The Man in the Moon
Original Radio Play: George Lefferts
Originally aired: 14 July 1950
Marionettes, Inc.
Author: Ray Bradbury
Originally aired: 30 August 1951
Mars Is Heaven
Author: Ray Bradbury
Originally aired: 7 July 1950
[Another version of this story aired 7 January 1951]
The Martian Chronicles
Author: Ray Bradbury
Originally aired: 18 August 1950
Plot synopsis: Human explorers arrive on Mars in successive waves of rocketships, discovering the cities of its native inhabitants and eventually establishing their own colonies. Based on a novel of the same name first published in 1950.
Favourite line: 'But still the rockets came. The next ship came down from the stars and the black velocities, and the silent gulfs of space ...'
Review: This episode was adapted from a number of stories that form part of Ray Bradbury's composite novel The Martian Chronicles (for other episodes based on stories in this sequence see under Bradbury in my Authors list). Indeed, it features many scenes drawn from the same stories upon which other Dimension X/X Minus One episodes were based, which may be a little confusing to anyone who listens to these as well. Regardless, there's no faulting the episode's ambition, as it tells a sweeping tale of the human exploration and settlement of Mars, from first contact with Martian civilization through to colonization. Much of this is clearly intended to parallel the history of America's 'discovery' and colonization by Europeans - as with, for example, the devastating effect the newcomers' arrival has upon the natives, thanks to the chickenpox they bring with them. However, while there is much here to admire, it's difficult really to enjoy this episode, because of the way it attempts to pack half a dozen or so different stories into under half an hour's running time. Ideas, themes and characters are repeatedly introduced, only to disappear a few minutes later, to be replaced by a whole new set. As a result, there's no time for the listener to engage properly with any one plot or group of characters, as they all whirl by so quickly. For anyone coming to this episode completely cold, knowing nothing about Bradbury's work, I imagine that it might seem both disjointed and baffling. Overall, then, interesting and stimulating as the episode is, it would have been better to have adapted the individual stories separately, as was done with other episodes based on The Martian Chronicles. A classic final scene, though.
Rating: * * *
[Other adaptations: TV miniseries - The Martian Chronicles (1980)]
