episode #55 - Mr. Dingle the Strong
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episode #55 - Mr. Dingle the Strong
Air Date: 3/3/61 written by Rod Serling Directed by John Brahm
The rare TZ sci-fi comedy, this episode focuses on perennial loser and doofus Mr. Dingle (Burgess Meredith), a vacuum cleaner salesman who hangs out at a local bar, usually making a fool of himself or getting beaten up by another local (pissed off Don Rickles) over some sports bet or other nonsense. Enter an invisible Martian (either a single Martian with two heads or two Martians in a strange locomotive suit). The Martian, as an experiment, grants Dingle the strength of 300 men. Dingle uses this new strength to show off in useless displays; eventually, the alien experimenter removes the strength and Dingle looks like a fake to onlookers. A couple of short Venusians arrive and give Dingle super intelligence; will Dingle mess this up, too?
The moral, I guess, is that certain people will remain losers no matter what gifts are bestowed upon them; we are what we are - or is this a commentary on most of the human race? This was a quirky little farce, somewhat pointless, but generally amusing. Meredith is a favorite among TZ fans, having guested on 4 episodes. My problem with this one is that Dingle is so pathetic, such a loser, that watching him and this episode tests my patience. There's a point, about midway, at which I get tired of seeing Dingle behave like an idiot. Rickles is funny as a lout. BoG's Score: 5 out of 10
The rare TZ sci-fi comedy, this episode focuses on perennial loser and doofus Mr. Dingle (Burgess Meredith), a vacuum cleaner salesman who hangs out at a local bar, usually making a fool of himself or getting beaten up by another local (pissed off Don Rickles) over some sports bet or other nonsense. Enter an invisible Martian (either a single Martian with two heads or two Martians in a strange locomotive suit). The Martian, as an experiment, grants Dingle the strength of 300 men. Dingle uses this new strength to show off in useless displays; eventually, the alien experimenter removes the strength and Dingle looks like a fake to onlookers. A couple of short Venusians arrive and give Dingle super intelligence; will Dingle mess this up, too?
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Base of Galactic Science Fiction :: SCIENCE FICTION in TELEVISION :: Golden Age of TV Science Fiction
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