The Twilight Zone - "Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (01-24-64) AUDIO ONLY

Number 12 Looks Just Like You (Aired January 24, 1964) AUDIO ONLY

Throughout the 1950s, Rod Serling had established himself as one of the hottest names in television, equally famous for his success in writing televised drama as he was for criticizing the medium's limitations. His most vocal complaints concerned the censorship frequently practiced by sponsors and networks. "I was not permitted to have my Senators discuss any current or pressing problem," he said of his 1957 production 'The Arena', intended to be an involving look into contemporary politics. "To talk of tariff was to align oneself with the Republicans; to talk of labor was to suggest control by the Democrats. To say a single thing germane to the current political scene was absolutely prohibited." Twilight Zone’s writers frequently used science fiction as a vehicle for social comment; networks and sponsors who had infamously censored all potentially "inflammatory" material from the then predominant live dramas were ignorant of the methods developed by writers such as Ray Bradbury for dealing with important issues through seemingly innocuous fantasy. Frequent themes include nuclear war, mass hysteria, and McCarthyism, subjects that were strictly forbidden on more "serious" prime-time drama.

 

 THIS EPISODE:

 

January 24, 1964. "Number 12 Looks Just Like You." In the future  year 2000, science has made advances that allow each person to choose how the look. Pick a number and "Presto". Rod Serling. Richard Long, Pamela Austin, Suzy Parker. Director: Abner Biberman. Writing: Charles Beaumont and John Tomerlin. 25:15.  Episode Notes From Boxcars711 Old Time Radio Pod.