William Shatner's First Twilight Zone Episode Actually Taught Viewers An Important Lesson

Legendary actor William Shatner will forever be known to most as Captain James T. Kirk, but his first appearance on the classic TV series 'The Twilight Zone' taught viewers an important life lesson.

The lesson was simple: The episode deftly communicated to audiences that they shouldn't allow the fear of the future or the unknown to prevent them from living life to its fullest. How? Well, they did it with a haunting yet poignant plot line and top-notch acting in 'Nick of Time,' the seventh telecast of the show's second season.

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Episode Aired November 1960 Updates

The episode, which aired in November 1960, followed a couple whose car broke down on a road trip to New York City. They were forced to spend time in a diner while waiting for repairs.

Their booth had a fortune-telling machine in it, which they started to mess around with — but when it started seemingly being right about everything, they started to find themselves addicted to its response.

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Ultimately, the episode made for a striking parable with a distinct and important life lesson, and its themes and imagery have endured. In fact, an episode of the 2019 'Twilight Zone' reboot titled 'Replay' includes a shot of the fortune-telling machine when the story's main character discovers that she can rewind time while sitting in the diner from 'Nick of Time.'

Shatner made two appearances on the beloved genre series, but this one was his first and it made a lasting impression. The actor went on to play Bob Wilson, a man who notices a monster trying to sabotage a flight he's on, in the Season 5 episode 'Nightmare at 20,000 Feet' in 1963.

Just Three Years Later Updates

Just three years later, he would become a household name with 'Star Trek: The Original Series,' which definitely has its own fair share of life lessons throughout. Shatner's first appearance on 'The Twilight Zone' remains a timeless classic that continues to teach viewers the importance of living life to its fullest.

Legendary actor William Shatner will forever be known to most as Captain James T. Kirk, but the "Star Trek" icon has been part of some other excellent TV shows too. One such show was the classic 1959 series "The Twilight Zone," where the major movie star's first appearance on the series taught viewers an important life lesson.