The cult-television Valhalla is populated by programs beloved and despised, old and new, popular and obscure. One of the most obscure series -- and one of the most highly-sought for an official DVD release -- is the 1977 program Quinn Martin's Tales of the Unexpected.
This
horror anthology series ran for just eight episodes from February to August of
1977, and featured William Conrad as the host, in voice-over form only. The basic premise of the series is that there
are twists and turns in our lives, and we often can’t see them coming or
prepare for them. Many episodes feature
surprise endings, or ones with unusual “twists.”
Perhaps
the most memorable episode of the eight segments is the final one aired, “No
Way Out,” written by James Schmerer and directed by Walter Grauman.
It
aired on August 24, 1977, and is set in 1952.
It stars Bill Bixby as a Navy man, John Kelty who is too busy with his
career and his hobby -- sailing -- to give much love or attention to his young
son. On the eve of a sea trip with his
friend, Richard (Dean Stockwell), John’s wife tries to shine a light on the
problem. “I think that boat’s your real love,” she tells him. She isn’t really joking, either.
So
John and Richard set off on a weekend boat trip, and promptly disappear into
the Bermuda Triangle. When John emerges from
a terrifying storm as the sole survivor, however, he discovers that it is the
year 1977.
He
has missed the last twenty-five years with his wife and son. Time has passed
him by.
At
first, John refuses to accept the fact that he has somehow become lost in time,
but when he sees a 1977 calendar hanging on a hospital wall, he realizes the
truth. John attempts to track down his
wife, only to learn that she has moved on.
She remarried some years earlier, and now seems quite happy, and
cherished.
And
then -- in an emotionally-wrenching scene – John discovers his son is now
grown-up, and a successful cardiologist.
Worse,
John’s son is making precisely the same mistakes in his family life that his
father did. He is not spending enough
time with his son and wife, and is focusing entirely on his business. So -- pretending to be an “old” friend of his
father’s -- John tells his adult son: “The
circle completes itself, doesn’t it?”
He urges his boy to spend time with his children. That it is that time, and that relationship
that matters.
Finally,
John decides to go back to sea, to attempt to find the portal back to his life
in 1952. If only he can get there, he
swears that things will be different this time.
He won’t neglect his family…
The
episode’s final, shocking moment reveals, alas, that no matter how hard you try…you
simply can’t go home again.
To
use a rough analogy, “No Way Out” is sort of the Quinn Martin’s Tales of the
Unexpected’s version of The Twilight Zone’s stand-out
episode, Walking Distance.” In that
story, as you may recall, a man, played by Gig Young returned to his home town
and found he had traveled back in time to his own childhood. But, as he learned the hard way, every
customer -- every child – gets only one summer.
You can’t run away to the past.
You can only make the present better.
Of
course, “No Way Out” concerns not going back, not returning to a cherished time
long gone, but rather traveling forward, and the realization that if you are
not present in your life – moment to moment – it will pass you by in a
flash.
The
episode is a good reminder, as well -- to busy Dads, especially -- that there
is nothing more important than spending time with their children while they are
young. John Kelty is occupied by his own
wants and needs to the exclusions of his son’s interests. And yet his son grows up to be a mirror
image, making the same mistakes.
The
finale of “No Way Out” is unexpectedly dark and grim, and a direct refutation
of John’s mantra that “if there is a way
in, there must be a way out.” His
failure to pinpoint that way out is, again, an explicit reminder to audiences
that you literally can’t make up for lost
time. Time moves in only one
direction: forward. So again, don’t
squander the present.
“No
Way Out” is by turns intense and tragic.
Kelty is desperate to return home, desperate to get back that which he
once failed to value, and his story is a very human one. We all make mistakes, but “No Way Out” is
terrifying because Kelty makes a mistake his life can’t recover from, and which
impacts his family.
For
fans of seventies sci-fi franchises, this story not only provides a unique
variation on Twilight Zone-style storytelling but features a famous toy of
the era. At about the twenty-one minute
point, Kelty goes to a toy store in a Califonia mall, and there, displayed (upside
down) is a Mattel Eagle One toy from Space:1999 (1975 – 1977).
I’ve
covered Quinn Martin’s Tales of the Unexpected before on the blog (way
back in 2008, I think), and in my book, Terror Television (2001). The series certainly had its share of
stinkers (like “A Hand for Sonny Blue” and the two-parter, “Force of Evil,”)
but yet it also boasted some remarkably effective shows, like “The Nomads” and
this, its most emotionally-charged entry, “No Way Out.”
I’d
love to see this series available on DVD.
It’s a piece of genre history that is too often forgotten, and I think
modern audiences would still enjoy “No Way Out,” in particular.
The Cat's In The Cradle...
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly. I almost mentioned that song in my review! Amazing that you should bring it up...
DeleteI'm pretty sure I saw this series. (The William Conrad narration is what's poking my memory.) I'd have to see the eps again to know for sure. But what prompted me to comment is the picture of what looks like Patrick Labyorteaux? I am endlessly fascinated by the "what ever happened to" question when it comes to kid actors, and Patrick Labyorteaux's career is one of the few that shows you *can* stay in the business without spontaneously combusting. :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Terri,
DeleteI am not sure if that is Patrick or not. I checked the IMDB credits and he is not listed. I'll have to haul out my DVD and see if that is really him...
So what happens to the guy? It's kind of a tease to not say...
ReplyDeleteHi Unknown,
DeleteSorry, didn't mean to be a tease! John Kelty goes back into the Bermuda Triangle, but washes back up on the beach in 1977, as a dead old man. It's a shocking visual and gut-punch, for certain.
I know I would really enjoy this. It has Time Travel AND the great Bill Bixby! And yes, that is Patrick Labyorteaux, I definitely recognize him from his time on Little House on the Prairie.
ReplyDeleteWow! Thanks VoyagerG, I wasn't sure if it was Patrick or not. I appreciate the info.
DeleteJohn thank you for sharing the review of Quinn Martin’s Tales of the Unexpected. As a boy I unfortunately missed this series in '77. The imdb shows nothing, however that does look like Patrick Labyorteaux acting in this episode. He was a regular on Little House On The Prairie during that time period also.
ReplyDeleteSGB
Hi SGB:
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed the review, my friend. I didn't see Tales of the Unexpected as a kid, either. My first contact with it was when I began writing Terror Television in the late 1990s, and began finding references to it.
Best,
John
Where can someone watch/find this show?
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
DeleteUnfortunately, locating episode of Tales of the Unexpected is a difficult proposition, sans an official DVD release. Some video collectors have episodes in their collection, and may be willing to trade or sell discs for purposes of scholarship and review.
best,
John