Relic Radio Sci-Fi – 2000 Plus: “The Other Man”

Episode Date: January 19, 2026
Host: RelicRadio.com
Original Broadcast: 2000 Plus (1950s)

Episode Overview

In this classic episode from the old-time radio series 2000 Plus, “The Other Man,” an unsettling case of mistaken—or duplicated—identity spirals into a high-stakes mystery. When Security Police chief Scott Douglas is reportedly arrested for murder in Cairo, his wife Mira is shocked to find him at home, alive and well. What follows is a tense investigation involving doppelgangers, cutting-edge (for its time) science fiction technology, and the collapse of certainty about identity itself. The episode explores themes of selfhood, trust, and the unintended consequences of technological advancement.

Key Discussion Points and Story Elements

1. The Impossible Arrest

• Opening (00:08–02:00):
  • News flashes claim Scott Douglas, Security Police chief, is arrested in Cairo for murder.
  • Mira, his wife, is confronted by Scott in their home—apparently proving he cannot be in two places at once.
  • “No man can be two places at once.” – Security Police (00:08)

2. Mira’s Confusion and Fear

• The Confrontation (02:04–05:56):
  • Mira desperately questions Scott, citing the damning evidence from news and police.
  • Scott insists he’s been nowhere near Cairo, offering evidence of his true identity: wallet, birthmark, intimate memories.
  • “Who would know that, Mira, except your husband?” – Scott (05:18)

3. The Second Scott

• Airport Sequence (07:34–12:08):
  • Mira is escorted to witness “Scott's” arrival from Cairo.
  • She meets the other Scott Douglas—in every way identical, from memories to physical features.
  • Mira is unable to reconcile the contradiction, doubting both her senses and the evidence before her.

4. The Investigation

• Doubt Grows (12:14–15:03):
  • Security Chief Enright realizes both men are seemingly genuine.
  • Both “Scottys” recall the same life, including deeply personal details, up to a certain point.
  • The investigation uncovers a suspicious gap in memory: a pivotal two hours in both their accounts.

5. Revelation of the Molecular Duplicator

• The Secret Room (21:42–27:24):

  • The group visits the last location where anything odd happened to Scott: an art dealer’s shop.

  • An accomplice of Mustafa Cornelius (the murdered man) is found trying to destroy a hidden machine.

  • The device is revealed to be a molecular duplicator—capable of creating perfect duplicates of objects and living beings.

    • “Just a minute, chief. Look at this marking. Molecular duplicator... the molecules and atoms of the originals are perfectly duplicated... you'd actually have two originals where only one existed before.”
      — “Tweed” Scott (25:34)

  • The man explains: the machine, when used on a dog, resulted in one dying a horrible death after a month, suggesting impermanence or instability in living duplicates.

    • “One day the dog bark and whined… it is in agony… and before my eyes… it disappeared slowly… as if it fall apart. And in a little while, there was nothing left.”
      — Arab Accomplice (27:04)

6. Existential Cliffhanger

• Final Questions (27:24–28:03):
  • The episode closes with both men confronted by the possibility that one is doomed to “disintegrate.”
  • The mystery lingers: Which one is the real Scott Douglas? For how long is duplication truly duplication?

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Imperfect Certainty:
  “It looks like Scotty. It talks like Scotty... Small birthmark on the left arm. Same blood type. Same fillings in the teeth. And the fingerprints are exactly Scotty’s.”
  — Enright, the Security Chief (04:06)

• Intimate Knowledge:
  “Who would know that, Mira, except your husband?”
  — Scott at home, pleading his case (05:18)

• On the Power of Perception:
  “But they can’t fool me.”
  — Mira, before being forced to doubt herself (06:41)

• Doubling Down:
  “Two hours. Two hours. What happened in those two hours, Chief?”
  — Tweed Scott, grappling with the mystery (21:29)

• On Duplication:
  “No, no, sahib, they are not copies. All are original.”
  — Arab Accomplice, after splitting the objects with the machine (25:24)

• On the Horrors of Duplication:
  “One day, about a month after the first dog become two dog… it is in agony, sahib…. it disappear slowly… and in a little while there is nothing left. Nothing.”
  — Arab Accomplice, describing side effects of duplication (27:04)

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | Details | |---------------|-----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:08 | Introduction/News bulletin | Scott arrested in Cairo—a seeming impossibility. | | 02:04 | Confrontation at home | Scott convinces Mira with physical proof/intimate facts. | | 07:34 | Airport scene—arrival of “Cairo Scott” | Mira confronts identical Scott from Cairo. | | 12:14 | Police investigation findings | Both Scotts have matching memories; focus on blackout. | | 21:42 | Art dealer’s shop/Discovery of device | Machine behind duplication revealed. | | 25:34 | “Molecular duplicator” explained | Science fiction underpinning laid out. | | 27:04 | Duplicated dog’s fate | Unsettling side effects unveiled. | | 27:41 | Existential dilemma | Both Scotts face uncertain reality and fate. |

Episode Tone & Style

• Dialogue-driven, tense, and atmospheric—classic midcentury sci-fi paranoia.
• Relies on suspense, moral anxiety, and scientific speculation rather than overt action.
• Anxiety is heightened through Mira’s emotional turmoil and the police’s methodical investigation.

Conclusion

“The Other Man” exemplifies classic radio science fiction’s knack for turning speculative technology into a metaphor for personal and societal anxieties. The story raises the suspenseful question of who we really are—and what happens if the distinction between self and other is shattered not just by mistaken identity, but by literal duplication. The episode closes on this note of uncertainty, allowing listeners to ponder the terrifying implications—and setting up for another week’s mystery.