Tales of Tomorrow Verdict from Space (1951–1953) Online

I viewed this on a DVD that had 7 different episodes of 'Tales of Tomorrow", complete with original commercials. It was a real surprise to me to be able to have this great chance to see an example of early TV science fiction. Back when this came out, this was not in theaters or drive ins but could only be seen on TV, an emerging form of entertainment that could be seen by those lucky enough to even own a television. The acting in "Verdict From Space" is overly dramatic but the actors do hold your interest. The show uses a low budget set so don't expect anything fancy. I think this episode was ahead of its time, the plot contains one of the early warnings of the possible dangers of nuclear bombs and experimentation that was to be a main theme of many future sci-fi films. The background music is definitely dated, as are some of the terms spoken by the characters. You won't be able to forget that this was from 1951. I liked the episode not only for it's historical significance to early television but it also had an interesting story in a short, quick episode. I was happily surprised to see that the original commercials were included. The commercials are from "Watchbands by Jacques Kreisler". It's really interesting, even a little comical, to see the beginnings of early television advertising. Entertaining in many ways, "Verdict From Space" is a fun film, well worth the short amount of time it takes to watch it.

This is apparently the premier of this 1951 science fiction series. It involves a man who is on trial for first degree murder. He endeavors to convince the jury that he did not harm the man. He then goes into flashback mode, saying that an unpatented blowtorch was the centerpiece in an effort to find a device that was being used by aliens. A quirky scientist talks the young inventor into assisting him. He gives him all the money he has to prod him into assisting him (actually to cut through a door into a treasure trove of technology). It's the huge amount of money that applies the coup de grace. Of course, it's not that simple. I really enjoyed the freshness of the camera work from the early days of television. When we consider that this was probably live and seen over 60 years ago. While the whole thing is a bit too dramatic, it works pretty well. I look forward to seeing some more of the episodes that are still available.

"Verdict From Space" is the first show from "Tales of Tomorrow" and it's very much like the sort of thing you'll see throughout the series. It's filled with some low production values (such as some cheesy organ music for the soundtrack) but also has a dandy story--one that is meant to scare the pants off the audience! The show begins in a courtroom. A young man is being tried for murder but the man is insistent of his innocence. Then, in a flashback, you see the events that occurred before this--how the man met a strange professor and how they discovered a machine supposedly created by an alien species to monitor the Earth's progress on developing atomic weaponry--and the machine has been her for a million years! This episode is clearly one inspired by atomic bombs and the race towards self-immolation that was a common theme in 1950s TV and films. While not a great episode (it's special effects are minimal), it's quite good and worth seeing--especially for the ending.

This story broadcast in 1951. Years before the movie by Kubrick and Clarke. 2001 I wonder if Clarke got the idea hear first, and expanded it for the 1968 movie?

An entity leaves a trip wire signal that will advise them when the beings inhabiting the planet have advanced their technology to the point of being dangerous to the other citizens of the UNIVERSE!!

Leave a counting device in a cave to measure the atomic explosions or leave a structure on the moon so the signal will be sent when the creatures on the planet below have advanced their technology to include space travel.

I see a similar theme.