The After Hours
Encyclopedia
"The After Hours" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
.
, decides on a gold thimble
. She is taken by the elevator man to the 9th floor, a floor beyond that shown by the elevator gauge. She enters the 9th floor, and turns to complain to the elevator operator that there is nothing there, but the door closes abruptly leaving her to pursue her reality. She is approached by a saleslady who guides her to the only item on the floor—the gold thimble Marsha is longing to possess. 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 and clairvoyant 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; she is directed by the elevator operator to the Complaints Department on the 3rd floor.
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 back of 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 mannequin
s. While resting in an office following her frightening discovery, Marsha finds herself accidentally locked inside 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. Moving about aimlessly, she topples the sailor mannequin, who was the somewhat frustrated elevator operator in earlier scenes.
Becoming hysterical, she flees backward to the elevator, which once again transports her up to the unoccupied 9th floor. There, she gradually realizes the mannequins have come to life, one-by-one, and that she too, is a mannequin. Each one in turn has the opportunity to go out into the world to live among the humans for one month, but Marsha enjoyed her stay among "the others" so much that before the day of her return, when she was supposed to revert, she lost her identity; she had forgotten her true nature. Being with the other mannequins, she realizes that she is back in her natural 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 off the salesclerk, the sailor, alone with Marsha, asks her if she enjoyed her time among the humans. She says she had "ever so much fun, ever so much fun." As Marsha fondly recalls her brief sojourn out among the humans, and with a passing expression of regret, confusion, and a small sigh, she and the sailor assume their natural posing postures, grow rigid, and become mannequins.
The next day the hyperactive store supervisor, Mr. Armbruster, is making his energetic morning rounds on the sales floor and does a sudden double-take upon passing the mannequin of Marsha White on display. The final shot moves in on her and then her face that fades into the stars with the closing narration.
. 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.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
.
Synopsis
Marsha White, a woman browsing for a gift for her mother in a department storeDepartment store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
, decides on a gold thimble
Thimble
A thimble is a small hard pitted cup worn for protection on the finger that pushes the needle in sewing.The earliest known thimble was Roman and was found at Pompeii. Made of bronze, its creation has been dated to the 1st century AD...
. She is taken by the elevator man to the 9th floor, a floor beyond that shown by the elevator gauge. She enters the 9th floor, and turns to complain to the elevator operator that there is nothing there, but the door closes abruptly leaving her to pursue her reality. She is approached by a saleslady who guides her to the only item on the floor—the gold thimble Marsha is longing to possess. 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 and clairvoyant 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; she is directed by the elevator operator to the Complaints Department on the 3rd floor.
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 back of 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 mannequin
Mannequin
A mannequin is an often articulated doll used by artists, tailors, dressmakers, and others especially to display or fit clothing...
s. While resting in an office following her frightening discovery, Marsha finds herself accidentally locked inside 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. Moving about aimlessly, she topples the sailor mannequin, who was the somewhat frustrated elevator operator in earlier scenes.
Becoming hysterical, she flees backward to the elevator, which once again transports her up to the unoccupied 9th floor. There, she gradually realizes the mannequins have come to life, one-by-one, and that she too, is a mannequin. Each one in turn has the opportunity to go out into the world to live among the humans for one month, but Marsha enjoyed her stay among "the others" so much that before the day of her return, when she was supposed to revert, she lost her identity; she had forgotten her true nature. Being with the other mannequins, she realizes that she is back in her natural 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 off the salesclerk, the sailor, alone with Marsha, asks her if she enjoyed her time among the humans. She says she had "ever so much fun, ever so much fun." As Marsha fondly recalls her brief sojourn out among the humans, and with a passing expression of regret, confusion, and a small sigh, she and the sailor assume their natural posing postures, grow rigid, and become mannequins.
The next day the hyperactive store supervisor, Mr. Armbruster, is making his energetic morning rounds on the sales floor and does a sudden double-take upon passing the mannequin of Marsha White on display. The final shot moves in on her and then her face that fades into the stars with the closing narration.
Remake
The episode was remade in 1986 for The New Twilight ZoneThe New Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is the first of two revivals of Rod Serling's acclaimed 1950/60s television series of the same name. It ran for two seasons on CBS before producing a final season for syndication.-Series history:...
. It starred Terry Farrell
Terry Farrell (actress)
Theresa Lee "Terry" Farrell is an American actress and former fashion model. She is perhaps best known for her performances in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Becker.-Early life:...
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.