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Title

First Woman in Space

Plot

The first woman in space returns to earth with an alien living within her --- an alien that will fight her for control of her body and survival in her new environment.

Episode

0664

Air Dates

  • First Run - June 13, 1977
  • Repeat - October 26, 1977

Actors

Writer

Listen

Rating

78
65     13


4 Responses to Episode 0664

First aired (in inner space) on June 13, 1977, and written by Victoria Dann (who must have somehow been related to Sam Dann). Taking place entirely on Earth, this episode stars noteable TV actress Phyllis Newman in the title role as a scientist named Margo Gordon, whom after returning from a trip in space is haunted by an unseen female voice of a woman who is the sole survivor whose planet was destroyed when their sun exploded. She made the trip by inhabiting Margo's body. This serious story is very different for Ms. Newman, who usually did light work and comedy. It's actually better than William Shatner's experiences with a puppet-like alien in the 1964 Outer Limits episode "Cold Hands, Warm Heart", whose astronaut character was haunted by the creature while in deep space, only to make his body temperature go haywire after returning to Earth. Of course...that alien didn't follow Bill back to our world!

Nick Abbas

Victoria Dann is Sam Dann's daughter.

Ringo Benelli

I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT. Another terrific episode that defines what CBSRMT is all about! A Fantasy-Mystery, written by Victoria Dann, where an Alien haunts the main character from within her body. The story puts you on the edge of your seat. Not just from questioning on how to solve the problem, but a surprising twist at the end on what happened to the Alien. A science fiction story that's so good, it would've been perfect for a TWILIGHT ZONE episode. The title is suitable, but other titles could've worked such as "What Happened On The Athena One Probe," "Body Share," "The Other," "The Unwelcome Guest," or even "The Invisible Invader." SPECIAL NOTES: The first actual woman in space, was Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. And if you have the CBSRMT Episode Guide Book, they made a typo where they put Sam Dann's name as the writer instead of Victoria Dann. The sound effects of the music playing in the restaurants, car engines running, door buzzer, footsteps, car horn, box crate locks, tires screeching, car crash, ambulance sirens, beeps at the hospital, tubes and flasks, dialing of the rotary phone, pressure chamber, and the steamed heat were very essential to this mystery tale. The music was phenomenal, especially the foreboding tunes when the Alien had to speak to the main character. In our Host's Prologue, E.G. Marshall begins with the topic of outer space where a thousand mysteries, in the infinite universe, yet to be solved. In ACT-1, the question of "Who are you?" is a philosophical context. In ACT-2, not only he asks if Man is alone in the universe, but quoted John Boyle O'Reilly who said, "Be silent and safe-silence never betrays you." In ACT-3, after discovering the where a bouts of the Alien, E.G. Marshall does a play-on-words that things have "cooled" down for our main character, but things are "heating" up for the other. In his Epilogue, he quoted Sir Francis Bacon who said, "If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them." A perfect quotation that provides an essential lesson in this episode. What was also essential, was the cast: Phyllis Newman (as Dr. Margo Gordon), Marian Seldes (as the Alien), Lloyd Battista (as Professor Harry Freeman and the Truck Driver), and Hans Conried (as the Cab Driver and Owen). The 2 male actors played beneficial roles. But it was our 2 leading ladies who stole the show. Check this episode out for it is one of the best Sci-Fi tales that can't be disregarded. And check out Phyllis Newman's other performances in #0646-REUNION FEVER and #0683-THE KINGDOM BELOW. Until next time…pleasant dreams. =^D

Russell

"A science fiction story that's so good, it would've been perfect for a TWILIGHT ZONE episode." This story was so good because of Phyllis Newman's excellent acting and her beautiful voice. It wouldn't have been the same if it was Evie Juster doing her squeaky high pitched voice. However by the year 1977, the sci-fi plot of aliens taking over people's minds was a dime a dozen. There was Robert Heinlein's Puppet Masters. Invasion of the Body Snatchers. On TV, The Invaders, A number of Doctor Who episodes such as Pyramids of Mars, Star Trek Wolf in the Fold, Lights of Zetar and Turnabout Intruder (They even drove the aliens out of the body on Lights of Zetar by using a pressure chamber). The following I remember the episodes but can't remember the name. Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, where aliens take over Admiral Nelson's mind to take over the Earth, and another episode where aliens take over Captain Crane's mind to destroy the Seaview, and still another one where Lieutenant Chip Morton is taken over and still another where Kowalski is taken over. On Lost in Space aliens take over dad Robinson's mind and he tries to kill his family, but in the end love triumphs. So it wasn't hard for this RMT writer to come up with this sci-fi plot in 1977.

D.C.


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