From 1974,
The Twilight Zone #59, cover (probably) by Joe Certa.
The cover story, "The Plague!" could easily have been an episode: Astronaut Strethers was returning to earth after ten years in deep space. That is, ten years for him, but thanks to relativistic speeds, five centuries had passed on earth. While there didn't appear to be any current conflicts, there was evidence of past nuclear wars; and Strethers straps on a sidearm, not knowing what to expect. Upon landing, the people greet him warmly at first, but then turn on him as a "plague carrier." Strethers flees into the forest, but chased by the villagers, he hides in a cave, where he eventually finds a computer complex. The computer had information about the plague: after a nuclear war, the second generation of survivors had almost a phobia of weapons, and gathered them up to be destroyed. Strethers realizes he won't need his gun and leaves it, rejoining the human race.
"The Stand-In" features a member of the idle rich, that maybe wishes he could be idler: because of his "social station" he was obligated to throw the occasional party, which he always found boring as hell. But, the next day, he sees an ad in the paper for "General Simulacrum," which promises a life-like mechanical substitute. He purchases a simulacrum, which proves a perfect stand-in at his next party. Free of his dull guests, he heads to a nearby bar to celebrate, but sees a couple that was at his party--they had sent their own simulacrums to the party, and so had everyone else, for like the last year or so. Hashtag first world problems.
In "Shock Treatment," a condemned prisoner volunteers for a scientist's "transition shock therapy" program, which does seem to change him for the better: he saves the warden from some other prisoners' escape attempt. But, they weren't able to commute his sentence, so he still gets the chair; but that's just another shock to him now. Finally, "the Golden Glove," wherein a greedy baron stops wringing gold out of the peasants, to get it from an alchemist. He spies on the alchemist to learn the secret, but doesn't use it carefully. This one ends, with a really off-model Rod Serling in a minstrel's outfit, if that does anything for you.
No Hostess ad this time? Feels like I've been robbed.
I’m still trying to figure out the twist to the 1st one, as it seems like humanity’s FINALLY given up its obsession with guns, so what’s so bad about that? So he was considered a “plague carrier” because he was carrying but then easily was welcomed back after quickly dropping his piece. He could always secretly go back pick it back up I guess.
ReplyDeleteThe Stand In story sounds a lot like the comic series & movie Surrogates. Maybe it influenced Vendetti.
The Shock Treatment story doesn’t really make a convincing argument for undergoing stuff like that if you’re looking for a commuted sentence does it?