“2000 Plus - The Flying Saucers”

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Air Date: October 22, 2025 (original radio play from early 1950s)
Main Cast: Dr. Andrew Bronson, Eileen Harkness, Security Officer Scotty, 'Al Waters', Core Alien

Overview

This vintage radio drama episode, The Flying Saucers, is a classic slice of speculative science fiction from the Golden Age of Radio. Set in a near-future imagining of the year 2012 (“2000 +12”), it depicts a secret U.S. military installation dealing with mysterious extraterrestrial visitors and delves into themes of humanity’s purpose, free will, and how alien psychologists may have shaped world history. With tense pacing, a blend of romance and suspense, and alien philosophy, the episode explores who controls the destiny of Earth—and to what end.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Breakdown

1. The Threat of the Flying Saucers (01:21–05:39)

• The story opens at a secret military base in New Mexico, under the watch of Dr. Andrew Bronson, Chief of Extraterrestrial Research.

• For three months, the installation has been monitored by unidentified flying saucers, their visits increasing after a missile test (“Zeus”).

• Military officials resolve: next time the saucers appear, they will attack with “Zeus 2,” a new missile.

  "In view of the foregoing, we are in complete readiness. We will attack. Repeat, we will attack."
  —Dr. Bronson (04:25)

2. Romantic Tension and Security Concerns (05:41–08:16)

• Dr. Bronson shares a tender moment with his assistant Eileen Harkness, hinting at deeper feelings but prioritizing duty and Eileen’s safety (“on your way now, the jet car’s waiting…”).

• As the missile test preps, Security Officer Scotty raises suspicions of an information leak—the flying saucers always appear during tests.

  "Every time we get ready for a test, ... one of the saucers appears. That's too much of a coincidence for comfort, sir."
  —Scotty (07:31)

3. Attack on the Saucers (08:17–11:02)

• Military personnel execute the launch of Zeus 2 as a saucer approaches.

• The missile is fired and apparently destroys the target. The tension resolves, but Bronson doubts it’s over.

  "Well boys, now to wait till someone phones in where the pieces fell. Then maybe we'll be finally knowing what the flying sources are."
  —Dr. Bronson (10:29)

4. Discovery and the Alien Contact (11:02–15:06)

• Al Waters, a rancher, reports seeing a still-intact flying saucer landed near his property.

• Bronson, joined by Waters and Eileen (who mysteriously reappears), investigates.

• Exploring the saucer, they are quickly incapacitated and awaken as captives; Waters is revealed as being more than he appears.

  "If you look through the porthole, Dr. Bronson, you'll notice that we're miles up, still accelerating... You were wrong when you said there was no crew on board. There is. You see, I am the crew."
  —Core Alien posing as Waters (14:31, 15:00)

5. Revelation: The Core and the Cosmic Experiment (15:47–21:29)

• The alien (a member of the “Core” from the Rigel system) explains:

  • The Core are energy beings who send operatives in constructed human bodies to Earth for millennia.
  • Earth’s history—including the rise of historic figures, revolutions, and wars—has been manipulated as psychological experiments.
  • Both Bronson and Eileen themselves are revealed as Core operatives unaware of their true nature.

  "We have used you humans in our experiments. It's been extremely interesting."
  —Core Alien (18:45)

  "You are perhaps the leading scientist in America... you are one of our operatives. You've done your work, but your experiments have endangered our base on the moon. So it's time to transport you back to Core."
  —Core Alien (21:05)

6. Struggle and Sacrifice (21:30–24:49)

• Bronson attempts to overpower the alien with a gas pen; the body is rendered lifeless but the alien, as energy, is not destroyed.

• Core alien reveals Eileen/Draga is also an operative; both are to be transported back and “freed of their bodies.”

• Pleas for mercy are rebuffed. The Core show no compassion, viewing sympathy as a flaw.

  "You may put it that way if you wish... Like giving an ape a stick to see what he will do with it."
  —Core Alien, on manipulating humanity as experiments (19:03, 20:24)

  "You are perhaps the leading scientist in America... Certainly the leading figure in the use of atomic power for extraterrestrial research... you are one of our operatives."
  —Core Alien, to Bronson (21:03)

7. Twist: Sympathy as Power & Emancipation (24:50–28:09)

• In their final moments, Bronson and Eileen confess their mutual love.

• The Core agent is surprised by this “emotion”—considered foreign and “most interesting.”

• In a dramatic reversal, Bronson reveals himself as “Carda”—the exiled Core who developed sympathy and is now powerful enough to challenge the other Core.

• He defeats the alien through the very emotional power the Core neglected, vowing to change Core and let Earth evolve on its own.

  "Power I learned on Earth, there is no core who can withstand me. ... What those fools didn't know was that emotion, too, is power."
  —Bronson/Carda (26:09, 27:29)

  "There shall be changes on Core. We must leave Earth alone to work out its destiny in its own way."
  —Bronson/Carda (26:56)

  "For you too, Art. Korra. What those fools didn't know was that emotion, too, is power. With your love and mine, we can right the wrongs Kor has done to Earth. There is eternity for both of us to spend together. Eileen. Draga."
  —Bronson/Carda (27:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Alien View on Humanity:
  "We've been visiting the earth for over 3000 years."
  —Core Alien (18:12)

• Famous Figures Revealed as Alien Operatives:
  "You may remember Alexander... Alexander the Great. He was one of our operatives. ... The problems they set. Earth gave our scientists much material to work with. Enough for another few thousand years."
  —Core Alien (19:31)

• Metaphor for Human Progress:
  "Like giving an ape a stick to see what he will do with it."
  —Core Alien (20:24)

• Assertion of Human Emotion's Power:
  "Sympathy is the ability to feel what others feel. How do you feel now, Loker? ... What those fools didn't know was that emotion, too, is power."
  —Bronson/Carda (26:28, 27:29)

• Redemption and New Destiny:
  "With your love and mine, we can right the wrongs Kor has done to Earth. There is eternity for both of us to spend together."
  —Bronson/Carda (27:29)

Important Timestamps

• [01:21] — Introduction to the military setting and the flying saucers’ threat
• [03:09] — Bronson drafts his top-secret warning to Washington
• [04:25] — Military decision: “We will attack”
• [08:19] — Saucer detected, countdown to missile launch
• [10:29] — Aftermath of missile attack, awaiting confirmation
• [12:17] — Arrival at the landed saucer
• [14:31] — Bronson and Eileen abducted; true identity of Waters revealed
• [17:03] — Rigel and the Core’s experiment explained
• [19:31] — Identity of historic figures as Core operatives
• [21:06] — Bronson revealed as a Core operative
• [22:06] — Gas attack; alien's body dies but essence survives
• [24:01] — Both Bronson and Eileen are to return to Core
• [25:01] — Confession of love; emotional climax
• [26:09] — Bronson’s transformation into Carda; battle with Core agent
• [27:29] — Vow to set things right; resolution

Overall Tone and Style

Classic 1950s sci-fi by way of melodramatic radio:

• Dramatic and cerebral: Characters relay information for clarity, frequently revisiting key plot points with earnest seriousness.
• Philosophical: The notion that technological progress, societal upheaval, and even genius may be manipulated by extra-human hands invites contemplation.
• Romantic undercurrent: The episode builds suspense with Bronson and Eileen’s unspoken love, ultimately revealed and redemptive.

Summary Conclusion

The Flying Saucers draws listeners into a suspenseful tale combining Cold War anxieties of alien contact and technological escalation with deep questions about destiny and autonomy. In a twist on typical alien invader tales, Earth isn’t conquered, but subtly shaped for experiment by dispassionate cosmic psychologists. The final message is one of hope: humans (and their operatives) can transcend manipulation through love, empathy, and the assertion of free will.

Recommended For:
Listeners who enjoy classic radio drama, vintage science fiction, or philosophical tales about humanity’s place in the universe.

All advertisements, host intros, and outros have been omitted in this summary.