★★★★★ December 22, 1961 Season 3 Episode 14
If you want to see where we are…HERE is a list of the episodes.
A fantastic episode of the Twilight Zone. The twist at the end is one of the best twists the Twilight Zone ever had. For most of the show, the five actors are all that can be seen, with the exception of the blank, curving wall of the cylinder. Rarely can the plot of an episode be summed up so completely in its title.
I feel like a broken record but again the acting is superb. The characters displaying their hopelessness in this episode is comes through well. The Major played by William Windom frequently throws emotional tantrums and is the latest to be added to this crew of a clown, Ballerina, tramp, and bagpiper looking for a way of this cylinder which they are trapped. The Major has a hard time with the defeatist attitude of the others
This show was written by Rod Serling and Marvin Petal
Rod Serling’s Opening Narration:
Clown, hobo, ballet dancer, bagpiper, and an army major—a collection of question marks. Five improbable entities stuck together into a pit of darkness. No logic, no reason, no explanation; just a prolonged nightmare in which fear, loneliness, and the unexplainable walk hand in hand through the shadows. In a moment, we’ll start collecting clues as to the whys, the whats, and the wheres. We will not end the nightmare, we’ll only explain it—because this is the Twilight Zone.
Summary
It all starts when an Army major wakes up in a small cylindrical room with no way out. The walls are too high to climb and they’re too hard to puncture. Trapped inside with him is a clown, a bagpiper, a ballerina, and a hobo. They have all woken up inside there and have no idea where they are, what they’re doing there, how long they’ve been there or even who they are or how long they’ll be there. They apparently are unable to feel anything, and every now and then a loud clanging sound makes them all fall down. All of them have tried various ways of finding an exit, unsuccessfully. The Army major especially is determined to escape. He tries all sorts of ways to find an exit, but he cannot find one. Even when he hits the walls with his sword, it shatters. The major suggests that they are in Hell, so there IS no way out. Eventually the five characters decide that the only way out is to make a human tower.
Rod Serling’s Closing Narration:
Just a barrel, a dark depository where are kept the counterfeit, make-believe pieces of plaster and cloth, wrought in a distorted image of human life. But this added hopeful note: perhaps they are unloved only for the moment. In the arms of children, there can be nothing but love. A clown, a tramp, a bagpipe player, a ballet dancer, and a Major. Tonight’s cast of players on the odd stage—known as—The Twilight Zone.
CAST
Rod Serling… Narrator / Self – Host (uncredited)
Susan Harrison… The Ballerina
William Windom… The Major (as Bill Windom)
Murray Matheson… The Clown
Kelton Garwood Kelton Garwood … The Tramp
Clark Allen… The Bagpiper
Carol Hill… Woman
Mona Houghton… Little Girl
…
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This one is my favorite episode to date! Totally sucked me into the plot. Like you said, not uncommon for The Twilight Zone to blow your mind, but this one is hard to top.
Yea it’s such a twist at the end… I would have never guessed it.
No knowing where you are or why you are there must be frightening and frustrating.
Loved this one!
That looks like a great episode, Max. Just watched a clip on YouTube!
Oh dude! I forgot to put a clip! Arggggg
🙂
I’m in a car… not driving! And I posted one
Glad to hear your passion has healthy boundaries, Max. Driving and blogging definitely don’t go well together! 🙂
This actually reminds me I need to head out myself to run some Saturday errands. I’ll be listening to the new album by The Wild Feathers. Based on what I’ve heard thus far, they sound great. Do you know these guys?
No I never heard of them before… I’ll check them out! Be safe
Max, I had to pull my car to the side of the road as well.
I’ve been listening to their new album. I featured one of the tunes in my “Best of What’s New” this morning.
Beautiful melodic rock – a bit of southern, a bit of country, some blues rock flavor here and there, all combined with catchy melodies – so good!
Thanks for the heads up Christian. My friend Mike is a big fan – I think he saw rheum in concert last month even met the band. I think he even blogged about it. Live lines what I’ve heard from them
Their new album is great. I also checked out some of their earlier music. I guess I’m hooked! 🙂
I just added one from my phone… thanks Christian!
Sounds good – I think I saw the episode parodied or mirrored in some TV sitcom a few years back, but I can’t remember which. Will have to check this one out and see if we even know how they got in there!
It’s a great one… I think I’ve seen it on the Simpsons before in one of the treehouse of horror episodes
I was actually a nervous wreck waiting to see what was on the other side of the cylinder they were trapped in. The human dynamic that plays out between the “prisoners” is a microcosm of larger social interactions. All of them were pretty much resigned to their fates until one showed up that helped motivate them out of it. I agree, it’s an excellent episode, Max. And guess what? Last night I watched the last 2 episodes of S3. That was a lot of episodes. Had to borrow it twice to see them all.
Glad you finished it off!
Don’t laugh when you read this but I thought of Gilligan’s Island…a much more serious Gilligan’s Island…but with different people working together…it was excellent.
That is funny! At least Gilligan, Skipper, and Crew had a beautiful tropical island. This group had nada!
Yep….and they had Mary Ann! Sorry but I’m a huge fan. I shook her hand…it’s still trembling!
! 🙂
What a wild episode! When it started I thought TZ meets the avant-garde- the clown was out there. I enjoyed the philosophical musings of the other in terms of why they might be there. And such a great twist – looking back all the clues were there! I guess we’re far enough down in comments to say I wonder if John Lasseter had seen this when they come up with idea for Toy Story
Don’t laugh…but I just told Lisa this…in some perverted way I thought of Gilligan’s Island…a MUCH more serious Gilligan’s Island…you have a small microcosm of society.
But yes I do agree…the clues are there…especially the loud BONG…I love the way Serling looked over the cylinder.
Haha. That’s funny!! Yes the other clue is that they are never hungry or thirsty.
Yeah I liked Serling peering over as well. She. He first started showing up I guess in the second season I didn’t like it it but now I enjoy seeing how they add him in
It was kinda creepy…this big talking head peering down over the wall lol.
Are you watching the game?
Yea…I don’t have a good feeling…Columbia is not doing bad…I looked them up!
I tuned in tonight to Dodgers after watching Red Sox win their series. I didn’t have a good vibe from the outset. Fans just really seem subdued and so do the players. Sherzer threw his usual solid game, but no run support. I hope Dodgers turn it round in last 2 innings.
Colombia had a good couple of games finishing yesterday drawing with Brazil. We have Ecuador on Thursday. That’s a big game.
They are either all or nothing at times…and we are seeing it. I would like to see some bunting and moving people over but many teams including them don’t believe in that philosophy.
I wish them the best… Soccer is so popular around the world….or football… everywhere else.
I thought they all tried to bunt it and move people over. I saw Sherzer trying to do it last night to no avail. That big gust of wind in the last inning pushed the ball back in lol Bummer.
Yeh world football is the principal sport here. Baseball is huge in the north of the Country and neighbouring Venezuela.
Pitchers do usually because they don’t hit as much but the art of sacrificing is pretty much gone.
Oh yes… worldwide it is the major sport
I see sacrificing all the time these days. I know in the movie Moneyball it’s portrayed as bad, but I’m always seeing sac-flys, bunting and stealing etc. I would have guessed it was more prominent these days. Or are you referring to only the Dodgers?
Mostly to the Dodgers and Giants… but never have I seen Mookie Betts, Bellinger etc lay down bunts to get a run home. Sacrifice flies… they are more common because they are trying to drive the ball. The bottom line with the Dodgers… in most games… if there are no homeruns they don’t win
I see what you mean. That game last night nearly put me to sleep. Haha.
Anyway it’s all or nothing tonight for you guys. Good luck. I hope wind is blowing out lol
Congrats to you and your Dodgers on a great night!
Whew…now if they can win one more!
Going to be a tough one in SF. I think HOU are the team to beat this year.
Yes it will be tough…very tough…I have my doubts but hey…it is what it is.
My worst scenario would be the Giants and Astros in the World Series…I couldn’t pull for either.
You don’t admire either team?
The Dodgers and Giants…fans are brought up to hate the other team lol…we may respect each other…but that is it. They are big rivals…going back to when they were both in New York.
I didn’t realise SF was once based in NY.
I know HOU were found relaying pitcher signs a couple of years ago.
Yes the NY Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers had a huge rivalry and they moved with them…The Dodgers moved to LA and the owner talked the Giants owner into moving also. Both benefited.
Yes and the team Houston beat the year of beating the trashcans were the Dodgers…and the part that hurt was Clayton Kershaw…he was pitching great and then all of a sudden it was like every batter knew what was coming…so my love of Houston is none lol….but do they have a great team? yes… and their manager now is an ex-Dodger when I was growing up…Dusty Baker
That is intriguing about their joint move to the West. How did you begin following the Dodgers considering you live in Nashville? Escuse me if we have already discussed this. I have a memory like a sieve.
I didn’t realise they had done that against Kershaw. I’m surprised they didn’t strip them of their WS.
I watched them yesterday against the White Sox. They were savage. Felt sorry for Sox fans. Bergman and Altuve are my favourite players from their team, but they are choc-filled with talent. I didn’t know that about their coach.
No problem… My dad was a fan of underdogs…and his brothers were all Yankee fans so Dad picked his favorite player who was Jackie Robinson and rooted for the Brooklyn Dodgers when he was a teenager….when I was 10 in 77 I picked it up and followed them ever since.
That is what people were mad about…Houston really wasn’t punished as a team…their manager and GM was let go and that was it. They are good and didn’t need to cheat…that is what upset everyone…they came to Dodger stadium this year and were ripped by the fans pretty well…well everyone rips them now.
Great back story about your Dad and Jackie Robinson. I thought about the same thing last night and if I had to choose my favourite team it would probably be based on the player I never grow tired of seeing, which is Ohtani. To me he is like the Messi of Béisbol…lol I hope this season isn’t a one off. His slider is probably the best I’ve seen.
I also don’t know how the HOU players got off from that fiasco scott-free
Ohtani is a special player…only a handful of players (or less) have pitched and hit so well. Babe Ruth was the greatest and I’ve wondered why more players are not encouraged to do both…I guess because if they get hurt…you lose two players at once.
The Houston non punishment pissed off all the other teams…the other teams had sympathy with the Dodgers and that doesn’t happen often lol.
I also am struck why there aren’t more players who do both. Yes, you lose two players at once (minus fielder), but you paid for one lol I also like Ohtani’s quirky mannerisms, humour and how he applauds good baseball even played against him.
There is a great video below of him when he nearly hit Mark Canha. This video sums up Ohtani’s great nature. He is what inspired me to pay for the yearly MLB subscription.
https://youtu.be/XLbY-00rFLU
That made me chuckle your comment about people having sympathy with the Dodgers.
That was funny…I loved his grin…he obviously wasn’t trying to hit the guy. In little leagues over here and high school…the pitcher is usually one of the best hitters.
Him being in the American League where he can play DH helps also because he can get a rest and still play. He will be a free agent so that will be interesting.
So it seems from little leagues they are streamlined into specialising into one of the two.
I had no idea Ohtani was becoming a free agent. Really!? Wow. My God I hope he doesn’t go back to Japan. Who is likely to pick him up?
My fault! He is a free agent soon…but not now…at the end of the 2023 season…so my fault but the Angels better start trying to sign him.
I doubt if he will go back…he will be making way too much money here.
Oh I see. Relieved to know he will be in America for at least another 2 seasons. Thanks for the clarification.
I thought it was this season but it is two more years…I’ve heard that the Angels may cannot afford him…we will see…I know another California team that can!
I was thinking the same thing. But he’ll cost a sh(t – load higher than anyone else if he has two more seasons that are in the same vicinity as this one.
Congratulations to you and your team Dodgers for the Game 5 victory. I am watching a replay this morning. I couldn’t see it last night. I think you have a good chance against Atlanta.
Yes they do have a good chance against the Braves…not saying they can’t be beat….but the Dodgers swept them not long ago.
That last play…it wasn’t a strike… he didn’t go around and I hate that happened…but it happened to the Dodgers in the NLCS a couple of years ago.
One and One big man! Here’s wishing you a good night
Thanks Matt…fingers are crossed
Si Señor
Watching now bottom of 8th
I did and wish I didn’t… can’t wait til they play at home Tuesday
Oh man, I didn’t see the outcome. Should be good Tuesday
It was awful
Sorry buddy. I imagine. I didn’t watch baseball the last 2 days for other reasons, but I can only imagine
Yea…that is the way it goes. When I was younger I took the loses worse lol.
It’s just a game man. Worry less than you did in your childhood lol. Big tip. Lol
They care less than most of you. They do what they can, can’t win and that’s that. They don’t care.
Oh yea…when I was a kid I took it hard!
Yeh, I imagine, watching the game now
It was really exciting…
I turned it off lol. I thought they’d lose haha I just read the result lol. Amazing.. Congrats.
It was beautiful!
Tomorrow I’ll watch it from the 8th. Lol. Beautiful alright!
LOL….yea lately with the Dodgers…that is the time to do it.
What’s the go tonight? Is it final game of series?
No…it the braves win they will lead 3-1…if the Dodgers win it’s tied 2-2….best out of 7
Got ya. Thanks for clarifying Max. I hope all is good with you and family.
Yes it is and I hope the same with yours Matt
Shit they lost. Sorry buddy. So it’s all or nothing from here.
Yep…they are down 3-1 like they were last year
Yes, while listening to your Beatles ‘why dont we do in in the road’ lol They weren’t subtle lol
LOL…that was a fun song. Right to the point
Hey Max I saw an outstanding comedy special last night. it had me in stitches in the middle of the night. I couldn’t recommend it more highly:
Joe List: I hate Myself
.
I watched around 30 minutes before I watched the game…it’s great man….he is really funny
It gets better as he goes. lol I’m glad you liked it
yes I did…I’ll finish it up tomorrow
He reminds me a lot of Woody Allen actually.
He does have that way about him
Below he seems like young Woody completely and they are both from NY:
He is somewhat self deprecating like Allen
Of course there will only be one Woody. But his quirky mannerisms reminds me a bit of Woody
Oh yes only one…
I imagine you are tuned into the game. I hope you are having a good weekend Max. Finger’s crossed tonight.
Yes I do….Matt in all my years of watching this team…since 1977…I have never seen injuries like this. Max was going to pitch tonight and he has a dead arm. Walker is pitching on short rest and Urias is wore out…so it will be interesting!
Who is your pick World Series? I think Astros will win comfortably. I hope Braves do the impossible.
The Assholes will beat them to a pulp
I think so, here’s hoping the Braves overcome them
How did Sherzer get a dead arm? What is that?
It’s over use…where you pitch but you don’t have anything on a pitch. In other words…if you pitch in the mid nineties…you would be getting in the mid 80s…
I see. Got ya
That was unfortunate timing at that part. Yeh, the Dodgers were well worn with obscene injuries.
Yes they were…but there is always next year!
I’m just watching Curb Your Enthusiasm episode 1 of season 11. My God is it funny
I need to see that…I just started to watch the Office…I love it
The original Office con Ricky Gervais? Vamos Braves!
No…the American version…which I really like.
OK, I tried watching it, but it didn’t do it for me. The original was fantastic
I’m going to watch the other one also…I usually like the UK version of everything so I may like it better.
Yeh buddy whatever does it for ya. I hope this message finds you well.
Matt I’ve been installing a floor for our living room…still doing it. Hopefully this weekend is it….I hope to finish the damn thing.
I wish I had any idea to be practical like that. I wish you well!
We just didn’t want to pay someone 1500 to do it…but Matt…to tell you the truth I wish I would have! It’s getting the old carpet up that sucks.
I felt so sad for these poor bastards when I was a kid.
LOL…I know what you mean!. They just couldn’t win.
Great episode, and probably one of my top 10 favorites.
Dodgers looking good buddy
so far so good
Nice win Woohoo!
2 more to go! hopefully….
next game Saturday night
Got ya, last year on repeat lets hope
yes lets hope so!