Tales of Tomorrow Sneak Attack (1951–1953) Online

This was an entertaining,admittedly dated episode,that should only be judged within the perspective of the time that it was written and aired. WWII had ended a mere 6 years ago, and the perceived "threat" of attack, from a powerful, and possibly hostile, foreign government, was no more unbelievable or paranoid then, than our own present-day anxieties about terrorism, or North Korean aggression, for example. I'd also add that the level of media-driven "propaganda" on display, is about the same now as it was then, for better or worse. The names and production values are all that has changed. Personally, I thought that Zachary Scott was a hoot, and the silly, unbelievable premise was still fun, from a historical context. Live performances such as this were more common, in those early days (which pre-date me by about 15 years), but I find them to be really enjoyable. I will admit, though, that I prefer the more "pure" sci-fi episodes in this series.

"Sneak Attack" is a sci-fi episode of a possible "pearl harbor" type attack that happens in the future. The future being 1960. The episode was shown on December 7th, 1951. This is a good example of the use of TV how it helped promote the red scare of the 50s. The average American would be watching this and to them it was a real possibility. Viewing this episode would concern adults and scare the children. Could this happen in their lifetime? Countries are not named but the enemy's identity would be very transparent to the viewer of 1951. What terrible crisis did they think the future could bring? Watch this episode and find out. It's a great little movie to watch and enjoy both for its entertainment and historical value.

While I like "Tales of Tomorrow" episodes and strongly recommend you download them (FOR FREE) at archive.org, I must admit that "Sneak Attack" is an excruciatingly bad installment in the series. It's just very badly written and preachy...VERY preachy.

The show begins in a hospital in enemy territory in 1960. Who the enemy is isn't stated--but it's obviously meant to be the forces of Communism--and most likely the USSR. An American (Zachary Scott) has been shot but why he's there and the enemy's intentions are unknown.

Soon, the plot abruptly changes...very abruptly. Enemy airplanes, designed to look exactly like American ones, appear across the US and land on runways in various large cities. The planes are remote controlled and when authorities try to open one up, it explodes and destroys Denver!! How can Scott help out in these devious plan--even though he's stuck behind enemy lines?! And, more importantly, who cares?! The biggest problem with this show is that it's not at all subtle and is pure propaganda. Now I am not saying that the USSR was not a serious threat at the time, but here they aren't even human and the film never is enjoyable or well written...it's just dumb!

This silly, disjointed propaganda film must have fit right in in 1950. It involves a patient, Zachary Scott, who finds himself in a hospital after nearly dying from gunshot wounds. He is being held as a spy, which he probably is. While he is trying to do his thing, the Soviets are planting pilotless planes all over the world. They are filled with nuclear weapons, set to explode should one try to disarm them. The city of Denver has found this out the hard way. Anyway, the President has been given an ultimatum. Surrender or die. He chooses to stand his ground though he is getting heat from his advisors. Of course, he actually uses language implying that he would rather have the country destroyed than buckle under to the threat. Live free or die, I guess. This is smug, self aggrandizement, designed to keep the people of the time fearful and grant those politicians a blank check. I just finished watching all the episodes of Science Fiction Theater. What a scary time this must have been--one of the darkest in our history.

***SPOILERS*** Confusing bit of Cold War propaganda with the Soviet Union, that's never mentioned once in this "Tales of Tomorrow episode,planing a Pearl Harbor sneak attack on America in 1960 by using 25 robot planes loaded with nuclear weapons landing in all the major cities of the country and slated to go off if the USA doesn't surrender unconditionally to the USSR. It's up to secret agent Ray Clinton to stop the carnage but he's in no condition to do it with him hospitalized from gunshot wounds by border guards in an East German medical facility.

It's lady doctor Maroff who fills Clinton in to what's to happen in that she doesn't want the world as well as her nation the USSR to go down in flames in a nuclear holocaust. Clinton getting back on his feet uses a secret phone hidden in his shoe to inform the US president Richard W. Shankland that there's a way to naturalized the plane bombs before , when tampered with by the US military, one of them exploded and leveled the entire city of Denver to the ground, their detonated.

***SPOILERS****With the US president given until 7:00PM to surrender his nation to the USSR Agent Clinton as well as Dr. Maroff break into the command post in the hospital and prevent the plane bombs, at the cost of their lives , from going off. Not that convincing of a story in that the Soviet Union didn't do that much to prevent their plans from being stymied by Clinton & Co. who really were in no position to stop them. It made one wonder if the plane bombs were really capable of doing what were we were told that they could do despite the one that leveled the city of Denver that was set off not by the USSR but by members of the US military who tried to disarm it! P.S Broadcast on the 10th anniversary of Pearl Harbor December 7, 1951 at a time when the USA was engaged in a real war against the Communist North Koreans and Chinese as well as hundreds of USSR jet fighters pilot volunteers in the Korean War.