Twilight Zone: And When the Sky Was Opened

[FaxModem1]

https://sfdebris.com/videos/twilightzone/tzs1e11.php

I enjoyed this episode as a kid, and found it spooky. But, thinking about it, some things don't make sense. If they weren't supposed to come back at all, wouldn't it be better to say that "ED HARRINGTON!!!!!!" was on the ground, or had died, and wasn't being erased from existence? There's a difference between "We should never have made it back, and should have died", and "The universe wants to erase us from existence." The latter works better for the spookiness, as that could happen to anyone, at anytime, as opposed to a metaphysical 'Final Destination' scenario in which the universe is trying to stop you because of a whoopsie.

[ChiggyvonRichthofen]

A great episode, in my opinion. The idea of having never existed is terrifying, of course, and makes it arguably one of the scariest episodes of the show, certainly on a metaphysical level.

There are loads of episodes with interesting, sophisticated concepts, but some of them never really develop as stories beyond showcasing the idea. This problem is mitigated by the short length of episodes, but it's still there in some episodes. This episode, however, makes a couple really smart choices that helps to elevate it above some other (still good) episodes.


First, it doesn't over-explain, which benefits the episode in at least two ways. Negatively, it avoids the strong possibility that the explanation would be rather thin and unconvincing to the audience, and would at the very least require exposition that would distract from the primary thrust of the episode. Positively, the protagonists' ignorance reinforces the terror of what's happening and makes story sense. They're not trying to run and hide from the grim reaper, they have no idea that something is wrong until they find themselves being erased from history.

Secondly, the choice to have three astronauts is what makes the real difference here. Up until the final twist, I would agree with Chuck's rating of "Fine." Throughout the episode, with only one witness, it's a bit up in the air whether the protagonist is misunderstanding what's happening or simply going insane. It's the final realization of the last astronaut that his friend was telling the truth, and that the same horrific fate was about to befall him, that instantly sells the entire premise of the episode and lends credence to their reaction. Without that, the episode is so-so. With it, I'd rate it as a second tier classic.

[Rocketboy1313]

This fits in with lots of other Rod stories in the genre of, "I never should have made it back home".
It is almost like his military service warped him.

[User 2632]

This reminds me of the Next Generation episode "Remember Me", the one where Doctor Crusher gets trapped in the Warp Bubble.

[Ikiry0]

I'm really not sure why but this episode always left me cold and unenthused. Like, intellectually, it's a cool premise and the actors are doing a good job but for some reason the episode doesn't really work for me when it all comes together.

[Deledrius]

I'm really not sure why but this episode always left me cold and unenthused. Like, intellectually, it's a cool premise and the actors are doing a good job but for some reason the episode doesn't really work for me when it all comes together.

I think it's missing that one special final aspect that would get it across the finish line. No idea what it is, but it's missing.

[CrypticMirror]

I'm really not sure why but this episode always left me cold and unenthused. Like, intellectually, it's a cool premise and the actors are doing a good job but for some reason the episode doesn't really work for me when it all comes together.

I think it's missing that one special final aspect that would get it across the finish line. No idea what it is, but it's missing.

I wonder if it was more impactful at the time? It is nigh on Lovecraftian as it is, but just as time, imitators, and changing social aspects has robbed a lot of the horror from some of Lovecraft's work, so has everything that has come since this was broadcast and written steals some of the sting from this.

[AquaReggie]

I think it does go back to SF Debris comment that space was a true unknown at the time, and maybe that's the part that can never really be recaptured for the modern audience. In Alien, the horror of space is the idea that humans, driven by greed, are venturing into a vast and uncaring wilderness where we may be nothing but prey. But this was after the frontiers of the atmosphere had been broken. We knew what was in space and on other planets, and were aware of both the beauty and the incredible dangers.

Twilight Zone seems to play more with the idea of space being some sort of divinely ordained border for mankind. The astronauts being unable to remember their time aloft, and then being erased from history works maybe a bit better if they're being punished for glimpsing heaven or something like that. Otherwise... yeah, I agree that looking at this episode in the 21st century, it doesn't make a ton of sense. If they really "weren't supposed to come back", why wouldn't the unknown force just ensure their deaths, or even change history so that the rocket exploded on reentry, rather than retconning the characters out of existence to fix its whoopsie?

[LittleRaven]

This is quite possibly my favorite TZ episode of all, precisely because you never find out....well, ANYTHING. There are speculations about what might be happening, but that's all we ever get. What did they do to piss off the universe? Who's running around correcting things? What happens to the mistakes?

No answers. A masterfully crafted bit of television. Some of that acting has aged a bit, (it's not BAD, just dated) but I think the story works as well now as it ever has.

[CrypticMirror]

This is quite possibly my favorite TZ episode of all, precisely because you never find out....well, ANYTHING. There are speculations about what might be happening, but that's all we ever get. What did they do to piss off the universe? Who's running around correcting things? What happens to the mistakes?

No answers. A masterfully crafted bit of television. Some of that acting has aged a bit, (it's not BAD, just dated) but I think the story works as well now as it ever has.

I think it goes back to the old Ancient Greek plays and myths, it is hubris to pierce the sky and try to look at the gods. It is the modern Greek Myth, it is not enough that they pay for their/our hubris but that we must suffer for it too. The living universe itself is doing it, and making it torturous as they vanish one by one.