1. Execution
First Aired: 1 April 1960
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2. There is a fifth dimension.
Beyond that which is known to man.
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3. It is a dimension as vast as space.
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4. And as timeless as infinity.
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5. It is the middle ground
between light and shadow...
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6. between science and superstition.
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7. And it lies between
the pit of man's fears...
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8. and the summit of his knowledge.
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9. This is the dimension
of imagination.
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10. It is an area which we call:
The Twilight Zone.
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11. A commonplace, if somewhat grim.
An event known as a 'Necktie party.'
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12. The guest of dishonor,
a cowboy named Joe Caswell.
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13. A moment away from a rope, a short
dance a few feet off the ground.
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14. And then the dark eternity
of all evil men.
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15. Mr Joe Caswell, who when the good
lord passed out a conscience...
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16. must have been out for a beer
and missed out.
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17. Mr Joe Caswell in the last quiet
moment of a violent life.
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18. Reverend. No need,
I ain't interested in prayers.
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19. And your immortal soul, Caswell?
Are you interested in that?
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20. It's my mortal neck
that concerns me now.
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21. And it's gonna be your pleasure to
see that it's stretched a few feet.
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22. Since that book ain't going to help,
make it short and get it over with.
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23. Judge?
- You have the right to a last word.
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24. That's my right, is it, judge?
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25. The young fellow I put a hole in had
too much mouth, not enough brains.
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26. I'd invite him out again tomorrow
if I had it to do all over again.
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27. You shot my son in the back.
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28. And that's a long country mile
from an invitation to a showdown.
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29. Now, that's all you got to say,
I got this to add.
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30. I'd like you to feel it, Caswell.
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31. The more you kick, the more justice
I figure there is in the world.
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32. Well, I'll do a jig for you, pappy,
just like a puppet.
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33. How about it,
can't we get it over with?
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34. I can tell you this. You're an
evil person. You're a disease.
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35. And when we hang you,
it's a service.
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36. All right, get on with the job.
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37. Oh, my dear God.
- What happened to him?
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38. Try to relax.
You're going to be all right.
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39. I'll explain to you what's happened.
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40. Where am I?
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41. You're a long way from home,
old friend.
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42. Where?
- You're in New York City.
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43. Eighty years from the last
moment of your recollection.
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44. How? How?
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45. By this.
This is a time machine.
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46. What's happened to you involves
principles you wouldn't understand.
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47. For the moment,
I don't know what your past was.
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48. But you've got a most
distinguished future.
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49. You're the first time traveler
in the history of man.
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50. And I'm going to introduce you
to a whole new world.
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51. And you're gonna tell me about
an old one.
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52. At 8:15 the subject appeared
desperately tired.
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53. So I put him to bed.
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54. After two hours I've
discovered the following:
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55. His name is Joseph Caswell.
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56. He tells me he was a trail boss
on a cattle ranch in Montana.
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57. His last moment of recollection
was 14 November 1880.
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58. He says he was riding herd when
suddenly he blacked out.
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59. He awoke to find himself on
the cot of my laboratory.
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60. He felt no sensations and...
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61. only in the last moment he seem to
have any grasp of what has occurred.
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62. There's one disturbing point.
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63. There are the marks of a rope
etched deeply into his neck.
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64. He has no explanation for this.
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65. And I have one other observation.
Hardly scientific.
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66. I don't like his looks. I don't
like the eyes or the expression.
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67. I get a feeling of disquiet, I...
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68. I get a feeling that I've taken
a 19th century primitive...
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69. and placed him in
a 20th century jungle.
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70. And heaven help whoever
gets in his way.
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71. That's fire right out of the air.
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72. I thought you were tired.
- I am.
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73. There's plenty of time to sleep.
And plenty of time for that.
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74. Now I wanna look at
that world out there.
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75. I wanna see if there are things out
there like you described to me.
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76. Carriages without horses and...
- They're out there, Caswell.
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77. Things that you've never seen before.
Things you can't imagine.
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78. But some things don't change.
Ideas, concepts.
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79. Things like right and wrong.
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80. I know all about right and wrong.
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81. A sheriff once tried to beat the
difference into me with a wet rope.
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82. I know all about right and wrong.
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83. And what about justice, Caswell?
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84. What about justice?
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85. Am I supposed to know about justice?
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86. More than most men, probably.
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87. Right and wrong,
they can try to beat into you.
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88. But justice, Caswell. This came
at the end of a rope, didn't it?
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89. That's where you were when
I reached back into time.
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90. You were at the end of a rope,
weren't you, Caswell?
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91. Some feet off the ground. And I got
you just before your neck was broken.
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92. When you're dangling at a rope, the
distance to the ground don't matter.
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93. You killed someone.
- A whole territory full.
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94. I stopped counting after 20.
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95. Well?
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96. I'm going to have to send you back.
- Back?
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97. Back to where you belong.
Back to that very moment, if I can.
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98. And that's supposed to be justice?
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99. I died once already, mister.
I been to hell. Now I'm back.
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100. And those 20 men that you killed?
They died with no discomfort?
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101. Mister, you're just talking words.
Justice, right and wrong.
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102. They sound good in this warm room.
With a nice full stomach.
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103. Just a few feet away
from a soft bed.
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104. They sound nice and
they go down easy.
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105. But you just try 'em on an ice-cold
mesa where another man's bread...
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106. or another man's jacket stands
between you and staying alive.
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107. You get in this machine of yours
and you go back to where I was.
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108. And you talk about law and justice.
They're gonna sound different.
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109. Mister, I know your kind.
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110. Your clean-faced, your
Johnny-come-lately dandies.
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111. You come in your warm trains rolling
over the graves of men like me.
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112. I just hate your kind.
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113. 'And I have one other observation.
Hardly scientific.
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114. 'I don't like his looks. I don't
like the eyes or the expression.
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115. 'I get a feeling that I've taken
a 19th century primitive...
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116. 'and placed him in
a 20th century jungle.
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117. 'And heaven help whoever
gets in his way.'
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118. 'There is overtime.
Please deposit 25 cents.'
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119. 'Hello? Hello?'
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120. 'There is overtime.
Please deposit 25 cents.'
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121. What'll it be?
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122. Expensive evening for you, pal.
That's gonna cost. Hear me?
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123. There's so much noise.
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124. If you don't pay for it,
I'm gonna have to. If you got any...
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125. Easy, pal, easy.
- Just bring me one of those.
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126. Well?
- Nothing, pal, no argument.
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127. What is that?
Where does the music come from?
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128. That thing?
That's just a plain old jukebox.
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129. You been in stir, buddy?
- It's just that I need some sleep.
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130. And those things that
are running around.
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131. Things?
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132. Those carriages without horses.
And the lights going on and off.
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133. And the noise,
it's like thunder all the time.
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134. Why don't you go home and sack down?
And get a good night's sleep.
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135. Take a couple of bottles with you.
That's what you need is sleep. Here.
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136. Well, don't you know what that is?
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137. It's a window.
- We'll give you a demonstration.
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138. All right, hombre,
you got your chance to draw.
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139. Now, you better make your move.
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140. All right, cowboy, you gotta
pay for this. Police. Police.
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141. Police.
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142. Mister, you...
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143. Man, you...
Help me, please.
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144. I thought the place was empty.
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145. Move away from the desk, cowboy.
- What do you want?
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146. What do I want?
What do you want, Buffalo Bill?
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147. Well, that's what I want.
Whatever is around loose.
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148. Well, it looks like you got here
before me. Saved me a little trouble.
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149. Thanks.
But I'm here now.
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150. I usually go to bed this early.
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151. So with the place being dark,
I figured I'd be all alone.
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152. You checked the desk, did you?
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153. I guess he don't keep
much cash around here.
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154. I figured maybe a key
to a drawer or something.
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155. See? I expect he's got a wall safe
or something around here, don't you?
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156. I asked you a question. Don't you
figure he's got a wall safe here?
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157. Hey. Help.
Help, somebody. Help me get out.
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158. Cut him down, hurry up.
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159. That ain't Joe Caswell.
That ain't the guy we hanged.
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160. Look at his clothes.
What kind of clothes are they?
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161. Who is it?
- This is not Caswell, reverend.
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162. It's a stranger.
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163. What kind of devil's work is this?
- I don't know.
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164. I don't know if it is devil's work.
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165. Did we hang an innocent man, then?
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166. I hope not.
I pray to God not.
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167. This is November 1880.
The aftermath of a necktie party.
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168. The victim's name, Paul Johnson.
Small time crook and murderer.
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169. No comment on his death save this.
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170. Justice can span years. Retribution
is not subject to a calendar.
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171. Tonight's case in point in
the Twilight Zone.
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