"The Changing of the Guard" is the Twilight Zone at its most unabashedly sentimental. A professor at an upper class boys' school is forcibly retired after more than 50 years of teaching. As Professor Fowler reflects on his career, he becomes convinced his lessons gave nothing of value to his students and concludes he has been a failure. With no future to look forward to, and no past to comfort him, he returns to the campus one final time, to commit suicide. Yet, he will find that his past, of which he is so deeply ashamed, is not so easily escaped.
In this installment, Rod Serling once again relied on a formula with which he'd have amazing success throughout the entire run of The Twilight Zone: the transformation of a sensitive, disillusioned man by way of an extraordinary or even supernatural encounter. As I've noted in other TZ reviews, some of Serling's best episodes were based on a character such as this, and in most of these episodes, a brilliantly cast lead actor allowed Serling's writing to reach its full flower. This time, the incomparable Donald Pleasence was front and center as Ellis Fowler in a portrayal that was deeply emotional without being maudlin. It wasn't often Pleasence had the chance to play someone so sympathetic, and it's a real shame another role couldn't have been found for him in the series. His work in "The Changing of the Guard" is easily among the finest performances ever to grace the Twilight Zone.
This episode was originally broadcast in summer, but its tender themes combined with a Christmastime setting makes this an ideal holiday watch. Ably supporting Pleasence are Liam Sullivan and Tom Lowell just before his first big movie appearance in "The Manchurian Candidate". "The Changing of the Guard" sits right alongside "The Night of the Meek" as being an outstanding holiday-themed episode despite its aggressive playing of the heartstrings. 9.0/10.
In this installment, Rod Serling once again relied on a formula with which he'd have amazing success throughout the entire run of The Twilight Zone: the transformation of a sensitive, disillusioned man by way of an extraordinary or even supernatural encounter. As I've noted in other TZ reviews, some of Serling's best episodes were based on a character such as this, and in most of these episodes, a brilliantly cast lead actor allowed Serling's writing to reach its full flower. This time, the incomparable Donald Pleasence was front and center as Ellis Fowler in a portrayal that was deeply emotional without being maudlin. It wasn't often Pleasence had the chance to play someone so sympathetic, and it's a real shame another role couldn't have been found for him in the series. His work in "The Changing of the Guard" is easily among the finest performances ever to grace the Twilight Zone.
This episode was originally broadcast in summer, but its tender themes combined with a Christmastime setting makes this an ideal holiday watch. Ably supporting Pleasence are Liam Sullivan and Tom Lowell just before his first big movie appearance in "The Manchurian Candidate". "The Changing of the Guard" sits right alongside "The Night of the Meek" as being an outstanding holiday-themed episode despite its aggressive playing of the heartstrings. 9.0/10.