Back to the Future

“Adventures in time and space…told in future tense!” Dimension X, one of radio’s first and best “adult” science fiction programs, premiered on NBC on April 8, 1950. The series presented a mix of original stories as well as adaptations of works by masters of the genre like Robert Heinlein, Kurt Vonnegut, and Ray Bradbury. It was this collection of adaptations that gave Dimension X a boost in credibility with science fiction fans; earlier shows had consisted entirely of original radio plays. With radio creative talents like George Lefferts and Ernest Kinoy and New York radio actors like Wendell Holmes, Santos Ortega, Arnold Moss, Joe Julian, and Joan Alexander, Dimension X presented high-quality stories that helped to bring science fiction out of the realm of kids’ entertainment, and it helped to pave the way for more sophisticated sci-fi on radio and later television. Fortunately for fans of these tales of tomorrow, all 50 episodes of Dimension X survive to be enjoyed today. Here are a few of my favorites… “The Outer Limit” - The one that started it all! This adaptation of Graham Doar’s short story centers on a test pilot who vanishes in his experimental aircraft only to return with a dire warning from beyond the stars. (4/8/1950) "Knock" - "The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock at the door." With that incredible opening, we're off on Frederic Brown's story of the survivor of an alien apocalypse and his unusual relationship with his otherworldly captors. (5/6/50) “A Logic Named Joe” - Based on a story by Murray Lennister, this one predates/predicts smartphone technology with “Logics.” These supercomputers can answer any question, but when they start advising on how to get away with murder it falls to one engineer to save the world. (7/1/1950) “Mars is Heaven” - Ray Bradbury’s classic story was adapted several times for many different radio shows, but the Dimension X version is my favorite. The astronauts on the first mission to Mars are shocked to find the red planet is full of their deceased friends and family members. Is Mars really heaven? (7/7/1950) “The Martian Chronicles” - More from Ray Bradbury, this collection of vignettes contains comedy, romance, tragedy, and at the end a glimmer of hope as we follow several people who leave Earth behind for life on Mars. (8/18/1950) “The Roads Must Roll” - This story from Robert Heinlein tells of a future where mechanized roads haul people and goods across the country. When a deadly strike among the engineers threatens to derail the roads and threaten the stability of the nation, it falls to a handful of heroes to keep the roads rolling. (9/1/50)