[eerie music]
(maie presenter, off)
There is a fifth dimension
Beyond that which
Is known to man.
It is a dimension
As vast as space
And as timeless
As infinity.
It is the middle ground
Between light and shadow,
Between science
And superstition.
And it lies between
The pit of man's fears
And the summit
Of his knowledge.
This is the dimension
Of imagination.
It is an area
Which we call
The twilight zone.
[engines whirring]
Parkinson,
Chemical warfare.
Amberley,
Hydrogen armaments.
Mills, germ
Warfare research.
Sturka,
Hydrogen armament.
You boys are pretty
Busy up there,
Aren't you?
Very.
(man)
Hold the light,
Will you, Sturka?
Long days, huh?
Long days.
Your department is going
Full blast, isn't it?
It's coming, boy,
It's really coming.
And a big one, too.
While we're talking here,
I'll bet the m*llitary
Is getting all set.
Got it all
Mapped out, I bet.
Talk is hours.
You wait and see
If I'm not right.
Forty-eight hours,
We'll have them aloft.
Then, whoosh, up,
Over and whammo.
There goes the enemy.
Obliterated, finished.
What are they doing
In the meantime?
What do you mean?
Probably retaliating
The best way they can.
[chuckies]
It's a big waste of
Time, let me tell you.
We get the first licks.
So they can't do much.
They can go whoosh,
Up, over and whammo.
Absolutely.
But not so many.
Not so properly aimed.
Not so skillfully
Carried out.
So instead of losing
million people, we
Lose only , huh?
You a defeatist, Sturka?
That's dangerous thinking.
You better mind
What you say.
And what I
Think, too, huh?
Yeah. And what
You think.
Good night, Carling.
See you tomorrow.
(presenter)
Quitting time at the plant.
Time for supper now.
Time for families
Time for a cool
Drink on a porch.
Time for the quiet rustle
Of leaf-laden trees
That screen out the moon.
And underneath it all,
Behind the eyes of the men
Hanging invisible
Over the summer night
Is a horror
Without words.
For this is
The stillness
Before a storm.
This is the eve
Of the end.
[slow music playing]
Hello, dad.
Hello, baby.
Where's your mom?
She's out in the back trying
To urge the radishes out of
The ground or something.
Oh, no, you don't.
Not before we
Have our dance.
Some other time, honey.
[music stops]
[sighs]
Dad?
What, Jody?
What's the matter?
Nothing serious.
Just feeling
My years, I guess.
You, my darling,
Your beautiful face
And your maturing ways,
You suddenly remind
Me that my youth is
Upstairs in the attic
Spread out over
A few photo albums.
Is that all?
Is that all?
That's quite enough.
Dad?
Don't you like your job?
Is that the problem?
The job.
It's all right.
It's a job.
Oh, I mean just having
To work on the kind of
Things that you do.
Fever bombs and hydrogen
Bombs and gas and things
Like that.
No, I'm just a cog
In a wheel, Jody.
I mean, look
At it this way.
In one b*mb there are
Perhaps a thousand pieces,
And every piece
Requires a team
Of , , people.
Looking at it like
That, I'm not--
Quite as
Responsible as if I--
Hello, darling.
Everyone I've
Talked to lately
They've been noticing it.
Noticing what, Jo?
That something's wrong.
That something's--
Something's in the air.
That something's
Going to happen.
And everybody's afraid.
Everyone, dad, why?
People are afraid
Because they make
Themselves afraid.
They're afraid because
They subvert every great
Thing ever discovered.
Every fine idea ever
Thought, every marvelous
Invention ever conceived.
They subvert it, Jody.
They make it
Crooked and devious.
And then too late,
Far too late they
Ask themselves the
Question why.
And then it's too late.
Everything is too late!
Invite Jerry Riden
And his wife over
Tonight, will you, Eve?
We'll have some
Cards or something.
Isn't Jerry out of town?
Isn't he testing some
Sort of aircraft up north?
No, he's back.
He came back this morning.
I told him
We'd phone them.
You'll be there,
Jody, won't you?
He'd like to see you.
Oh, I'm sorry,
I can't.
I've, uh, I've got a date.
Maybe I could get in
A little early.
Break it,
Will you, Jody?
I'd like you
Home tonight.
But dad, I can't--
Oh, all right, dad.
Jerry has some very
Interesting stories.
He has a fascinating
Job. He flies those--
Bill?
I thought you'd might
Like to have some
Cards tonight.
I thought it might take
Your mind off things.
Bill?
What is it?
What's happening?
What do you feel
Is happening?
I have so much
Fear inside me I--
I can't give it words.
Eve, it's too late for
Subterfuge now. It's
Too late for anything.
It's coming. It's coming
Probably within hours.
Will it be bad?
It'll be a holocaust.
It will be hell. It'll
Be the end of everything.
People, places, ideas,
Everything. It will all
Be wiped out.
In hours?
Maybe sooner.
What can we do?
Sit down on the bed
A moment, Eve. I want
To tell you something.
We're leaving.
You and Jody and I
And Jerry and Ann.
We're leaving tonight.
Leaving?
Leaving for where?
I can't tell you that.
I can only tell you that
Between midnight and :
We've got to be out
Of here and gone, and
No one is to know.
I mean no one,
Not neighbors, not
Relatives, not even Jody.
She's not to know,
And we won't be
Able to tell her
Until we're
Already on our way.
Dad? Jerry Riden
Is down here. He'd
Love to talk to you.
I'm coming down, Jody.
What's it mean?
Why is he here?
That's what I
Want to find out.
You better tell some funny
Stories tonight, Jerry. I
Had to break a date for you.
Hi, bill.
You've come to tell me
That you won't be able
To make it for cards.
Are you kidding?
It's high stakes tonight
Because I've been very
Hot at cards the last
Couple of weeks.
I just dropped
By to talk to you
About that, uh--
Your watch's giving
You trouble again?
Uh, yeah.
Probably that mainspring.
It looked like it had
Some rust on it.
Here, let me see it.
Now, let's see
What we can do.
Bill, we've got
To change our plan.
Not yet, not yet.
Wait a minute.
[electric engine whirring]
Now, there's your
Trouble, Jerry,
Right there.
Tell me,
What's happened?
They've put a different
Guard on the ship, on
The : a.m. shift.
The one I know,
The one I've paid
Gets off at : .
Then we have to
Leave before : .
That will be a lot
Tougher. There are more
Men on the field then.
It doesn't make any difference.
We're only your relatives with
Permission to look at the ship.
That's what our
Credentials will show.
Just the same. The fewer
Who know, the better.
Does Ann know, yet?
Not everything. Only that
We're in danger and we've
Got to get out.
I didn't tell her
Where or when. What
About Eve and Jody?
Eve knows now.
Jody will stay
Home tonight.
I told her you were
Coming over. You and
Ann to play cards.
You can come around
: , can't you?
Yeah.
I think that that does
It, Jerry. Just a little
Mainspring problem.
You might wanna have it
Checked by a jeweler in
A month or so.
I couldn't get all
The rust out of it.
Thanks, bill, very much.
Sixteen.
Four.
Twelve.
Eight.
Seven.
You are lucky tonight.
How about some lemonade
And homemade cake,
Everyone?
Sounds wonderful.
Well, I'll get a tray.
I'll help you with it.
Come along, young
Woman, lend a hand.
I know our destination
Now. Right there.
How far?
Eleven million miles.
In a ship we don't
Even know will leave
The atmosphere.
Or whether or not its pilot
Can either take off or get
You down in one piece.
That's the risk, bill.
That's the risk we've been
Talking about for months now.
It's a good risk
When you consider
The alternatives.
Now, this place
We're going to.
It's populated, Bill.
It has people on it.
We've picked
Up radio waves.
Even some snatches
Of a language not
Dissimilar to ours.
We've been able to
Decipher a lot of it.
[doorbell rings]
With a little help,
A couple of breaks,
And god, we might
Even make it there.
(Eve)
Bill, Mr. Carling is here.
Well, Sturka, a little
Cards tonight, eh?
A little cards, Carling.
We're just about
To cut into a cake.
You care to join us?
Thank you.
Just a little
Lemonade for me.
I was just telling your
Wife that she makes
Wonderful lemonade.
Hot night, too, huh?
This is a night
For a front porch,
Or sleep. But
Nothing else.
How right you are.
We'll be leaving in
A couple of minutes.
I've been up north
Testing an aircraft.
Haven't had much sleep
The last couple of weeks.
Yes, I know
The aircraft.
They say it's capable
Of leaving our atmosphere.
Talk is it could go
To another planet
If the right
Man flew her.
Well, not for
A while, yet.
It needs a lot
More testing.
Oh.
May I have a cigarette?
The way I figure it,
Mr. Sturka, you owe Ann
And me a little money here.
Marvelous scientist.
Very bad card player.
I would have believed that.
I would've guessed
That Sturka here was
A good gambler.
I'd guess he'd gamble
On most anything.
(Eve)
Here we are.
Lemonade, everyone?
I'll cut
The cake, Eve.
Hey, you're a little
Nervous, Mrs. Sturka.
You're very nervous.
You've lost quite
A bit according
To this, Sturka.
We won't settle
Tonight, uh--
Next week, next week
We'll give you
Another chance.
Next week?
You do plan ahead.
You plan way ahead.
A week?
A lot can
Happen in a week.
A lot can happen
In hours.
Well, I'll get
On home now.
I like to take a
Walk on warm evenings.
It makes me
Sleep better.
I'll see you
To the door,
Mr. Carling.
Thank you.
I'll probably see you
At the office tomorrow.
Yes, of course.
Pretty night.
Clear as a bell.
Nothing but stars.
You ever think,
Sturka, that
There may be people
On those stars, too?
Maybe people
Just like us.
That thought has
Crossed my mind.
Ever think maybe you'd be
Happier on one of those
Than you are here?
That thought has
Crossed my mind, too.
Yeah.
Yeah, I have no doubt.
The time is now. Jody, I've
Got something to tell you.
We're leaving tonight.
There's a ship at the
Government field. We're all
Gonna drive over there now.
We've bribed a lot of
People and the ship's
Loaded with supplies.
You've been
Planning this!
For three months now.
But tonight has
To be it, Jody.
Tonight's the last chance.
We've got to leave
Here tonight.
Why tonight, Jerry?
Because this world
As we know it won't
Exist much longer.
It's about to blow
Itself up and that
May happen by morning.
Well, in the morning
Where will we be?
We'll be out in
Space, Jody. Far out.
All right, let's get
Ready, everybody.
I'll back the car out
Of the garage. Ann, is
Your bag ready?
It's in our bedroom.
I'll go get it.
[phone ringing]
Bill.
[ringing]
I've got to answer it.
[ringing]
Yes?
Tonight?
Well, I, uh,
I'm in bed.
[caller hangs up]
That was my division head.
They're working tonight.
They're sending
A car over for me.
Then we better
Get out of here
Right now.
I'll get
Our bags.
This is silly,
Isn't it?
We aren't ever coming
Back here again.
That's it.
There it is.
Mother, it's going to
Be all right, isn't it?
Is that our contact?
Yeah, that's him.
Eve, flash the
Lights, just once.
Good evening, Sturka.
You're a long way from
Home, aren't you?
Now, you two stand
There very quietly
And breathe
Through your nose
Very, very quietly.
Get back in
The car, please.
Would you two get in
The front seat, please?
Would you
Three ladies
Mind getting out?
These two
Gentlemen and
I have an engagement
With the authorities.
The gate.
(man)
Unauthorized vehicle on field!
Unauthorized vehicle on field!
Guard unit seven approach
Unauthorized vehicle.
Approach unauthorized vehicle
And request it to halt.
[spaceship engine throbbing]
[machinery beeping]
Everything all right?
: and all is well.
[sighs]
The stars
Look far away.
They are far away.
But the one we want,
That's not so far, bill.
See it there?
It's the shiny one.
The bright one
Over on the right.
It's hard to believe
There are people there.
People like us.
People like us.
It's the third planet
From the sun, bill.
It's called
Earth.
That's where
We're going.
To a place
Called earth.
(male presenter)
Behind a tiny ship
Heading into space
Is a doomed planet
On the verge of su1c1de.
Ahead lies a place
Called earth,
The third planet
From the sun.
And for William Sturka
And the men and women
With him,
It's the eve
Of the beginning
In the twilight zone.
(maie presenter, off)
Rod serling, the creator
Oftwilight zone
Will tell you about next
Week's story after this word
From our alternate sponsor.
And now, Mr. Serling.
There's a Longfellow poem.
"I sh*t an arrow
Into the air. It fell
To earth I know not where."
In our story next week,
We sh**t a spaceship
Into the air,
And where it fell
Only you and I will know.
Starring will be
Mr. Dewey Martin
And Mr. Edward Binns.
Next week we promise you
A most exciting journey
Into space.
Don't miss the take off.
Thank you, and good night.
[eerie music]
(maie presenter, off)
Be sure to see the fun-filled
Family life of one of america's
Greatest entertainers,
The Danny Thomas show.
Monday nights over most
Of these stations.
The twilight zone is
Brought to you tonight
By the newest coffee
Sensation on the
Modern scene.
New aroma-roast
Sanka coffee.
(man)
N.
(woman)
E.
W.
S.
(both chanting)
N-e-w-s. We've
Got news for you.
(man chanting)
There's a great new
Coffee waiting for you.
? Brand new Sanka ?
The flavor's rich.
Aroma, too.
? Aroma-roast Sanka ?
Rich new aroma. Oh!
Rich new flavor. Ah!
? Sip serene
There's no caffeine ?
The only coffee on
The modern scene
That gets the best
Of the coffee bean.
? Aroma flavor ?
But not caffeine.
? Rich new
Aroma-roast sanka ?
The coffee the modern
World deserves.
The coffee that can't
Get on your nerves.
? Glory be
It's caffeine free ?
The perfect coffee
For modern living.
Drink all you want
Without misgiving.
? Rich new
Aroma-roast sanka ?
Aroma, flavor. Still
% caffeine free.
Will wonders
Never cease?
? Sanka ?
? Soft strong
Pops up too ?
? Kleenex tissues
Are best for you ?
? When something needs
A wipe up quick ?
? Handy kleenex
Does the trick ?
? Soft strong
Pops up too ?
? Kleenex tissues
Are best for you ?
You know, I find
Kleenex tissues
So useful,
I keep a box
In every room
Of my house.
It's a must in our
Living room, of course.
You know how youngsters
Will spill things.
And what cleans up
Quicker than kleenex?
We find it best
For colds, too.
It's so wonderfully
Strong and absorbent.
Naturally, we
Keep some here.
Those pretty kleenex
Colors just match
Our decor.
And of course
The bedroom, too.
These gentle tissues suit
My skin just perfectly.
They're so soft
And soothing.
Kleenex tissues
In a pop-up box.
There's a color
For every room
In your house.