The Twilight Zone Season 1 quotes

[to his alter-ego, while getting weaker] I remember the archetypes from Jung. Are you my shadow, or my persona, ego or anima?

When I first got loose, I guess I was the shadow. Now I'm the self.

Now I'm becoming the shadow.

No. You're becoming a memory.

That's pretty ungracious.

I was sick for a long time, Peter. I don't know what the trigger was that broke us apart, but it happened, and I can't be sorry. If it hadn't, I'd have been you till I died. Would be a lousy life, and a miserable death.

Too late to worry about it now.

Peter Jay Novins, both victor and victim, of a brief struggle for custody of a man's soul. A man who lost himself... and found himself... on a lonely battlefield, somewhere in the Twilight Zone.

Wouldn't it be nice if once in a while everyone would just shut up and stop pestering you? Wouldn't it be great to have the time to finish a thought or spin a daydream? To think out loud without being required to explain exactly what you meant? If you had the power, would you dare to use it, even knowing that silence may have voices of its own... to the Twilight Zone?

I... I can't believe this is happening. It's... it's all over. We've... just had a confirmation the first Soviet missile will reach the U.S. airspace in a matter of minutes. OK... OK... those of you listening should immediately go to the nearest public shelter. What's the point? It's over! It's over! We're history. Yeah, OK, I'll tell them. War... nuclear war has just broken out between the United States and Russia. ICBMs... full-scale nuclear war... There's not much... this is it. This is the end. We've had a verification Soviet missiles have entered U.S. airspace...

How was your morning?

Pretty good, I guess. Except for one really strange thing that happened. I was leaving work, and this kid - Robbie? works in the mail room? - he stops me and he says...

Excuse me, sweetie, I don't mean to interrupt you, but this is gonna be done pretty quick and I wanted you to look in on Donnie before we eat.

Is something the matter?

His cold's getting worse. He's so pale and awfully congested and he didn't touch his dinosaur when I took it in to him.

[startled] What? What did you say?

I said, I think Donnie's cold is getting worse.

No no no. Did you say "dinosaur"?

Mm-hmm, he wouldn't touch it and it's his favorite: tuna-fish.

Why are you saying "dinosaur"?

What do you expect me to say?

Did Robbie or someone for work call you and tell you to say "dinosaur" as a joke or something?

Robbie? Who's Robbie? Why would he call me?

Then why are you saying "dinosaur" instead of "lunch"?

"Dinosaur instead of lunch," Bill, what are you talking about?

Can't you hear what you're saying? You're saying Donnie wouldn't touch his dinosaur!

[confused] I know. And I'm a little worried.

"Dinosaur"? Come on, Kathy, i-it's "lunch"! The word is "lunch"!

[annoyed] "Lunch"? What has "lunch" got to do with anything?

"What has lunch got to do with any - ?"? All right. Okay. What does "lunch" mean?

[unsure] Bill, you know what "lunch" means.

[angrily demanding] What does it mean! Tell me!

[a little afraid] It's a color.

A question trembles in the silence: Why did this remarkable thing happen to this perfectly ordinary man? It may not matter why the world shifted so drastically for him. Existence is slippery at the best of times. What does matter is that Bill Lowery isn't ordinary. He's one of us. A man determined to prevail in the world that was, and the world that is, or the world that will be...in the Twilight Zone.

But, wait, wait, wait, tell me, why did you come here! ...why?

Just curious.

Imagine yourself a visitor to many worlds, drifting on the solar wind, a thousand voices singing in your memory. Now imagine you're this man, who can only guess at the wonders he might have known, wonders that exist for him now only as a riddle...from The Twilight Zone.

Ah, Jackie, Jackie. You're a small-timer, a roof-crawler, a poke pincher, a nickel-and-dime grifter with salt in your dreams and ashes in your pockets. Don't cut that wire, Jackie. Don't open that window. You won't be able to jimmy yourself out as easily as you got in. That's not the big score in there...it's the Twilight Zone.

Now he is John, no longer Jackie. Perhaps not Brother John, brother to all men, but at least fit to walk among men who care. Because caring is part of the secret, the secret we all learn. That the heart cannot heal what the eye cannot see. Not even...in the Twilight Zone.

And what do you think you look like, huh? I mean, have you checked the mirror lately?!

Meaning what?

Meaning you're a slob, Martin! You're the biggest slob I've ever seen! Hey, how about I teach you a new word? You ready? Here's your new word: "comb"! As in comb you hair! Try it sometime!

Do you expect me to look like James Bond or somebody? I'm in construction, for crying out loud!

I'm not asking for James Bond, just something closer to the human race!

[belches] How's that?

You're grotesque!

Gee, you're probably one of the youngest to ever come through. How old are you, around four?

Our son was seven when he brought us here. That seems like such a long time ago. We've learned our lesson. We know what it means to be good parents now. If you were to give us a chance, we would promise to be the very best parents that we know how.

Bob Spindler

[after the man claims Bob was responsible for his having a serious accident the night before] You're crazy; I don't have to listen to this. Who do you think you are?

The guy you killed.

Bob Spindler, new owner and sole customer of The Kentucky Rye - a hell of a tavern, where last call goes on forever... in The Twilight Zone.

Bob Spindler

I never wanted this. I never wanted this.

Your name isn't Kenny, is it?

It's whatever you want it to be.

[close to tears] Why didn't you tell me?

Against the rules. All you had to do was want me.

But I do! I love you, Kenny! It's just sometimes you have to make a choice.

Why couldn't you choose me?

But I will someday! I just can't right now.

You can have a little boy someday, and you can name him Kenny. But he won't be me.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...

I understand. [starts to fade away]

[trying to touch his cheek] Kenny...

Bye... Mom.