Podcast Summary: "The Temple Of The Pharaohs"

Podcast: Relic Radio Sci-Fi (Old Time Radio)
Episode by: 2000 Plus
Date: December 2, 2025
Host: RelicRadio.com

Main Theme & Purpose

In this captivating episode, "The Temple Of The Pharaohs," listeners are transported to the golden age of radio drama and classic science fiction. The story, originally aired as part of the 2000 Plus series, follows two astronauts who are mysteriously thrust 5,000 years into Earth's past and become enmeshed in a royal intrigue within the courts of ancient Egypt. Combining elements of time travel, archeology, and myth, the episode explores notions of fate, history, scientific wonder, and human ingenuity against a lushly imagined ancient backdrop.

Key Discussion Points & Story Breakdown

1. Mysterious Space-Time Event

• Characters: Commander Wilson & Professor Sebastian, aboard spaceship ES.
• The adventure begins with Wilson and Sebastian documenting observations for Earth's Bureau of Astral Research. Their routine is interrupted by warnings of a "space whirlpool" and sudden disorientation ([02:00]).
• Notable moment: The duo realizes they have lost all contact with Earth, and their view of the sky reveals a nightscape from thousands of years in the past.

2. Arrival in Ancient Egypt

• Key Event: The astronauts awaken on the sands, chained but unharmed, in what appears to be the royal burial grounds of Giza ([05:20]).
• Insight: Through observational clues and sky constellations, they determine they are in Egypt circa 3000 BC, predating familiar historical landmarks like the Pyramids and Sphinx.

3. Encounter with Egyptian Society

• The two are escorted to the Pharaoh's palace by a mute servant and brought before Pharaoh Caulifar and Queen Hisbut ([10:15]).
• They use a translation device—dubbed a "voice banisher"—to communicate, claiming to be "messengers of Osiris and Ra."
• The ancient Egyptians are awestruck by their appearance, technology, and purported miracles.
• The pharaoh commands their welcome and bestows gifts, emphasizing the grandeur and ritual of Egypt.

4. Royal Crisis and Supernatural Demand

• Twist: The queen’s mother’s tomb has been desecrated, and then tragedy strikes with the abduction of the pharaoh's only son ([16:10]).
• Heartfelt plea:
  • Queen Hisbut: “He is so little, stranger, with great dark eyes and trust in his heart. Egypt is vast... There is nothing we can do to help you. Even though our hearts too beat for the little prince.” ([20:15])
• Wilson and Sebastian are pressed to use their "magic" to solve the crisis, using a futuristic "audio wave amplifier" to recover voices from the past and locate the prince’s abductors.

5. The Tomb Search and High-Tech Rescue

• The astronauts utilize radar technology to locate a concealed tomb entrance ([27:30]).
• Quote:
  • Wilson: “I'm hitting the surface of this rock with a radar. If I come to a hollow spot... I'll be able to spot it.” ([28:10])
• They find the prince, alive but frightened, in the tomb with the grave robbers, and return him safely to the Pharaoh amidst royal celebration.

6. The Vizier’s Betrayal—History Fulfilling Itself

• Wilson exposes the royal vizier, Tukan, as the conspirator attempting to poison the Pharaoh ([32:40]).
• Notable reveal:
  • Sebastian: “There was a Pharaoh called Caulifar. I knew an attempt was made to poison him. The attempt failed. So I kept my eyes open and spotted the vizier... They know about it in a book. A book that won’t be published until 5,000 years from now.” ([33:50])
• The vizier is forced to drink the wine he meant to poison, sealing his fate as written in future history.

7. The Sphinx—A Time Travel Paradox

• As the astronauts prepare to depart, Pharaoh Caulifar is inspired by the emblem on their spaceship depicting the Sphinx ([36:15]).
• He decrees the construction of a great statue—the future Sphinx—modeled after the image, complete with his own visage, fulfilling the historical paradox.
• Chilling proclamation:
  • Pharaoh Caulifar: “Upon this very spot of Giza, there shall be carved... an exact copy of the picture upon the stranger’s great bird. The head shall be my head. The statue shall be called the Sphinx.” ([37:05])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The sky is wrong, Sebastian... That sky is as it must have been 5,000 years ago.”
  – Wilson, realizing their displacement in time ([04:00])

• “These chains, Sebastian, look at them—gold! Because we're in the age of gold.”
  – Sebastian, making a scientific deduction about their ancient location ([06:00])

• “Emissaries of the gods, approach the royal presence. Queen Hisbut wishes to gaze upon you. How fair their skin, how like gold.”
  – The Egyptian court’s marvel at the visitors’ otherness ([11:30])

• “You are messengers of the gods... You must use this magic!”
  – Pharaoh Caulifar, demanding a miracle from the time travelers ([19:10])

• “I'm an archaeologist, Wilson... There was a Pharaoh—Caulifar. I knew an attempt was made to poison him. I read it in a book—not yet written!”
  – Sebastian, on history’s cycle and predestination ([33:50])

• “It is an omen... I, Caulifar, decree... there shall be carved... the Sphinx.”
  – The Pharaoh, inspired by the future—a striking example of the time loop ([37:05])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 02:00 — Space whirlpool strikes; the crew blacks out
• 05:20 — Awakening in chains; realization of the era
• 10:15 — Brought to Pharaoh’s palace; translation technology
• 16:10 — Prince abducted; plea for help from time-travelers
• 20:50 — Use of "audio wave amplifier" begins investigation
• 27:30 — Radar technology locates tomb entrance
• 32:40 — Exposing the vizier; the attempted poisoning
• 36:15 — The Sphinx origin is decreed

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode delivers a rich narrative blending suspense, awe, and a subtle touch of humor amid high-stakes drama. The tone shifts from methodical scientific inquiry to breathless adventure and royal intrigue, ultimately concluding with awe at the recurring cycles of history and myth.

Conclusion

"The Temple Of The Pharaohs" exemplifies classic sci-fi storytelling—melding speculative science, ancient legend, and time-travel paradoxes with engaging dialogue and sharp character interplay. It provides a memorable window into the speculative imagination of early radio, leaving listeners pondering the footprints we leave across history.