The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

Last updated
"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street"
The Twilight Zone episode
Twilight Zone Monsters are Due on Maple Street.jpg
Lea Waggner and Barry Atwater
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 22
Directed byRonald Winston
Written by Rod Serling
Production code173-3620
Original air dateMarch 4, 1960 (1960-03-04)
Guest appearances
Episode chronology
 Previous
"Mirror Image"
Next 
"A World of Difference"
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series, season 1)
List of episodes

"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" is the 22nd episode in the first season of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone . The episode was written by Rod Serling, the creator-narrator of the series. It originally aired on March 4, 1960, on CBS. In 2009, TIME named it one of the ten best Twilight Zone episodes. [1]

Contents

Opening narration

Maple Street, U.S.A., late summer. A tree-lined little world of front porch gliders, barbecues, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice cream vendor. At the sound of the roar and the flash of light, it will be precisely 6:43 P.M. on Maple Street.

The narration continues after the neighbors wonder if what flew overhead was a meteor.

This is Maple Street on a late Saturday afternoon. Maple Street in the last calm and reflective moment before the monsters came.

Plot

One late-summer afternoon, Maple Street is full of children playing and adults talking and doing yard work, when a shadow passes over, accompanied by a roar and a flash of light. Everyone notices, but they assume it is a passing meteor and resume their activities. The residents soon discover that their power went off, affecting stoves, lawnmowers, cars, phones, even portable radios, and they gather in the street to discuss the situation. Pete Van Horn volunteers to walk over to Floral Street, to see if it is affected. His neighbors, Steve Brand and Charlie Farnsworth, decide to go into town to investigate further, but Tommy, a neighborhood boy, urges them not to go. Tommy has read a story of an alien invasion causing similar issues, and says that the monsters do not want anyone to leave the street. Tommy adds that in the story, the aliens are living as a family that appears to be human but are actually scouts, and the power outage they cause is to isolate the neighborhood. The adults are incredulous, assuring him that the cause is natural.

Another resident, Les Goodman, tries unsuccessfully to start his car. However, after he walks away from the car, it starts by itself. This makes the neighbors suspect that Les may be an alien. As they all gather, one woman brings up Les' late nights spent standing in the garden looking at the sky, as if waiting or looking for something. Les, defending himself as a resident of Maple Street for five years, claims to suffer from insomnia and admonishes his neighbors that they should use caution and not panic. Steve tries to defuse the situation and prevent it from becoming a witch-hunt, but tensions remain high.

As darkness descends, Charlie begins keeping watch over Les Goodman's house. Steve suggests Charlie go home to bed. Another neighbor, Don, mentions that Steve has built his own radio set, which Charlie then claims no one has ever seen. As suspicion mounts, Steve's wife protests that it is a simple ham radio, but Steve sarcastically answers that he talks to aliens with it. Steve and the other neighbors continue to argue, using each person's idiosyncrasies as evidence that they are an alien. Steve warns that such behavior, looking for a scapegoat, is the surest way for the entire neighborhood to "eat each other up alive".

A shadowy figure approaches the residents, which Tommy exclaims is the monster. Claiming it may be necessary for protection, Don obtains a double-barrelled shotgun that Steve immediately confiscates. As the figure gets closer, Charlie panics, taking the shotgun and shooting the figure. Upon reaching the fallen figure, they realize it is Pete Van Horn (who had gone to see if Floral Street had power earlier), and he is now dead. As Charlie struggles to defend his hasty action, the lights in his house come on by themselves, causing the residents to turn on him. Don suspiciously asks Charlie why his power is restored, while Les rebukes him for being so quick to kill and accuse, suggesting that perhaps Pete had found proof of Charlie's extraterrestrial origins, and that the former shot the latter to silence him. Even Steve does not advocate for Charlie, outraged by his senseless murder of Pete. Charlie makes a break for his house; everyone chases him, throwing stones, one of which smashes a porch lantern, causing the broken glass to fly at Charlie's face, cutting his forehead. Terrified, Charlie attempts to deflect suspicion onto Tommy. While his mother is quick to defend him, several neighbors agree with this idea, as Tommy was the only one who knew about the aliens' plans. Steve continues to try to defuse the situation, but no one listens.

Lights begin flashing on and off in houses throughout the neighborhood; lawnmowers and car engines start and stop for no reason. The mob becomes hysterical, hurling accusations, smashing windows, and taking up weapons as the situation devolves into an all-out riot. Meanwhile, at a nearby hilltop, two humanoid aliens are observing the riot on Maple Street while using a device to manipulate the neighborhood's power. They comment on how simply fiddling with routine leads people to descend into paranoia and panic that can be exploited. They also discuss their intention to use this strategy to conquer Earth, one neighborhood at a time. They then ascend a stairway into their spaceship, which then takes off.

Closing narration

The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices ... to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill ... and suspicion can destroy ... and a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own—for the children and the children yet unborn. And the pity of it is ... that these things cannot be confined to ... The Twilight Zone!

Production

The aliens are wearing uniforms left over from the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet . Also, the mockup set of the retractable stairway, leading into the lower half of the C-57D cruiser from the same film, is reused for this scene. At the end of the episode, a stock footage effects-shot of the cruiser in space can be seen (the same shot was also used in "Third from the Sun"). This technique was also used in "To Serve Man". The cruiser is shown upside down when compared to its orientation in Forbidden Planet.

2003 remake

A 2003 remake of the episode was produced for the 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone, but it was renamed "The Monsters Are on Maple Street". Serling received "Story By" credit. It starred Andrew McCarthy as Will Marshall and Titus Welliver as Dylan. The difference between the two is that the remake is more about the fear of terrorism. When the power surge happens in the remake, it is caused not by aliens, but instead by the government, specifically the United States Army, experimenting on how small towns react to the fear of terrorism. In the end, the neighborhood takes out its anger and frustration on a family who never left their house after the power surge occurred, thinking that they caused it since they still have power. The residents all fail the test miserably as did all the other inhabitants of every other street they tested.

The opening and closing narration, provided by Forest Whitaker, has also been altered:

Maple Street, U.S.A. Suburban community on a pleasant Saturday afternoon... but in a few moments everything will change for the residents of Maple Street as they discover that the monsters they fear may already be among them.

With the closing narration being:

It isn't enough for a sole voice of reason to exist. In this time of uncertainty we are so sure that villains lurk around every corner that we will create them ourselves if we can't find them—for while fear may keep us vigilant, it's also fear that tears us apart—a fear that sadly exists only too often—outside the Twilight Zone.

Other media

A radio dramatization of this episode was produced in the mid-2000s as part of The Twilight Zone radio series, starring Frank John Hughes as Steve Brand. It was included in The Twilight Zone: Radio Dramas – Collection 12 collection.

A graphic novel version was published by the Savannah College of Art and Design partnered with Walker & Co. A short-story version was published in Stories from The Twilight Zone and ends with a race of two-headed aliens moving into Maple Street.

The episode served as a major influence on science fiction in the decades that followed. Among the films that drew their inspiration from this episode include The Trigger Effect , directed by David Koepp, [2] and The Mist , directed by Frank Darabont. [3]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>The Twilight Zone</i> Media franchise based on an American television anthology series

The Twilight Zone is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling in which characters find themselves dealing with often disturbing or unusual events, an experience described as entering "the Twilight Zone". The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, supernatural drama, black comedy, and psychological thriller, frequently concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist, and usually with a moral. A popular and critical success, it introduced many Americans to common science fiction and fantasy tropes. The first series, shot entirely in black-and-white, ran on CBS for five seasons from 1959 to 1964.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rod Serling</span> American screenwriter (1924–1975)

Rodman Edward Serling was an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series The Twilight Zone. Serling was active in politics, both on and off the screen, and helped form television industry standards. He was known as the "angry young man" of Hollywood, clashing with television executives and sponsors over a wide range of issues, including censorship, racism, and war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Where Is Everybody?</span> 1st episode of the 1st season of The Twilight Zone

"Where Is Everybody?" is the first episode of the American anthology television series The Twilight Zone and was originally broadcast on 2 October 1959, on CBS. It is one of the most realistic Twilight Zone episodes, as it features no supernatural elements and is based on fairly straightforward extrapolation of science.

"What You Need" is the twelfth episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone, airing on Christmas Day, 1959. It is based on the short story of the same name by Lewis Padgett, which was published in the October 1945 issue of Astounding Science Fiction magazine.

"The Invaders" is episode 15 of season 2 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. The episode, which originally aired January 27, 1961, starred Agnes Moorehead. It was written by Richard Matheson, directed by Douglas Heyes, and scored by Jerry Goldsmith. Distinctive features of this episode include a near-solo performance by one character, and an almost complete lack of dialogue. The only dialogue in the entire episode aside from Rod Serling's usual narration came from Douglas Hayes, the episode's director. In addition, this is the only episode in which Rod Serling gives his opening monologue at the start of the prologue, rather than the end. The protagonist portrayed by Agnes Moorehead often cries out in pain and terror, but never speaks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Obsolete Man</span> 29th episode of the 2nd season of The Twilight Zone

"The Obsolete Man" is episode 65 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone, starring Burgess Meredith as Romney Wordsworth, the accused, and Fritz Weaver as the Chancellor. It originally aired on June 2, 1961, on CBS. The story was later adapted for The Twilight Zone Radio Dramas starring Jason Alexander as Wordsworth.

"The Passersby" is the 69th episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It was written by series creator and showrunner Rod Serling.

"It's a Good Life" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American television series The Twilight Zone, and the 73rd overall. It was written by series creator/showrunner Rod Serling, based on the 1953 short story "It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby. The episode was directed by James Sheldon, and is considered by some, such as Time and TV Guide, to be one of the best episodes of the series. It originally aired on November 3, 1961. The episode was one of four from the original 1959 series which formed the basis of the 1983 film Twilight Zone: The Movie.

"The Midnight Sun" is episode 75 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone, first shown in November, 1961.

"I Am the Night—Color Me Black" is episode 146 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on March 27, 1964 on CBS.

"The Inheritors" is the only two-part episode of the original The Outer Limits television show. It comprises the forty-first and forty-second episodes of the show, in the second season. Part I was first aired on November 21, 1964; Part II on November 28, 1964.

"You Drive" is episode 134 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on January 3, 1964, on CBS. In this episode, the perpetrator of a fatal hit-and-run is hounded by the car he committed the crime with. Earl Hamner Jr. reprised this story, as he had already used it in the 1954 TV series 'Justice'.

"The Long Morrow" is episode 135 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on January 10, 1964 on CBS. In this episode, an astronaut falls in love on the eve of a 40-year-long space voyage. The story focuses on how he and his lover confront the problem that his 40 years in suspended animation will cause a wide age disparity between them by the time he returns.

"The Fear" is the penultimate episode of the American television series The Twilight Zone. It is the last episode written by series creator/host Rod Serling.

<i>The Nightmare Room</i> American horror anthology television series (2001–2002)

The Nightmare Room is an American children's anthology horror series that aired on Kids' WB. The series was based on the short-lived children's book series that went by the same title created by Goosebumps author, R. L. Stine. The Nightmare Room originally aired from August 31, 2001, to March 16, 2002, in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burt Metcalfe</span> Canadian-American actor (1935–2022)

Burton Denis Metcalfe was a Canadian-American film and television producer, director, screenwriter, and actor.

<i>The Twilight Zone</i> (2002 TV series) 2002 TV series

The Twilight Zone is a science fiction horror anthology television series, presented by Forest Whitaker. It is the second of three revivals of Rod Serling's original 1959–64 television series. It aired for one season on the UPN network, with actor Forest Whitaker assuming Serling's role as narrator and on-screen host. It was a co-production between Spirit Dance Entertainment, Trilogy Entertainment Group, Joshmax Productions Services, and New Line Television. It premiered on September 18, 2002, and aired its final episode on May 21, 2003.

<i>The Outer Limits</i> (1963 TV series) 1963 American television series on ABC

The Outer Limits is an American television series that was broadcast on ABC from September 16, 1963, to January 16, 1965, at 7:30 PM Eastern Time on Mondays. It is often compared to The Twilight Zone, but with a greater emphasis on science fiction stories. It is an anthology of self-contained episodes, sometimes with plot twists at their ends.

<i>Twilight Zone: 19 Original Stories on the 50th Anniversary</i> Short story collection edited by Carol Serling

Twilight Zone: 19 Original Stories on the 50th Anniversary is an anthology of short stories written by various authors and edited by Carol Serling, the widow of series creator Rod Serling. Each story was written with themes or styles similar to The Twilight Zone episodes, including a narrated introduction and conclusion. Authors who contributed stories include Twilight Zone veterans Earl Hamner Jr., Alan Brennert, William F. Wu, and Rod Serling. Reviewers listed some of the better stories as being Kelley Armstrong's "A Haunted House of Her Own", Alan Brennert's "Puowaina" and Mike Resnick and Lezli Robyn's "Benchwarmer".

The first season of The Twilight Zone aired Fridays at 10:00–10:30 pm (EST) on CBS from October 2, 1959, to July 1, 1960. There are 36 episodes, including the pilot, "Where Is Everybody?" The theme music for this season, written by Bernard Herrmann, is different from the music most commonly associated with the series, written by Marius Constant for the second season onwards.

References

  1. Cruz, Gilbert (October 2, 2009). "Top 10 Twilight Zone episodes". TIME . Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  2. Maslin, Janet (August 30, 1996). "Movie Review – The Trigger Effect (1996) – Urban Jitters Going Critical". The New York Times .
  3. Edward Douglas (November 16, 2007). "An Exclusive Interview with Mr. Frank Darabont!". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved September 24, 2018.

Further reading