Bud Brewster
Galactic Fleet Admiral (site admin)
Joined: 14 Dec 2013
Posts: 17637
Location: North Carolina
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 Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2022 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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This is another favorite episode of mine, both because the concept is terrific and because it was one of the few I got to see while the series was being aired on the SciFi channel in the 1990s. I didn't get that channel back then, but a friend did, and he made video tapes of several episodes for our little sci-fi lovin' group to watch.
If you'd rather watch the episode than read my spoiler-filled plot summary, click on the link below and enjoy it, compliments of Youtube and All Sci-Fi.
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Marshall Thompson (veteran of several fine 50s sci-fi movies) is a research metallurgist working with John Eldredge, a world famous scientist (and the sheriff from I Married a monster from Outer Space), to develop new alloys.
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Eldredge in interrupted in his lab by Christopher Dark (World Without End), an escaped convict who wants to sell Eldredge several sheets of an amazing metal.
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The sheets of metal are flexible and easily cut — and yet they instantly turn rigid when struck hard, causing bullets to actually bounce off them!
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When Christopher Dark lets the professor have the gun to test the metal himself, Eldredge promptly orders him to surrender to the police. Even though the professor is eager to buy the remarkable sheets of metal, he refuses to give money to an escaped criminal who, in all likelihood, stole the miraculous material.
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Christopher tries to throw a large wooden mallet at the professor, but Eldredge fires wildly, and the bullet ricochets off the clamped-down metal sample, killing the professor. Christopher flees with the metal sheets.
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Using a large sheet of the strange metal to protect his torso, and a smaller sheet (with eye holes) wrapped into a cone to protect his head, Christopher embarks on a series of daring robberies. The police repeatedly fail to stop him, because he is wearing the unique metal sheets as armor.
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The press dub him the Bullet Proof Man. Marshall Thompson mistakenly believes that the escaped convict stole the metal sheets from the professor's lab, a unique sample of something the professor had secretly developed. Marshall convinces the CEO of a large steel company to offer a $50,000 reward for the priceless metal.
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Christopher meets with Marshall to sell him the metal sheets. He explains that after escaping from jail, he was hiding in this same remote location where he and Marshall are now standing. During the night a spacecraft landed and the crew spent several hours working to repair damage to the hull. The metal sheets and other small objects were left behind when they lifted off.
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Marshall examines the landing site and discovers a round area at the center of a large circle, covered in sand which has been fused into glass crystal by the heat of the spacecraft's high-speed liftoff.
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Marshall speculates that the aliens deliberately left the metal as a spontaneous act of generosity, a gift for mankind. He then honors the deal he made with Christopher, hands over the money, and leaves with the metal sheets. After he departs, the police close in and arrest Christopher, explaining that they had secretly followed Marshall, knowing that he would lead them to the escaped convict.
Like so many of the fine episodes this show presented, we're left with great ideas to ponder. 
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Is there no man on Earth who has the wisdom and innocence of a child?
~ The Space Children (1958) |
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