A workaholic priest has taken it upon himself to drive himself near destruction to get the work of the church done. This obsessiveness began after he was in a car accident where a young woman he cared about was killed. As he gets more and more tired, he begins to hallucinate, seeing the car he was driving burst into flames with people inside. Eventually he asks God to make things right. The ending is awful and it is an insult to the usual perception of God. It just didn't work for me.
5 Reviews
Interesting Story More at Home on "One Step Beyond"
chrstphrtully21 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"The Crossing" is an interesting ghost story which keeps its secret right up to the end. The only problem is that the ending doesn't really fit "The Twilight Zone," so much as an episode of "One Step Beyond." Whereas the stories on the "Zone" were concerned with rewarding the good/downtrodden, punishing the wicked, or presenting comically or tragically ironic endings, "One Step Beyond" was more focused on straightforward stories of the supernatural.
In this episode, tireless local priest Ted Shackleford is in the final stages of raising enough money to build a children's hospital, but becomes distracted by visions of a fiery car crash from his past. Ralph Phillips' script sets up a neat mystery as to why the priest is having these visions, and invests the character with the depth to make us want to know more -- particularly by making it clear that the priest knows the identity of the shadowy figure in the car, and that his non-stop charitable work is an outgrowth from some hidden guilt. Shackleford's low-key performance is impressive as well, giving us the portrait of a good man who doesn't believe he's as good as he really is. Gerard Parkes also offers some good support as the kindly monsignor who tries to get Shackleford to slow down.
As I noted earlier, the episode is clearly effective on its own terms, but it's not quite a "Twilight Zone." The character flaw driving Shackleford's guilt in the script is simple -- fear in the face of incredible danger which prevented him from saving the life of the shadowy figure. That character flaw, however, is hardly a mortal sin (nor is it particularly unique), and one gets the feeling that his extensive good works since that time would have more than atoned for that single moment of weakness. Instead, the end of the episode seems to play as though he's accepting death as a form of punishment for this flaw -- something that throws the concept of "The Twilight Zone" somewhat out of balance. Even if one doesn't read it as a punishment, the character's death at an early age would appear to cut him off in the prime of his life, eliminating the possibility of him doing any further good works; the character appears more in need of rest and absolution than a premature end to his life. Indeed, a more fitting "Zone" ending might have involved the shadowy figure giving him that absolution, and allowing him to live his life (and do more good works) without the excessive guilt.
As it is, the episode is definitely worth a look, with Shackleford's performance definitely worth the time invested.
In this episode, tireless local priest Ted Shackleford is in the final stages of raising enough money to build a children's hospital, but becomes distracted by visions of a fiery car crash from his past. Ralph Phillips' script sets up a neat mystery as to why the priest is having these visions, and invests the character with the depth to make us want to know more -- particularly by making it clear that the priest knows the identity of the shadowy figure in the car, and that his non-stop charitable work is an outgrowth from some hidden guilt. Shackleford's low-key performance is impressive as well, giving us the portrait of a good man who doesn't believe he's as good as he really is. Gerard Parkes also offers some good support as the kindly monsignor who tries to get Shackleford to slow down.
As I noted earlier, the episode is clearly effective on its own terms, but it's not quite a "Twilight Zone." The character flaw driving Shackleford's guilt in the script is simple -- fear in the face of incredible danger which prevented him from saving the life of the shadowy figure. That character flaw, however, is hardly a mortal sin (nor is it particularly unique), and one gets the feeling that his extensive good works since that time would have more than atoned for that single moment of weakness. Instead, the end of the episode seems to play as though he's accepting death as a form of punishment for this flaw -- something that throws the concept of "The Twilight Zone" somewhat out of balance. Even if one doesn't read it as a punishment, the character's death at an early age would appear to cut him off in the prime of his life, eliminating the possibility of him doing any further good works; the character appears more in need of rest and absolution than a premature end to his life. Indeed, a more fitting "Zone" ending might have involved the shadowy figure giving him that absolution, and allowing him to live his life (and do more good works) without the excessive guilt.
As it is, the episode is definitely worth a look, with Shackleford's performance definitely worth the time invested.
The road least traveled
sol121820 May 2011
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** Father Mark Cassidy, Ted Shackelford, is the reason that the church he's assigned to St. Timothy exists in the first place. Father Mark has been working day and night for the last 20 years without taking a day off to keep the church afloat. Almost exhausted from trying to get, and getting, 2 million dollars in contributions to build a new children hospital wing to the church you would think that he would finally take some well needed and deserved time off to relax.
Still going full tilt at his job managing St. Timothy Church Father Mark soon starts to hallucinate seeing this red 1960's model station-wagon with a young girl, Shelagh Harcourt, behind the wheel! Seeing the station-wagon make a turn and then,out of camera rage, fall down an embankment it bursts into flames with the girl still in it! As it turns out it's only Father Mark who sees all this and no one else! After yet another incident of the station-wagon bursting into flames with only him seeing it Father Mark goes to his room at the church and checks out a number of old photos of himself, before he became a Catholic Priest, and this girl Kelly besides the station-wagon that he's been seeing. It's there and then that Father Mark realizes what he did back then and what he has to do now to correct a terrible mistake he made some 20 years ago. It was that mistake that made Father Mark become a priest and work himself almost to death to correct it!
***SPOILERS*** Seeing that he's been given a second chance to correct his mistake that lead to Kelly's death Father Mark now calmly enters the red station-wagon when it shows up at the church's driveway and with Kelly inside drives off to what fate has in store him. In him knowing that this time around he'll do the right thing and end up saving both his soul and Kelly's life.
Still going full tilt at his job managing St. Timothy Church Father Mark soon starts to hallucinate seeing this red 1960's model station-wagon with a young girl, Shelagh Harcourt, behind the wheel! Seeing the station-wagon make a turn and then,out of camera rage, fall down an embankment it bursts into flames with the girl still in it! As it turns out it's only Father Mark who sees all this and no one else! After yet another incident of the station-wagon bursting into flames with only him seeing it Father Mark goes to his room at the church and checks out a number of old photos of himself, before he became a Catholic Priest, and this girl Kelly besides the station-wagon that he's been seeing. It's there and then that Father Mark realizes what he did back then and what he has to do now to correct a terrible mistake he made some 20 years ago. It was that mistake that made Father Mark become a priest and work himself almost to death to correct it!
***SPOILERS*** Seeing that he's been given a second chance to correct his mistake that lead to Kelly's death Father Mark now calmly enters the red station-wagon when it shows up at the church's driveway and with Kelly inside drives off to what fate has in store him. In him knowing that this time around he'll do the right thing and end up saving both his soul and Kelly's life.
The Twilight Zone - The Crossing
Scarecrow-8829 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Ted Shackelford is anguished, guilt-stricken priest still internally mourning the loss of a girl he loved when younger to a car wreck for which he was unable to save her. That event (the girl in the red station wagon, still for a few seconds before driving around a curve and over a hill, dying in a fiery crash) relives everyday to the priest, further encouraging his grief. Despite raising two million for a hospital wing, being responsible for children school and a rejuvenated thriving church community, the priest continues to languish in his misery. His superior, Monsignor Perot (Gerard Parkes), along with the maidservant (Bunty Webb), just want him to take a break and get some rest. Chain-smoking and lack of sleep are starting to take as much a toll on the priest as the memory of the girl in the red wagon
what will he do to rid himself of the demons and can he ever escape his agony? This is one of those "second chances" stories where the pangs of a terrible event from the past could be "corrected" if the protagonist is allowed the opportunity to make things right
the Twilight Zone often offers a respite to such characters. Shackelford (The Young and the Restless) is spot-on with the beleaguered priest haunted and tormented, and the actor gives that character his all. It is all there on that hang-dog face that cannot seem to do enough to balm the sores of an accident resulting in a death he possibly could have prevented. The episode effectively lays out what a tragic event from the past can do to someone unable to relinquish it from his psyche.
The past will catch up with you every time in the Twilight Zone
tomisinthehouse29 July 2007
I enjoyed watching episode "The Crossing". I feel this is one of the best episodes in season 3. After you watch it, you will understand what the writer was trying to show us. The episode is 20 years old but many people who live in this era may understand why the writer had to tell his story.
The acting was great from all the adults and children. Some times children have a step up with telling a story without knowing their telling a story which will make a difference in history. That is what got me hooked on this episode. This is not a make believe episode, it is a true telling of something that most people will be shocked with. others may say, whats the big deal.
The acting was great from all the adults and children. Some times children have a step up with telling a story without knowing their telling a story which will make a difference in history. That is what got me hooked on this episode. This is not a make believe episode, it is a true telling of something that most people will be shocked with. others may say, whats the big deal.
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