Rating: 
Summary: The Meaning of Love and Attachment
Review: I SING THE BODY ELECTRIC was Ray Bradbury's sole contribution to the "Twilight Zone." One of the more subtle episodes, this story is strong on characterization and reaches out on an emotional level rather than to any notion of scientific curiosity of the introduction of a robot grandmother, beautifully played by Josephine Hutchinson, into a family (including Veronica Cartwright). This is a very good episode and is one of my favorites. THE LONELY is one of Rod Serling's classics from the series. Jack Warden convincingly plays a convict sentenced to forty years alone on a distant asteroid. A periodic supply ship commanded by John Dehner one day leaves him a companion, a robot played flawlessly by Jean Marsh. Bernard Herrmann's poignant score evokes the enigmatic inner feeling of Jack Warden's love for his companion. And subsequently Herrmann's score captures the human quality of this female robot as she reciprocates that love. The combination of scripting, acting and scoring realistically captures our perceptions of loneliness, love, loss and reality. PROBE 7 - OVER AND OUT leisurely written by Rod Serling for the 5th Season examines the relationship of two beings, Richard Basehart and Antoinette Bower, the sole survivors of their respective annihilated planets. Basehart and the much underrated and forgotten Bower give good performances. LONG DISTANCE CALL written by Charles Beaumont and William Idelson is one of the six episodes recorded directly to videotape instead of being photographed on film. The story concerns a little boy played by Billy Mumy who communicates with his dead grandmother over his toy phone. Thematically it rounds out this volume as it examines our attachment to those we love.
Rating: 
Summary: Great DVD
Review: More great episodes!Long Distance Call- This one freaked me out. It was a great episode though. (****) I Sing the Body Electric- Didn't like it too much. Felt like one of those 50's family sitcom's and not Twilight Zone. (**) The Lonely- great episode. better that the previous. (****) Probe 7 Over and Out- Great episode with a great and surprising ending. (****)
Rating:
Summary: Richard Basehart is the best actor you will see !
Review: No matter what anyone says about this volume, watch it for the benefit of seeing the actor Richard Basehart in "Probe 7-Over and Out". He went on to star in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and that was the most sucessful action series on television in the 1960's. David Headson did the series entirely because of him. Another note worthy episode is "I Sing the Body Electric" starring Veronica Cartwright. On her webpage she says it was the most successful episode of her appearance on the series. Watch it !
Rating:
Summary: Richard Basehart is the best actor you will see !
Review: No matter what anyone says about this volume, watch it for the benefit of seeing the actor Richard Basehart in "Probe 7-Over and Out". He went on to star in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and that was the most sucessful action series on television in the 1960's. David Headson did the series entirely because of him. Another note worthy episode is "I Sing the Body Electric" starring Veronica Cartwright. On her webpage she says it was the most successful episode of her appearance on the series. Watch it !
Rating:
Summary: Grandmothers, Androids and Love in "The Twilight Zone"
Review: There are some interesting links between each set of episodes in Volume 5 of "The Twilight Zone" DVD series. Billy Mumy makes his first appearance on the Zone in "Long Distance Call," written by William Idelson and Charles Beaumont. Billy gets a toy telephone for his birthday from Grandma Bayles (Lili Darvas), who promptly gets ill and dies. Sad for a while, Billy suddenly spends all his time on the toy telephone, claiming Grandma is on the other end. When Billy tries to kill himself because the voice on the phone told him to, his father (Philip Abbott) grabs the phone and begs his dead mother to let Billy stay in the land of the living. Josephine Hutchinson plays a kinder, gentler but android Grandmother in "I Sing the Body Electric," written by Ray Bradbury from his short story. David White plays a widower who buys Grandma to take care of his three children and the focus of the story is on Anne (Veronica Cartwright), who refuses to accept the substitute for her dead mother. Hutchinson's performance is on target from start to finish. Androids are also featured in "The Lonely," where Jack Warden plays Corry, a convicted murderer sentenced to fifty years on an asteroid in this story by Rod Serling. Captain Allenby (John Dehner) of the supply ship that stops by leaves him a present: an android named Alicia (Jean Marsh). But when Corry is pardoned, he is told he must leave the "woman" he loves behind. The idea of being in love while stranded out in space is also found in Serling's "Probe 7, Over & Out." Colonel Cook (Richard Basehart) learns that a nuclear war has destroyed his planet. Exploring the new world on which he is stranded, he discovers a footprint that leads him to Norda (Antoinette Bower), the sole survivor of her own planet, which went out of orbit. Together they will start over. And you will never guess what their first names happen to be. The linkage of these episodes is certainly creative and these are four solid episodes even if none rise to the status of certifiable classics (i.e., 4.5 stars to be completely accurate).
Rating:
Summary: Grandmothers, Androids and Love in "The Twilight Zone"
Review: There are some interesting links between each set of episodes in Volume 5 of "The Twilight Zone" DVD series. Billy Mumy makes his first appearance on the Zone in "Long Distance Call," written by William Idelson and Charles Beaumont. Billy gets a toy telephone for his birthday from Grandma Bayles (Lili Darvas), who promptly gets ill and dies. Sad for a while, Billy suddenly spends all his time on the toy telephone, claiming Grandma is on the other end. When Billy tries to kill himself because the voice on the phone told him to, his father (Philip Abbott) grabs the phone and begs his dead mother to let Billy stay in the land of the living. Josephine Hutchinson plays a kinder, gentler but android Grandmother in "I Sing the Body Electric," written by Ray Bradbury from his short story. David White plays a widower who buys Grandma to take care of his three children and the focus of the story is on Anne (Veronica Cartwright), who refuses to accept the substitute for her dead mother. Hutchinson's performance is on target from start to finish. Androids are also featured in "The Lonely," where Jack Warden plays Corry, a convicted murderer sentenced to fifty years on an asteroid in this story by Rod Serling. Captain Allenby (John Dehner) of the supply ship that stops by leaves him a present: an android named Alicia (Jean Marsh). But when Corry is pardoned, he is told he must leave the "woman" he loves behind. The idea of being in love while stranded out in space is also found in Serling's "Probe 7, Over & Out." Colonel Cook (Richard Basehart) learns that a nuclear war has destroyed his planet. Exploring the new world on which he is stranded, he discovers a footprint that leads him to Norda (Antoinette Bower), the sole survivor of her own planet, which went out of orbit. Together they will start over. And you will never guess what their first names happen to be. The linkage of these episodes is certainly creative and these are four solid episodes even if none rise to the status of certifiable classics (i.e., 4.5 stars to be completely accurate).
Rating:
Summary: Grandmothers, Androids and Love in "The Twilight Zone"
Review: There are some interesting links between each set of episodes in Volume 5 of "The Twilight Zone" DVD series. Billy Mumy makes his first appearance on the Zone in "Long Distance Call," written by William Idelson and Charles Beaumont. Billy gets a toy telephone for his birthday from Grandma Bayles (Lili Darvas), who promptly gets ill and dies. Sad for a while, Billy suddenly spends all his time on the toy telephone, claiming Grandma is on the other end. When Billy tries to kill himself because the voice on the phone told him to, his father (Philip Abbott) grabs the phone and begs his dead mother to let Billy stay in the land of the living. Josephine Hutchinson plays a kinder, gentler but android Grandmother in "I Sing the Body Electric," written by Ray Bradbury from his short story. David White plays a widower who buys Grandma to take care of his three children and the focus of the story is on Anne (Veronica Cartwright), who refuses to accept the substitute for her dead mother. Hutchinson's performance is on target from start to finish. Androids are also featured in "The Lonely," where Jack Warden plays Corry, a convicted murderer sentenced to fifty years on an asteroid in this story by Rod Serling. Captain Allenby (John Dehner) of the supply ship that stops by leaves him a present: an android named Alicia (Jean Marsh). But when Corry is pardoned, he is told he must leave the "woman" he loves behind. The idea of being in love while stranded out in space is also found in Serling's "Probe 7, Over & Out." Colonel Cook (Richard Basehart) learns that a nuclear war has destroyed his planet. Exploring the new world on which he is stranded, he discovers a footprint that leads him to Norda (Antoinette Bower), the sole survivor of her own planet, which went out of orbit. Together they will start over. And you will never guess what their first names happen to be. The linkage of these episodes is certainly creative and these are four solid episodes even if none rise to the status of certifiable classics (i.e., 4.5 stars to be completely accurate).
Rating:
Summary: Not that bad
Review: This DVD features 3 great episodes! "The Lonley" is the best one on this DVD. It's got Jack Warden and Jean Marsh. And there are some great lines in it too. "Long Distance Call" is one of the best ones ever made. It's got Billy Mumy who can talk to the dead on his toy telephone his grandma left him before she died. "I Sing the Body Electric" is written by the great Ray Bradbury. It's a remarkable episode. The weakest of the 4 is "Probe 7-over and out." But the rest are all great.
Rating:
Summary: Essential Twilight Zone Disc!!
Review: This is by far the best volume in the 1-5 set! It deals with themes of Artificial Life and a twist on the origins of man!
"Long Distance Call" -- a chilling episode about a little boy and his dying grandmother. [**]
"I Sing the Body Electric" -- an robotic nanny is built to take care of some children. They grow attached to her... [**1/2]
"The Lonely" -- Perhaps the best TZ episode ever? A prisoner on a lifeless planet is given a robot companion. He is at first reluctant to buy into this illusion, but this illusion becomes his reality... [*****]
"Probe 7, Over and Out" -- Great episode written by Sterling about a man who crashes his spaceship on a (seemingly) uninhabited planet. He later discovers his home planet destroys itself in a nuclear war... Fantastic suprise ending! [****]
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If you're only passively interested in the TZ, this should be one of the first DVD volumes that you buy! It contains some truly exceptional episodes.
Rating:
Summary: Grandmothers, Robots and War
Review: Volume 5 of Collection One features four good episodes. "Long Distance Call" is somewhat predictable, but the acting makes it entertaining. "I Sing the Body Electric" was written by Ray Bradbury and is about the newest member of the family: Grandmother/Robot. The story focuses on family as its theme, however, not science fiction. "The Lonely" is the best episode of Volume 5 and involves a convict in years of solitary confinement. "Probe 7" is initially suspenseful, and ends with an interesting twist. Overall this collection is quite good and recommended.
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