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The Shelter (The Twilight Zone)
Encyclopedia
"The Shelter" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
.
which he has built in his basement. Suddenly, a Civil Defense (CONELRAD
) announcement, overheard by young Paul, is made that unidentified objects have been detected heading for the United States. In these times, everybody knows what that means: nuclear attack
.
As panic ensues, the doctor locks himself and his family into his shelter. The same gathering of friends becomes hysterical and now wants to occupy the shelter. All of the previous cordiality is now replaced with soaring desperation; pent-up hostility, searing racism and other suppressed emotions boil to the surface. The end is moments away, and everyone's mind is now vehemently poisoned by the clawing desire to survive at any cost: the feelings of a friend; the sanctity of another friend's home; the raw submission to violence. Stockton offers his basement to said guests...but the shelter itself has sufficient air, provisions and space for only three people (the Stocktons themselves). The once-friendly neighbors don't accept this; they break down the shelter door with an improvised battering ram
. Just then, a final Civil Defense broadcast announces that the objects have been identified as harmless satellites, and that no danger is at all present. The neighbors apologize for their behavior; yet Stockton wonders if they have not destroyed each other - and themselves - even without a bomb, if things will ever be quite the same between them.
This was an unusual episode of The Twilight Zone
as it contains no supernatural
or science-fiction elements, and instead, focused on a real-world danger (the possibility of a nuclear holocaust). Similar episodes include "Where Is Everybody?
", "The Silence
", "The Jeopardy Room
" and "Shelter Skelter
" from The New Twilight Zone
.
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
It is a typical evening in a typical suburban community. At the residence of physician Bill Stockton, he enjoys a birthday party being thrown for him by his wife Grace and their son Paul. Also at the party are: Jerry Harlowe, Bill's brother-in-law; Frank Henderson and Marty Weiss, Bill and Jerry's former roommates; the wives and children of Jerry, Frank and Marty. Bill is well-known and liked by this gathering; he attended the State University with Marty, Frank and Jerry. Moreover, Bill has repeatedly administered to the health and well-being of each and every one of said guests, and/or delivered their children. Everyone is especially friendly and jovial, even when mention is made of Bill's late-night work on a fallout shelterFallout shelter
A fallout shelter is an enclosed space specially designed to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. Many such shelters were constructed as civil defense measures during the Cold War....
which he has built in his basement. Suddenly, a Civil Defense (CONELRAD
CONELRAD
CONELRAD was a method of emergency broadcasting to the public of the United States in the event of enemy attack during the Cold War. It was intended to serve two purposes; to prevent Soviet bombers from homing in on American cities by using radio or TV stations as beacons, and to provide...
) announcement, overheard by young Paul, is made that unidentified objects have been detected heading for the United States. In these times, everybody knows what that means: nuclear attack
First strike
In nuclear strategy, a first strike is a preemptive surprise attack employing overwhelming force. First strike capability is a country's ability to defeat another nuclear power by destroying its arsenal to the point where the attacking country can survive the weakened retaliation while the opposing...
.
As panic ensues, the doctor locks himself and his family into his shelter. The same gathering of friends becomes hysterical and now wants to occupy the shelter. All of the previous cordiality is now replaced with soaring desperation; pent-up hostility, searing racism and other suppressed emotions boil to the surface. The end is moments away, and everyone's mind is now vehemently poisoned by the clawing desire to survive at any cost: the feelings of a friend; the sanctity of another friend's home; the raw submission to violence. Stockton offers his basement to said guests...but the shelter itself has sufficient air, provisions and space for only three people (the Stocktons themselves). The once-friendly neighbors don't accept this; they break down the shelter door with an improvised battering ram
Battering ram
A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times and designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates...
. Just then, a final Civil Defense broadcast announces that the objects have been identified as harmless satellites, and that no danger is at all present. The neighbors apologize for their behavior; yet Stockton wonders if they have not destroyed each other - and themselves - even without a bomb, if things will ever be quite the same between them.
Short story
In its anthology form, the nuclear attack is actually real. The people of the town gather around the shelter, begging to be let in. One woman cries out, "At least take my children." Finally, the parents in the shelter can stand it no longer. They open the door and let two children in, in exchange for them.This was an unusual episode of The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone is an American television anthology series created by Rod Serling. Each episode is a mixture of self-contained drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist...
as it contains no supernatural
Supernatural
The supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
or science-fiction elements, and instead, focused on a real-world danger (the possibility of a nuclear holocaust). Similar episodes include "Where Is Everybody?
Where Is Everybody?
"Where Is Everybody?" is the first episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Plot summary:A man finds himself alone walking towards a diner. Inside he finds a jukebox playing loudly, and coffee hot on the stove, but no one else. He inquires for some breakfast, but no...
", "The Silence
The Silence (The Twilight Zone)
"The Silence" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. The plot of this episode was based in part on Anton Chekov's The Bet...
", "The Jeopardy Room
The Jeopardy Room
"The Jeopardy Room" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone.-Synopsis:Trying to defect, former KGB Major Ivan Kuchenko is trapped inside a hotel room. Commissar Vassiloff, a hitman, and Boris, his assistant, are watching him from a room across the street...
" and "Shelter Skelter
Shelter Skelter
"Shelter Skelter" is the second segment of the thirty-third episode "Shelter Skelter" is the second segment of the thirty-third episode "Shelter Skelter" is the second segment of the thirty-third episode (the ninth episode of the second season (1986–1987) of the television series The New Twilight...
" from The New Twilight Zone
The 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:...
.
Popular references
- This episode was parodied in the SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Bart's CometBart's Comet"Bart's Comet" is the 14th episode of The Simpsons sixth season. The episode originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on February 5, 1995. In the episode, Bart Simpson accidentally discovers a comet, which is heading towards Springfield...
", where everyone in town crams themselves into Ned FlandersNed FlandersNedward "Ned" Flanders, Jr. is a recurring fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons. He is voiced by Harry Shearer, and first appeared in the series premiere episode "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire". He is the next door neighbor to the Simpson family and is generally...
' bomb shelter. When the building is one person overfull, Flanders is voted out of his own bomb shelter. Everyone soon feels guilty, however, and leave the shelter to join him. However, the comet burns up and hits only the shelter, causing it to be the only thing actually destroyed.