Episode #29 - The Toys of Caliban

#29a: THE TOYS OF CALIBAN (episode #5 of 2nd season)
story by Terry Matz; teleplay by George R.R.Martin Directed by Thomas J. Wright

This was a variation on It's a Good Life, with the boy of godlike ability being mentally handicapped in this version. Only the parents (Richard Mulligan, Anne Haney) know of his ability. The boy "brings" things into existence after looking at pictures in any book (or a TV, which has been removed). The trio live a solitary life until the boy gets a stomach ailment from donuts he materialized; they are forced to take him to a hospital, where a social worker gets involved, concerned over the father's restrictive attitude. Things rapidly go from bad to horrific.

There was some genuinely disturbing elements in this one, raising it to the level of grotesque horror in at least one scene. It's almost as if the writers thought about the old TZ episode with Billy Mumy and tried to come up with ways to make it even more frightening. I wasn't clear on how the parents, adamant about their rules, could be so repeatedly sloppy about letting the boy get his hands on a book with pictures. But, that's a minor quibble. Mulligan was very good as the father caught in a private hell from which there is no escape - well, except one way.... BoG's Score: 7.5 out of 10