During New Years I had the opportunity to binge on the annual SYFY marathon of Twilight Zone episodes. They presented a rarely ever shown episode from
season 3 episode 32 titled “The Gift” 1962
You know how there are some episodes of series rarely shown because of controversy when the episode is originally shown….like the interracial kiss
of Star Trek’s Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura? Well for the release of this TZ episode The Gift….it to was controversial and rare in its showing.
Why, because it presents Extraterrestrials and God and Jesus and the Devil, Satan (as an accusation by the villagers) within the story.
If anyone has a means of locating and watching The Gift…I highly recommend it!
….”Storyline
The residents of a small Mexican village, just 40 miles or so south of the Rio Grande, panic when they learn a being from another planet may have
crashed near by. As the result of an altercation with local police, one policeman is dead and the alien is severely wounded. A young boy, Pedro,
quickly forms a friendship with the alien who says he has come in peace. He also says he has a gift for the people of the Earth, but the villagers'
fear means that mankind will never benefit from the alien's generosity.”…… Source:
www.imdb.com...
I could not find the actual script online, however, I’ve located a transcription someone has done…..below is some excerpts I extracted from the
dialogue:
Source:
transcripts.thedealr.net...
(the setting is a village in Mexico)
Except 1
You must be tired, Pedro.
It doesn't matter, senor.
I can sleep anytime. Now you must sleep.
You have a poet, Pedro. I read him. Robert burns.
He said, "the best-laid schemes o' mice and men gang aft a-gley."
Like my plans.
I came here to give, and all I've done is to take.
Your bed, your room.
Even my clothes. I stole them.
I've often wondered why it is that men fear the unknown.
Like children, they're afraid of the dark.
The only person I've met who isn't afraid of the dark, is a child.
Because I am an odd one.
We are both odd ones, Mr. Williams.
You come from a long way off, don't you?
From the stars?
From beyond the stars, Pedro.
For a reason?
For many reasons.
And this thing you've given me.
Just a gift. A gesture, really.
A small gift to show them that I came as a visitor, not an invader.
I must get back to my ship, Pedro.
See if I can repair it.
And then I must leave.
For good, senor? For good and all?
Oh, no, Pedro, there's no such thing as "for good and all."
There is only forever.
I will come back sometime.
Or others like me.
Where you're from, is there a god?
The same god, Pedro.
I wonder.
If god were to come to earth, would they find him so strange that they would be afraid, and would they shoot him?
Did not his son come once, Pedro?
And they nailed him to a cross.
And then spent 2,000 years learning to believe in him.
All things take time, Pedro.
Soon, Pedro, soon, your people will no longer be afraid of me.
They will not be afraid, and then, then I can show them the gift.
Excerpt 2
You're under arrest, senor!
You will come with us. The charge is murder.
Death was an accident.
I come in peace.
You will put up your hands and walk toward me.
Tengo miedo, Jose.
Mr. Williams! Mr. Williams!
Pedro, the gift. Show them the gift.
Give it to the doctor. He will explain it to them.
(the Villagers)
Destroy it.
Burn it! Burn it!
It is the devil's work.
Destroy it!
It's the devil's work! Burn it! Burn it!
(Mr. Williams (the extraterrestrial))
Why did you do it?
Why?
Excerpt 3
What was it, doctor?
Black magic. Something from Satan.
Read it.
"greetings to the people of earth.
"we come as friends, and in peace.
"we bring you this gift.
"the following chemical formula is a vaccine.
It's a vaccine against all forms of cancer."
(The village doctor)
That's all there is. The rest has been burned.
So we have not just killed a man. (Mr. Williams)
We've killed a dream.
Epilogue
Rod Serling
Madeiro, Mexico. The present.
The subject: Fear.
The cure: A little more faith.
An awesome episode for me …..
👽🛸