Seems pretty obvious - Mr. Beardy the theater critic deliberately chose tunes (one each on a player roll) he knew would bring out the hidden thoughts of his acquiantances.
shareThat is never explained.
It's still one of the better Earl Hamner episodes.
I have often wondered about that too. I do find the choices for each person interesting though.
shareI like this episode, especially the actors cast for it. But as far as Hamner goes, I feel his best script, while derivative of the pilot, is "Stopover in a Quiet Town." Love the old "Carvel" MGM backlot, used in all those Mickey Rooney/Judy
Garland movies.
Not many people liked "Stopover in a Quiet Town". I never understood why. It's one of my favorites.
By the way, it's nice to see another familiar name here. (I have seen a few others from other boards) I have read many of your posts over the years. I believe we even talked a few times on the TZ board. Let's hope this site catches on!
"Stopover in a Quiet Town" is one of season five's best episodes. That scene where the couple is on the train, thinking they've left Centerville for good, remains chilling even after repeated viewings.
"A Piano in the House" may not totally explain how the piano works but it's hardly for me a deal-breaker since the acting is engaging and the writing sharp. Good episode.
I enjoyed "Stopover in a Quiet Town," despite the fact that I had figured out the twist right off the bat...The wife was pretty easy on the eyes, too!
shareIt remains a mystery... as it should be in the Twilight Zone. :)
share Ah those TZ mysteries, I love 'em.
Stopover in a Quiet Town reminds me of some disturbing dreams that I've had. I think most people have the dream where they are unprepared for a test or find themselves naked in public.
I've had those dreams but I also have had dreams where I am someplace and I can't leave. I am trying to get somewhere else or get home and I can't. I am in the same place, trapped and doing the same things over and over. It is such an anxiety dream. Stopover seems to address those types of fears, i.e., anxiety and a feeling of being trapped.
Interesting though how a race of people on a planet light years away would have the same technology as Earth. Kitchens, phones, trains, etc. The church vestibule even looked like a Christian Church. Interesting... yeah I shouldn't read too much into it, just a show, but it makes me wonder... Maybe it WAS Earth and the couple just shrunk during the night! LOL No, the unseen mother tells her daughter to be careful with her new pets. Her father traveled far away to get them. Just a great episode though.
Fitzgerald Fortune was a world class dick, but the man was educated, sophisticated, and intelligent. Being a theater critic might have been a good career choice for him as someone who is good at observing human nature.
Anyway, when his wife asked him to stop "fooling" with the piano, he replied something to the effect that he wasn't fooling with it but using it with "deadly accuracy", and he was. He knew his guests well and exploited their inner feelings to great effect. He was just flat out good with picking the songs for each person he wanted to "entertain", and I believe that is the answer as to how he selected songs.
Esther on the other hand probably wasn't as astute as her husband, but she knew *him* at least, and got it right when she picked the proper song for him.