The Encounter

The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas

By: Martin Goldsmith

Narrated by: Stacy Keach, Byron Mann

Experience one of television’s greatest science-fiction series, The Twilight Zone - fully dramatized for audio! Featuring a full cast, music and sound effects and today’s biggest celebrities in modern radio dramatizations.

A down on his luck World War II veteran and a young man with Japanese-American heritage find themselves in the heat of battle, all the while locked in an attic.

©2002 CBS and Falcon Picture Group (P)2002 CBS and Falcon Picture Group

Incredibly racist; utter claptrap!!!

This episode was originally pulled out of syndication for years, and it's easy to see/hear why. A second-generation Japanese American confesses that his father was a traitor and guided the attacking Japanese planes at Pearl Harbor. Then the kid uses a samurai sword to kill an ex-Marine whose lawn he was hired to trim! OMG. More justification to hate and distrust Asians. Like there isn't enough paranoia to go around already?

It has been proven time and again, that not a single act of sabotage was ever carried out by a Japanese American during WWII. In fact, there was an all Japanese American 442nd Regiment which fought Germans and which remains the most decorated unit in US history.

This show could've been a wonderful opportunity to right some terrible misconceptions, instead it only reinforces prejudice and ignorance.

Shame on Rod Serling for concocting this hateful portrayal. Even more shame on Twilight Zone Radio for re-enacting it and on Byron Mann (an Asian actor) for voicing the role. Byron -- what were you thinking??? BTW, the original role was played by George Takei, who no doubt prefers not to be reminded of it.

Audible.com -- you need to take this audio down!

Thoroughly unenjoyable.

Story is just plan bad. Someone should have seen it by just reading the script. Hard to think why this episode got made. A bit of "Twilight Zone creepiness" at the end does not save it. I'd give this one a miss.