Few television shows have had quite the same impact on the medium as The Twilight Zone. The anthology series tackled everything strange, weird, macabre, and unexplained across its initial five seasons, playing on our perceptions of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and even the Western. It’s no wonder that creator Rod Serling became something of a household name, as these tales have stuck with so many of us beyond their initial air date. The series itself is well remembered many decades after its conclusion. Although The Twilight Zone often took us to realities far unlike our own, there was at least one instance where the beloved anthology ventured into the events of the real world, most notably in the Season 2 episode, “The Whole Truth.” In the episode’s very final scene, The Twilight Zone spoke directly to the American audience concerning some important (and timely) news about the future of the nation.
‘The Twilight Zone’ Episode “The Whole Truth” Aired the Night of JFK’s Inauguration
“The Whole Truth” follows a used car salesman by the name of Harvey Hunnicut (Jack Carson), a sleazeball who lies through his teeth as he sells poorly-maintained vehicles to whatever unsuspecting buyers happen to wander onto his lot. Described in the opening narration as “an expert on commerce and con jobs,” Harvey’s life changes forever when he buys a used Model A from an old man (played by George Chandler) for $25. The problem is that the car is haunted. However, instead of “The Whole Truth” mimicking a classical ghost tale with a creepy ghost to ruin Harvey’s life, the episode takes a different turn. Whatever specter is attached to the Model A, it forces whoever owns the car to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth (so help you God).
This is a particular nuisance for Harvey as it begins to lose all his business and alienates his only employee. As hard as he tries, he can’t sell the car for anything. Not even the so-called honest Luther Grimbly (Loring Smith) will take the vehicle off Harvey’s hands, especially after learning about the curse, because it would undoubtedly ruin his political career. However, when Grimbly suggests that Harvey sell the car to a foreign official — visiting Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev (played by Lee Sabinson) — things change. Not only do Harvey’s prospects begin to look up, but the episode’s relevance comes into focus. In our real-world history, Khrushchev was actually the First Secretary of the Communist Party at the time, and The Twilight Zone takes a clear stance here against communism the moment the Model A leaves the lot.
Instantly, Harvey picks up a telephone and calls someone, anyone, to try and speak to a governing authority about information that the United States ought to know. More specifically, Harvey aims to get hold of a man by the name of “Jack Kennedy,” tying “The Whole Truth” to the quite relevant events of that day. And, to be clear, we don’t mean “that day” in a colloquial sense where we’re referring to the early ’60s as a whole. Rather, the literal day that this Twilight Zone episode aired. Indeed, “The Whole Truth” aired on the evening of January 20, 1961, the very same day that John F. Kennedy was sworn into office as the 35th President of the United States. Only hours after Kennedy became President, The Twilight Zone (as far as we can tell) was the first non-news television program to reference Kennedy’s presidency as a part of the overall narrative. Never before was the series as intentionally relevant to the real world as in “The Whole Truth.” Although the episode takes place within the otherworldly Twilight Zone and has elements of the uncanny that the series is known for, it certainly felt like a window into reality.
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“The Whole Truth” Is a Great ‘Twilight Zone’ Episode About The Weight of Honesty
There’s a reason that the character of Luther Grimbly is written into “The Whole Truth.” While the trope of the dishonest used car salesman is one that has been around for nearly as long as used car lots, Harvey’s entire character arc revolves around ridding himself of the truth and returning to his old ways. In many ways, it’s not really an arc at all because he doesn’t change. But that doesn’t mean that the episode, which was penned by Rod Serling himself, doesn’t have anything important to say.
In fact, it’s Luther Grimbly’s flight from honesty and integrity that is especially notable here. The politician notes that if he could never lie, he could never give another speech again. Not only was this a statement about the inherent dishonesty of politicians, but juxtaposed with the revelation that JFK was the new President, suggests that Serling was quite critical of those in power, though he seemed to support Kennedy himself. Indeed, the National Archives has collected many letters written by Serling to JFK, most of them in support of his policies, while others are critical of certain stances or stances the former President made.
Additionally, “The Whole Truth” offers the perspective that the Soviet Union was built on lies, and therefore, the car that Harvey sells to Khrushchev may be the key to dismantling the whole system. In clearer language, truth may be the only thing powerful enough to dissolve the totalitarian regime and bring peace to the rest of the world. While not the only Twilight Zone hour to reference the Red Scare, “The Whole Truth” is a fascinating look at the power the truth has over a person and how the weight of lies can drag one down.
It’s only a shame that Harvey Hunnicut doesn’t change by the end of the episode. As much as the episode condemns lies, Harvey doesn’t do the same. Instead of having a Liar Liar moment where he recognizes his wrongdoing and learns a valuable lesson, he sells the car and immediately resumes his old ways of spinning the truth to his own devices, just like the politicians who do the same. It’s quite sobering and a tragic note to end on. Even in doing good for the sake of his country, Harvey is still the same old piece of junk he peddles day in and day out.
The Twilight Zone is streaming on Paramount Plus in the U.S.
- Release Date
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1959 – 1964
- Network
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CBS
- Directors
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John Brahm, Buzz Kulik, Douglas Heyes, Lamont Johnson, Richard L. Bare, James Sheldon, Richard Donner, Don Medford, Montgomery Pittman, Abner Biberman, Alan Crosland, Jr., Alvin Ganzer, Elliot Silverstein, Jack Smight, Joseph M. Newman, Ted Post, William Claxton, Jus Addiss, Mitchell Leisen, Perry Lafferty, Robert Florey, Robert Parrish, Ron Winston, Stuart Rosenberg
- Writers
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Charles Beaumont, Richard Matheson, Earl Hamner, Jr., George Clayton Johnson, Jerry Sohl, Henry Slesar, Martin Goldsmith, Anthony Wilson, Bernard C. Schoenfeld, Bill Idelson, E. Jack Neuman, Jerome Bixby, Jerry McNeely, John Collier, John Furia, Jr., John Tomerlin, Lucille Fletcher, Ray Bradbury, Reginald Rose, Sam Rolfe, Adele T. Strassfield
