Stopover in a Quiet Town

Millie and Bob Frazier wake-up dressed with party clothes and with hangover in an unknown and strange bed. They do not know where they are and explore the empty house. The place is weird, with fake furniture and bread. When they leave the house, they find that the neighborhood is empty and is composed with a fake animal, tree and grass. They overhear a child laugh and go to the church that is also empty. When they hear a train, they head to the station, enter the train and see the name of the town, Centerville. They celebrate that they are leaving the nightmare, but they return to Centerville. What is happening to the Frazier?

"Stopover in a Quiet Town" is one of the best episodes of "The Twilight Zone". The plot is predictable due to the laughs of the child, but the situation of Millie and Bob Frazier is anguishing. Imagine the terror of their situation when they find what is happening in Centerville. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Estranhos na Cidade Silenciosa" ("Strangers in the Silent Town")

I have always liked this one . I didn't guess the ending the first time ( although my brother did the first time he watched it !) .

I do think it loses a little something after repeated viewings but it's still one I like.

The nightmarish aspect of it adds to the feel of the episode and the spookiness but it's also it's hope . The thing is if Bob and Millie had been dreaming they would be a lot better off! The Twilight Zone was always good at dream or dream like episodes or scenes. The episode also plays in something else we all need - other humans even when we would prefer to interact with fewer people it's ultimately what we need. It doesn't matter if you are not sociable by nature or are shy. It doesn't matter if we have someone else to depend on . This episode to me has that deeper meaning that isolation even desired has it limits. It's another theme The Twilight addressed regularly.

Well, for whatever its worth, I liked it. A book I have on the Zone rated this one very poorly. It seems like many of the 5th season episodes suffer from bad reviews, at least partly out of suspicion that the show was out of gas with fresh ideas. True enough, this one is probably too reminiscent of "Where is Everybody" from season 1.

Still, I feel this one is completely emblematic of the show's core entertainment values ... suspense, fish out of water characters, distorted realities, a surprising twist, etc. One of the common critiques about this one is the "unlikability" of the characters. They certainly have a short emotional band width here ranging from whiny to grouchy to hysterical. Then again, who wouldn't ? Hung over and with no footing in reality ... can you blame them ?

To me, though, their unlikability is part of the show ... they appear to be your typical no-kids-yet, self-interested, self-obsessed, urban (yuppie equivalent of the time) couple. Not liking them means we are more likely to be entertained by, than be saddened by their likely fate in some alien child's toy chest.

It's a good story. OK, it's not one of the best, but, because it checks most of the boxes for Zone entertainment criteria, I find it very entertaining and will stop what I'm doing to watch it, despite having seen it so many times.

Yes when I think of the Twilight Zone tv show or even the generic phrase, this is the episode I think of, even though I may not have remembered where or when I actually first experienced it, or if it actually was a TZ episode. But it's so powerful it can't help but stick in your mind for ever. Even now knowing the outcome of this episode it still delivers a punch of mystery and suspense.

I also want to point out this is in season 5 and I do not agree that season 5 was a bad season, in fact some of the most powerful episodes occurred in season 5. I know because I've been watching them! All seasons are brilliant all have a few misses too.

One more thing this episode has absolutely nothing to do with drink driving or alcohol!

I recall watching this episode as a child when it was first broadcast. TV was so different then -- it didn't take much to suspend your disbelief -- and programs such as this seemed so real. I remember being totally drawn in and absorbed by the unfolding mystery of all of the fake components of the town, and I felt great empathy and pity for the couple as I watched their initial relief in boarding the train turn to fear and worry when they discover that it only travels in a loop. Serling achieves a heightened sense of claustrophobia that engenders much allegorical thinking vis-à-vis feeling "trapped." Finally, I was deeply shocked by the disturbing ending. The memory of it still creeps me out 45 years later. This was TV at its best -- what an imagination, Mr. Serling, thanks for all the fun...