Twilight Zone Lite: Uncle Simon

[@DarknetDude]

This. His insults are masterpieces. He verbally destroys her, EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. It's poetry.

[@felixmadison5736]

I was 14 when this episode aired, and already a HUGE fan of "The Twilight Zone". Greatest t.v. show ever, and it's creator, Rod Serling, the best writer ever.

[@dougfredricks2017]

Born in the 60s and loved this era of 📺

[@kaijuhub3937]

I bet Uncle Simon spent most of his time in that lab writing a list of new insults.

[@brucegordon7248]

+EarthHound True, and he was very good at it!

[@delstanley1349]

She was able to pay him back with compound interest. He even complimented her on her retorts. All of his demands was essentially grownups playing a child's game, "Simon Says."

[@delstanley1349]

Also note at the very end when she fully capitulates he's made her (to his great joy) literally "cry uncle."

[@Daemon__Sultanah]

Looks like feckin Alfred Hitchcock.

[@Galantski]

Indeed, "bovine crab"! I think _Lost in Space's_ Dr. Smith must have been a prize pupil at The Uncle Simon Academy for Inventive Insults. (Hmm, and maybe Smith inherited Simon's robot.)

[@banishedfromthedwarfplanet530]

"You peanut-headed sample of nature's carelessness." Classic line.

[@capra216]

Just don't say that to your lady

[@thisismyname007]

“I fart in your general direction!”

[@zunipus]

"I'd like a cup of hot chocolate. I'd like it in the English bone china cup; And if it's not hot, I'll throw it on the floor!" Some of the my favorite lines from television history, as delivered by Sir Cedric, the master.

[@Dallas_K]

"Garbage Head!" "You bovine crab!"

[@mrnobody2018]

She'll never be able to obey the will forever

[@charlesdowns1691]

cool. I rember her also.. Hitchcock.

[@frankbridges2171]

One of the greatest shows of all time

[@HurryinHoosiers1]

One of my three most favorite "Twilight Zone" episodes. The great writing is certainly matched by two great acting heavyweights - Sir Cedric Hardwicke and Constance Ford. I always felt she never got her due as a great actress.

[@outreachvideo]

I used numerous of these insults on my new landlord after my lovable old landlord passed away and that old crow inherited the building. RIP Sir Cedric.

[@daystar73]

"....BE SURE THAT IT'S HOT....YA HEAR ME!!!!! MAKE SURE ITS HOT!!!!" Gold....😂👍

[@ZeranZeran]

1:25 "YOU DID you scourging female Ape" I did not expect to laugh this hard at this video

[@naughtydorf18]

Something Fred Sanford would say to Aunt Esther

[@ra15899550]

Cedric (Uncle Simon) Hardwicke was genius in this great episode of The Twilight Zone. Uncle Simon had a PHD in hurling insults at his niece (Constance Ford).

[@felixmadison5736]

BAR-BAR-UH, FIX ME A CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE!

[@cagneybillingsley2165]

lol take the batteries out. maybe he's right about her being a knuckledragger

[@smilanesi98]

Constance Ford, so very underrated as an actress.

[@colleenhenry-bs6ij]

She could have left and go! But she was a glutton for punishment

[@ericfreda7534]

One of the funniest episodes. His insults are epic!!

[@jimsmith9981]

I laughed so hard when the robot called her name and started asking for some hot chocolate...

[@Ontonaut]

You bovine crab. LOL

[@soonersdevil]

The end with the robot in a leg brace...Too Much ‼️😁😁

[@daystar73]

Gold!

[@allan210015]

Where is my hot chocolate Bar-ba-ra............"BAR-BA-RA!!!!!!" This is my favorite episode.

[@tmat2024]

In my youth, my friends and I used to trade insults with each other, usually "Yo Mama" insults. Back then, we called it "bagging". Uncle Simon would've fit right in. Lol!

[@atlantic-yq2wr]

Her own greed kept her a prisoner in that house and to the robot. She could have walked any time, but that also would have meant giving up the house and the family fortune.

[@Scripturegirl.]

I.D. Think she was greedy.

[@mindsaglowin]

She is actually the norm. It's amazing what similar things people put up with these days out of greed.

[@AllRequired]

The will is a textbook example of what TV Tropes calls the Batman Gambit.

[@ChiefJudge]

Serves her right. Eternal slavery to robo uncle.

[@ZeranZeran]

Why is she a horrible person for wanting money after visiting, living with, and taking care of her sick uncle for free!? She basically gave up her life to take care of him, and he's nothing but an in-grateful asshole. No wonder she wanted him to die, wouldn't you? Maybe it was written to be appealing to both types of people.. The Rich Old Uncle wanting nothing more out of life to abuse his caretaker, and a poor young woman who was probably just trying to do that right thing and is now stuck with that asshole. If she left, she'd be an even worse niece! This is some surprisingly complex shit.

[@mkrbrtsn1]

'you torpid lotus eater'. Classic

[@gedstrom]

This truly shows Barbara's greed! She could walk away from this situation at any time, but greed keeps her enslaved.

[@MathematicalCowboy]

Maybe it wasn't greed. Maybe Barbara had nowhere else to go? I actually feel sorry for her. Uncle Simon is an insulting jackass. Barbara isn't exactly a saint, but she's the typical abused caregiver.

[@Ulander777]

true

[@trinarichardson6682]

No different with ANY job. People complain about low pay, work conditions, no personal days, not being able to form unions, etc, when they can just find another job..🤷‍♀️

[@jaymike3302]

@@trinarichardson6682 Exactly.

[@confirmhandle]

Fax 📠

[@AutomatikSystematik]

I always throw my coffee on the floor at Starbucks if it isn't hot enough.

[@felixmadison5736]

I throw ANY cup of mud on the floor!! Especially the Starbuck brand.

[@johnarmenta2199]

If you get to keep the bone china cup, that would be a deal, I should think!

[@davea2879]

I would have loved to see the blooper reel for this episode.

[@debbieanne7962]

Another favourite TZ episode of mine. Love the 2 character actors. I did feel sad for Barbara!

[@racccongenocide]

this is actually hellish

[@davesnyder7488]

racccongenocide1842 this is... The Twilight Zone

[@fromthesidelines]

This was one of his final TV appearances, as he died in August 1964 at the age of 71.

[@Scripturegirl.]

How.?.

[@jimsmith9981]

He played pharaoh in the Ten Commandments...

[@hyperion3145]

@@jimsmith9981 Bruh, it looks like he might met Pharoah

[@ra15899550]

@@jimsmith9981 Seti!

[@eduardo_corrochio]

Such a good episode; and I only got acquainted with it once I got the set of dvd's. Had never seen this one on Nick at Nite, and missed it on the holiday marathons. What a delightful discovery this was, like finding some buried treasure. This is a super tale of a mad scientist and his frumpy flunky niece ... with a slew of delicious insults to boot (which were some of the greatest and most colorful ever written for television). And the twist, well, that's just something special. One of my favorite moments is the music cue when Barbara starts heaving things around (after saying she now intends to reap, and throws the drapes open, etc) ... it is so strong and stirring, and packed with emotion and power. The scene would be so diminished without that musical score. I've listened to the TZ radio drama of this episode, made in the early 2000's (there's a bunch of these audio dramas, fun adaptations to listen to during the commute, etc); but the voice actress they utilized sounds too advanced in age for the part, to be frank. Barbara needs to be at the age where she still has a chance to start over (if she has the means), where freedom from her rotten uncle would mean a chance at happiness. Anyway, this is a cool capsule of the episode. Now it's time for a nice cup of hot "cho-col-ate". 😉

[@design17]

This is the definition of "reading" - Uncle Simon was wayyyy ahead of her...I mean his time. Fantastic, classy and intelligent reading. "keep your spindle-shanked carcass out of my laboratory, and your probing nose out of my business. " "So don't go mouthing your sweetnesses at me, you thin-lipped, toothpick-legged conniver. " READ!!!!!

[@fromthesidelines]

Nope. The will also stipulated that she could NOT alter the robot's programming or mechanism in ANY form, other than what Simon "built" into him. As Rod noted at the end, "Barbara....discovered that all BAD things don't come to an end- and that once a bed is made, one should lie in it."

[@fromthesidelines]

"Tonight's uncomfortable little exercise in avarice and automatons......from the Twilight Zone."

[@jamesdrynan]

Constance Ford was a 15 year old model for Montgomery Ward catalogue and was on Another World, a soap opera, for over twenty-five years. Sir Cedric Hardwicke had a fifty year career. Of course, everybody remembers Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet.

[@colleenhenry8022]

Poor Barbara!! If I was her I would have run so fast out that door!!!

[@markcadieux3445]

She stayed for the money and had to earn it.

[@gabriellitewski7988]

Well her uncle Simon wouldn't let her inherent his estate and he built a robot with the personality mimic his traits as a jerk

[@debbieanne7962]

Me too. I felt so sorry for her

[@josephenglish4496]

This is a deep story. Wow

[@mrnobody2018]

Uncle Simon's old but non elderly lawyer visits Barbera every week to see how she is doing with the twilight zone

[@deegee1187]

Rod knew People at their Base Level AND expounded upon that, no matter what the Individual Norms were, Rod knew Man better than they knew themselves.

[@ghettothugroaches]

she needs to call the robot abuse family hotline.

[@ZeranZeran]

HELLO BAR BA RA. . . YOU IMBECILE. HANG UP THE PHONE AND GET ME MY HOT CHOCOLATE!

[@danielethier2015]

@@ZeranZeran 😂

[@SHAKHIR2Super]

He SLAYED her with such refinery.

[@allenjones3130]

Sir Cedric is probably best remembered for his performance in "The Ten Commandments", but he also appeared in the 1936 sci-fi film "Things To Come" and was a guest on "The Outer Limits".

[@HocusFocusProductions]

I love that he has eyebrows.

[@mrnobody2018]

I couldn't see Rob the robots face clearly

[@CHULITOLINDO01]

One of my favs

[@susann3772]

I like it when the glasses fall off of Ian Wolfe's face 😂

[@richardherbst8081]

When Barbara screamed REEP! Great writing here!

[@Liam_Maddog]

Reap.

[@royalerathcliff5703]

best bits of TZ tos Uncle Simon!!

[@ZEPRATGERNODT]

I’ll never forget that episode. When I was about 11(1978 - I’m an old dude now) I found out a kid I didn’t like had a mother named Barbara... He was done after I got finished using lines from Uncle Simon! This was back in the day when kids would gather in groups and use those “Your Mama” jokes on each other. Here is an old rap song that came out back in the day... kzbin.info/www/bejne/bmikkIuHeLBpj9U

[@davidmacgregor5193]

That's Robbie the robot from "The Forbidden Planet", he also made an appearance in a "Lost in Space" episode.

[@cindydott452]

Robbie also played Smiley, when he guest stared on an episode of The Addams Family! Gomez decided Lurch was over worked, and he, Fester, and Pugsley built him a robot assistant.

[@Sashazur]

Except the part of his head under the dome in this episode looks like a paint can; in the original movie it was a much better looking design.

[@cindydott452]

@@Sashazur I have never been able to figure out why they did that. I think The Addams family appearance was later, but had the complete original head. Back on an edit... I just googled it. Robbie the robot was in Twilight Zone four times. His final episode was 1964. His one appearance in The Adams Family was 1966. In that episode of The Addams Family, his head was complete and intact as it appeared in Forbidden Planet. I have no idea why they changed it for this episode of The Twilight Zone.

[@jamesl9371]

I’m going out Frankenstein . If you need anything like a can of lubricant get it yourself

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

I love that "bovine crab" insult, he's comparing her to two very unattractive animals at once.

[@clydewatkins7712]

One of my Favorite Episodes 👍

[@TheAzurinBoyz2012]

With all the insults, I'm surprise Rod Serling didn't hire Don Rickles for the part.

[@naughtydorf18]

or Red Fox

[@markcadieux3445]

Rickles wasn't an insult comedian yet.

[@markcadieux3445]

Imagine Sir Cedric as Dr.Smith on LIS.

[@smilanesi98]

He did use Rickles for the episode with Burgess Meredith in an LA bar .

[@D.N..]

His insults are timeless !!

[@markyoung7151]

"If you could prevail upon that Raggedy Ann carcass of yours to exert itself " 🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@rockywatson2745]

What does it take to make you move? You Bovine Crab LOL

[@naughtydorf18]

Something Fred Sanford would say to Aunt Esther.

[@tgurlamber5874]

Simon be like "Hot chocolate? Bytch, get me a beer and a roast beef sandwich "

[@NipkowDisk]

I see Ian Wolfe, aka Mr. Atoz on Star Trek TOS. Cool.

[@husq48]

In the end, it spoke as a human, and she spoke as a robot!

[@smilanesi98]

Rod and his team of writers exascerbated the theme of who gets the last laugh. Many a Twilight Zone ended with someone or something backfiring.

[@lancejackson9878]

"If you could prevail upon that raggedy anne carcass to exert itself"

[@nicholasschroeder3678]

Of course she did have it coming because she didn't walk away and stayed for the loot. "You stand for what you tolerate."

[@kqueensland915]

It's amazing how he insults his niece right before saying 'Now go get me some HOT COCO'... I wish they'd change the line to 'Now go get me some HOT COCO PUFF'S'...

[@kqueensland915]

Also, when two people live together for that long, all by themselves, they begin to lust after one another, but usually won't admit it.

[@Kat-id7rz]

Bring me my hot chalk o let Bar ba rah. I think this is emotional abuse twilight zone style. zone rules

[@charlesdowns1691]

I think she is a babe+ great actress. love this!- do any 1 remember + him in with Joan Collins in tales from the crypt?? that voice scared me!!

[@motomweusi836]

Wow the insults were classic though . It's her own fault for tolerating such treatment. Didn't he call her raggedy Ann at some point ? 😁👍

[@1963bjt]

My name is barb, my daughter calls me BAR-BA-RA every chance she gets lol😂

[@privatejimmy5861]

." and use the China bone cup and it Bess be hot or I'll throw it on the floor.."

[@specialagentorange4329]

"throw it on the floor" line made me laugh so hard when I first heard it

[@rascallyrabbit717]

Just waiting for the lawyer to pass on then

[@4bayviewdrive]

A younger Ada from Another World.

[@Dallas_K]

Constance Ford, a great actress.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

Dallas K I just saw for about the first time the THRILLER episode "Worse Than Murder." She's very good in that too.

[@delstanley1349]

Indeed.

[@johnftenaglia]

I agree with JSG1951. It's also my favorite episode. : ))

[@jayczyzyk9707]

Simon is great

[@tracielott2557]

As a child my mother explained how the most horrifying things you guys will dooo or say 😂,,, youuuuuuu guys are treacherous to each other,,, it has caused others to become this way in families,,, entirely,,, him and I would be calling each other horrifying names 😂 innocuously 😉 harmlessly

[@Handleyman]

Looks like Robby the robots cousin. The same except for the head.

[@cindydott452]

When Robby guest starred on an episode of The Addams Family, they left the original inside in his glass dome head. I can't figure out why they made Robby look stupid in this one.

[@Scripturegirl.]

Happy new year.!!. 😎🎇

[@UnclePengy]

The controlling and gaslighting... having been in a relationship with someone with narcissism and other personality disorders and felt trapped in it, this is probably the scariest Twilight Zone of them all.

[@louishamilton1710]

'Bovine Crab', indeed!

[@nwosuckswynkoop5967]

good on him'

[@mrnobody2018]

It will never last forever

[@capra216]

What'll it take to get you to move you bovine crab? Classic

[@CesarClouds]

Looks like Robby the robot. It turns out it is the same robot with a slightly modified "face" which was used in five different Twilight Zone episodes.

[@mrnobody2018]

Barbera shouldn't have cared about her uncle Simon's fortune that much if she wanted stay long enough

[@jdollinter]

Cedric Hardwick was another renown actor from stage and screen with a long list of accomplishments, I wonder why he did these TV parts, could it have been to raise to money to pay back taxes? Oh well, at least new generation get to watch these and hopefully it peaks their interest enough to look him up online and learn more about this old characters and learn something about his accomplishments and look up other parts he played like the villain in The Hunchback Of Notre dame 1939.

[@jdollinter]

@Dark Wolf He didn't live long after this, I think he died in '64 and I bet that cane was more than just a prop.

[@marcdonato9322]

He was also Seti in the Ten Commandments

[@keithwilson6060]

0:12 - Is uncle Simon wearing Nikes?

[@naughtydorf18]

Reviewbrah's shoes

[@tmat2024]

😆😆😆

[@sylviacoffey5645]

Constance Ford also played the witch Mom in A Summer Place... in one scene she slaps her daughter played by Sandra Dee and Sandra has to grab on to a Christmas tree to break her fall...

[@robs5688]

Completely ruined the name Barbara for me. Every time I meet a woman with that name, it doesn't take me long to call her Bar-Ba-Ra. Bar-ba-ra!

[@stephb8193]

Awww Where's the full episode!! 🤣 Baaarbara......wheeere're is my hot chocolate !😂🇮🇪👍

[@JackReynolds-w7g]

I want a cup of hot chocolate; I want it in the English bone China cup, and if it's not hot, - I'll throw it on the floor.

[@thedizzysissy6958]

I wonder if the robot ever tried to make a pass at that woman.

[@GioThaDon]

I really wanted to see the part when she says she's done soeing and it's time for her to reap.

[@urGODisFAKE]

she got a lot of money right? so she should have hired someone to reprogram the robot or alter the voice box or find the f ing off switch until the guy comes to inspect .and she could have hired a maid to take care of it while she went about her day

[@AllRequired]

Not the way the will was written. It clearly stated that she was to be its caretaker.

[@privatejimmy5861]

urGODisFAKE Fuck all that, she got what she deserved. Back when women weren't beneath the law and every lawman's pants for favors

[@thegrandmasabrina]

One of my favorite classic Twilight Zone episodes, but why is this so heavily edited?

[@josephambrose2852]

Hence, "TZ Lite"

[@aliyourbrother1]

Bar ba ra. Bar ba ra.

[@DavidLS1]

Poor Robby. What did Rod Serling do to you?

[@cindydott452]

Another thing. I always thought this was the most poorly written episode of The Twilight Zone. Any first year graduate out of law School could have such an insane condition stricken from the will.

[@zerosparky9510]

Sir Cedric Hardwick. From the Ten Commandments.

[@spectrthechamp3658]

Looks like the protectron from fallout

[@cjheideldude]

I mean, that's where Fallout got the idea. Everything in Fallout has a retrofuturistic aesthetic

[@donavonmacallister3101]

Why didn't she just unplug the robot ?

[@community1949]

That's Robbie the Robot from Forbidden Planet. I don't know why she has to take crap off of this machine - what a nightmare.

[@cindydott452]

Everybody overlooks one thing. Any competent lawyer could have such an insane condition stricken from the will.

[@gabriellitewski7988]

Smitters uncle Simon's old but non eldery lawyer was to inspect every on how Barbera was taking of his robot in order to not be disinherented it could eventually result Barbera going insane and wanting to throw away her uncle Simon's estate to the university once she tells Smitters

[@Pommezul]

2:18 Protecton on duty

[@matambale]

Interesting mix of Robbie The Robot....and something else.

[@wiisalute]

Why wasn't there an axe in the house so she could destroy the robot?

[@keithwilson6060]

wiisalute Because if the robot was destroyed, there went her free meal ticket. The estate was hers as long as the robot “lived.”

[@brucegordon7248]

If that robot Uncle Simon built drank hot chocolate, all his metal parts would rust.

[@delstanley1349]

+Bruce Gordon A lot of hot chocolate is made in something using metal parts, or stainless steel. You then wash and dry the applicable parts of the apparatus made for brewing (or drinking). Of course that would have been Barbara's job...everyday...cleaning unc Simon's "stomach" made by anti-rust specialist Ziebart. Unc Simon thought of all this. Besides, robots don't "rust," that's much too crude and insulting. Rather they may develop a case of "onset androidal- sapiens neo arthritis," which was quite common for a 1960s style robot chassis. In this episode you saw a typical solution for "rust," or a torn "ACL" when Barbara pushed the robot down. It was a common cane. Notice how adept Uncle Simon 3.0 was at using the cane. Today, however such afflictions no longer exists; all non functioning parts are fully replaced thus eliminating "cripple" robots. In any event Unc Simon made sure his new body was rustproof, and he could enjoy his favorite beverage (even if Barb tried to poison him!)

[@benhuether5474]

But in the alien series robots can drink milk. (so why not hot chocolate)

[@brucegordon7248]

@Gabe PL Uncle Simon used plenty of WD40 and grease on the robot, so the hot chocolate didn't rust the metal parts.

[@brucegordon7248]

@Gabe PL I'll take your word for it.

[@gabriellitewski7988]

I don't think Barbera will be able to obey the robot impersonating her Uncle Simon forever and Smitter Uncle Simon old but non elderly lawyer visits every week to make sure Barbara is taking good care of the robot uncle Simon built

[@ultimateactivitiesdude2685]

Bro ROASTING her 😂

[@a.b.sproductionsllc]

Ada Hobson letting a robot get the best of her? Only in Another World.

[@Sangria]

I’m dying for some hot chocolate

[@jdollinter]

"flag stiff loyalty"?