History Recap / TheTwilightZoneS1E27TheBigTallWish

->'''Creator/RodSerling''': In this corner of the universe, a prizefighter named Bolie Jackson, one-hundred and eighty-three pounds and an hour and a half away from a comeback at St. Nick's Arena. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who, by the standards of his profession is an aging, over-the-hill relic of what was, and who now sees a reflection of a man who has left too many pieces of his youth in too many stadiums for too many years before too many screaming people. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who might do well to look for some gentle magic in the hard-surfaced glass that stares back at him.

Air date: April 8, 1960

Washed-up boxer Bolie Jackson is preparing for an important fight that could lead to a comeback, and talks to his girlfriend's son Henry about his hopes to win the match. Henry promises to make a wish for Bolie to win the match. During the fight, just as Bolie is about to be counted out, Henry's wish comes true, causing Bolie and his opponent to switch places. Bolie is clearly confused and unnerved about what just happened, but he refuses to believe that Henry's wish had anything to do with it.

----
!! The Big Tall Tropes:
* AnAesop: It's good to believe you can do anything you set your mind to, but don't take the easy way to that goal.
** In Bolie's case, don't let pride and cynicism keep you from recognizing and taking advantage of fortuitous opportunities.
* AuthorAppeal: Boxing appears in many ''Twilight Zone'' episodes because Serling was a boxer in the Navy.
* BittersweetEnding: Henry's wish is undone, meaning Bolie loses his comeback bout, and Henry himself, who seemingly doesn't remember the alternate timeline, tells Bolie that he's not going to make wishes anymore, as the one he made for Bolie failed to come true. However, Bolie enjoys a RelationshipUpgrade and tells Henry to dream his wishes, but not wish them true.
* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: Henry's big, tall wish is undone at the end because Bolie refuses to believe that the wish is the only reason he won the fight.
* ComicBookAdaptation: This episode was adapted as a graphic novel by Walker Paperback in 2009.
* TheCynic: Bolie Jackson, who refuses to believe that he won an important match because of a little boy's wish.
* FreezeFrameBonus: This happens when Henry makes the wish for Bolie and his opponent to switch places.
* JadeColoredGlasses: Henry gives up wishing for things after his wish for Bolie to win was undone, meaning it didn't work at all.
* MonochromeCasting: In an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of the usual application of this trope in 1960, all of the actors with speaking roles, with the exception of Walter Burke, are African-American.
* {{Pride}}: Bolie's FatalFlaw. He believes that ''he'' was the one who won the fight doing it ''his'' way, and will not accept that it was Henry's wish that let him win. His arrogance in the matter reverses the wish, costing him the fight and ruining his comeback attempt.
* RealAfterAll: As Bolie surmises, there ''is'' enough magic to make wishes come true, but not enough people in the world left to believe in it.
--> "Or maybe...maybe there is magic. And maybe there's wishes, too. I guess the trouble is...there's not enough people around to ''believe''..."
* RippleEffectProofMemory: Bolie is the only one to remember the timeline where he defeated Joey Consiglio in the ring after Henry's wish is undone.
* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Bolie refuses to believe in magic, as well as the fact that Henry's wish made him win his comeback bout, on the grounds that he's "too old" to believe in magic. His disbelief undoes the wish and he ultimately comes out as a loser, his comeback attempt failed.
* TitleDrop:
-->'''Henry:''' I'm gonna make a wish Bolie. I'm gonna make a big, tall wish.
----
->'''Creator/RodSerling''': Mr. Bolie Jackson, a hundred and eighty-three pounds, who left a second chance lying in a heap on a rosin-spattered canvas at St. Nick's Arena. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who shares the most common ailment of all men, the strange and perverse disinclination to believe in a miracle, the kind of miracle to come from the mind of a little boy, perhaps only to be found in the Twilight Zone.

* BittersweetEnding: Henry's wish is undone, meaning Bolie loses his comeback bout, and Henr himself, who seemingly doesn't remember the alternate timeline, tells Bolie that he's not going to make wishes anymore, as the one he made for Bolie failed to come true. However, Bolie enjoys a RelationshipUpgrade and tells Henry to dream his wishes, but not wish them true.

->'''Creator/RodSerling''': In this corner of the universe, a prizefighter named Bolie Jackson, one-hundred and eighty-three pounds and an hour and a half away from a comeback at St. Nick's Arena. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who, by the standards of his profession is an aging, over-the-hill relic of what was, and who now sees a reflection of a man who has left too many pieces of his youth in too many stadiums for too many years before too many screaming people. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who might do well to look for some gentle magic in the hard-surfaced glass that stares back at him.

Air date: April 8, 1960

Washed up boxer Bolie Jackson is preparing for his comeback fight and talks to his girlfriend's son, Henry about his hopes to win the match. Henry promises to make a big tall wish for Bolie to win the match.

* AnAesop: It's good to believe you can do anything you set your mind to, but don't take the easy way to that goal. Or, alternatively, don't let pride and cynicism keep you from recognizing and taking advantage of fortuitous opportunities.

* BittersweetEnding: The wish is undone, meaning Bolie loses his comeback bout, and Henry, who seemingly doesn't remember the alternate timeline, tells Bolie that he's not going to believe in wishes anymore, as this one failed to come true. However, Bolie enjoys a RelationshipUpgrade, and tells Henry to dream, but not wish it true.
* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: The big, tall wish is undone at the end because Bolie refuses to believe that he only won because of a wish.

* TheCynic: Bolie Jackson.
* FreezeFrameBonus: Happens when Henry makes the wish for the boxers to switch places
* JadeColoredGlasses: Henry gives up on wishes after his Big Tall Wish was undone, meaning it didn't work at all.
* MonochromeCasting: In an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of the usual application of this trope in 1960, all of the actors with speaking roles, with the exception of Walter Burke, are African-Americans.
* {{Pride}}: Bolie Jackson's FatalFlaw. He believes ''he'' was the one who won the fight doing it ''his'' way, and will not accept that it was Henry's wish that did it. It costs him the fight and ruins his comeback attempt.
* RealAfterAll: There really ''is'' magic, but as Bolie ultimately surmises, there just isn't enough people in the world left to believe in it.

* RippleEffectProofMemory: Bolie Jackson is the only one to remember the timeline in which he defeated Joey Consiglio in the ring after Henry Temple's wish is undone.
* SillyRabbitCynicismIsForLosers: Bolie Jackson refuses to believe in magic and that Henry's wish made him win his comeback bout, on grounds that he's "too old" to believe in magic. He ultimately comes out as a loser, his comeback attempt failed.

-->'''Henry:''' I'm gonna make a wish Bolie, I'm gonna make a big, tall wish.

* AnAesop: It's good to believe you can do anything you set your mind to, but don't take the easy way to that goal. Or, alternatively, don't let pride and cynicism blind keep you from taking advantage of fortuitous opportunities.

* AnAesop: It's good to believe you can do anything you set your mind to, but don't take the easy way to that goal.

* MonochromeCasting: In an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of the usual application of this trope in 1960, all of the actors with speaking roles, with the exception of Walter Burke, are African-Americans..

* RealAfterAll: There really ''is'' magic, but as Bolie ultimately surmises, There just isn't enough people in the world left to believe in it.

* MonochromeCasting: In an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of the usual application of this trope in 1960, all of the actors with speaking roles, with the exception of Walter Burke, are African-Americans. It is especially notable as the episode did not concern racial issues.

* DownerEnding: The wish is undone, meaning Bolie loses his comeback bout, and Henry, who seemingly doesn't remember the alternate timeline, tells Bolie that he's not going to believe in wishes anymore, as this one failed to come true.

! This episode includes examples of:

--> '''Rod Serling:''' In this corner of the universe, a prizefighter named Bolie Jackson, one-hundred and eighty-three pounds and an hour and a half away from a comeback at St. Nick's Arena. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who, by the standards of his profession is an aging, over-the-hill relic of what was, and who now sees a reflection of a man who has left too many pieces of his youth in too many stadiums for too many years before too many screaming people. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who might do well to look for some gentle magic in the hard-surfaced glass that stares back at him.

--> '''Rod Serling''': "Mr. Bolie Jackson, a hundred and eighty-three pounds, who left a second chance lying in a heap on a rosin-spattered canvas at St. Nick's Arena. Mr. Bolie Jackson, who shares the most common ailment of all men, the strange and perverse disinclination to believe in a miracle, the kind of miracle to come from the mind of a little boy, perhaps only to be found in the Twilight Zone."

* MonochromeCasting: In an [[InvertedTrope inversion]] of the usual application of this trope in 1960, all of the actors with speaking roles, with the exception of Walter Burke, are African-Americans.

Washed up boxer Bolie Jackson is preparing for his comeback fight and talks to his girlfriend's son, Henry about his hopes to win the match. Henry promises to make a big tall wish for him.

Washed up boxer Bolie Jackson is preparing for his comeback fight and talks to his girlfriend's son, Henry about his hopes to win the match. Henry promises to make a big tall wish for

-->'''Henry:''' I'm gonna make a wish Bolie, I'm gonna make a big, tall wish.

* FairForItsDay: All of the major characters in this episode are black. No big deal nowadays, but ''completely unheard of'' at the time it was filmed.

* JadeColoredGlasses: Henry puts them on and gives up on wishes after his Big Tall Wish was undone, meaning it didn't work after all.
* {{Pride}}: Bolie Jackson's FatalFlaw. He believes ''he'' was the one who won the fight doing it his way, and will not accept that it was Henry's wish who did it. It costs him the fight and ruins his comeback.

* ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve: The big, tall wish is undone at the end because Bolie refuses to believe that he only won because of a wish

-->'''Henry:''' I'm gonna make a wish Bolie, I'm gonna make a big, tall wish

* TitleDrop: -->'''Henry:''' I'm gonna make a wish Bolie, I'm gonna make a big, tall wish