Suspense Sundays (91) Donovan's Brain

Suspense was a radio series from 1942 to 1962.  I have a fondness for "Old Time Radio" as we call it now, and Suspense is my favorite show.  It sets up weird, dark, scary, or intriguing stories with a plot twist in the end, and all in half an hour.  For Suspense Sundays I'll give a short review of an episode.

"Donovan's Brain"

Air date: February 7, 1948
Starring John McIntire

>>Episodes here<<

Eminent scientist, Dr. Cory, is working on keeping brain tissue alive and functioning outside of the body when a timely accident occurs and a ruthless Wall Street type entrepreneur is in need of some life-saving surgery.  Dr. Cory couldn't save the body though, but he did take out the brain and attempts to keep it functioning.  He does, and the brain starts developing the ability to communicate and then telepathically control the people around him.  Things definitely get worse after that.

This was a rare hour long adaptation of what I suppose was a very popular book at the time. I don't know about now - I think it is kind of dated.  Science gets a bad rap in this for sure. It is inherently creepy to have an out-of-body brain fully functioning and able to take over another person's body.  But it does seem a bit silly now, not to say impossible.  At least, I thought it would be easy to stop the brain when the brain became too demanding - like cut off power to the house, maybe?  And not try to sneak up on the brain in the laboratory.  Silly people.  This is a good listen though for the creepiness, and it is nice that they story is better developed because they have an hour to work with.