Table Read: NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD – ACT 3

Episode Title: "The Television Will Not Save You"
Podcast: Table Read (Manifest Media)
Date: October 29, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Table Read delivers Act 3 of the dramatic and suspenseful adaptation of Night of the Living Dead, immersing listeners in the tense climax of the classic script. Soundscapes and a full cast bring to life the chaos, fear, and human conflict that erupt as survivors seek rescue from a farmhouse besieged by the undead. True to Romero’s original vision, Act 3 pulls no punches as alliances fracture, hope fades, and social order inside the farmhouse collapses. The episode sharply illustrates that, amid apocalyptic horror, human nature is often the real monster.

Key Discussion Points & Dramatic Beats

Tensions Boil Over in the Farmhouse ([00:04]–[04:17])

• The episode swiftly resumes after the failed escape and burning of the truck, setting a mood heavy with dread and mistrust.
• Characters debate whether to stick together, wait for rescue, or attempt escape, with Ben and Harry’s ongoing power struggle at the core.
• The presence of Barbara, traumatized and exhausted, adds to the emotional weight. Helen and Harry’s fraught marriage and Karen’s illness introduce further vulnerability.

The Televised News: False Hope ([03:00]–[07:58])

• The group manages to set up a TV, desperately seeking information.
• A Civil Defense broadcast provides grim details:
  • Attacks are widespread; rescue is unreliable.
  • Authorities advise to arm oneself and not wait for rescue.
  • Fire and shooting the undead in the eyes are recommended for defense.
• Sheriff McClelland’s TV interview is stark, blending dark humor with bleak advice:

  “All you gotta do is draw a sharp bead and shoot for the eyes. Or you beat them down, lop their heads off.” – Sheriff McClelland [08:33]

Escape Plans and Final Preparations ([11:47]–[15:59])

• Tense debates continue between staying put and making a dangerous break for a distant rescue station.
• The group scrambles to craft improvised weapons (Molotov cocktails) and a stretcher for Karen.
• Roles are hastily assigned; distrust simmers over who will get the only gun and who’s willing to risk betrayal for survival.

The Escape: Chaos and Catastrophe ([16:15]–[20:15])

• Under Ben’s direction, the crew attempts a fiery distraction, setting Molotov cocktails to clear a path.
• Tom and Ben’s fuel run goes awry. Tom accidentally sets the truck ablaze; chaos ensues, culminating in Tom’s fiery death.

  “Tom’s torch has inadvertently set fire to the Dallas truck. The flames begin to lick and spread.” [17:37]

• Ben barely survives, pounding on the farmhouse door for re-entry as the living dead swarm closer.

Violence and Betrayal Inside ([20:15]–[23:22])

• Ben and Harry, momentarily united to barricade the door, immediately turn on each other. Ben physically assaults Harry in rage:

  “Next time you try something like that, I’ll kill you.” – Ben to Harry [21:23]

• Grief, distrust, and desperation dominate the survivors.

Sudden, Unrelenting Horror ([26:41]–[29:02])

• Helen discovers her daughter Karen has become one of the undead in the episode's most chilling sequence.
• As undead break through barricades, Harry betrays Ben by stealing the gun and attempts to retreat—and is immediately killed by his zombie daughter.

  “Oh, now we'll see who's going to shoot who. I'm going to the cellar and you can rot up here, you crazy bastard.” – Harry [28:13]

• The barricades break and a final, futile fight erupts; the scene is frantic and visceral.

Climax: Tragedy, Loss, and Aftermath ([31:36]–[36:58])

• Morning brings a sheriff’s posse sweeping the area, their dialogue matter-of-fact and oblivious to the horror inside:

  “Never can tell what we’ll run into up here.” – McClelland [31:36]

• In a cruel twist, Ben, the lone uninfected survivor, is mistaken for an undead and shot dead by the rescue party:

  “A shot rings out. Ben reels, driven back, a circle of blood on his forehead, right between his eyes.” [34:43]

• McClelland’s team only finds Barbara alive. The episode closes with the disposability and tragedy of Ben’s death passing as "an accident."

  “It’s too bad. An accident. The only loss we had the whole night.” – McClelland [36:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Survival Advice Amid Chaos:

  “Don’t wait for us to rescue you, because if they get you too far outnumbered, you’ve had it.” – Sheriff McClelland [09:02]

• Ben’s Leadership and Fury:

  “Next time you try something like that, I’ll kill you.” – Ben, after slugging Harry [21:23]

• The Final, Bitter Irony:

  “It’s too bad. An accident. The only loss we had the whole night.” – McClelland, after Ben is killed [36:50]

• Barbara’s Despair:

  “We’ll never get out of here. None of us will never get out of here alive. Johnny. Johnny. Oh God. None of us. None of us. Help.” – Barbara’s breakdown [23:27]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Farmhouse tensions & TV setup: [00:04]–[04:36]
• Civil Defense broadcast & McClelland interview: [04:36]–[10:05]
• Team splits & escape rehearsal: [11:47]–[16:15]
• Molotov attack & failed rescue attempt: [16:15]–[20:15]
• Violence between Ben and Harry: [20:15]–[21:23]
• Preparing for the end, despair: [21:27]–[26:07]
• Karen, now a ghoul, attacks: [26:41]–[28:13]
• Barricades fall, all-out battle: [29:02]–[31:36]
• Morning posse & tragic resolution: [31:36]–[36:58]

Tone and Takeaway

The adaptation, true to the original script's bleakness, is urgent, shocking, and deeply cynical about society’s ability—or willingness—to save itself, even in the face of shared threat. Human frailty, racism, mistrust, and official incompetence ensure a devastating outcome, underscoring Romero’s thesis that the real monsters are often within.

Table Read’s immersive sound design and committed performances make Act 3 a gut-punching reminder of the timeless, societal critique at the heart of Night of the Living Dead.

For scripts, cast info, and behind-the-scenes insights, visit tablereadpodcast.com.