The Ray Bradbury Theater (1985–1992): Season 4, Episode 1 - Mars Is Heaven - full transcript
The first Earth visitors to Mars discover a replica of small town America, just as they remembered it from their childhoods.
[theme music playing]
RAY BRADBURY: People ask,
where do you get your ideas?
Right here.
All of this is my
magician's toy shop.
I'm Ray Bradbury this is
Oz Mission One,
calling Houston.
Come in Houston.
Houston here, Mission One.
Approaching target.
Request permission to land.
Repeat.
Request permission to land.
Permission granted.
Here we go.
Verify retro.
3, 2, 1, fire.
Atmosphere is
thin for breathing,
but there's enough
oxygen. It's safe.
Gentlemen, we did it.
First men on Mars.
Congratulations, Captain.
[rooster crowing]
- Captain, did you hear that?
- Shh.
Wait.
[rooster crowing]
A rooster crowing
on Mars, sir?
Captain.
Look.
Trees.
Grass?
[soft piano music]
Shh.
Listen.
[birds chirping]
HENLEY: Birds?
But that's impossible.
Birds, roosters, trees.
Can't be.
[mower starting]
Hey, what's that sound?
Something cutting grass?
It's impossible.
Hey, Captain, look.
Lawns.
Hey, hold on.
My God, that can't be.
HENLEY: Houses.
A town?
Illinois.
- Iowa.
- [inaudible].
Captain, I know this place.
It's Grinnel, Iowa.
Greentown, Illinois.
I got it.
Mr. Henley?
We miscalculated.
Circled around.
Landed back on Earth.
We traveled 300 million
miles, tracked by telemetry
every inch of the way.
There's no miscalculation.
Well, uh, what if somehow
we twisted in space?
Hit a time warp and have been
thrown back to some old town.
1940.
1950.
Now, cut it out.
Your trained scientists.
We orbited Mars.
You saw it.
We've landed.
But Captain,
maybe it's possible.
There's still a lot we don't
know about time and space.
Besides, how else
can we explain this?
We know there's nothing on Mars.
Certainly not
anything like this.
Lustic Wells Larson,
this is the captain.
Larson here, Captain.
Under no circumstances,
leave the ship.
Check.
CAPTAIN BLACK: Repeat,
do not leave the ship.
Parallel civilizations,
Mars and Earth.
Parallel architecture.
Trees, houses.
Parallel tennis courts.
Look, suppose
Mars evolved first
and thousands,
millions of years ago,
sent out expeditions,
which colonized the earth.
So now, man is
descended from martians?
Well, that's one way
to explain all this.
Hey, what's this?
It's just like one I
had when I was a kid.
Hey, these are my initials.
What the hell
is going on here?
[ball bouncing]
[children laughing]
Hink-- Hinkston,
where are you going?
Hinkston.
Hinkston, come back.
[children laughing]
I don't think he hears you.
Hinkston.
Hinkston.
Hink--
Captain, look.
Will?
William?
Grandpa?
Grandpa?
Just look at you.
There, there.
Grandpa.
Sir, this is my grandfather.
Yes, sir.
Pleased to meet you.
I don't understand
Grandfather, you died.
Shh-- shh-- shh-- shh--
shh-- it's all right Will,
it's all right.
Come on.
GRANDMA: Come along.
Everybody's waiting.
Grandma.
Henley?
Henley?
Henley?
Henley?
Henley?
[distant voices]
[baseball announcer]
Skip?
Skipper?
Hey, Blackie, welcome home.
But Skip, this--
this is impossible.
Mom?
Dad?
They're back at the house.
The house?
Yeah, Blackie,
you're just in time.
We've got a apricot pie
cooling on the back window
and lemonade in the fridge.
Got a band concert tonight.
Fireworks at 9:00.
[soft music]
Hear that?
[soft music]
Race you home.
Last one there is an old maid.
No-- wait-- wait--
Skip, Skip, wait.
It's OK.
Yeah, yeah sure.
Come on.
Catch up to me.
All right, I'll race you back.
I always could beat you.
[soft piano music]
There, there.
It's all right son.
Everything's going
to be all right now.
I don't understand.
Don't even try.
It's enough we're
here together again.
[soft piano music]
[group conversation]
A toast.
GROUP: Toast.
All right.
To Hinkston and his family.
GROUP: To Hinkston.
To Henley and his.
GROUP: Henley.
My mother, my
father, my brother.
To this house which I lived
in when I was 12 years old.
I don't understand this.
I don't understand
either, Grandma, Grandpa.
You've been dead for 20 years.
25.
And Mother, you?
10 years.
And this is heaven?
Heaven's no.
Some sort of reincarnation?
It's a place where
we get a second chance.
Don't ask me why,
but we're here.
And nobody told us why
we were on earth either.
The other earth.
The one you just come from.
And this is Mars?
Finish the toast boy.
Finish the toast.
To wherever this is.
Whatever time, whatever
place, for whatever reason.
To each and to all.
GROUP: To each and to all.
[band music]
The welcome party
for your friends dear.
[band music]
Captain?
Larson?
Sir, all the men have
quit their station.
I couldn't stop them.
It's all right Larson.
It's all right.
But the ship.
Shouldn't-- shouldn't
you order them to--
Just want to be
with their families.
It's all right.
But sir.
Glass of wine, Mr. Larson?
Some lemonade?
Captain, request
permission to return to ship.
Captain?
Dismissed?
Dismissed
Such a nice young man.
Hm.
Too bad he didn't
want to stay.
Well, I don't know.
I guess he just doesn't
have anyone here.
I mean I got you
and Dad and Skip.
The others have found
friends and family,
but Larson's an orphan.
Guess he just didn't have
anyone here to greet him.
Front porch everyone
or we'll all be late.
Son?
You all right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Shall we go then?
Go?
To the band concert
and the fireworks.
[fireworks]
[band music]
[soft music]
I'll never forget
this evening.
You, Skip, everyone.
This is like heaven.
You must be exhausted.
It's a lot to take in.
A lot.
It's been a long day.
A long journey.
I need time.
Of course, dear.
Time to sleep.
Time to think.
And then to sleep.
Better get this guy
some shut eye, huh, Mom?
Shut eye.
Good night dear.
Good night.
Sleep well.
Skip, this is our own room.
Everything exactly as it was.
Nothing has changed.
Correct.
Not one iota.
Oh, my.
My old star charts from
high school astronomy.
My diploma from the
Air Force Academy.
Yep.
But Skip, all of this burned.
This house burned down.
Everything went up in flames.
Skip, you were
killed in that fire.
Look Blackie, it's all here.
I'm here, I'm real.
Here, touch me.
See?
Now, don't spoil it.
Hey.
Catch.
Sleep Blackie?
Yeah.
Yeah.
[train horn]
Night, Blackie.
Night, Skip.
Blackie, what's wrong?
No-- nothing-- nothing,
I was just thinking.
Thinking is bad for you.
Come on Blackie, what is it?
What if we really
did land on Mars?
This small Midwestern town isn't
a small Midwestern town at all.
The people are not
friends and family.
Not family?
What if the martians
knew we were coming?
How would they prepare
for our arrival?
Or our invasion as
they might see it.
How?
Telepathy.
Hypnosis.
Suppose the martians
could borrow our thoughts,
our feelings, our memories and
use them as weapons against us
with telepathy and hypnosis.
My god, they could--
they could become our aunts and
uncles, mothers and fathers.
Then all of the
people in this town--
Are martians disguised
as Earth people.
Hinkston's family isn't
really his family.
Henley's grandfather
isn't his grandfather.
And my mother--
Isn't your mother.
What about me Blackie?
You're not my brother.
That's right.
I'm a beast.
I'm a monster and I'm going
to kill you in your sleep.
[roar] [laughing]
Come on Blackie, lie down.
Where you going Blackie?
Just going to get some water.
But you're not thirsty.
[screech]
[suspenseful music]
Mars mission two,
calling Mars mission one.
Do you read me?
Preparing to touch down.
Mars mission one,
do you read me?
Mars mission one,
do you read me?
[suspenseful music]
RAY BRADBURY: People ask,
where do you get your ideas?
Right here.
All of this is my
magician's toy shop.
I'm Ray Bradbury this is
Oz Mission One,
calling Houston.
Come in Houston.
Houston here, Mission One.
Approaching target.
Request permission to land.
Repeat.
Request permission to land.
Permission granted.
Here we go.
Verify retro.
3, 2, 1, fire.
Atmosphere is
thin for breathing,
but there's enough
oxygen. It's safe.
Gentlemen, we did it.
First men on Mars.
Congratulations, Captain.
[rooster crowing]
- Captain, did you hear that?
- Shh.
Wait.
[rooster crowing]
A rooster crowing
on Mars, sir?
Captain.
Look.
Trees.
Grass?
[soft piano music]
Shh.
Listen.
[birds chirping]
HENLEY: Birds?
But that's impossible.
Birds, roosters, trees.
Can't be.
[mower starting]
Hey, what's that sound?
Something cutting grass?
It's impossible.
Hey, Captain, look.
Lawns.
Hey, hold on.
My God, that can't be.
HENLEY: Houses.
A town?
Illinois.
- Iowa.
- [inaudible].
Captain, I know this place.
It's Grinnel, Iowa.
Greentown, Illinois.
I got it.
Mr. Henley?
We miscalculated.
Circled around.
Landed back on Earth.
We traveled 300 million
miles, tracked by telemetry
every inch of the way.
There's no miscalculation.
Well, uh, what if somehow
we twisted in space?
Hit a time warp and have been
thrown back to some old town.
1940.
1950.
Now, cut it out.
Your trained scientists.
We orbited Mars.
You saw it.
We've landed.
But Captain,
maybe it's possible.
There's still a lot we don't
know about time and space.
Besides, how else
can we explain this?
We know there's nothing on Mars.
Certainly not
anything like this.
Lustic Wells Larson,
this is the captain.
Larson here, Captain.
Under no circumstances,
leave the ship.
Check.
CAPTAIN BLACK: Repeat,
do not leave the ship.
Parallel civilizations,
Mars and Earth.
Parallel architecture.
Trees, houses.
Parallel tennis courts.
Look, suppose
Mars evolved first
and thousands,
millions of years ago,
sent out expeditions,
which colonized the earth.
So now, man is
descended from martians?
Well, that's one way
to explain all this.
Hey, what's this?
It's just like one I
had when I was a kid.
Hey, these are my initials.
What the hell
is going on here?
[ball bouncing]
[children laughing]
Hink-- Hinkston,
where are you going?
Hinkston.
Hinkston, come back.
[children laughing]
I don't think he hears you.
Hinkston.
Hinkston.
Hink--
Captain, look.
Will?
William?
Grandpa?
Grandpa?
Just look at you.
There, there.
Grandpa.
Sir, this is my grandfather.
Yes, sir.
Pleased to meet you.
I don't understand
Grandfather, you died.
Shh-- shh-- shh-- shh--
shh-- it's all right Will,
it's all right.
Come on.
GRANDMA: Come along.
Everybody's waiting.
Grandma.
Henley?
Henley?
Henley?
Henley?
Henley?
[distant voices]
[baseball announcer]
Skip?
Skipper?
Hey, Blackie, welcome home.
But Skip, this--
this is impossible.
Mom?
Dad?
They're back at the house.
The house?
Yeah, Blackie,
you're just in time.
We've got a apricot pie
cooling on the back window
and lemonade in the fridge.
Got a band concert tonight.
Fireworks at 9:00.
[soft music]
Hear that?
[soft music]
Race you home.
Last one there is an old maid.
No-- wait-- wait--
Skip, Skip, wait.
It's OK.
Yeah, yeah sure.
Come on.
Catch up to me.
All right, I'll race you back.
I always could beat you.
[soft piano music]
There, there.
It's all right son.
Everything's going
to be all right now.
I don't understand.
Don't even try.
It's enough we're
here together again.
[soft piano music]
[group conversation]
A toast.
GROUP: Toast.
All right.
To Hinkston and his family.
GROUP: To Hinkston.
To Henley and his.
GROUP: Henley.
My mother, my
father, my brother.
To this house which I lived
in when I was 12 years old.
I don't understand this.
I don't understand
either, Grandma, Grandpa.
You've been dead for 20 years.
25.
And Mother, you?
10 years.
And this is heaven?
Heaven's no.
Some sort of reincarnation?
It's a place where
we get a second chance.
Don't ask me why,
but we're here.
And nobody told us why
we were on earth either.
The other earth.
The one you just come from.
And this is Mars?
Finish the toast boy.
Finish the toast.
To wherever this is.
Whatever time, whatever
place, for whatever reason.
To each and to all.
GROUP: To each and to all.
[band music]
The welcome party
for your friends dear.
[band music]
Captain?
Larson?
Sir, all the men have
quit their station.
I couldn't stop them.
It's all right Larson.
It's all right.
But the ship.
Shouldn't-- shouldn't
you order them to--
Just want to be
with their families.
It's all right.
But sir.
Glass of wine, Mr. Larson?
Some lemonade?
Captain, request
permission to return to ship.
Captain?
Dismissed?
Dismissed
Such a nice young man.
Hm.
Too bad he didn't
want to stay.
Well, I don't know.
I guess he just doesn't
have anyone here.
I mean I got you
and Dad and Skip.
The others have found
friends and family,
but Larson's an orphan.
Guess he just didn't have
anyone here to greet him.
Front porch everyone
or we'll all be late.
Son?
You all right?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Shall we go then?
Go?
To the band concert
and the fireworks.
[fireworks]
[band music]
[soft music]
I'll never forget
this evening.
You, Skip, everyone.
This is like heaven.
You must be exhausted.
It's a lot to take in.
A lot.
It's been a long day.
A long journey.
I need time.
Of course, dear.
Time to sleep.
Time to think.
And then to sleep.
Better get this guy
some shut eye, huh, Mom?
Shut eye.
Good night dear.
Good night.
Sleep well.
Skip, this is our own room.
Everything exactly as it was.
Nothing has changed.
Correct.
Not one iota.
Oh, my.
My old star charts from
high school astronomy.
My diploma from the
Air Force Academy.
Yep.
But Skip, all of this burned.
This house burned down.
Everything went up in flames.
Skip, you were
killed in that fire.
Look Blackie, it's all here.
I'm here, I'm real.
Here, touch me.
See?
Now, don't spoil it.
Hey.
Catch.
Sleep Blackie?
Yeah.
Yeah.
[train horn]
Night, Blackie.
Night, Skip.
Blackie, what's wrong?
No-- nothing-- nothing,
I was just thinking.
Thinking is bad for you.
Come on Blackie, what is it?
What if we really
did land on Mars?
This small Midwestern town isn't
a small Midwestern town at all.
The people are not
friends and family.
Not family?
What if the martians
knew we were coming?
How would they prepare
for our arrival?
Or our invasion as
they might see it.
How?
Telepathy.
Hypnosis.
Suppose the martians
could borrow our thoughts,
our feelings, our memories and
use them as weapons against us
with telepathy and hypnosis.
My god, they could--
they could become our aunts and
uncles, mothers and fathers.
Then all of the
people in this town--
Are martians disguised
as Earth people.
Hinkston's family isn't
really his family.
Henley's grandfather
isn't his grandfather.
And my mother--
Isn't your mother.
What about me Blackie?
You're not my brother.
That's right.
I'm a beast.
I'm a monster and I'm going
to kill you in your sleep.
[roar] [laughing]
Come on Blackie, lie down.
Where you going Blackie?
Just going to get some water.
But you're not thirsty.
[screech]
[suspenseful music]
Mars mission two,
calling Mars mission one.
Do you read me?
Preparing to touch down.
Mars mission one,
do you read me?
Mars mission one,
do you read me?
[suspenseful music]