Twilight Zone - A Small Talent For War

When an alien visitor tells delegates at the United Nations that humanity will be exterminated because it has "a small talent for war," the countries of the world struggle to forge a disarmament treaty before the visitor's deadline.

[@dingus_khan_4204]

"In your hearts, you long for peace" is probably the most true and tragic line ever written

[@raksh9]

The 80s Twilight Zone had some real gems. This is one of them.

[@drindy5166]

💯% I miss this series... some episodes were written by truly genius talent.

[@raksh9]

@@drindy5166 When you look back at the list of writers for this show, it's surprising to see how many big names in horror and fantasy were involved. Stephen King, Robert McCammon, Richard (I Am Legend) Matheson, among others.

[@drindy5166]

@@raksh9 no kidding eh! That is awesome, explains a lot really! 👊🧡👍

[@raksh9]

@@drindy5166 Definitely! Check out the episode list for the 80s series on Wikipedia, it lists all the writers for the stories. It will give you even more appreciation for the show. Which reminds me, I need to watch it again!

[@drindy5166]

@@raksh9 goiny by memory here but, one of my favorite episodes was something along the lines of "the devils alphabet".

[@jt7638]

John Glover did an incredible job in this role. The glint in his eye, the smirk when he gets the treaty. His sass and ambiguous wording. What fun!

[@HarrisO.R8]

I agree!!...John Glover is always good....but, I'd like to know how they manipulated his voice when recorded it almost sounds like a voice over.....one thing for sure, he shot the piece and talked normally...then made a separate recording afterwards , then overlap it on to the show.

[@joegiu5575]

@@HarrisO.R8 Double tracking to make the voice sound richer and deeper.

[@HarrisO.R8]

@@joegiu5575 ..thanks...quick note..I don't know if you seen a movie called "children shouldn't play with dead things"... But before he died Bob Clark was working on a remake...and I thought..only John Glover could play the director..(the Alan Ormsby role)...if you know the movie I'm sure you'd agree.

[@feellucky271]

@@joegiu5575 I thought he looked like the love child of David Byrne of the talking heads and Rick Ocasek of the Cars with the big suit and it being all shiny. The hair just a general look of him his hair and the big shiny suit. Good show

[@joserizal9845]

the shoulder pads didnt work for me

[@arkhitekt7733]

When bartering for your existence, please be certain of the terms and their meaning...

[@stvdagger8074]

Be especially wary of Aliens who say that they wish to serve mankind!

[@summer20105707]

@@stvdagger8074 Serve us to whom and for what?

[@stvdagger8074]

@@summer20105707 For the answer see kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHrYl3-Ipa-MpKs

[@summer20105707]

@@stvdagger8074 I kind of figured that one out. Its like the book Childhoods end.

[@AntonyThorburn]

common law, maritime law, birth cetifacate.... do do some dilligence????

[@socksumi]

"...the nuclear balance of terror which precludes any real victory and we despair". This line was the give away. Consider it's meaning carefully. He was looking for one side to be victors.

[@emansnas]

Hmm... Gotta wonder which side that was don't ya.

[@T.image79]

@@emansnas Well, he very clearly had an American accent.

[@emansnas]

@@T.image79 And he synthesized in English. Nothing very subtle about his wicked perverse sense of humor though. Real 'mover and shaker' that guy. Hmm....

[@donelion6459]

More like dead giveaway all things considered.

[@odysseusrex5908]

I've also often wondered, if he didn't like our, "Petty bickering over borders," what do his people fight about?

[@HariSeldon913]

"The universe is not fair. And don't call me Shirley!"

[@patrickthomas8890]

Hahahaha

[@modman287]

That fade to black ending legit made me freeze in place with chills for 10 seconds

[@351cleavland]

I can't tell you the number of times I've entered a room and declared, "People of Earth, Attend my words!"

[@adamgardiner5869]

Nice. Lol!

[@djquinn11]

You might get away with that in Cleavland but here in Detroit it just falls on deaf ears...

[@alvexok5523]

When I was a kid, I also knew a kid who'd enter a room and say that. This short episode is quite similar to original Twilight zone series episode "To serve man", with the bigger weird looking alien appearing at a United Nations meeting to stir things up.

[@750suzuki]

@@djquinn11 Deafened by gunfire?

[@davekirkpatrick5724]

wasn’t it “People of the Earth”?

[@pt6guy27]

The dude looked like a cross between David Bowie and Herman Munster.

[@gui18bif]

A young Gary numan

[@AdamF8]

@@gui18bif wait its really gary numan?! Holy crap i cant believe i didnt notice

[@terrypetersen2970]

It's John Glover from Smallville.

[@matthewjohnfoley1357]

And Christian bale

[@orsibob]

Pretty sure it's the guy who played the weaselly "LA Slime Ball" in Scrooged

[@Erin-Thor]

I can still remember seeing this as a kid, and the final line... the delivery and setup was excellent! Our entire family was floored by that plot twist! Excellent episode!

[@bensoliman8326]

I'm curious as to when it was aired?

[@jackmorgan8931]

@@bensoliman8326 If Wikipedia is correct, it was January 24, 1986.

[@ManBolo5432]

The narrator line? Or the Edward Wim quote?

[@Erin-Thor]

@@ManBolo5432 the explanation at the end, what he meant by a small talent for war.

[@vxy357]

@@bensoliman8326 It was around 1983-1984. the Cold war was a hot topic back then.

[@metaldad1967]

I was expecting a remade "To Serve Man", but this is just as ironic

[@metaldad1967]

@Alan Smithee with a side of fries 🍟

[@clintonr9804]

It's a cookbook!

[@curtisberard7831]

I figured the irony was going to be the disarmament was going to leave earth wide open for an invasion. Shocking twist!

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

MossadDeUkraine 0:11 not by Deception Deceptive Trade Practices MerchantO'venice IrishTraveler Fooling AnyOne , 0:11 a ukraineMossad doing bad Russian accent as southern drawl or UK accent , BobbyJindal BrownUniv. Acting School Better uhm ... drawl fake Trustable GoodOl'boy accents or UK Royale

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

Alien Says Observe The Blood DeMoons 2:11

[@Chairmangoodchild]

Short, and to the point. If it were 25 minutes long, it would have been a shaggy dog story, but they did it in 8, which was the exact right amount of time needed. Excellent. I really like this one.

[@THE-HammerMan]

This episode honored the true genius of Rod Serling with a tale worthy of having been an original episode! Excellently written!

[@nataliaturner4845]

Yeah this one sticks with me like the originals did! It's terrifying, but the reflection at the end leaves you with a sense of hope (reminds me of Aesop's fables, too, come to think of it :)

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

but 6:04 if they have mobsterKlingon ukrainians can be savage as kardashians and The Situation , but what is IQ? going to be higher in Russians BlonDish & nice , see Russians Encyclopdia Says They have the Highests number of PhDs and Test Scores Percentage wise & People with at least a Bachelor Level Degree , but Look how wimpy they fight & wimpy Tactics , if I in Charge Of Russia Or At Least Head Of war Dept. Div. That'd be Totally Different but I Advanced Elite Military Martian Sorta Look Like him but Tall BlonDish Big Cat Angel Lion Germanic Like , And I Cloned MySelf

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

MossadDeUkraine 0:11 not by Deception Deceptive Trade Practices MerchantO'venice IrishTraveler Fooling AnyOne , 0:11 a ukraineMossad doing bad Russian accent as southern drawl or UK accent , BobbyJindal BrownUniv. Acting School Better uhm ... drawl fake Trustable GoodOl'boy accents or UK Royale

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

Alien Says Observe The Blood DeMoons 2:11

[@everready19373]

I remember watching this on TV. What a brilliant episode.

[@82fdny97]

And as a kid I didn't get it

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

MossadDeUkraine 0:11 not by Deception Deceptive Trade Practices MerchantO'venice IrishTraveler Fooling AnyOne , 0:11 a ukraineMossad doing bad Russian accent as southern drawl or UK accent , BobbyJindal BrownUniv. Acting School Better uhm ... drawl fake Trustable GoodOl'boy accents or UK Royale

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

Alien Says Observe The Blood DeMoons 2:11

[@82fdny97]

@@kittylionmeowroar7572 ????

[@jt7638]

What a touching piece. I thought it quite beautiful how proud everyone was when they crafted a historic agreement to craft world peace. "Good luck to us my friend, good luck to us all."

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

MossadDeUkraine 0:11 not by Deception Deceptive Trade Practices MerchantO'venice IrishTraveler Fooling AnyOne , 0:11 a ukraineMossad doing bad Russian accent as southern drawl or UK accent , BobbyJindal BrownUniv. Acting School Better uhm ... drawl fake Trustable GoodOl'boy accents or UK Royale

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

Alien Says Observe The Blood DeMoons 2:11

[@bjorn.sandenstein]

@@demoessadderodentia5599 you are an extremely deranged and highly schizophrenic *person,* if you can still be called that

[@TheKurgain]

​@kittylionmeowroar7572 can you elaborate?

[@zonesquestiloveunderworld]

​@@kittylionmeowroar7572I feel genuine sorrow for you. Losing contact with reality and being unable to distinguish which is which, is tantamount to a waking nightmare or a living hell. And I mean that, I really do. I hope you can find peace someday. But you won't find it by indulging your paranoia.

[@YearOfCam]

6:24 - "I THINK YOU HAVE MISUNDERSTOOD ME" = creepiest line on television!

[@jasonsmith4330]

I'd been told about this clip and despite that it was so well done it was still a thrill to watch. It speaks well of war and peace, and to the fantasy that alien visitors will have achieved a superior culture just because they've got superior technology.

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

MossadDeUkraine 0:11 not by Deception Deceptive Trade Practices MerchantO'venice IrishTraveler Fooling AnyOne , 0:11 a ukraineMossad doing bad Russian accent as southern drawl or UK accent , BobbyJindal BrownUniv. Acting School Better uhm ... drawl fake Trustable GoodOl'boy accents or UK Royale

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

Alien Says Observe The Blood DeMoons 2:11

[@phuckweed]

​@@dr2599I think it's the aliens trying to communicate with us 😂

[@jeffreysiegel9125]

"If we are pawns of dark powers, then even our highest aspirations become a grim joke... But if not, then noone will goad us toward world peace, or take it away once we achieve it. Doubters please note: You've just seen it achieved once, however briefly...in The Twilight Zone." Thank You Rod Serling!

[@phuckweed]

​@@dr2599and making those clear and concise points under everyone's comments 🙄

[@summer20105707]

I remember this episode well. This was shocking since we assumed they were peaceful as we are attempting to become. The lesson is NEVER assume anything regarding those you know nothing about.

[@zs9652]

Tbh it makes sense in the end too. Why would a super peaceful civilization want to make a whole planet go extinct instead of fixing the problem/guiding us. In hindsight the aliens obviously had warmongerer morals.

[@hybrid5568]

This segment opened my brain to look between the lines and learn deeper.

[@AaaAaa-ly3on]

@@zs9652 Well, the very familiar hand salute when alien disappeared was kinda giveaway... ;)

[@stephen1340c]

@@zs9652 Makes sense. That's true.

[@toomanyaccounts]

@@zs9652 they were looking for foot soldiers

[@fr-tigerfangs7039]

A small talent for war... The whole episode is about jumping to conclusions based on how we personally interpret things. A rephrasing of what the Alien said would have made them understood what he really meant. The end would have been the same, with the annihilation of the planet, but hey, at least, humanking would not have looked so stupid! Great episode!!

[@SeraphSeph]

Actually if they thought like the Russians the aliens may have been impressed and not killed us. They *wanted* us to be hostile.

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

MossadDeUkraine 0:11 not by Deception Deceptive Trade Practices MerchantO'venice IrishTraveler Fooling AnyOne , 0:11 a ukraineMossad doing bad Russian accent as southern drawl or UK accent , BobbyJindal BrownUniv. Acting School Better uhm ... drawl fake Trustable GoodOl'boy accents or UK Royale

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

Alien Says Observe The Blood DeMoons 2:11

[@corwinzelazney5312]

@@demoessadderodentia5599 are you on something?

[@HighMojo]

One of the best and most memorable TZ episodes. The lesson taught by this episode has stuck with me for decades. It is easy to misconstrue the other party's intentions if they remain ambiguous about what they really want if they couch their language in equivocal terms, which is why the best course of action in such situations including the situation dramatized in this episode is to ask bluntly for their intended objectives.

[@hueyfreeman9297]

I’m the same way with women!

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

MossadDeUkraine 0:11 not by Deception Deceptive Trade Practices MerchantO'venice IrishTraveler Fooling AnyOne , 0:11 a ukraineMossad doing bad Russian accent as southern drawl or UK accent , BobbyJindal BrownUniv. Acting School Better uhm ... drawl fake Trustable GoodOl'boy accents or UK Royale

[@kittylionmeowroar7572]

Alien Says Observe The Blood DeMoons 2:11

[@BigBangBBT]

​@@hueyfreeman9297😂😂😂

[@MPDeventer]

How 8 minutes can be so memorable Last saw this 30 years ago, now and then had to think about it during that period.

[@Neptun776]

same here.. remarkable short episode.. the alien actor is cool

[@davidbrogan606]

What a bunch of crap.

[@lisa1162]

This was is one of my favorite episodes, and it would pop up in my head from time to time in the last 30+ years.

[@quantumskywalker6888]

Sometimes memories can be muddled. Not in this case, for me. I've watched this only once back then and all these years later I realized I still remembered the alien's look, his voice, laugh and the line "I think you have misunderstood me". Weird! :)

[@plugs313]

When I saw this on KZbin, I thought ''No way!'' I also remember seeing this years and years ago and it was burned in my mind, thinking about it every once in a while all this time and now, seeing it again... well... WOW!

[@DarthCipient]

That alien later visited the Klingon homeworld, and they killed him.

[@dahakaguardianofthetimelin4780]

Worf tries charging at cheaply made alien man. Alien steps aside, making Worf flip and trip over himself, slamming through every table in the room before throwing himself off balance and out the airlock. Alien: "This creature's potential appears to be limited by the very fabric of the reality he inhibits. His talent for victory may very well be the smallest I have seen." Worf: "Your sidesteps have no honor!"

[@altha-rf1et]

They went to Ferengie Home world, he was robbed

[@XX-sp3tt]

Canon. :-)

[@XX-sp3tt]

Pull out disruptor and shoots alien.

[@louistournas120]

Then he went to the Borg. He was rejected. He has nothing worth accumulating.

[@AllisterCooper2008]

The aliens later changed their mind, so that ambassador walked around the city, was smitten with an attractive local lady, and returned home. A year later, Derek Zoolander was born.

[@chillinlee]

So I guess the aliens weren't impressed with Monochrome computer screens and dot matrix printouts. Can't blame them.

[@freeidiot]

Possibly our folks used something like Comic Sans font and hence the invasion:).

[@jonathanbradshaw2293]

"We've been debating this for centuries" "Give us one more day to change your mind" "Yeah ok then whatever"

[@anthonyevans535]

Why do you want to kill your own children??

[@johnmilius3031]

@@anthonyevans535 Look up the ancient Spartans.

[@TheIrishRushin]

He should have asked for another 100 years. Seriously it may have worked.

[@TheIrishRushin]

except for the part where in 100 years the result is the same.

[@yanasitta]

That's some big brain negotiating, one day.

[@jamescarter3196]

John Glover, the alien representative, was excellent as Lionel Luthor on ‘Smallville’.

[@williamw422]

He is excellent in most of his roles but this episode is what made me notice him.

[@louis-alexandregregoire-sa5361]

I love science fiction. I love horror. The two of them in this work of art is brilliant. Thank you to the writers.

[@paulhammersley4562]

the UN working together, ,, i couldn't stop laughing,

[@joeyjamison5772]

Yeah, that was the real joke!

[@goshen574]

Ah yes...trump supporters....we need the absurd to keep us entertained....keep up the great work, because I need the laugh

[@thatguybehindtheglass]

@youareonthetube1 This concludes your regularly scheduled ravings of a madman.

[@troywright359]

American saying to not think with their guns, I couldn't stop laughing.

[@paulht3251]

PAUL HAMMERSLEY did the United States fill the peace agreement with political pork 🤭🤔

[@1969apophis]

Thank you for sharing this episode..I saw this many years ago and it was a emotionally disturbing episode...but one of my favorites from this series...

[@nataliaturner4845]

Yeah, I can't say I truly like this one so much, only for the fact that so many people actually subscribe to some conspiracy-version of this premise in rl, which I find equal parts maddening & depressing. But as a thought experiment or commentary on our capacity & deepest desire for world peace, I can appreciate it. This is one of the newer episodes that stand out w/the best of the originals to me.

[@JamesSavik]

I miss shows like the Twilight Zone: short dramatic plays as opposed to shit comms and unreality shows. Truly, television has DEVOLVED to its shittiest incarnation.

[@Danae78]

Exactly..but that's why I've turn to good anime for an alternative.

[@hadara69]

Creepshow tv series coming next year from Nicotero, of "The Walking Dead". Should be creepy! ;)

[@1life744]

I agree

[@waitwhatrly]

Black Mirror is worth a shot, Preacher too

[@davidb5205]

So we're just going to pretend like the 1950's and 1960's didn't have utterly dull and cloying sitcoms like "Leave It to Beaver" or shows about magic/witches/vampires like "I Dream of Jeannie" and "The Munsters" If you wish to find a modern day Twilight Zone, it's called BLACK MIRROR and it's quite good.

[@MissMarinaCapri]

Interesting plot twist, I remember seeing this on my parents cathode ray tube console TV set when it first aired in New York City broadcast television. Moral of the story, never assume others meaning, never judge a book by its cover. Learn to think outside the box of our mindset.

[@maylinkllcdonotuse6541]

6:03 when your class turns in the project but the teacher was going to fail you either way

[@odysseusrex5908]

"It is absurd! How do we know you can do it?" "You'll find out tomorrow."

[@coachhannah2403]

"Why would we care what you think?"

[@Daniel-sh3os]

What we have here is a failure to communicate!

[@shafiquezaman256]

Is that a line from, cool hand Luke?.

[@Daniel-sh3os]

@@shafiquezaman256 Dropping a line from Cool Hand Luke, here, BOSS.

[@shafiquezaman256]

@@Daniel-sh3os I'll be good Boss. Great film.

[@Daniel-sh3os]

@@shafiquezaman256 Great Film. I could of seen James Dean playing Luke if he had lived, although I think Paul Newman did a great job with the role.

[@starguy2718]

Lucille, washing her car.

[@iL_Mio_Nome_e_Nessuno]

You know the real question here should be.. if they have aaaall this technology and resources then who or what are they are trying to fight against?

[@terrywilder9]

In-laws

[@mikewilliams258]

Valami Izé The word is "then".

[@rxonmymind8362]

Time to kill some ahlien's. (Inglorious bastards. )

[@macheleon]

Anyone in their way to domination.

[@klopez7080]

It's a form of entertainment for them.

[@CaesarInVa]

To the representative of the USSR, who demands proof that the alien's possess the technological capability to end life on Earth: I'm pretty much thinking that anyone or anything that can materialize and dematerialize at will pretty much has the technology to make life on Earth, at the very least, very uncomfortable.

[@Yawehplaneswalker616]

If you can travel across the stars and teleport you have enough energy on your ships to boil the oceans.

[@terryhawkins8191]

Yawehplaneswalker616 EXACTLY !!👍👍

[@chrisbrown5073]

Had a very similar discussion with my mother several years ago, when we experienced, shall we say an ‘incident’, she tried to out drive it, wasn’t very. Impressed when I explained that if somebody can travel across time and space, then her car isn’t going to do a lot to save her ! Years later she has finally realized her panicked actions, although perfectly natural, were futile , and denied herself the answer to probably the greatest question of all

[@mauricegilliam7102]

It might b a magic trick.

[@michaelreynolds9802]

@@Yawehplaneswalker616 not really.

[@MynameisBrianZX]

I love how the alien has sass.

[@lessevdoolbretsim]

Gaylien

[@ytlongbeach]

Yes, a respectable level of sass !!!

[@shilohstore6086]

I cannot tell you the way that this stuck with me it lives rent-free in my head for decades and decades now

[@newguy90]

The lesson of this Twilight Zone episode is to always be true to yourself.

[@kevinlane1219]

But they were; the ambassador said they wanted peace, and they achieved it. I think the reason lesson is be prepared to join forces with someone and fight alongside them, should the need ever arise.

[@sn00ke]

If I were a powerful alien, I'd just go around pranking civilizations with pretend extinction

[@Gigatless]

That's why you aren't one

[@markdemell8056]

You need help pal!

[@Grey_Shard]

That was the plotline of the first half of the book "Illegal Aliens" by Phil Foglio.

[@Ixions]

That's the lie every eight year old with a magnifying glass tells themselves. Power corrupts

[@Ronin1977-v6l]

then you are not powerful at all, but a stupid one

[@missouribob7850]

This was a good episode. I like how everyone is laughing along with the alien without quiet knowing why.

[@joegiu5575]

love the oh sh-- moment

[@massudddecat7449]

nervous laugh as My Momma used to Say 😂

[@Simon-iy7mt]

Quite

[@carmelaszymanski8232]

This reminds me of HOW To Serve Man

[@carlo1831]

Redrum Sauteed is good too :D

[@randyhutchinson9910]

Carmela Szymanski that was a good story

[@jimster46]

To serve man not HOW to serve man

[@rxonmymind8362]

Soylent Green.

[@Streamwalker1000]

Yes, very similar theme....

[@Crambo90ify]

When you think you're so clever and then stumble upon an old Twilight Zone episode.

[@firebird6522]

He gives one small clue as to his real intentions at 1:30. Careful listeners will note the way he phrases this: "... and the nuclear balance of terror which precludes any real victory..." He doesn't say peace, he says victory. A clue to his ultimate intentions.

[@TommygunNG]

Indeed. People hear what they expect to hear, especially from network TV. We've all heard how a species or race capable of interstellar travel will be "enlightened" and "advanced," and that that means bleeding-heart peaceful. So most viewers were like the characters in the show--that is, hearing a lament for peace.

[@bladerunner3314]

Maybe it was the German translation, but the twist at the end never came as a surprise for me as a kid in the 80s

[@elijahstovall5440]

"You have a small talent for war..." Too me that was the first clue. Seemed like he emphasized on small.

[@louistournas120]

@@elijahstovall5440 The meaning could go both ways. It could mean that having such a talent, even a small one is not a good thing.

[@detrockcity3]

Small in the sense of “meager, hardly any” and small in the sense of “trifling, foolish.”

[@mrcydonia]

Oh gosh, did my ambiguous phrasing give you the wrong idea? Silly me.

[@peacefuljeffrey]

Yeah, he did pretty much taint the whole experiment.

[@wolfwing1]

reminds me of the ending of a choose your own adventure, a alien says, "You may decline our offer, and you can go in peace." if you decide to decline he's like, "oh I'm sorry my english is bad...I meant you can go in pieces." and kills you by cutting you into a dozen pieces hehe.

[@coprographia]

he’s been hanging out with the Kanamit too long

[@bedstuyrover]

He was probably a lawyer; which reminds me of Dr Johnson's words, " He saw a lawyer kill a viper on a dung hill hard by his stable and the devil smiled, it put him in mind of Cain and his brother Abel".

[@jeffweskamp3685]

I think that alien was deliberately dicking around with those UN guys......

[@tim8602]

After all these years I still remember this episode.

[@DaveMSippel]

That alien was completely screwing with them. He was going to kill everyone no matter what.

[@Gorilla_Jones]

You're missing the point

[@godzilladestroyscities1757]

He was pissed that everyone did not kill everyone else. Seems reasonable to me.

[@Emp6ft10in]

He was. He knew there was nothing they could do in a day even if they had understood what he meant.

[@BuceGar]

Comedy is hard.

[@charlesneely]

He did the right thing after all we were ripe for harvesting the Pentagon or the military they were not interested in curing for cancer and all that shit they weren't interested in weapons typical about over bloated military Pentagon Department that I want to see shutdown ASAP all they do is make profit for the war manufacturers but in this episode that's all the Pentagon was interested in no cure for AIDS just weapons technology

[@picturepainter]

I imagine Isaac Asimov would have been shocked by the twist in this episode if he'd seen it. In the 1970s Asimov once said that if intelligent extraterrestrial life exists and has advanced enough to make contact with other intelligent life, then logically they would have grown up significantly and overcome their barbaric, warlike instincts. For that reason, Asimov found the idea of aliens wanting to invade Earth a bit far-fetched. But in this case it's different. Humanity is looked on as a failed experiment because the aliens that created us felt our appetite for war and conquest was not strong ENOUGH. A disappointed parent deciding to wipe out their offspring for not living up to expectations is a bit harsh, but that's the way it goes...

[@ak22gml85]

Plenty of parallels in the bible of a disappointed creator/parent destroying his creations/children, time and again actually, because they did not live up to expectations

[@dr.sinawahn4156]

This was my very first contact with the paradox, when I was a child and this episode was shown in TV. It was a real eye opener. Everything can be complete different to what we may think.

[@88hyperman]

The part where the alien laughs is my favourite!

[@winternow2242]

I think jaded viewers in the 1980's could have spotted the ending, still John Glover made an excellent alien. Without much in sci-fi, I kept thinking he was going to turn into a monster, which made him seem monstrous the entire time.

[@jessmanuel540]

Lol. Smoking inside the office. Ah, the 80's.:)

[@cedricproper5256]

I smoke in my office now. It's still ok here.

[@razieluchiha7580]

Are they hiring ?

[@Frobbl]

You should see the 50s. Back when they also had drinks in the office.

[@neonyankun]

If I was an ambassador of a superpower, I'd smoke wherever I please. What are they gonna do? Kick me out from the negotiations? :D

[@tothineownselfbetrue4182]

Raziel Uchiha 😂😂😂😂😂👍💜

[@TheClovenHoof666]

I always liked this episode of the Twilight Zone... there was some great stories in the 80's version...it always brings me back though so does the old Twilight Zone too...I always think late Saturday night watching...retro gold

[@NightRunner417]

Yeah there were some pretty good ones. I particularly liked this one and the one with the watch that could stop time... lol and that crazy one with the kid's guardian Shadow Man.

[@TheClovenHoof666]

I loved those two episodes... particularly the Shadow Man one...though when you say crazy...do you remember the really weird one were blue people were organising every moment in frozen time and they had to make sure every moment was just like the other.....it was really unusual even for the Twilight Zone lol

[@NightRunner417]

@@TheClovenHoof666 No I don't... I might have missed it which isn't a surprise since I know I never saw them all. I'll have to try to find it. Do you know offhand what it was called? Sounds like just that touch of bizarre I need in my life, lol.

[@TheClovenHoof666]

I found it....its called 'A Matter of Minutes' its also up on KZbin...here's the link..kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2jbaH6aaK5_f8k

[@hpgwellscraft]

Imagine specializing in something for as long as you can remember and then being told you're not that good at it.

[@grimsnark4849]

Your planet has sorely lagged behind in Nehru Jacket technology.

[@arielfornari6595]

Grim Snark -HAH HAH HAH! You floored me on that one dude!!! BTW, this may sound weird, but there's a very famous political analyst in Mexico, his name is Alfredo Jaliffe & he's also taken a liking to sometimes wearing Nehru jackets. He's into conspiracy theories BTW. I wonder if he's seen this episode?

[@michaelmclaughlin261]

And shoulder padding ... eighties fad or mark of the galactic masters?

[@zant5721]

Grim Snark 😆😆

[@robertorebollar8978]

No aigth

[@mikerose51]

What is a Negru ...jacket lol

[@3piper]

Why not keep us for comedy ??we are hilarious

[@burtonwilliams5355]

Yep -- Monty Phyton's Flying Circus

[@raxoo1981]

maybe thats why we still exist..someone is observing us like a reality show..for amusememt 😅

[@MidnightMoon197]

Here Here!

[@CentralRazorwing]

because they are tyrants and monsters.

[@ShadowLynx777]

Haven't you seen Southpark? We are a joke to them. Earth 2020 was a season finally

[@rmeddy]

This one totally caught me off guard. awesome

[@ActionableFreedom]

Not me! I knew it inside of me as soon as he said the planet would be destroyed so suddenly and it just kept getting stronger, this feeling that they had bred us for other reasons. Besides, what a hypocritical peace it would be to have it imposed by eternal threat of annihilation.

[@StormTiberius]

For me it was the title that gave it away.

[@videox222ify]

I love it when they do that.

[@mouseypublishings]

I was waiting for an American to get up and say "hey, fuck you, pal. What makes u better then us? Ill kick ur sissy ass back to mars, u son of a bitch! This is America!"

[@JamesCraigWhoop]

I know...how many Twilight Zone episodes we're anti-war propaganda. Thank goodness for the 80s action hero

[@greatsol2444]

"You have failed". More relevant in 2020 than ever.

[@northwestgardener5076]

Well Trump failed to take us to war for 4 years, mabey with Biden humanity will be able to show the aliens our more savage side. Lock up the Trump supporter we can make Hitler look like a amateur.

[@northwestgardener5076]

@A M no I just think Biden will do a superior job at getting us into a war, where Trump totally failed to drag us into a new war.

[@sillygoose635]

@A M no, Trump is.

[@sillygoose635]

@@northwestgardener5076 No, trump did.

[@sillygoose635]

@A M dude, that's literally trump, you're the problem with this country

[@anthonyevans535]

The funny part is when it said "you misunderstood me".. 😄😄😄

[@CaptApril123]

1980's Twilight zone was as close to the original as you could get.. very good.

[@CelltheGREAT]

Major facts

[@altoidsours]

At first I was like "wow this guy looks a LOT like John Glover." Then I was like "this must be John Glover." Then I looked it up and sure enough, it was John Glover. I'm usually bad at recognizing actors too.

[@lightningshadows7610]

Thank you I was trying to recognize him he has a familiar face

[@jonsnor4313]

He is awesome as a bad guy.

[@bronxlords]

They should have asked him what does he really want,

[@mnfrench7603]

I saw this when it first aired. I was waiting for “it’s a cook book”

[@tigerhong1]

Watched this series as a kid in the mid-80s. Miss this type of TV.

[@dkyelak]

Lots of good episodes. Outer Limits came back in the 90s too I think and it was pretty good too.

[@greedyd5524]

It’s a cookbook!!!!

[@fredweller1086]

To Serve Man

[@Danae78]

I thought that

[@Hmongboi228]

Yeah, for the first 2 minutes, I thought of that too. I thought that this was just a modern remake but it wasn't..

[@houstonrebel4449]

I thought it was a remake of that too at first

[@vinvass2674]

You are woefully backward in the art of cannibalism, your sauces are lacking in flavour and, worst of all, what you really want to be is vegans.

[@aarongranda7825]

Brilliant writing, tight direction, simple plot, easy to understand, point made, message delivered. Sly and scary with a Serling esque twist. Aside from the cheap special fx, Emmy worthy.

[@ingleringlet-snipps3rd449]

When the writing is this good, the special effects don’t really matter.

[@senseisakornsin]

This episode of Twilight Zone defined why this series was so great!

[@seraph5765]

It's ironic that the USA ambassador was arguing for peace.

[@アイアンマン-j4s]

He is the president of the United States of America.

[@rizreid8670]

Just love the irony. Alfred Hitchcock did the same thing, often and very well. I miss quality television : (

[@DaveDaShrubber]

I can't believe Tony Robbins would destroy the earth.

[@southfloridaarcheryguy114]

DaveDaShrubber I can.

[@funkibloo3811]

😂

[@jasonhiggins8909]

Wo you soys are so stupid! Just compare the past to what's present and that's absolutely not Comparable dumb f☆cks!

[@promedio2933]

Cierra el pico cara de ganpi

[@tylerwirkkala7311]

I thought it was Sam from Cheers

[@spacestevie2]

Dying is easy... Comedy is hard... :-)

[@davidthegreat2987]

I like comedy!😁😀

[@michaeljacobs4546]

"Sheesh, when you die at the Ceasar's Palace, well you really die! - Mel Brooks, History of the World

[@peglegnoid6139]

@@davidthegreat2987 Comedy requires the element of conflict.

[@sorra300-]

is this a hamulton reference?

[@seikibrian8641]

@@sorra300- If you mean "Hamilton," no. It's a truism attributed to English actor Edmund Gwenn, though his actual words were probably different. (Several variations have been printed at various times.)

[@battlestarmarc]

1 of the best 1985 twilight zone episodes. Great twist ending.

[@payntpot7623]

I saw this many years ago on tv. It stuck in my mind when none of the others did. Just lately I have searched for it as it seems so pertinent right now. I had no idea it was from the twilight zone series Thanks for the upload.

[@susancorgi]

This is definitely one of the best episodes 👏👏👏

[@leeboy26]

'All' life on earth? Like the rabbits, ants and walruses? What did they do to deserve that?

[@gplito]

Exist...we eat all that stuff, so what?

[@robertaylor9218]

It wasn't about deserve. Life was manipulated to produce an effective weapon, the weapon wasn't good enough, so the it was destroyed before it became a nuisance. Pretty fucked up, but a good episode.

[@surfinmuso37]

we are wiping out millions of species right now via incredible stupidity....um hello? What did they do to deserve that mr ignorant?

[@ericmanget4280]

@@surfinmuso37 99.9% of all species were destroyed before humanity ever came into the picture.

[@surfinmuso37]

@@ericmanget4280 lol yeah right mate-stop sniffing the bath salts, it scrambled your brain.

[@SaltpeterTaffy]

This episode predates Star Trek: TNG by two years. I wonder how much of an influence it was on Q's character.

[@Blaydelk]

+SaltpeterTaffy Q? Q wasn't even close to kirk and spock, I respect your interest but I detest your knowledge. The real Twilight Zone was way back, way before Star Trek and very scary. Did you know that they were threatening to kill us all? That is part of the reason the Hippies took LSD, they wanted to escape. Oh the lieing pentagon shits used to fly over our farms, making sonic booms, just to scare us into the ground like a bunch of ground squirrels, violent idiots. Saltpeter? Why do you call your self that, potassium nitrate was used to keep soldiers from getting so horny but it isn't effective, jack off, its the only real cure.

[@SaltpeterTaffy]

What the hell are you even talking about. I'm talking about the Star Trek series that came out a) AFTER b) THIS Twilight Zone episode. TOS has nothing to do with my comment whatsoever.

[@jamesmohr9168]

I am doubtful that Q was influenced by this guy, at least to any significant extent other than making life miserable for humans. ;-) Speaking of LSD, seems someone here might be having a few flashbacks.

[@SaltpeterTaffy]

The concept of Q may predate this episode, but John de Lancie's performance does not. Holy crap guys is this why William Shatner went off on the Trekkies in SNL all those years ago? >_>

[@emartin86]

Blayde Keel. I can't tell if your insane & took way too much LSD over the years, which may have led you to have paranoid delusions, or if your a genious. Great comment though.

[@eddihaskell]

The alien looks like Ben Stiller as Bruno.

[@evilubuntu9001]

Sasha Baron Cohen was just born to be in this skit as the alien ambassador.

[@SpreadingtheMuse]

Just met John Glover at a sci fi con. Showed him this episode on my phone and he was very curious. He asked me to send him the link {I did}. My impression was that he hadn't seen this performance in decades. I also said that no matter what you do, do not watch his Tales from the Crypt episode at 2 am right before going to bed. It doesnt jive well. ;}

[@planetBRD]

The best part of the episode is when the alien is reading the manifesto and his expressions seem to show that he’s impressed at what he’s looking at

[@Allbbrz]

One of the best TW episodes of the 80's reboot, although little short, still straight to the point.

[@tomj3372]

I remember this episode and have been looking for it for years. Great twist. Thank you.

[@RGC-gn2nm]

The Russian was right. Go figure

[@alhassanait1749]

Good point !! but their technology seems very advanced . no chance ...

[@dtho6231]

@@alhassanait1749 I don't think it was issue of tech, but the will to conquer. We didn't have the will to fight. That is what they wanted, to breed a race who had the inherit will to conquer like humans use to do, it is why they allowed us to exist (in context of this episode). We then thought peace was good, abandoned right by conquest, and that was the end of us ironically lmao. It is basically an episode to challenge conventional views. We glorify peace, but I think this episode was trying to subvert things we hold as innately good values and present as a bad or a potential weakness.

[@misspriss2482]

@@dtho6231 It's only a weakness if there is someone around who isn't honestly committed to that goal. Even if the alien had left, I would have given this peace treaty a few years at most before someone broke it. Do you honestly think that every country was going to destroy their weapons and not keep a secret stash somewhere? Someone would have taken advantage of the situation.

[@dtho6231]

@@misspriss2482 Bro I am not advocating the policy lmao, I am just saying what the episode was trying to get across.

[@ZekeThePlumber86]

Definitely one of the best episodes of the 80's

[@bigtalk2598]

Very clever. Great acting. Great makeup and special effects (for that time). One of the best episodes ever.

[@erickswanson5795]

Great episode, I remember seeing this on TV as a kid in the 80's.

[@darklight6921]

loved this episode.

[@phoeniximperator]

John Glover plays a great villain

[@Sommer57]

Especially in Smallville.

[@johnmassey175]

Gremlins 2 will always be his masterpiece.

[@traceytaggart1740]

John Massey oh, you mean the one where he plays Donald Tr-I mean, Daniel Clamp?

[@spinocus]

One of the greatest Twilight Zone episodes ever made.

[@george9057]

I personally like this one the most.

[@AtticTapes14]

To serve man rensje3

[@rizreid8670]

This and 'Cat and Mouse', 2 of the all time best ever Twilight Zone episodes.

[@joseraposogarcia3637]

Tooop

[@joseraposogarcia3637]

9 . 1

[@Americanpatriot-zo2tk]

To Mr. John Glover, awesome episode dude thank you for making it!

[@andrewbowers_]

This was the one and only TZ episode that haunted me my whole life. I must have been around 13yo and I loved the critical message so much that as of that very day, I never backed down from a noble fight - I just got smarter over time. I had the crap beaten out of me many times along the way and I can tell you - it was good. I bet the authors of that TZ script never dreamed it could change a life.

[@sirien.neiris]

What about the one where they start nuclear Armageddon by striking completely friendly aliens who landed in the Pacific just because they were unable to translate the message fast enough to stop crazy scared politicians?

[@ichaffee1]

cool man

[@peacefuljeffrey]

What episode was that? Was it an original series episode or a later series episode?

[@peacefuljeffrey]

I really don’t think that the writers would be surprised to learn that their work influenced people’s thinking and lives. I’m pretty sure that was actually a goal of theirs.

[@sirien.neiris]

the one I've mentioned? Sorry, don't remember at all - it is so long time ago, I was really small when I was watching this series. Yet many episodes got stuck in my head. This one was one which I remember strongest - its message about fear of unknown was really well given. Another one I remember was with the girl-child-witch and that inquisitor who was hunting her, ending with her mind-burning him and him walking away in confusion - when she was asked what did she did to him she just said "I've took the evil out of him".

[@abundantYOUniverse]

His outfit is just screaming for accessories.

[@wizard9403]

Honk if he reminds you of Cosmo Kramer!!

[@ai6894]

Or better yet, David Bowie.

[@stargazerlilly608]

I laughed way harder at this than I should have 🤣😂😅😆

[@tiki_trash]

Woefully lacking in flair

[@delilahsamsons6503]

He should have fired his hairstylist though..that look don't go with that Nehru..😜!

[@BarneyLCornett]

I remember this show especially... This is only the second time I've seen it since the first time it aired!!!

[@bcy5414]

I'm surprised that in a time of absolute crisis no-one ordered pizzas

[@StefanUrkel]

I still remember not seeing the ending twist ahead of time.. grew up watching twilight zone, outerlimits, and night gallery.. they could be really spooky watching them late at night on old school TVs downstairs all by myself. Even though they were scary to me, I somehow couldn't stop watching when they came on.

[@wayneg2139]

I remember watching this a long time ago. I was very impressed with the irony! One of my favorite re-boot episodes.

[@ShadowLynx777]

Alien: Silly hoomans, we wanted you for war. Hoomans: Ooooohhh you should have said so. *deploy enough nuclear warheads to melt a planet* Alien: Haha now we're talking.

[@nickger4936]

Holy cow that twist was incredible.

[@ibrahima3671]

Where can we watch this show ? Netflix, Prime, Paramount ?

[@nadura55]

Why is Sam Malone from cheers running around in a tin suit. He’s got a bar to run.

[@Cukito4]

Not Sam Malone. Jonh Glover.

[@BlueBoy0]

Klaus Nomi

[@blindsquirrel7802]

Bwahahahahaha...