CBSRMT Episode Information Next Episode

Title

The Garden

Plot

A couple discover that they are imprisoned in a peculiar forest inhabited by two beings - a gentle lady and a bad giant. In order to escape, they request the assistance of the giant but soon realize that they committed a grave mistake.

Episode

0150

Air Dates

  • First Run - September 19, 1974
  • Repeat - November 10, 1974
  • Repeat - September 16, 1979

Actors

Writer

Listen

Rating

155
125     30


28 Responses to Episode 0150

Interesting story but TERRIBLE theology! "It is appointed unto man to die once and then the ressurection." This sounds more like reincarnation until Nirvanna with a Heaven/Hell setting.

Roger

Umm, well my comment will be a bit more down to earth than the above. This was a very fun episode. I love the ones where they go out of their way to illustrate the scene with great foley sound effects. We definitely have some here. This episode is a wonderful mystery. I find very little mystery in plots today - so much is predictable. It\'s a pleasure when I\'m wondering what will happen or be said next. I had my ideas from the start and they drop a great clue in the first act . . .I love how our host (E.G. Marshall) will not let go the concept of endless realms and depths between full consciousness and deep unconsciousness/anesthesia. He is absolutely right and many a professional anesthesiologist and/or recreational dissociative user would be very very quick to agree with him. What gets me about the levels of sub-consciousness is unlike CBSRMT they are NOT limited by a $31K per episode budget! I love the ending - NOT what I expected. And Yep, definitely seems like a bizarre Christian version of the Bardo Realms.

Pandora

"I love how our host (E.G. Marshall) will not let go the concept of endless realms and depths between full consciousness and deep unconsciousness/anesthesia." Right on.

Mike

I have been looking for this episode for eight years! Thanks!

Travis

Why must people feel the need to soapbox. Who cares what you think about politics. Must have led a sheltered life.

Steve

Because they're petty and insecure.

Don

And so went the last word.

disembodied voice

I enjoyed this one- ended with an interesting concept. I also have been enjoying the peeks into the past with news reports and advertising- but I agree this isn't the place for Soapboxing unless you are a lot more succinct at least. The above rant is virtually unreadable and says more about the writer's ability for self editing than about politics. I do enjoy reading people's reactions because many of these shows are thought provoking and are worthy of discussion.

Paul Manchester

Effective episode. The giant is especially creepy. Interesting that the actor playing Jack has played several sinister characters prior to this episode. Atmosphere is effective throughout.

Mike

A man and a woman find themselves trapped in a junge inhabited by a kind woman and an evil giant. They offer themselves to the giant in exchange for rescue. They soon regret the bargain and ask the old woman to help.

Aldo B.

Not bad, but not necessarily fantastic. The comments for this episode are entertaining though. 3 1/2 stars.

Davy Joe

A young couple are walking through a strange place unaware of how they got there, and until that point unaware of each other, when they become entangled in the thick vines. An ugly giant appears and offers to help them if they will pay… pay a price to be determined later, and he promises he will come to collect. They agree and continue on their journey when they encounter the most beautiful woman they have ever seen who takes them to a beautiful garden and says they may stay as long as they wish when the giant appears and reminds them of the debt they owe. Every once in a while they hear voices that seem to be coming from an emergency operating room where a life and death struggle is taking place.

Raya M.

Uh, Steve; what's that thing on which you're standing? Hey, wait; what's "Ivory Snow"?

Dave B

This is a George Lowthar episode, so I was expecting the "Act III Twist." As a result, the ending was not surprising. I will say, though, that Mr. Lowthar, perhaps unintentionally, left me theologically uncomfortable. She saved Mordred from death at Jack's hand, specifically to gain entrance into Drusilla's garden, leaving Jack to Mordred's torture. This doesn't sound altruistic to me; this is very self-serving behavior. Life and Death morality play.

Andy

@ Mike. All I can say is that the answer to your over-blown, incomprehensible manifesto is 42. You might want to lay off the herb-laced brownies. Aside from that, the show was decent. A good listen.

1nicolem

An interesting tale - the beginning and description made me think that it might be Adam and Eve, but that was quickly dispelled. It quickly became apparent that they were in what may be termed limbo. After that it wasn't as clear to me what was going on. However, I still enjoyed the episode, especially Joe Silver's deep voice as Mordred. As Andy mentioned the woman saving Mordred was self-serving to an extent, but it's also possible it was more than that. Interesting 10 minutes of news at the end.

Alec

Loved the Buick commercials.

Tom d

I listened to this episode when I was twelve years old and have always remembered it. It left me thoughtful to what Earth, Life & Death was for many years. I always reflected on how one wanders about throughout their existence and the decisions they've made.

Robbio

I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT. This Fantasy-Mystery, written by George Lowthar, could put listeners into deep-thinking mode and feel pensive afterwards. Great surprising ending. The sound effects of the mystic sounds of the forest, footsteps, vines, sounds of mud, birds chirping, jungle animals, dragging of the body, monstrous birds squawking, treadmill, the whipping, glassware clinking, champagne bottle popping, and the gun fire were helpful. The music also, with its dainty tunes & dark melodies that switched back and forth in every Act. In our Host’s Prologue, E.G. Marshall starts off with discussing the 3 layers of the human brain: the conscious, the sub-conscious, and the unconscious. In ACT-1, he says that some people believe that death is the end us, others thinks it’s a rebirth; that philosophical notion is what our 2 main characters have to discover and what realms are they really in. In ACT-2, he asks which character gets the Garden of Life and the Garden of Death. In ACT-3, he questions if Life, with its troublesome decisions, would be better if there were no options/decisions. In the end, after realizing which side was the REAL Garden of Death, E.G. Marshall said he never thought that Death in this story could be (SPOILER ALERT) a beautiful woman. In his Epilogue, he finishes his narration by saying, “Life is in itself a Death we go through, to find the reality of Life.” He could’ve also stated that Death is like Love: it comes in many forms. But still, a great sentence to finish this mystery tale. And finally, our superb cast: Jennifer Harmon (as Vicki Carson), Jack Grimes (as Jack Gibbons), Nancy Coleman (as Drusilla), and Joe Silver (as Mordred). I say, “Superb” because Joe Silver’s voice was superb for the role of a giant, Nancy Coleman was superb as a dainty Grim Reaper, and Jack Grimes & Jennifer Harmon superbly stole the show. A great episode to listen to in the season of Spring. SPECIAL BONUS: this episode has Commercials of the Buick Apollo, Shop Rite Supermarket, Jean Shepherd, Budweiser, Suburban Savings, IN-Conversation Radio Program, the mid-size Buick Century Regal, Commander Putney, “Rambling with John Gambling” on WOR radio, Mary Helen McPhillips, and CBS News reports including Richard Nixon & the Watergate Scandal. Until next time…pleasant dreams. =^D

Russell

I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT as well. This is one of my favorite episodes with a fairy tale feel. It's hard to tell a morality tale that isn't too sappy and this one really hits the mark as a good quality morality tale. In this story, the girl learns about unconditional love and the young man still has a ways to go. The story does have a kind of Bardo feel to it as well, as others here have mentioned. I think it was very well done and the acting is good too. The music and sound effects also add to the mood.

Amy

original commercials still intact.

John9044

Great episode, less politics n more read between the lines

Pocahontas

A young couple experiences a strange adventure first, in the Garden of Death, then in the Garden of Life. Vicki Carson, wandering about in a strange and evil garden, meets Jack Gibbons, and they, in turn, meet a giant of a man, Mordred — as vile and ugly as the garden itself — who saves them from death only after they agree to pay a price. Later, to their relief and delight, they meet a lovely woman, Drusilla, who invites them into another garden, a garden of such beauty that they beg to stay in it. But Mordred appears and demands that they return with him.

Jack

Who knew Ted Kaczinski is allowed to post on the internet? Mike, shouldn't you be out on a ledge somewhere?

Don

This was one of my favorite shows to mix. I still have it on the original reel to reel tape. It's not easy to remember all of them, but this one was always memorable

Henry

A good episode to make one ponder life's meaning and good and evil. Has a slight religious twist, with the morality of one's attitudes, actions and thoughts. The use of being in between life and death in a medical situation was interesting. The music and acting were good as were the sound effects. enjoyed the commercials and news. Needless to say E G Marshall added to the fun.

Nancy


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