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The Ray Bradbury Theater: The Pedestrian
In the near future, a man tries to go walking at night with his friend, but the authoritarian government confronts him and demands explanations.
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Episode Info
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Episode number: 4x5 Airdate: Friday August 04th, 1989 |
Co-Guest Stars
Recap
In the near future, Leonard Mead walks to the apartment of his friend Robert Stockwell and knocks on the door. Stockwell eventually hears him over the sound of his television and hesitantly comes to the door but only lets him in when Leonard pounds repeatedly. He condemns the television and then gives Stockwell black clothing to walk the night in near invisibility, in tennis shoes to remain near-silent. Stockwell is tempted but can't tear himself away from the television even though it's the same program retitled and slightly rewritten. Leonard leaves on his own and as he goes, Stockwell asks what it's like at night and Leonard describes the wonders. Impressed, Stockwell dons his dark clothing and goes out with his friend...Read the full recap
Episode Notes
Based on the short story "The Pedestrian" by Ray Bradbury. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction (February, 1952).
Episode Quotes
Host: Tennis shoes, to remind me of what? The first nights of summer when, as a boy, I ran in the cool grass. Or later, walking at night, being stopped by police who were suspicious of the only one walking for miles and miles. Upset with this encounter with the law, what else could I do but write about shoes and night, and walking, as a criminal in some future year, in a story called "The Pedestrian."
Leonard Mead: The streets look like a chessboard, just waiting for us to make our move.
(describing a television)
Leonard Mead: The head of the Medusa. Lies in my parlor and stares. My friends, frozen statues, numbed by the Medusa's glare. Radiant fuzz collects in our ears while this new god paints life on our eyes. Incredible song, new dwelling of the Keystone Cop. Cathedral of the demi-divine, pint-sized.
Leonard Mead: The head of the Medusa. Lies in my parlor and stares. My friends, frozen statues, numbed by the Medusa's glare. Radiant fuzz collects in our ears while this new god paints life on our eyes. Incredible song, new dwelling of the Keystone Cop. Cathedral of the demi-divine, pint-sized.
Robert Stockwell: Len! What's it like out there at night?
Leonard Mead: Well, the air is sweet. it's deep autumn, you know. Good wind. Leaves run along the sidewalk, nibble at your feet like a pack of mice. There's a hill not far from here where you can stand and look down at the little stars of light in the city, and then look up at the light of stars in the sky. And you feel rich. Sad. Alive.
Robert Stockwell: That's how it is?
Leonard Mead: Give or take a metaphor.
Leonard Mead: Well, the air is sweet. it's deep autumn, you know. Good wind. Leaves run along the sidewalk, nibble at your feet like a pack of mice. There's a hill not far from here where you can stand and look down at the little stars of light in the city, and then look up at the light of stars in the sky. And you feel rich. Sad. Alive.
Robert Stockwell: That's how it is?
Leonard Mead: Give or take a metaphor.
Robert Stockwell: People once used these sidewalks a lot.
Leonard Mead: Yes. People strolled along on Sunday afternoons. Or beyond the hills in timeless time on paths, boardwalks, or cement. But once, oh yes, people idled by rivers and said things that later made easy lazing books and chewed grass.
Leonard Mead: Yes. People strolled along on Sunday afternoons. Or beyond the hills in timeless time on paths, boardwalks, or cement. But once, oh yes, people idled by rivers and said things that later made easy lazing books and chewed grass.
Leonard Mead: Life's a rocket today. So far, so fast, we've no time to see the dust from which we sprang.
Robert Stockwell: Wait, you're drunk.
Leonard Mead: The more I walk, the drunker I get.
Robert Stockwell: Wait, you're drunk.
Leonard Mead: The more I walk, the drunker I get.
Leonard Mead: See, the houses are dark. Our cities are haunted.
Robert Stockwell: Haunted?
Leonard Mead: By the ghost machines. Think. Ninety percent of the actors we see on our TV screens have been dead 40 years.
Robert Stockwell: Yes.
Leonard Mead: Our telephone are haunted, too.
Robert Stockwell: Yes, yes. Why you can't get ahold of a real person if you want one.
Leonard Mead: Right.
Robert Stockwell: They're all old tape voices that...
Leonard Mead: Give out the weather, the time.
Robert Stockwell: Voices.
Leonard Mead: Immortal, now. Giving out wrong numbers forever.
Robert Stockwell: Haunted?
Leonard Mead: By the ghost machines. Think. Ninety percent of the actors we see on our TV screens have been dead 40 years.
Robert Stockwell: Yes.
Leonard Mead: Our telephone are haunted, too.
Robert Stockwell: Yes, yes. Why you can't get ahold of a real person if you want one.
Leonard Mead: Right.
Robert Stockwell: They're all old tape voices that...
Leonard Mead: Give out the weather, the time.
Robert Stockwell: Voices.
Leonard Mead: Immortal, now. Giving out wrong numbers forever.
Patrol Voice: Mead. Profession?
Leonard Mead: I guess you'd say a writer.
Patrol Voice: No guesses accepted. Profession?
Leonard Mead: Writer.
Patrol Voice: No profession.
Leonard Mead: I guess you'd say a writer.
Patrol Voice: No guesses accepted. Profession?
Leonard Mead: Writer.
Patrol Voice: No profession.
Patrol Voice: What are you doing out?
Leonard Mead: Walking.
Patrol Voice: Walking?
Leonard Mead: Just... walking.
Patrol Voice: Walking where?
Leonard Mead: Nowhere.
Patrol Voice: No such destination.
Leonard Mead: Nowhere is a very fine destination.
Leonard Mead: Walking.
Patrol Voice: Walking?
Leonard Mead: Just... walking.
Patrol Voice: Walking where?
Leonard Mead: Nowhere.
Patrol Voice: No such destination.
Leonard Mead: Nowhere is a very fine destination.
Patrol Voice: Mr. Mead, are you married?
Leonard Mead: Nobody wanted me.
Leonard Mead: Nobody wanted me.
Analysis
Changes from the short story:
* A second character, Mead's friend Robert Stockwell, is introduced, giving Mead a sounding board to speak.
* Mead is taken away by an automated helicopter in the episode, but an automated car in the story.
* A second character, Mead's friend Robert Stockwell, is introduced, giving Mead a sounding board to speak.
* Mead is taken away by an automated helicopter in the episode, but an automated car in the story.
Other Episode Crew
| • Creator | Ray Bradbury |
| • Executive Producer | Ray Bradbury | Larry Wilcox | Peter Sussman |
| • Supervising Producer | Seaton McLean | Tom Cotter (1) |
| • Producer | Grahame McLean | Jonathan Goodwill |
| • Editor | John Gilbert (2) |
| • Casting | Frances Walsh | Susan Forrest | Mary Ann Barton |
| • Line Producer | Narelle Barsby |
| • First Assistant Director | David Harrey |
| • Second Assistant Director | Charlie Haskell |
| • Music | Rob Winch |
| • Make-up | Trish Cohen |
| • Key Grip | Dennis Thompson |
| • Location Manager | Jonathan Tapley |
| • Property Master | Kirsty Clayton |
| • Production Coordinator | Nicky Saggers |
| • Gaffer | Neil Taylor | Brendan Shadbolt |
| • Director of Photography | Mike Fuller |
| • Production Secretary | Lesley Turner |
| • Art Director | Mike Becroft |
| • Post Production Coordinator | Johannes Konigstorfer |
| • Production Management | Maria Saunders |
| • Sound Editor | Kit Rollings |
| • Dubbing Mixer | Chris Verburg | Mike Hedges |
| • Sound Recordist | Ken Saville |
| • Boom Operator | Kim Shaw-Williams |
| • Production Accountant | Anne Marie Cormier | George Wilson (2) |
| • Assistant Film Editor | Christine Jeffs |
| • Continuity | Pat Robins |
| • Construction Manager | Robbo Outterside |
| • Wardrobe Supervisor | Nancy Seaton |
| • Assistant Grip | Deane Cronin |
| • Costume Assistant | Jane Woodhill |
| • Legal Advisor | Lon J. Hall |
| • 1st Camera Assistant | Cameron McLean |
| • Assistant Script Editor | Penelope Sinclair |
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