The After Hours

Infobox Television episode
Title = The After Hours
Series = The Twilight Zone


Caption = Publicity photo of Anne Francis in The After Hours
Season = 1
Episode = 34
Airdate = June 10, 1960
Production=173-3637
Writer =Rod Serling
Director =Douglas Heyes
Guests =Anne Francis : Marsha White
Elizabeth Allen : Saleswoman
James Millhollin : Armbruster
John Conwell : Elevator Operator
Nancy Rennick : Miss Pettigrew
Patrick Whyte : Mr. Sloan
Music = Bernard Herrmann (from Where Is Everybody?)
Episode list = List of Twilight Zone episodes
Prev = Mr. Bevis
Next = The Mighty Casey

"The After Hours" is an episode of the American television anthology series "The Twilight Zone".

Opening Narration

Part One

Part Two

ynopsis

Marsha White, a woman browsing for a gift for her mother in a department store, decides on a gold thimble and is taken by elevator to the 9th floor. During the sales transaction, she grows increasingly puzzled by the comments and actions of both the male elevator operator who transported her to the barren, seemingly deserted floor, and the aloof female salesclerk behind the counter who sells her the thimble. As Marsha rides the elevator back down from the 9th floor, she notices that the thimble is scratched and dented, and is directed by the elevator operator to the Complaints Department on the third floor.

But when she tries to convince Mr. Armbruster, the sales supervisor, and Mr. Sloan, the store manager, that she bought the item on the 9th floor, she is told that the 9th floor doesn't exist. Marsha then becomes distraught after she spots the salesclerk who sold her the thimble and is shocked to discover that the woman isn't really a salesclerk at all; she's one of the department store's display mannequins. While resting in an office following her frightening discovery, Marsha finds herself locked inside in the now-closed store. She attempts to find a way out, and becomes alarmed by mysterious voices calling to her and by some subtle movements made by the supposedly lifeless mannequins around her.

Becoming hysterical, she flees to an elevator, which once again transports her to the unoccupied 9th floor. There, she learns from the others present -- mannequins who suddenly come to life and greet her -- that she, too, is a mannequin. Each one of them gets to go out into the world and live among the humans for one month. But Marsha had enjoyed her stay among "the others" so much that she had lost track of her return date and was away from the store for too long; she had forgotten her true nature. But now she realizes that she is back in her proper place, which allows the next mannequin in line -- the female salesclerk who sold her the thimble -- to go out and live among the humans for thirty days. As the other mannequins see her off, a male mannequin -- the elevator operator she had encountered earlier -- approaches Marsha and asks her if she enjoyed her time among the humans. She says she did; it was "ever so much fun." As Marsha fondly recalls her brief sojourn out among the humans, she grows rigid and statue-like.

The next day the store supervisor, Mr. Armbruster, is making his morning rounds on the salesfloor and does a sudden double-take upon seeing a faintly familiar-looking mannequin on display.

Closing narration

Preview for Next Week's Story

Remake

The episode was remade in 1986 for "The New Twilight Zone". It starred Terry Farrell as Marsha. The plot is similar but the emphasis is more on suspense. In addition, the Marsha in the remake is in denial of her identity and doesn't want to be a mannequin - she wants to be truly human, unlike the Marsha in the original, who simply just forgot who she was and actually felt human for that one month of the whole year, when she lived amongst the outsiders.

Trivia

*Outside the libraries of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney's California Adventure there is a glass case adjacent to the doors containing a gold thimble accompanied by a card that reads, "Looking for a gift for Mother? Find it in our Gift Shop!" This is a reference to this episode.
*This episode uses the music by Bernard Herrman from "Where Is Everybody?".

References

*DeVoe, Bill. (2008). "Trivia from The Twilight Zone". Albany, GA: Bear Manor Media. ISBN 978-1593931360
*Grams, Martin. (2008). "The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic". Churchville, MD: OTR Publishing. ISBN 978-0970331090

External links

*
* [http://www.tv.com/the-twilight-zone/the-after-hours/episode/12618/summary.html TV.com episode page]
* [http://www.cbs.com/classics/the_twilight_zone/video/video.php?cid=621774886&pid=Y4aOrpr_7TtyWhwIu6vQqmmuc7xfXV_K&play=true&cc=0 Full video of the episode at CBS.com]