore. When it is Old Ben's turn at bat, he knocks the ball out of sight, ending the game. They then decide to play "Spaceman", one of their favorite games. Old Ben, who usually plays the spaceman, suggests that Jenny play the visitor from outer space this time. Jenny declines, saying she can't make herself into as convincing a spaceman as Old Ben, so Old Ben assumes his customary role. He runs behind a huge tree to prepare.
When Old Ben emerges (looking like a nightmarish, shelled monster), the children "zap" him with pretend guns, and Old Ben's creation is dispatched to the next life. Old Ben then reappears from behind the tree and announces that the spaceman is gone, and the camera then pans to series host Rod Serling, who, while seated on a park bench, introduces this episode, noting that it combines science-fiction ("the improbable made possible") with fantasy ("the impossible made probable").
Old Ben carries Jenny home (she walks with a leg brace that restricts her movement), where Jenny lives with her unsympathetic aunt, Agnes Gann. As they approach the rowhouse, Ben causes his roller skates
Roller skates
Roller skates are devices worn on the feet to enable the wearer to roll along on wheels. A first basic type of roller skate consists of a boot with four wheels with ball bearings, arranged in the same configuration as the wheels of a typical car.-History:...
to dematerialize. This is observed by two well-dressed men who are watching the house from across the street. From their reactions, the disappearance of the skates is not surprising.
The two strangers enter the apartment building and question Agnes about Ben. Agnes is not surprised, assuming the police are interested in Ben. She believes him to be of questionable character. Jenny, who has been sent to bed without supper for spending time with Old Ben, overhears the conversation and limps upstairs to his apartment to warn him about the two men. Old Ben reveals to Jenny that he is actually from another planet, a planet Jenny has never heard of and that his appearance is strictly a disguise. Old Ben decides that it is time for him to "skedaddle" again, but before departing he uses a strange device to heal Jenny's bad leg. The two strangers, noticing that Jenny is now walking around without her brace, hatch a scheme to make Jenny temporarily deathly ill, forcing Ben to return and save her.
With the men waiting, Old Ben explains to Jenny that he is not a criminal but the king
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of his planet. He grew weary from the pressures of ruling his world, from having so much of his authority overridden by red tape
Red tape
Red tape is excessive regulation or rigid conformity to formal rules that is considered redundant or bureaucratic and hinders or prevents action or decision-making...
...and by "the Council", which evidently wields more power over said world than he does. Accordingly, Ben came to Earth for a self-authorized vacation. The strangers tell Jenny that Old Ben's people love him as much as she does; they want him to return and continue the remainder of his 5,000-year reign. Old Ben realizes that he must go back to his planet, but regrets that it would be against the rules for Jenny to go with him. Old Ben is granted a moment alone with Jenny to say goodbye after he promises not to run away.
Jenny comes up with a plan that will keep them together. She has Ben change himself into her identical twin. Since Old Ben's subjects are unable to tell them apart, they are forced to return with both of them.
At the end of the episode, host Rod Serling holds up an 8-by-10 black-and-white photograph of a handsome young man, noting that the photo shows Old Ben's true appearance and that when Jenny grows up, she will become his queen. There has been much speculation about the identity of the uncredited man in the photo.