Since I own the book "The Twilight Zone Companion" by Marc Scott Zicree, I had a vesting interest in seeing what in essence was the de facto pilot of the show called "The Time Element" which became an episode of "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse". In this one, it's 1958 and Pete Jenson (William Bendix) is seeing a psychiatrist (Martin Balsam) and telling him of the same dream he's been having for about a week. It's in a hotel in Honolulu on what he later finds out is December 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor. He tells both a newspaper publisher and a Navy ensign about his predictions but gets rebuffed both times. He wakes up just as the planes are coming. I'll stop there and just say Bendix is mostly good in his role and provides some good humor in his scenes with Jesse White as a bartender. Balsam also is compelling as the psychiatrist especially when he proposes a theory of what would happen if someone actually came back in time and died in the past. Though some of what he says may be partly contradicted by the ending with Jensen's picture at his bar, this was still a nearly excellent outing for the premise. The version I saw on YouTube had something that was missing that I read about in the book. It was Desi Arnaz' explanation of what just happened: "We wonder if Pete Jenson did go back in time or if he ever existed. My personal answer is that the doctor had seen Jenson's picture sometime before and had a dream. Any of you out there have any other answers? Let me know." One critic at the time was so mad at that "explanation" he simply wrote, "GO HOME, DESI!" After so many years, it's gratifying to finally see what Rod Serling had initially written for his proposed series that became a bona fide classic these past 50 years. Well worth seeking out.
9 Reviews
The Time Element is a fascinating find for fans of "The Twilight Zone"
tavm1 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Very Twilight Zoney.
planktonrules13 July 2021
"The Time Element" is an installment of "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" that was written by Rod Serling and plays exactly like an episode of his anthology series, "The Twilight Zone", which would begin a short time after this episode aired.
The plot might seem familiar if you've seen "The Twilight Zone" episode "No Time Like the Past", where a man can go back in time to prevent disasters but time and again, no one believes him and the disasters occur anyway.
In "The Time Element", Peter Jenson (William Bendix) goes to a psychiatrist about a recurring dream. In it, he's back in Honolulu...the day before Pearl Harbor. And, try as he might to convince everyone, no one believes that the Japanese are about to commit a sneak attack on the island and thousands will die.
The twist in this one makes this an exceptional show. My only reservation in this otherwise wonderful show is that William Bendix's character just seems unusually angry all the time. When he wakes up in 1941 and is confused, his go-to emotion is ALWAYS anger...which I think detracts a bit from an otherwise amazing show. Still, it's well worth seeing!
The plot might seem familiar if you've seen "The Twilight Zone" episode "No Time Like the Past", where a man can go back in time to prevent disasters but time and again, no one believes him and the disasters occur anyway.
In "The Time Element", Peter Jenson (William Bendix) goes to a psychiatrist about a recurring dream. In it, he's back in Honolulu...the day before Pearl Harbor. And, try as he might to convince everyone, no one believes that the Japanese are about to commit a sneak attack on the island and thousands will die.
The twist in this one makes this an exceptional show. My only reservation in this otherwise wonderful show is that William Bendix's character just seems unusually angry all the time. When he wakes up in 1941 and is confused, his go-to emotion is ALWAYS anger...which I think detracts a bit from an otherwise amazing show. Still, it's well worth seeing!
Talk about "The Danger Zone".
mark.waltz18 February 2019
Warning: Spoilers
There's a definite element of mystery throughout this Rod Serling written episode of the "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" which led to the still extremely popular anthology series, "The Twilight Zone". Like many episodes of the subsequent TV series, this one is a jaw-dropper and features one of the great all-time TV performances through funny man William Bendix who is not at all humorous in this brilliant episode. Coming to see psychiatrist Martin Balsam, Bendix explains that he has had a recurring dream of waking up 17 years before on December 6th 1941 in Honolulu and upon realizing where he is trying to warn everybody about the impending danger. Initially shocked by his prediction, shock quickly turns to anger as people witnessing his tirade are furious over his attempts to start panic. As Bendix explains to awesome, his dream stops just as the planes fly over where he is sleeping, having earlier been knocked out by bartender Jesse White for stirring up this fear.
The superb writing is aided greatly by the technical excellence and the entire cast which includes Darryl Hickman and Caroline Kearney as a young soldier and his wife who try to figure out why Bendix feels that the Japanese are about to strike. This teleplay isn't just about the possibility of America being attacked but deals with the theme of trying to change the past as well as supernatural elements concerning why Bendix happened to drop in on Balsam. The tension builds at an incredible speed and within the hour running time, you will certainly be absolutely riveted to your screen. Unlike the later episodes in the "Twilight Zone" series, this is not hosted by Rod Serling but by Desi Arnaz who later has a brief encounter with wife Lucy who helps him to introduce the next episode of "The Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour" that gives this a historic feeling of going back in time, ironic considering the theme of the episode.
The superb writing is aided greatly by the technical excellence and the entire cast which includes Darryl Hickman and Caroline Kearney as a young soldier and his wife who try to figure out why Bendix feels that the Japanese are about to strike. This teleplay isn't just about the possibility of America being attacked but deals with the theme of trying to change the past as well as supernatural elements concerning why Bendix happened to drop in on Balsam. The tension builds at an incredible speed and within the hour running time, you will certainly be absolutely riveted to your screen. Unlike the later episodes in the "Twilight Zone" series, this is not hosted by Rod Serling but by Desi Arnaz who later has a brief encounter with wife Lucy who helps him to introduce the next episode of "The Lucy/Desi Comedy Hour" that gives this a historic feeling of going back in time, ironic considering the theme of the episode.
Exactly like an episode of the Twilight Zone
jjturley25 March 2019
It is October, 1958, and "Peter Jenson" (played by William Bendix) is in the office of a New York psychiatrist named "Dr. Arnold Gillespie" (played by Martin Balsam.) Peter made the appointment since he has been suffering from the same nightmare for the last several nights. He is very anxious.
In this dream, Peter always finds himself at a hotel in Honolulu. The date is December 6th, 1941, which is the day before the Pearl Harbor attack. So, how can he warn people of the impending doom?
Dr. Gillespie listens patiently and tries to help convince Peter that it is all just a dream, regardless of how real it might feel at the time.
Together, the two men smoke a lot of cigarettes as they try to get to the bottom of what all this means... wait for the twist ending!
This was a well-done drama. Convincing characters and intriguing story. I strongly recommend it.
In this dream, Peter always finds himself at a hotel in Honolulu. The date is December 6th, 1941, which is the day before the Pearl Harbor attack. So, how can he warn people of the impending doom?
Dr. Gillespie listens patiently and tries to help convince Peter that it is all just a dream, regardless of how real it might feel at the time.
Together, the two men smoke a lot of cigarettes as they try to get to the bottom of what all this means... wait for the twist ending!
This was a well-done drama. Convincing characters and intriguing story. I strongly recommend it.
Desilu Height Serling Preview
DKosty1236 February 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Submitted for your approval here is the canvas upon which the Twilight Zone was born & based. While Desi Arnez introduces this one, after that it is all Serling. An excellent cast helps along the way. William Bendix is excellent in the lead role. Often identified with Comedy, this is a serious role for Bendix. Jesse White plays his usual bartender role, but does it as well as always. Martin Balsam plays a shrink, & is excellent as well.
There is a time loop here, or is it all in their heads? The Serling written tale kind of leaves that open to interpretation. Desilu did these Playhouses for a couple of years in the late 1950's so that they had something to air when the Luci-Desi Comedy Hour was on vacation. Few of these are as memorable as this installment.
There is a time loop here, or is it all in their heads? The Serling written tale kind of leaves that open to interpretation. Desilu did these Playhouses for a couple of years in the late 1950's so that they had something to air when the Luci-Desi Comedy Hour was on vacation. Few of these are as memorable as this installment.
First Twilight Zone
johnmcd727 August 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Rod Serling's Twilight Zone was effectively born in this episode of the Desilu PLayhouse. The story embodied the essences of the Twilight Zone concept and was first aired as a free standing episode in the Desilu anthology series. The story concern a man, Peter Jensen (William Bendix), who goes to a psychiatrist (Martin Balsam). He's worried about a dream he's been having which he insists is real. In a series of flashbacks, we learn that he imagines he wakes up in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 6, 1941. Since he has a 1958 perspective, he knows what will happen the next morning. When he tries to warn people, he is regarded as crazy. The next morning the planes come in strafing and he is killed. From the flashbacks, the story Returns to the psychiatrist's office where the Dr. now finds himself alone and perplexed. He goes down to a neighborhood bar and notices a photo of his patient next to the cash register. He asks who the man is, and the bar tender says he is Peter Jensen and that he was killed at Pearl Harbor in 1941. It remain perhaps the best and most startling of all the Twilight Zone stories, and contains a fascinating dilemma: If a man in 1958 goes back in time to 1941 and is killed, how can he exist in 1959? Unfortunately, this seminal TV play has never been included in any of the various Twilight Zone DVD collections that have come out.
Great Episode
mikeiskorn14 September 2021
Absolutely wonderful to see this. It was nice to watch after hearing about it in a few of the books I've read about Rod. As other reviewers have said this could easily have been one of the episodes in the original Twilight Zone series. Great plot twist at the end and very well acted throughout. My only gripe about it was the narration over the top. I think it's because I'm so used to the Twilight Zone episode is it just for a little bit weird to have that narration other than that it was fantastic.
interesting start for the 'Zone'
HelloTexas114 March 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Shown as an installment of 'Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse' in 1958, 'The Time Element' was meant as the pilot for what would become 'The Twilight Zone.' CBS had passed on the idea as a series, but eventually the show was aired as a one-off. Viewer reaction was so positive (reportedly, the network received 6000 letters) that 'Twilight Zone' was given the go-ahead after all, and the rest as they say is history. The one-hour teleplay was written by Rod Serling of course, and it contained most of the essential ingredients of later 'Zone' episodes. A strange set-up, the idea played out, then the twist at the end. Peter Jenson (William Bendix) is having a recurring dream that he has gone back in time to December 6, 1941, the day before Pearl Harbor. He relays the dream in all its details to a psychiatrist, Dr. Gillespie (Martin Balsam), insisting he is not really dreaming but time travelling. At the end, Gillespie finds himself alone in his office, apparently never having spoken to Jenson, then learns Jenson is dead, having been killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The script is pure Serling, at times incisive, at times wavering uncertainly between comedy and drama. One lesson learned apparently was that these kinds of stories were much more effective in a half-hour format; otherwise they felt padded, though this lesson was then forgotten briefly by the time the abbreviated fourth season of 'Twilight Zone' rolled around. 'The Time Element' is a somewhat tentative first step, one that allowed Serling time to coalesce the various ingredients that would go into the new series. One ingredient that is definitely missed here is Serling's presence as host and narrator.
Trapped in time & space
kapelusznik1824 March 2014
Warning: Spoilers
***SPOILERS*** What was a precursor to the highly successful "Twilight Zone" the "Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse" broadcast of "Time Element" is about a man lost in time who's on the verge of having an total emotional breakdown. It's when bartender Peter Jenson, William Bendix, stepped in Dr. Gillespie's office, no not the guy from the Dr. Kildare TV show and movies, played by Martin Balsam the story he told him made the good doctor feel that the man needs immediate psychiatric help. Insisting that everything he says is true Jenson come up with this story of him waking up in an Honolulu Hawaii hotel on December 6, 1941 the day before the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor. This all happens on a sunny day in L.A in October 1958 17 years after that historic event took place!
As Jenson recounts his dream he explains that he's been having it every night for the last week and it's the end that disturbs him most. He doesn't remembers if he survived the attack or not! Obvious he did or else he wouldn't be her in the future in 1958 but he can't remember a thing what he did for the last 17 years leading up to it! Told to lie down on the couch by Dr. Gillespie and be put into a deep trance Jenson not only falls asleep but disappears into thin air!
Feeling that he needs to see a psychiatrist like himself Dr. Gillespie goes down to the local bar to have a few belts, drinks, to settle his nerves after what he just went through with the disappearing Peter Jenson. It's then to his complete surprise he sees that everything that Jenson told him was absolutely true! Even to the fact that Jenson was a bartender himself at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor like he told him that he was now in the year 1958; 17 years after he together with 2,400 other American servicemen and civilians were killed in the surprise Japanese sneak attack back then!
This episode was expected to so shocked the audience watching it that it was decided to have Desie Arnez himself come on after it was over to explain, in him having a lot of ex'plain'in to do, what exactly happened in it. It wasn't until TV series like "The Twilight Zone" and "One Step Beyond" came on TV a year later stories like this one about the supernatural with surprise endings were almost unknown on TV which left those watching it back in 1958 both shocked and confused.
As Jenson recounts his dream he explains that he's been having it every night for the last week and it's the end that disturbs him most. He doesn't remembers if he survived the attack or not! Obvious he did or else he wouldn't be her in the future in 1958 but he can't remember a thing what he did for the last 17 years leading up to it! Told to lie down on the couch by Dr. Gillespie and be put into a deep trance Jenson not only falls asleep but disappears into thin air!
Feeling that he needs to see a psychiatrist like himself Dr. Gillespie goes down to the local bar to have a few belts, drinks, to settle his nerves after what he just went through with the disappearing Peter Jenson. It's then to his complete surprise he sees that everything that Jenson told him was absolutely true! Even to the fact that Jenson was a bartender himself at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor like he told him that he was now in the year 1958; 17 years after he together with 2,400 other American servicemen and civilians were killed in the surprise Japanese sneak attack back then!
This episode was expected to so shocked the audience watching it that it was decided to have Desie Arnez himself come on after it was over to explain, in him having a lot of ex'plain'in to do, what exactly happened in it. It wasn't until TV series like "The Twilight Zone" and "One Step Beyond" came on TV a year later stories like this one about the supernatural with surprise endings were almost unknown on TV which left those watching it back in 1958 both shocked and confused.
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