The Twilight Zone: The Obsolete Man

When The Shift released in theaters, some critics were scandalized by the very notion of Evangelical science fiction. Yet, some of the best science fiction of all-time has been shaped by Christian faith, including novels by C.S. Lewis, Madeleine L’Engle, Gene Wolfe, and Walter M. Miller Jr. Viewers could also see legit Christian-themed sf during the Golden Age of Television, including “The Bitter Storm” episode of Tales of Tomorrow. However, one of the greatest examples came from an unimpeachable liberal, Rod Serling, who wrote “The Obsolete Man,” one of the best episodes of The Twilight Zone, which airs tomorrow as part of SyFy’s annual Twilight Zone New Year’s marathon.

Before “Time Enough at Last” (the post-apocalyptic tale of the bibliophile who breaks his glasses) Burgess Meredith starred as Romney Wordsworth, a former librarian who has been declared “obsolete” now that books are illegal. After a nearly two-year investigation, he has been sentenced to death, but he is granted permission to choose the particulars.

Even during his initial hearing, Wordsworth directly invokes his faith in a Christian God, whereas the Chancellor openly expresses admiration for Hitler and Stalin. Later in the episode, Wordsworth invites the militantly atheist Chancellor to visit him during his final moments, to listen to him read the Psalms. That was not what the Chancellor had in mind, but Wordsworth turns the tables on him, thanks in part to his carpentry skills. Get the significance—he is also a carpenter.

“The Obsolete Man” is one of the most under-appreciated Twilight Zone episodes and one of the greatest dystopian science fiction productions of any length. Meredith is genuinely inspiring as Wordsworth and Fritz Weaver perfectly channels the mindset of statist extremists. As the Chancellor grows more desperate, he truly shows the oppressive bully to be a coward at heart.

This episode, directed Elliot Silverstein (who also helmed Cat Ballou and A Man Called Horse), makes a virtue of its limited sets, using techniques reminiscent of German Expressionism to create a very dystopian-looking world. The expressionistic approach extends to the highly symbolic climax, which almost has the vibe of modern dance—yet it works brilliantly.

By any criteria, “The Obsolete Man” is terrific television. It is also inescapably Christian-themed. For the liberal Serling, there was no greater threat to totalitarianism and hatred than Judeo-Christian values. That is why this episode still has such impact, sixty-plus years after its premiere. Very, very highly recommended, “The Obsolete Man” airs Sunday morning (12/31) on SyFy (and it streams on Paramount+).