Movies - TV
This Underrated Twilight Zone Episode Shows How Dangerous True Crime Can Be
By VALERIE ETTENHOFER
In “The Twilight Zone” episode "I Am the Night — Color Me Black,” the sun won't rise over a town as a man who is presumed innocent is due to be hanged.
The crime was self-defense, but the locals relish the idea of a public execution, prompting the deputy to decide against an autopsy and lie about the forensic evidence.
The episode brought a comparatively radical message when it aired, as 44 states had a legal right to use the death penalty and black Americans were still being lynched.
True crime stories can open audiences' eyes to exactly the type of corruption, conspiracy, and institutional racism that "I Am the Night Color Me Black" spotlights.
But when communicated carelessly, true crime stories can also stoke a bloodthirstiness among viewers that's not far off from that of the vicious townspeople in this episode.
"He hated, and he killed, and now he dies," the reverend says to the town after the execution, adding, "You hated, and you killed, and now there's not one of you who isn't doomed.
It's also a message that still resonates today, especially true crime is communicated carelessly — today’s airwaves are still clogged with hate and dehumanization.
It’s a “sickness known as hate,” Rod Serling warned, “Don't look for it in the Twilight Zone — look for it in a mirror. Look for it before the light goes out altogether."