The New Exhibit

"The New Exhibit"
The Twilight Zone episode
Wax museum figures in "The New Exhibit"
Episode no.	Season 4 Episode 115
Directed by	John Brahm
Written by	Jerry Sohl (credited to Charles Beaumont)
Featured music	Stock
Production code	4866
Original air date	April 4, 1963
Guest stars
Martin Balsam: Martin Lombard Senescu Will Kuluva: Mr. Ferguson Maggie Mahoney: Emma Senescu William Mims: Dave Marcel Hillaire: Guide Milton Parsons: Henri Desiré Landru David Bond: Jack the Ripper Billy Beck: Hare Phil Chambers: Gas Man
Episode chronology
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List of Twilight Zone episodes

"The New Exhibit" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.

Synopsis

Martin Senescu works at a respected wax museum. His boss and good friend, Mr. Ferguson, informs him that the museum will close, to be replaced by a shopping market. Dispirited, Martin asks one request; that he can spare the five figures from his department--Jack the Ripper, Albert W. Hicks, Henri "Bluebeard" Landru, Hare and Burke. These wax figures are in fact replicas of five murderers. Mr. Ferguson complies and Martin takes the figures home, much to the dismay of his wife, Emma. They keep the figures in the basement, under high air conditioning and constant care. Terrified of them, Emma doesn't know what to do. She seeks the advice of her brother, Dave, who tells her to shut off the air conditioning, melting Martin's collection. She sneaks out of bed one night and tries to shut off the air conditioner, whilst being watched by the wax figure of Jack the Ripper. A smiling Jack pivots his knife-wielding hand towards Emma, who screams in horror.

The next morning, Martin discovers his wife dead and Jack's bloody knife. He talks to Jack as if the figure is a real person, explaining that what he did was wrong. He buries Emma's body to conceal Jack's crime. The next day, Emma's brother Dave visits Martin, curious to her whereabouts. Martin nervously rushes him out of the house. Dave then sneaks into the basement through the back entrance of the house and eyes the wet cement where his sister is buried. While examining the area, the wax figure of ax-wielding Albert W. Hicks watches him. Suddenly, something kicks a cement tool at Dave. Dave's eyes bulge as he looks up in horror.

Martin comes down later to find the carnage left by Hicks. He yells at Hicks, and once again hides the evidence.

Several weeks later, Ferguson comes to visit Martin. Happily, Ferguson tells Martin that the figures have been sold to the legendary Marchand's Wax Museum in Brussels.^[1] Martin is sadly forced to give up the wax figures he's so greatly cared for. Martin, although clearly disappointed, brings down tea to celebrate. Meanwhile, Ferguson is examining the figures, measuring them to be shipped to Brussels. The wax figure of rope handling Henri Landru eyes him. As soon as Ferguson turns around, Landru lowers the rope around his neck.

Martin walks downstairs carrying a tray with cups of tea and treats. He finds Ferguson strangled on the floor. Unstabilized, Martin yells at the figures, saying that even through all he's done for them, cleaning them, caring for them, they had to kill his best and only friend. As he yells, the emotionless faces of the figures stare back at him. Martin grabs a crowbar, planning to smash each and every one of them to bits. He eyes Landru, saying "he's first" for killing Ferguson.

Suddenly, the wax figures get up off their feet and slowly creep towards Martin. Martin stares in horror. Their faces unmoving, they all torment him, convincing him that he was the one that murdered his wife, brother in-law and best friend, not them. Martin backs up into a wall and screams in horror as the figures close him in.

Some time later, at Marchand's, a tour guide introduces the four wax figures to a crowd of visitors. However, there is a new addition to this exhibit: a wax figure of Martin Senescu, who supposedly killed his wife, brother in-law and best friend.

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

• "The New Exhibit" at the Internet Movie Database

References

1. ^ Marc Scott Zicree (1989). The Twilight Zone Companion (2nd edition ed.). Hollywood, California: Silman-James Press. p. 352. ISBN 1879505096.