Season 1, Episode 19

Written by Rod Serling – Directed by Richard L. Bare – Starring Dick York, William Reynolds, and Paul Mazursky

While stationed in the Philippines during World War II, a U.S. Army lieutenant discovers he has the unsettling ability to see which member of his platoon will be the next to die.

This episode leans into the psychological side of war rather than the battlefield action itself. The supernatural element is simple but effective: the lieutenant can see a strange glow on the faces of the soldiers who are about to die. What begins as an unsettling discovery quickly becomes a burden, forcing him to carry knowledge that no one should have.

Dick York gives a strong performance as the increasingly troubled officer, and much of the episode’s tension comes from watching him wrestle with the responsibility that knowledge creates. The story is less interested in combat than in the emotional weight of anticipating loss. Every interaction carries an added layer of dread as he struggles with whether anything can be done to change what he sees.

The episode also touches on ideas of survivor’s guilt and the psychological toll of war. Rather than focusing on heroics or battlefield spectacle, it examines the quiet emotional damage that comes from living with death as a constant presence. For an early television drama, the approach feels surprisingly thoughtful and restrained.

At the same time, the story remains tightly focused on that central idea. Once the premise is established, it largely stays within the same emotional space without exploring the supporting characters in much depth. Even so, that narrow focus feels intentional. The episode wants the audience to sit with that anxiety and guilt, creating an uncomfortable experience that mirrors the lieutenant’s own growing sense of helplessness.

Twilight Zone Verdict: Good