Scientist Dr. Manion (well played by Russell Johnson) decides to test his time machine and accidentally transports crude 19th century convicted murderer Joe Caswell (a strong and credible performance by Albert Salmi) to the present day.
Director David Orrick McDearmon relates the compelling story at a brisk pace and gets a lot of neat mileage out of the fish out of water premise (the scenes with Caswell being driven mad by the noisy hustle and bustle of the big city are extremely effective). Rod Serling's smart script makes a potent point about the basic human need to survive and comes up with a real doozy of a genuinely startling surprise twist ending in which justice gets served in a most ironic and unexpected way. Than Wyenn contributes a sturdy turn as small-time hoodlum Paul Johnson. But it's Salmi's remarkably intense and convincing portrayal of a brutish and inarticulate cowboy psychopath that really makes this episode stand out.
Director David Orrick McDearmon relates the compelling story at a brisk pace and gets a lot of neat mileage out of the fish out of water premise (the scenes with Caswell being driven mad by the noisy hustle and bustle of the big city are extremely effective). Rod Serling's smart script makes a potent point about the basic human need to survive and comes up with a real doozy of a genuinely startling surprise twist ending in which justice gets served in a most ironic and unexpected way. Than Wyenn contributes a sturdy turn as small-time hoodlum Paul Johnson. But it's Salmi's remarkably intense and convincing portrayal of a brutish and inarticulate cowboy psychopath that really makes this episode stand out.