And When The Sky Was Opened - Twilight-Tober Zone

"And When the Sky Was Opened" is filled with strong directorial choices, likeable cast, and an out of the ordinary ending for The Twilight Zone. Is this episode worth a revisit? Find out now on a new episode of the Twilight-Tober Zone.
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"And When the Sky Was Opened" is episode eleven of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on December 11, 1959. It is an adaptation of the 1953 Richard Matheson short story "Disappearing Act".
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What's your theory for this episode? Watch more Twilight-Tober Zone here - bit.ly/TwilightToberZone Follow Walter on Twitter - twitter.com/Awesome_Walter Follow us on Twitch - www.twitch.tv/channelawesome

[@ThreadBomb]

Man, you messed up that sign-off! Should have said "Twilight-tober zone", not "Twilight zone". Good vid otherwise.

[@BrienMalone]

Interesting that you see Robin Williams. I see Bill Pullman clear as day! Anywho - I like the idea that the men survived when they shouldn’t, and the universe is correcting itself. You know the third astronaut is next because the flaw persists in his mind, too. Maybe the fabric of reality is unzipping, one human at a time. I love the story, but I really struggled with the hammy acting. It was somewhere between soap opera and live theater.

[@sawyerhowd9797]

@@BrienMalone I agree, they did a similar premise with "The Hitchhiker" and that's always how I read into this episode

[@truered-star6761]

I swear to god Gerard Way was a twighlight zone fan. The original title of welcome to the black parade was the five of us are dying and lyrics in "na na na", include, " And when the sky opened up." This can't be a coincidence.

[@Ringohulk777]

@@BrienMalone I see Pullman too

[@castor7937]

When they went into space they came back to another timeline of earth, and reality just auto-corrected them back into the right reality, very politely.

[@jamesesterline]

I like this one.

[@Grayvorn]

I love this idea.

[@tskmaster3837]

Unlike Stephen King's The Langoliers when it was very unplolitely?

[@starkman78]

@@tskmaster3837 🤣

[@alanhoughton660]

@The Dark Overlord it is possible that at first there was overlap between the reality they traveled to and their own reality, but then as both realities sorted themselves out the men, the remnants of their ship, and their mission were wiped from the world's collective memory (?)

[@thedevilgoose2482]

Honestly, the whole concept of this episode absolutely terrifies me. Disappearing entirely, nobody ever knowing or remembering you, like you weren’t even born. I wonder if this has happened to anyone, or even if I’ve met one. We’ll never know, will we?

[@trinaq]

Exactly, that's the most scariest aspect of this episode, in that they all gradually fade out of existence, and no answer is ever really supplied. 😢

[@majinsole8554]

Doo-doo-doo-doo Doo-doo-doo-doo ~_~

[@KombatGod]

Maybe you had a sibling or a partner that now doesn't exist anymore.

[@meganparrish807]

The closest we get to the concept is having your name stricken from history as a severe punishment which did occur a few times or at least was tried. Just look for a video on people history tried to forget or some such.

[@Cyrathil]

There is a much closer and terrifying parallel. Mental illness, dementia or Alzheimers. It's less euphoric, but there's still that sense of disconnect with the people around you. You know something happened, but everyone around you looks at you as if you were insane.

[@gregorytyson995]

I think the whole ep is a metaphor for the WWII veteran's post-war experience (Serling, incidentally, being a vet himself and one who suffered PTSD the rest of his days): how he tried to integrate himself back into civilian life only to feel like he didn't belong and that society ultimately was trying to phase him out and forget about him.

[@Ringohulk777]

Wow. That's amazing

[@maximilliancunningham6091]

Very Interesting interpretation.

[@stardusth2o]

One of the BEST examples of effective cosmic horror. Gart’s horrified expression at the end still gives me shivers to this day.

[@Vandervecken]

Those guys really sell this one. Cosmic is right, almost Lovecraftian in its conception AND approach, one of personal discovery.

[@calvinjackson8110]

ME TOO!!

[@Lindord]

The most terrifying episode of the show. And only for one thing: you never know what's the responsible of the supernatural stuff

[@noahlogue3807]

One of those scary as shit episodes when your a kid.

[@trinaq]

Precisely, the scariest thing about it is that there's no clearcut answer, and you never discover just WHAT was behind the inexplicable vanishing! 😱

[@kalorvalas6274]

Now you know what would be just. An incredibly dark twist. The two pilots who disappear never existed. And the third pilot never actually went to space at all. The third pilot was training to go to space and ended up crashing in the desert sustaining head trauma and hurting their leg. This head trauma caused internal injury which leads to them -imagining- two pilots who were with then. And through the twisted magic of the twilight Zone. Those fake.pilots become very real for a time. Then reality catches up with the fact they don't really exist as the third pilot starts healing. On response it starts to erase them one after the other, until only the real pilot is left.

[@MandleRoss]

Those are the scariest stories. They do get some people frustrated and, I'll admit that I don't want every story to be like that, but, when done right, it's sometimes scarier if you don't know why, just like the characters don't know why. I think a great example is Night Of The Living Dead. In the original script there was purposefully no reason for the zombie outbreak. Romero wanted to avoid a hokey explanation and felt it was much scarier if it could have been anything. The studio didn't accept this and said that audiences needed an explanation so a lame reason was tacked on before release, the infamous "Venus Probe" bit which has been parodied in many other movies and stories including "Shaun Of The Dead" and a short story about zombies by Stephen King. The Venus Probe bit was later removed when the movie became a classic and time has proved that the version without it is the superior one.

[@mst3KGf]

It's cosmic horror at its purest. Some unseen and unknowable force is after the main characters and there is nothing they can do to avoid their fate.

[@johnhaladay5541]

To speculate about what caused these men to vanish is like guessing what's in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction. It's whatever you want it to be.

[@chs9999]

So marseluss wallace's soul made them disappear

[@MrAlexdimm]

it is explained

[@judeisurufernando674]

Unlike Pulp Fiction, where the mystery of the contents of the briefcase is of tangential importance to the enjoyment of the story, this episode is ALL ABOUT the mystery. Throughout the runtime, we and the main character are wondering why they're disappearing. To not have an explanation feels lazy.

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

The briefcase was essentially Tarantino paying tribute to Alfred Hitchcock! He gave us a McGuffin. It's an object set up to feel germain to the plot. When in fact the mystery of the object is mere fodder for the audience. We'll never know the glow because we never needed to....

[@landonletterman831]

I like the old story that when the devil takes your soul, he removes it through your neck. The dude (gangster?) who owns and wants the brief case back had an unexplained band aid on the back of his neck and it's a funny thought that he sold his soul to the devil, has somehow gotten it out of the devil's ownership but is still trying his literal damnedest best to get it back in his own possession

[@theruoc147]

Harrington: Mr Forbes, I don’t feel so good.

[@faustinesea]

I think this episode speaks to the experiences of soldiers returning from service. They are celebrated at first. Then gradually, they are discarded and forgotten--at least by the public. The soldiers themselves will always remember who they served with, but eventually, death with take them and even the memory of their brothers in arms. It's inevitable.

[@campfortson4387]

interestin take on it

[@Neat0_o]

The monsters are due on maple street is one I cannot wait for. It’s top ten episode

[@jasminewilliams8450]

My thoughts exactly!

[@Crox101]

I saw that in 7th grade language arts class. That teacher was amazing

[@unreallilac5554]

I mean I kind of like the episode. I feel like it’s a good idea but I think it’s just a little cheesy how all the adults on the street seem to pretty much immediately believe the one kid who just says aliens

[@TheYoungDoctor]

As of this episode we're half way there.

[@TheAlps36]

It's terrifying because it could actually happen, given the proper stimulus

[@Renee5322]

This isn't really an explanation, but one thing I've heard about this episode is that, since it was made during the height of the Space Race, the astronauts disappearing is a way of suggesting that man is not meant to meddle in outer space. Actually, when this episode was made, no human had even been in space - that was to happen two years later. So I see this episode as representing the anxieties people had about manned space travel before it was a thing.

[@cdorman11]

Jim Hutton looks so much like his son. No mention of Rod being in "The Time Machine"?

[@smlink8901]

At a Halloween party I was at, they were playing episodes of the Twilight Zone, I remember this one standing out to me.

[@MajorSleeve]

My all time favorite episode, I legit get goosebumps every time Gart realizes the truth. I don't think the specifics are too important here. The inexplicability of a godlike force pulling you out of existence is both reasonable (you would likely never find out why it was happening to you if it did), and much more horrifying, setting your mind racing off in a million directions looking for answers, as hope and sanity slip away. By not explaining the ending, it feels much more like we are living the nightmare with them. After all, we evolved to find uncertainty terrifying.

[@scottbuckley823]

maybe they're all dead and this is like a buffer zone before the after life.

[@takkycat]

Scott Buckley oh! And maybe he is a ghost in deep denial! The other pilots disappear as he starts to remember but then he pushes himself even more into denial!

[@carloshenriquezimmer7543]

There were some episodes with this same premise. I remember one with a woman in her house and some civil war soldiers going back home. It has been a while that I watched it, so I don't remember much more, or the title.

[@KingRandor82]

Similar to what I was thinking: the "blacking out" wasn't; they died, the universe "glitched, and reset.

[@MCalla-jw8vh]

maybe the real astronauts are the friends we made along the way

[@Blackundetected]

But then, why the ship detail? Why the ship also disappeared?

[@Yet_AGOTI-2]

I think the idea here is something akin to rapture. They breached heaven and returned in a crash. The crash was supposed to take them to the afterlife, but didn't. And so, because of the fame and everything that came with their return, whatever supernatural entity that keeps order in their world simply took them to the afterlife. Them and the ship they rode in on as it was never meant to be where it was, but all were to be lost. So, to properly correct the error, it could not merely correct them to have died but rather had need to correct for them never having existed to begin with. The entire breaching of the heavens needed to be undone. Much like the tale of God, the tower of Babel, and the scattering of the languages, this could have easily been a sort of "these men dared breach the heavens and defy death, they merely cannot be left to be." The alternate thought is indeed that there was something multiversal at play. They very well could have passed from one world to another, that universe slowly correcting itself and getting rid of the people that should not be as somewhat hinted by that mention of just feeling like they don't belong. I admit, I've not seen the full episode, but based on the summary given these seem to be potential theories. That's the beauty of an open ending like this. Plenty of room for speculation.

[@Ringohulk777]

Indeed, these seem plausible

[@jamesdrynan]

For my money, this is THE best episode! For several reasons. Firstly, Heyes' directorial choices are exquisite. Secondly, all three actors portray their parts perfectly. Taylor's character moves from perplexed to confused to terrified, all brilliantly acted. And when Hutton utters, " Oh! My dear God! " it sends chills up the back! And thirdly, this teleplay had music specially scored for it by Leonard Rosenman. All of these components came together to deliver a quiet fright. Attempting to explain the ending is like defining infinity. It is, and should remain, unknowable.

[@Spindler2007]

Rod Taylor is also best known for his role as the time traveller George in the 1960 sci-fi classic The Time Machine.

[@Ringohulk777]

That's where I know him from! Thank you!!

[@rogue7723]

This is how _basic_ I am, I only recognized him as the voice actor for Pongo from _101 Dalmatians._

[@jamesdrynan]

Taylor was also in Hitchcock's The Birds and in 1967's Hotel.

[@gregjenkinson7512]

I'd always thought that the astronauts were being erased or taken by some extra-terristrial being. Some kind of force that didn't want mankind making it's way to the stars. Would explain why the parents forgot about their son and why the spacecraft vanished as well

[@jamesbell7207]

My theory: A time-traveler erased them from history. We're watching the effect of time being gently edited.

[@AMPMASTER10]

My favorite theory

[@sboinkthelegday3892]

Very good. The mystery isn't why they disappear, the mystery is why on earth might they have ever existed, THAT doesn't make sense. Them disappearing is just emotional horror for its own sake and obvious nonsense that isn't a good use of the unsolved ending trope. It's not on the tip of your tongue and just tastes bland.

[@expendableindigo9639]

time-displaced Abortion :p

[@RoninDave]

This one always creeped me out as it's never really explained. It's something beyond our comprehension. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions making it all the more disturbing. Perhaps their flight caused them to enter another reality they weren't supposed to have and that universe corrected itself by removing it piece by piece. Maybe they returned to their original reality. Maybe they never existed at all but briefly existed as a hoped for dream of the US in their space race.

[@Webshooters1]

Personally I subscribe to the idea that them surviving was an abnormality. They were supposed to die on that mission and this was the universe's way of resolving or fixing the paradox.

[@padelackles]

I originally had that theory, but then realized what made it frightening was that their whole existence was erased, not just a correction of them not being dead.

[@hermantheduckgb]

Hands down my favorite episode!

[@richardmartinez543]

I have schizophrenia and this particular episode struck my heart as a result. The cruel "reality" they each face, soon to have no identity or memory of existence, I can say it generally sums up the strong and persistent feeling I feel every day of my life. It's painful and sorrowful. Glad there was some performance to express how some of us with mental illness feel about our identities.

[@Starfals]

This episode gave me some Stargate vibes. There were many episodes of Stargate where the team got back from a mission, just to find the world a little bit different and something was off. I love this kind of story, its spooky, mysterious and we often wonder what we might do in those cases. 10/10 episode for sure, even without any special effects.

[@jbcatz5]

Starfals There’s an episode of Stargate Universe where the colonists from the Eden colony unexpectedly turn up in a shuttle, long after Destiny has left that planet behind. The returned colonists start dying, and it turns out the colonists died on Eden during a harsh winter and these people are copies who die the same way the originals did. In one of the SG-1 audio dramas someone, an Asgard from a parallel world, is warping reality to connect to her world and only Daniel rememberers the original reality because he’s ascended before. For a first listen a lot catches Daniel and the listener off guard, like a character who died showing up and an event where Vala dies being changed to have her survive while Daniel is still processing her death. Yes, it is commented he looks like he’s seen a ghost.

[@jester1983]

There's also the episode of Start Trek TNG, Remember me, Where Dr Crusher's friend disappears and there's no record of him, and as she tries to solve that mystery, everyone else starts disappearing from existence until it's just her and Picard left. It's a really terrifying idea, the thought that you realize you're going crazy...or worse yet, not.

[@Vandervecken]

My all-time favorite TZ episode. I LOVE how it doesn't answer the questions. It's creepy as hell. My next favorite is Deathship.

[@dream6562]

If Rod Taylor was born first and he looks like Robin Williams does that make Robin Williams a discount Rod Taylor

[@maninthetrenchcoat5603]

More like a Rod Taylor MK2

[@gothicMCRgirl]

Or maybe a reincarnation, if you happen to believe in that. Nevertheless, I still miss him 😢

[@rossthebesiegebuilder3563]

@@gothicMCRgirl Not if they both lived at the same time.

[@maninthetrenchcoat5603]

@@gothicMCRgirl Robin died before Taylor

[@miguelrealp]

What's worst? to die or to never exist at all?

[@Ringohulk777]

If you never exist, you wouldn't notice

[@CronoXpono]

I didn't mind it a bit when I didn't exist before I was born, surely dying sucks more. Philosophically anyway. Thoughts?

[@Ringohulk777]

@@CronoXpono fair point

[@username-yc3bd]

Never existing in the first place vs dying, dying is worse, but knowing you won’t exist vs dying, nonexistence is worse. Knowing you’ll die at least means you’ll be remembered, becoming nonexistent means you’ll be forgotten

[@Ringohulk777]

@@username-yc3bd or never be known in the first place, if you never exist

[@michaeldebellis4202]

This ending was IMO much more unusual given the time of the show than it may appear now. Now, we are used to plots without a clear cut explanation for all the major plot points but back then it was unusual for a movie and almost unheard of for TV. This was always one of my favorites for that reason. If done right, as it was here, this kind of ending really engages your mind.

[@gregorytyson995]

Mirror Image is another TZ ep in this vein. It throws out a possible explanation ... but never really confirms it.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

I always like the start of the bar scene for a separate reason. Rod Taylor was always very good at playing laid-back characters in comedies. This is no comedy, but seeing him at the start of that scene just feels right.

[@bishopaz]

Jim Hutton's last scene where he says " My dear god" as he slowly lays down to meet his fate was terrifying.

[@van8ryan]

I got a feeling that the intention is that they crashed and burned and the whole "Return" is actually a sort of "Purgatory" where they have to wait until they "ascend", but as they've "Disappeared" from Life itself, no one in this "purgatory" remembers them as it's only a "shadow" of Reality, meaning they ultimately fade from memory. I'm actually reminded of an episode of THE STORYTELLER called THE SOLDIER AND DEATH, where the soldiers exoduses "souls" from Hell and takes them to Heaven, in hopes they'll use his "magic sack" to bring him into Heaven (as Death is Afraid of him, and therefore, he can't die). The Storyteller's quote explains his plan's failure: "But You See, there is no Memory in Heaven. Souls forget."

[@princessroxas1]

that reminds me of another twilight zone episode Death Ship when those 3 astronauts discover their bodies in the wreckage of their ship & is in some kind of purgatory

[@Undeadpriest94]

This is easily my favorite episode of the Twilight Zone. For me, I love the fact that we're given no answer. Perhaps because the answer is beyond my comprehension.

[@nathanfitzgerald6651]

I've been watching the TZ for decades, since I was a young kid, and this is absolutely the most gut-wrenchingly scary episode of them all. Just the idea of being erased from human memory in the first place is even worse than death.

[@pexfmezccle]

there are even more gut-wrenching things in The Outer Limits

[@QuantomX64]

He really does look like Robin Williams. I was thinking that several times before you even mentioned it.

[@Ben_not_10]

Just watched this for the first time after watching this review twice. To me it speaks to a common human fear. Being forgotten. The first astronaut disappears and only one of his friends/coworkers remember him. Even Harringtons parents don’t remember him (have seen that happen where they either think a son or daughter is dead because they haven’t either heard or tried to contact them in so long). Forbes is assured of himself. Like a historian or a loyal friend. He tries to remind everyone of his friend and call attention to the fact he once existed. But everyone thinks Forbes is crazy or delusional. Until finally Forbes himself is forgotten, then shortly after, Garth. How often are those around us forgotten about. Especially those who are suffering mentally and have (either by their own means or from the force of someone else) withdrawn to the point people forget them completely. That’s what I draw from this episode. For all its si fi themes here, it speaks to a very real human fear. Being forgotten and neglected.

[@rewster7]

Rod Taylor, came from the same city as me. Great Aussie actor.

[@walterfechter8080]

This episode was brilliant in its conception and execution. The cast was excellent, as well. As many of us remember, Rod Taylor rendered a truly great performance in "The Time Machine" (1960). Thank you, Richard Matheson, Rod Serling and Buck Houghton.

[@Lesley_RedRhody]

Gene Roddenberry must have loved this episode, because he used a similar premise in “Remember Me,” a Season 4 episode of Star Trek: TNG. I can’t unsee Rod Taylor as Robin Williams. Thank you, Walter, for the bittersweet observation. 💚😢😢💚

[@Ringohulk777]

Which one is that? I don't quite recall, but a summary might help

[@Lesley_RedRhody]

RINGO HULK777 Dr. Beverly Crusher meets an old colleague and, shortly thereafter, he disappears, as does everyone on the Enterprise that she knows.

[@Ringohulk777]

@@Lesley_RedRhody thank you

[@Lesley_RedRhody]

RINGO HULK777 You’re very welcome. 💚🤗🤗💚

[@batangbatugan]

My own theory is that that each astronaut got displaced into 4 different alternate timelines, and them slowly disappearing is part of the process of the timelines fixing themselves. 1) Forbes, Harrington, and Gart returned 2) Only Forbes and Gart returned 3) Only Gart returned 4) They never returned at all

[@Ringohulk777]

Not bad

[@StrickenWithFear]

One of my absolute favorites. The ending is so spooky and really makes you ponder.

[@ArtAngelMouse]

This episode sounds absolutely terrifying.

[@diamondknight8587]

As someone who saw this episode as a kid I can safely say that's only because it is.

[@katherinepfister4177]

I definitely saw the similarities to Robin Williams right away. And I’d like to think maybe the landed in a parallel world where they weren’t suppose to exist and the universe was just fighting itself.

[@Guernicaman]

Funny you mentioned Rod Taylor's resemblance to Robin Williams. I too always felt the two looked awfully similar. Williams being, perhaps, a slightly less handsome version of Taylor. In fact, I always felt that, if they ever made a sequel to George Pal's The Time Machine (of which Taylor played the lead & you seemed to have forgotten to mention), they should cast Robin Williams in the role - whether he be the character himself or an estranged son that goes on an adventure thru time trying to find the father he never truly knew.

[@JoeMatarese1]

Probably my favorite episode. The actor who played Forbes was so great in this. Amazing episode

[@jessetorres8738]

This episode is basically the Mandela Effect 20 years before it happened.

[@delta_mvi]

Mandela effect before it was cool

[@dreddpiratebromando5953]

Jesse Torres funny thing is I thought it was call "the day the sky was opened".

[@Psychol-Snooper]

Jim Hutton was Timothy Hutton's father.

[@HaitaniMasayuki]

Not only looks Rod Taylor a bit like Robin Williams sometimes, I think he also looks like Bill Pullman. My brain is struggling to interpret his face sometimes lol

[@Ringohulk777]

I thought that too

[@rottensquid]

Right, me too. Surprised this wasn't commented on.

[@peterschadenberg9045]

I have two interpretations. Either the astronauts somehow entered an alternate universe where they were never born or some supernatural force, because I'm uncreative I'll just say that this force is God, didn't want humanity to go on this mission so God just erased all memory and evidence of this mission 'afterwards'.

[@james_t_kirk]

*I consider "And When The Sky Was Opened" to be one of the Top 5 Twilight Zone episodes of all time. Performances were top-notch, especially Rod Taylor's.*

[@ChrisAnd]

So it could be they all died and this was a journey where each one had to accept that there place in life is over. As they were freaking out looking for each other they see that the world moves on without them. Once they accept it they dissapear into the after life

[@meganparrish807]

Or maybe all three of them were dying rather than dead and the feeling that came over each one was their death.

[@russelloats]

Thank god I’m not the only one who thought he looked like Robin Williams lol

[@brandonilovecaitjacksonrac6618]

A lot of us feel like these astronauts, that we don't really exist to this world. -"Cait 'time keeper' Jackson is the goddess I could never stop loving."

[@RockySamson]

One of the scariest episodes the show's ever done. The immense feeling of dread is palpable and plays into the very real fear of being erased from existence by a secret entity. As far as what I suspect is responsible, I chock it up to a cosmic eldritch horror that let them slip through unintentionally. You can almost feel the presence of such a being throughout every moment in the episode, but that's just my theory.

[@RockySamson]

@Van H. Right!

[@KeepThoseEyesOpen]

My favorite episode in the entire series. I was absolutely terrified the first time I saw this as a kid. The directing and acting are superb and in my opinion is THEE Twilight Zone of Twilight Zones.

[@antonmassopust568]

Probably one of the creepiest Twilight zones ever made I remember seeing it in the middle of the afternoon and it wouldn't leave me alone where did the astronauts go I think they ended up in the Twilight Zone

[@hayleyelise7144]

The speculative complexity inherent to a narrative about the gradual erasure of a person’s identity is certainly fascinating to discuss, and I particularly enjoyed hearing your theories and opinions on the nebulous circumstances which defined this episode and its finale. Personally, though I’ve never been much interested in the sanguinary, violent physicality often concomitant with the horror genre, the abject terror cultivated from deeply psychological constructs typically precipitates profoundly humanistic and thematic conversations which are always intriguing to anatomize. In this case, the malleability of reality and the abrogation of identity are represented through the slow recognition that Forbes appears to be the only individual left who remembers Harrington. The agonizing frustration and instinctual fear of social ostracization become unbearably tangible and real for Forbes, who embodies the paranoia of being completely alone in his remembrance of Harrington and the reality in which they were friends. This experience of isolation in memory facing the constancy of denial and questioning from others is understandably maddening for anyone to endure, especially when the lucidity and assurance of your own sanity lies incongruous to the collective truth everyone else is equally certain of. Given the ardency of their dismissal of Harrington’s existence and the warping of their surroundings to accompany this conceptualization of events, it does appear as if some intersection of realities has occurred, in which the three astronauts have returned to a world where none of them have ever existed. To compensate for this dissonance, this new reality must erase every bit of evidence marking the arrival and presence of these men. Regardless, I do appreciate the speculative nature of this ending allowing for the possibility of theorization and discussion, as well as the harrowing mystery born from this haunting inconclusiveness. I love the writing and presentation of this episode, Walter, and I’m always excited to delve into the intricacies of The Twilight Zone with you!

[@reservoirfrogs2177]

Now say it in English

[@stonecoldku4161]

Now I can't unsee the Robin Williams comparison.

[@AABowser]

this is one of my favorite episodes my headcanon is that some sort of higher being that might not be "The" God but might as well be relative to us, that this higher being or group of higher beings messed up, did something they weren't supposed to, interfered with something they shouldn't have, and erasing the existence of three people and a spaceship was the patchwork solution they came up with. as such, reality has become a slightly smaller place. perhaps they regret having to do this, but there were things at stake here we cannot comprehend I mean, this much almost seemed obvious to me, like it was what the episode was literally saying, as clear as any other episode. at any point your life may be forfeit due to things you could never understand. but maybe I'm just too stuck in my own world to see the merit in other theories

[@heyitscj7726]

I remember in HS I took AP LIT, and for one of the creative writing submissions I wrote a sequel to this episode, in which three astronauts 30 years later build the x-20 spacecraft again, and the three astronauts that originally disappeared came back as they were getting ready for launch. Arguably, it was just the concept, and I didn’t write the full script, but I was obsessed with this episode back then

[@rogue7723]

Didja get a good grade on it?

[@heyitscj7726]

@@rogue7723 Yeah, I remember the teacher liked it, despite not being a huge fan of horror. Arguably I think I was less subtle than Rod lol

[@Mangles-macro-channel]

I'm kinda surprised nobody talks about the possible biblical connection, perhaps to the story of Elija's accention in the chariot of fire, leaving Elisha behind?

[@guilhemoccitan6148]

Yeah, at first, I thought it would talk about the rapture.

[@cjwrench07]

Guilhem Occitan “the rapture” is a very modern idea, and a VERY fringe idea at the time of the original show. That’s why it wouldn’t have even of been mentioned.

[@Mangles-macro-channel]

@@cjwrench07 My main idea is the story of Elija and how he was taken to Heaven, which is in the Old Testament.

[@Oppeldeldoc1]

I've always wondered the same thing.

[@Ringohulk777]

That wouldn't explain why no one remembers them, unless you get into the idea of people forgetting that era of history and it being "eliminated" from history.

[@Aarzu]

I actually watched this episode because I came across it as a recommendation for people who wanted to watch something Lovecraftian. This episode doesn't disappoint. The way the ending is left so open, without any explanation, I think is deeply unsettling and probably the best way to keep it. I had the impression that the astronauts witnessed something they shouldn't have, something their minds couldn't comprehend. The question, for me, is: was whatever responsible for their disappearances benevolent, malevolent, or apathetic? Maybe they were simply a mess to be cleaned up and the apparent euphoria they experienced was just acceptance? Or maybe as things were...ending(?) for them, they realized it was something that wasn't going to actually harm them. This episode leaves the audience with a lot of questions, and sometimes that's the best route to take!

[@MrAlexdimm]

This is one of my favorite episodes

[@amparolopez6236]

I always liked this one, first episode I ever saw of the Twilight Zone. It will always hold a small part in my heart. I hope that doesn't disappear like the Astronauts did.

[@EarlHutton2030]

Kudos to Rod Taylor. His top-shelf acting throughout was what made this a great episode. He was who stole the spotlight throughout. May he continue to RIP! 🙏

[@progmetalkd]

Because of this series I start to watch the episodes and now I'm a couple episodes ahead of Walter's analysis, I can't wait to see the take Walter gives to the one I saw. I hope this series keeps going, I feel good watching an episode an then hearing Walter analysis with the episode very fresh in my mind

[@pvtjhon]

These are really fun to listen to. Keep them coming and stay healthy!

[@debbieanne7962]

Rod Taylor sure was good at the American accent. He was also the lead in a great movie from 1960 'The Time Machine' adapted from the book by HG Wells. I'm Australian and no way could I pull off another accent. This is a very good episode, I've never really wondered what happened in Space before landing, allegedly, back on earth. Maybe intercepted by creatures from another planet or dimension and somehow programmed all the happenings into their brains, so they were never actually back here on earth?

[@JustinaLynn]

Rod Taylor also did The Time Machine that was my dad's fav movie, I remember him screaming Wheena! XD

[@jerryshunk7152]

I don't remember any copulation in that movie !

[@GameplayandTalk]

Love the Twilight Zone! Just finished bingeing out on your episodes about them. Great job! Can't wait to see the others you have in store for the rest of October.

[@ianr.navahuber2195]

What would be my answer about this episode? "The Void" from the Amazing World of Gumball

[@diamondknight8587]

Holy crap, you might be on to something here.

[@lowrider993]

I oncereadabook where this happened toa civilian, he found out that he was supposed to have drowned as a child, and now supposedly death changed his mind and was erasing his current self.

[@grapeshot]

I've always loved this concept on Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits of this multi-dimensional realm where there are multiple different versions of Earth.

[@TamaraLynnchambers]

I freaking love these

[@jcorbo7518]

Ngl the alien at 6:25 gave me a jumpscare. Wasn't expecting such a close up.

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

If I'm not mistaken, Jim Hutton was one of tallest actors in Hollywood during his career. Roughly 6'5", you'll notice his character was written to be bedridden since he would have loomed large over his costars.

[@strangebrew1231]

One of my favorites. I just wish they explained what happened just a little bit. But I guess not knowing makes it scarier

[@worldofthought8352]

I had assumed that the three were in a purgatory of some sort, how the headline says 'all three survived' makes it come of as too good to be true. That maybe their hope to survive against all odds endured after death and somehow their dying conscious became part of a purgatory made their own. And that over time self-realization kicks in to each of them that they never survived and as a result depart from the 'bubble' of hope they had. This is why I think there is no feeling of pain because that had passed, the world inhabited was what they hope for and were defiant till each accepted they never made it. It might just about be coming to accept. Though if this was the case then the final astronaut would had accepted and everything would had gone to black because that hub would no longer exist.

[@BlackoutEclipse]

Love to see The Howling Man on this list of episodes. Still creeps me out to this day. Also, to what happened in this episode: I think they died in the crash but in "The Zone" they are acting like they survived until that "funny feeling" happens to be them accepting death, thus dissapearing. Just my 2 cents on it.

[@ztslovebird]

Maybe it’s like the Into the Spiderverse situation, and they glitches out of existence because they landed in the wrong reality.

[@theSkyGuardian]

The "and" makes me think its a reference to scripture. The part in Job when God is speaking. It's as though like Icarus they flew too high. They challenged their maker, and they were unmade.

[@philipportelli7700]

I recall reading that idea of the astronauts came from the pre-Apollo days when no one really knew what would happen when someone travelled into space. The loss of identity is one of the great tropes of the Twilight Zone.

[@chanceux92]

If I may say The scene near the end with the mirror is the representation of what is currently happening When Cleg look in the mirror with the reflection of his friend, we can barely see him, we still can se a little bit of his arm, because the world is literally forget about him, the only connection with the world is by the look of his friend who knows him until he disappeared That or yeah maybe the cameraman and the director miss a spot on the mirror, but I really believe that my first theory was right Huge fan of the Twilight Zone and thanks to do a everyday video about it, really great job !

[@strangebrew1231]

This is why the original can never be beaten. It’s so imaginative and writers these days don’t have anywhere near the talent these had. The 2019 reboot was embarrassing

[@Galantski]

One of my favorites. It's one of the episode that has the most _Twilight Zone_ DNA, that is when the strange invades what starts out as a seemingly normal situation. All leads are solid, with Rod Taylor particularly intense in the main role . The music is sometimes overlooked, but Leonard Rosenman's avante-garde score adds to the manic mood considerably.

[@johnstruckmaniii701]

Maybe they’re in a simulation and whenever one of them escapes it adjusts to make it seem like they never existed

[@Ringohulk777]

That's close to what I thought. I'm thinking it's a study of psychological strains on the human brain, and each disappearance is them being taken out of the test before they end up dying

[@MCalla-jw8vh]

so they all escaped then?... why would the simulation keep going?

[@Ringohulk777]

@@MCalla-jw8vh there may be others that are still being tested. We just followed one particular story

[@Merit2397]

When it comes to "And When the Sky Was Opened" the ending is really up to the imagination. The again, this episode was from the land of imagination in an area which we call... The Twilight Zone.

[@shawbros]

I woke up once, and felt like these guys for about 10 minutes after waking up. I was probably not fully awake. It felt like I could disappear from existence. It was a eerie, inevitable kind of feeling.

[@Nasser851000]

And when the sky was opened, God said "Oh Lord, this world is more messed up than I imagined!" XD

[@Ringohulk777]

That's a good interpretation of the title

[@MaskedHeroLucky]

The way it seems to spread from person to person gives me the impression of an anomalous disease that erases people from existence. It’s like a pre-SCP SCP. I know any supernatural thing or phenomena can be called an SCP, but this really feels like the kind of thing someone would write for the wiki. Heck, I’d be surprised if there isn’t something like this on there.

[@Brenda-cg1px]

I remember feeling let down by the ending (or lack thereof) the first time I watched it, but I think leaving the mystery unsolved is precisely what makes this episode more unsettling than it would've otherwise been.

[@chrisazylum6624]

Remember watching this one when I was younger! Next time a story about a guy who has What You Need!

[@GAMER3Productions]

One of My Favorite Twilight Zone Episode of All Time!!!

[@jimhuffman9434]

Explanation for their disappearance: A horror novelist named Sutter Cane, who is able to control reality through his books, was writing a novel called "And when the sky was opened". Cane decided he didn't want Gart, Forbes or Harrington in his book, so he erased them, and by erasing them from his book, Cane erased them from existence

[@padelackles]

As many have stated, the lack of explanation is part of the horror itself. But my own theory is that they breached something they shouldn’t have and to correct it, their existence had to be erased.

[@allsportnj]

Love this episode. One of my favorites :)

[@daniellevaughn4598]

This is probably in my top 10 favorite Twilight Zone episodes.

[@luv4da80s]

My favourite TV show of all time. Until March 2020.

[@kuracpickagovno]

my favorite episode

[@griffinkelly8694]

I think this is the scariest episode of the show.