Suspense: Death Drum (S04 E20) Originally aired January 29, 1952

"Death Drum" is the 20th episode of the fourth season of the 1952 TV show Suspense. In the episode, a French town's mayor informs 30 of his constituents to the Germans, while the audience watches them being executed, accompanied by a drummer soundtrack. In the gripping episode titled "Death Drum," which aired as the 20th installment of the fourth season of the classic 1952 TV show Suspense, a dark and haunting tale unfolds. The story takes us to a small town in occupied France during World War II, where the atmosphere is thick with tension and fear.

At the center of the narrative is the town's mayor, a seemingly ordinary man caught in a web of treachery and moral conflict. As the episode opens, he is faced with a heart-wrenching decision. The Germans have demanded that he identify 30 of his constituents for deportation to concentration camps, and he must choose who will face this horrific fate.

With a heavy heart, the mayor makes his selections, torn between his duty to his community and the desire to save as many lives as possible. The townspeople, unaware of the mayor's betrayal, go about their daily lives, oblivious to the impending tragedy.

As the fateful day arrives, the chosen 30 are assembled in the town square. The atmosphere is heavy with dread as they await their fate. Suddenly, the sound of a drum fills the air. A lone drummer, his face hidden behind a mask, begins to play a haunting melody.

The drumbeat reverberates through the square, creating a sense of mounting tension and despair. As the drumbeat grows louder, the 30 victims are led away, one by one, to meet their tragic end. The townspeople, horrified and helpless, watch in silent agony as their neighbors are taken away.

The episode concludes with the chilling image of the drummer, still playing his macabre melody, as the town is left in a state of shock and mourning. "Death Drum" is a powerful and unforgettable tale that explores the dark depths of humanity in times of conflict and the sacrifices that ordinary people are sometimes forced to make.