Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse 1.06

The Time Element

starring William Bendix, Martin Balsam

directed by Allen Reisner

written by Rod Serling

Peter Jenson (William Bendix) goes (in 1958) to see Dr. Gillespie, a psychiatrist (Martin Balsam), and tells him about a recurring dream he’s been having. In the dream, he wakes up in Hawaii on Dec 6, 1941. Jenson believes that what he’s experienced aren’t dreams but time travel.

Jenson, in the dream and possibly reality, had a few too many drinks the night and doesn't realize at first where or when he has woken up. He tells the doctor about trying to tell other people about what’s going to happen the next day, but no one believe him. He keeps trying to tell people about the imminent attack by the Japanese navy until finally someone beats him up for making a scene and getting people agitated.

He wakes up the next morning, still in Hawaii, just as the Japanese airplanes begin their attack. That’s where the dream each and every time. 

Jenson falls asleep on the couch in Gillespie’s office. He has the dream once again but this time he is killed by a Japanese fighter that strafes the hotel where he’s staying.

Dr. Gillespie falls asleep in his chair while Jenson is sleeping. Jenson is gone when he wakes up. There s no evidence of Jenson in his office including in the day planner that lists his appointments, but Gillespie remembers him and doesn’t know what to make of what just happened.

Thoughts

Desi Arnaz introduced this episode.

This is the only episode of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse that Rod Serling wrote. It aired the year before his most famous creation, The Twilight Zone (1959), began.

William Bendix played his part beautifully. I've seen him in at least six films in recent years. I think that this is the first episode of television in which I have seen him.

This is one of two episodes of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse that Allen Reisner directed. He also directed an episode of The Twilight Zone (1959), 1.03 Mr. Denton on Doomsday. 

Martin Balsam was also in the most recent episode of The Twilight Zone (1959) that I watched, 1.04 The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine.

Jessie White played the bartender in Hawaii in this episode. I saw him very recently in Hell's Half Acre (1954). 

This was excellent. I really enjoyed it, especially the ending which could be read in more ways than one. Did Jenson really time travel? Was Jenson ever in Doctor Gillespie's office? Was the session with Jenson a dream that Doctor Gillespie had? I think that's a plausible read of the episode but I'm not sure that it's the correct one.