Science Fiction as a genre was in a period of either near collapse or glorious transition, depending on the fans and creators one might ask, when X Minus One debuted. In print, writers such as Asimov, Heinlein, Dick, and others were both defining the boundaries of science fiction for decades to come while shaking off the chains of what it had been decades before. Film and television takes on science fiction were not nearly as groundbreaking, aiming at a largely juvenile audience to tell tales of shiny aluminum spacesuits and weird aliens to entertain the young. Radio had also fallen into this trap, without the advent of visuals to help carry stories that, according to many, were only for children or to sell the latest cereal or toy. Even though it only lasted a little over two years, X Minus One was a shining spot in these dark days of science fiction, setting the stage for an evolution of the anthology program that would lead to such classic television shows as The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits.
X Minus One was also greatly aware of when it was being produced. The opening of the program was a countdown to blast off, which of course makes today’s listeners think of rockets to space. It had another meaning, though, potentially for listeners of the era. With the rather new concept of nuclear war weighing heavily on the world at the time, the opening of X Minus One was a reminder that the present may only be a few ticks away from destruction, so for many it made hearing tales of the future more appealing. Many of the episodes dealt with bleak situations, possibly hoping to make its audience more aware of the situation in their world, granting them insight from the future into their own present.
Experience the best in science fiction by its top authors in twelve episodes of perhaps the greatest program of its type in X Minus One, Volume 7, restored to sparkling audio quality by Radio Archives!
#73 Sam, This Is You
Wednesday, October 31, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#74 Appointment in Tomorrow
Wednesday, November 7, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#75 The Martian Death March
Wednesday, November 14, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#76 Chain of Command
Wednesday, November 21, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#77 The Castaways
Wednesday, November 28, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#78 There Will Come Soft Rains/Zero Hour
Wednesday, December 5, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#79 Hostess
Wednesday, December 12, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#80 The Reluctant Heroes
Wednesday, December 19, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#81 Honeymoon in Hell
Wednesday, December 26, 1956 - 30:00 - NBC
#82 The Moon Is Green
Wednesday, January 2, 1957 - 30:00 - NBC
#83 Saucer of Loneliness
Wednesday, January 9, 1957 - 30:00 - NBC
#84 The Girls From Earth
Wednesday, January 16, 1957 - 30:00 - NBC
