Ep 7. Odd But True

Rob Petrie (played by Dick Van Dyke) has always been known for his wit and comedic timing, but in season 5 episode 7 of The Dick Van Dyke Show titled "Odd But True," he takes on a new challenge: uncovering the truth behind some truly bizarre stories.

The episode starts with Laura (played by Mary Tyler Moore) reading a newspaper article about a man who claims to have found an alien spacecraft in his backyard. Rob initially laughs it off, but soon they start hearing even more outlandish tales, like a woman who claims to be able to communicate with animals and a man who swears he can walk through walls.

With his curiosity piqued, Rob starts investigating these stories, determined to separate fact from fiction. His first stop is the home of the woman who talks to animals, where he witnesses her "conversation" with a chimpanzee. Despite his skepticism, Rob can't help but be impressed by her ability to command the attention of the animal.

Next, Rob visits the man who can supposedly walk through walls. He watches in disbelief as the man carefully positions himself in front of a solid wall, closes his eyes, and then appears to melt right through it. Rob can't explain what he just saw, but he's determined to find out.

Finally, Rob meets with the man who claims to have found the alien spacecraft. The man is cagey about giving away too many details, but he does show Rob a piece of debris he insists is from the spaceship. Rob takes the fragment to a scientist friend for analysis, and to his surprise, the scientist confirms that it's made of a material not found on Earth.

Through his investigation, Rob slowly starts to piece together the truth behind these strange stories. He discovers that the woman who talks to animals has a degree in animal behavior, which explains her ability to interact with the chimpanzee. As for the man who can walk through walls, Rob uncovers a hidden door in the wall that leads to an adjacent room, revealing the man's secret to be a clever illusion.

But it's the alien spacecraft that poses the greatest challenge for Rob. Despite his best efforts to debunk the man's claim, he can't deny the evidence in front of him. The fragment he had analyzed is indeed from an unknown material not found on Earth, and he can't think of any other explanation for how it ended up in the man's backyard.

In the end, Rob can't definitively prove or disprove the existence of extraterrestrial life, but he realizes that sometimes the line between what's odd and what's true isn't always as clear as it seems. In a world full of mysteries, it's the journey of discovery that counts.