Night Call - Twilight-Tober Zone

[@ChannelAwesome]

What are your thoughts on Night Call? Re-watchable or no?

[@Omar-wq9dz]

Definitely rewatchable

[@trinaq]

I'd definitely rewatch it again, due to Gladys Cooper's haunting performance, but it has such a heartbreaking ending.

[@melissacooper8724]

I would definitely rewatch it again! I thought the ending was heartbreaking because Elva lost Brian twice!

[@rogue7723]

It’s the _Requiem For A Dream_ of _Twilight Zone_ episodes. It’s a great product, but too sad and haunting to watch more than once.

[@LostPatrol14]

Stephen King has a short story called, "Sorry, Right Number", which was made into an episode of Tales from the Darkside. There are some similarities between "Night Call" and "Sorry, Right Number". Keep up the great work, Walter!

[@weareallbronies9031]

congratulations time enough at last! you no longer have the cruelest ending of any twilight zone episode!

[@Gojiro7]

im not ashamed to admit this is what I thought of your comment kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnraaJiCeJ5jnZo particularly this part kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnraaJiCeJ5jnZo

[@ianr.navahuber2195]

I mean, maybe they can reunite once she dies

[@JRRR92]

Number 12 looks just like you is the cruelest one.

[@jlev1028]

"Uncle Simon" begs to differ.

[@ianr.navahuber2195]

@@jlev1028 At least that one is self imposed misery by 2 stubborn fools that i think it is supposed to be a cautionary tale about toxic co-dependancy (although told wrong)

[@louisduarte8763]

I suddenly remember some dialogue from an old episode of American Dad: Hayley: "Roger? You're alive! Wait, are you really dead and I'm talking to you on one of those Twilight Zone phones with horrifically ironic consequences?" Roger: "Oh right, it's past noon, so you're already high. Put me on with the fish."

[@kellymurray8998]

Now it finally makes sense! 😂

[@daveroche6522]

Now I've suddenly remembered a pub-debate we occasionally had - " Francine or Lois?". Used to slightly annoy/irritate the wimminfolk present. PURE FUN!

[@blue85610]

"I always do what you say" I love the ending. It's tragic and you feel sad for the old lady but there are also consequences on not listening to your partner and wanting always to be right. It's a reflection to real life couples I know who, one party thinks they are right, ends up being alone because they would rather stick to their pride instead of listening and understanding. The episode is a great reminder to us that we aren't always right

[@melissacooper8724]

Precisely! I felt that Elva and Brian's relationship was doomed from the start! Had they treated each other as equal instead of one being domineering, then they would've had a happy life together!

[@TotallySearch]

"I'm gonna show you where it's dark, but have no fear (We'll go all, all, all night long)"

[@trinaq]

Poor Elva, you really feel for her anguish and guilt over her dead fiance, and even in the end, she's literally haunted by him saying that he won't contact her again. Gladys Cooper does a wonderful job of conveying her heartbreak, and wishing that she had a happier ending.

[@kdusel1991]

So sad!

[@TotallySearch]

"I'm giving you a night call to tell you how I feel" lol

[@arizonabay15]

That fact at 2:00 has blown my mind. The 80's episode 'Profile In Silver' has an inside joke about Night Call being postponed because of the JFK assassination and includes it in the story? Incredible.

[@hharden4969]

That was a great callback to that historic moment, very well done by the writers and the rest of the team on that episode

[@theshenpartei]

Plus that episode reminds of 11/22/63 by Stephen king.

[@cherylcampbell9369]

Meta meta.

[@melissacooper8724]

I just felt sorry for Elva because not only did she lose Brian in a car accident on which she caused but lost him again and forever when he told her he will never bother her again! I feel this episode shows us that no one should try to be the boss of their relationship because it would lead to heartbreak.

[@jensrettberg7968]

In both her starring episodes Gladys Cooper absolutely delivered. Certainly one of the greatest Zone actresses.

[@shainewhite2781]

This was a very sad and heartbreaking episode. I felt sorry for that poor woman.

[@trinaq]

Me too, poor Elva was tortured throughout most of the episode, and the message that women shouldn't drive, or be in charge of anything, really hasn't held up well.

[@elmermedina1713]

​@@trinaq I don't think the message was women should'nt drive was the message. Elva evrlen states the accident wss caused due to her loss of control of the car.

[@ellugerdelacruz2555]

​@@trinaq I do not think that was the message at all...

[@ellugerdelacruz2555]

A classic example of an ironic tragedy...

[@thekueken]

6:52 Honestly, my first thought was it would be Death coming over from the cemetery to come fetch her...

[@thejackshammer7654]

You know hearing about this particular episode, I have to give props for the change. Hear me out, I am pretty sure a lot of people hold a similar fear of pushing their loved ones away... So while the situation is sad, it's hugs on that same guilt. I think that's brilliant. It sells the tragedy of the situation all the more.

[@RoninDave]

This one always creeped me out as kid. For some reason I remembered it ending at the cemetery because that was spooky having the telephone wires going to the grave. I feel sorry for the ghost. Even in the afterlife, he got henpecked.

[@Omar-wq9dz]

I always really liked this episode. To me, it’s a spiritual successor to Long Distance Call, as both episodes have the same premise of someone calling from beyond the grave

[@trinaq]

@@Omar-wq9dz Agreed, but while "Long Distance" ends more happily, "Night" is more bleak.

[@gothicMCRgirl]

Yes. I would’ve definitely enjoyed this episode more if they had left it more vague on whether or not she actually WAS hearing the voice of a ghost or if it was all in her head. The psychological angle they were clearly going for would’ve paid off much more, in my opinion.

[@kali3665]

I loved Gladys Cooper as an actress. One of the reasons I watched The Rogues TV series was because she was in it. Here, the episode works pretty well. It might have worked better had they kept the original ending, but even in the 5th season of EVERYBODY gets just deserts -- including good guys -- it just was too terrifying to have a zombie to come back to life to confront an aged woman. So, I never had any problem with the ending. The changes in the script cause all fault to fall on Elva. It may not be fair, but she instilled the curse herself. Now, she has to live with it. The episode is definitely a highlight of the last season, and I liked it.

[@mitroben1976]

This episode scared me when I was a child. It's still haunting.

[@melissacooper8724]

If I heard moaning on the other end of the phone, I would have assumed it was either an obscene phone call or the person was in agony! Either way, that would freak me out!

[@stan_meow3778]

Same. It’s always been one of my favorites and still leaves me feeling spooked and sad at the end.

[@BB13131313]

Wow.. I'm far from a Twilight Zone connoisseur, Night Call is truly the only one I'm familiar with, and it's haunting!

[@oranmccann2476]

On a similar note, the first episode of the very first Doctor Who story, An Unearthly Child was also delayed by the Kennedy assassination.

[@Q2CASTTV]

you are incorrect it did air to low ratings and reaired the next week to much higher ratings

[@oranmccann2476]

@@Q2CASTTV Because of the extensive news coverage of the Kennedy Assassination

[@slyfox2022]

Your both right

[@theshenpartei]

Did you factor in time zones?

[@oranmccann2476]

@theshenpartei Although the UK is in a different timezone, they still likely would have reported on it

[@moirad3895]

This episode terrified me as a kid and gave me nightmares. Now I find it heartbreaking and bitter sweet because I would give anything to have a passed relative call me from heaven!!!

[@theshenpartei]

This episode being tied to one of the most exciting as well as important dates in America history is probably one of the most coolest twilight zone episodes especially when it comes to behind the scenes trivia. Plus that eighties episode of the twilight zone reminds me of a Stephen king book and miniseries 11/22/63 in which something similar happens. As for the episode it’s creepy.

[@HONDTangled]

My Favourite Twilight Zone AT LAST 🙌🏽

[@daveroche6522]

4:23 - "Sorry, right number" - BRILLIANT!

[@RonnieBarzel]

“Most Twilight Zone productions took 3 days” Jeez, I know we’re just talking a 25-minute episode, but that seems incredibly quick!

[@Nasser851000]

The Call is coming from INSIDE the chat 😈

[@theshenpartei]

Would it be the call is coming from inside the grave

[@thealchemist51]

This was I think going to be one of my top five favorites of this season. It really had this great atmosphere. It was chilling from beginning to end. I honestly felt scared at time. And that ending all that ending oh, it hurt but perfect. This is definitely one of those TZ episodes worthy of being mentioned with the best

[@gluttonousmaximus9048]

The bed-confined lady getting creepy phone calls, as well as the short story's "Sorry, Right Number" title definitely reminds me of the Lucille Fletcher radio play "Sorry, Wrong Number", and even the self-adapted script twisting the main character's motivation is reminiscent of the 1948 MOVIE version of "Sorry, Wrong Number". Also, watch "Sorry, Wrong Number". It's diabolically unhinged.

[@LilKrazy9292]

This is one of my favorite episodes of the Twilight Zone, definitely in the top 10. It's the perfect amount of creepy, and I love the mystery.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

You guys always make this month amazing 🎃

[@dogdayblues]

Ugh, one of my personal favorites. Thanks for this series! Youve a damn good narration voice, Mr Banasiak!

[@Bardic_Knowledge]

I once had a very strange call in the middle of the night. It was nearly 20 years ago, and I'd just recently gotten my first cell phone from my aunt. One night, while spending the night at my gramma's, it rang with the caller ID saying "Unidentified Number." I let it go to voice mail (because even back then I didn't answer calls from numbers I didn't recognize), and the resulting mail was a deep voice amidst light static saying, "you've always been my favourite." I have no clue as to what it was about and I never heard that voice again (or before for thar matter), but it was certainly a memorable moment.

[@wizwitch5318]

If you'd recently gotten the phone number (assumption I'm making from it having been your first phone), it's possible the caller was trying to reach the person the number had previously belonged to--first year of my first phone involved a lot of text messages for someone I'd never heard of

[@laterferaligatr2947]

I remembered this one immediately from the thumbnail

[@elpizo1789]

Joke's on Elva - Brian made sure she pays for the calls.

[@thEannoyingE]

This is one of my favorite episodes, next to Death’s-Head, Revisited; both are equally chilling.

[@CodeEthos]

This was my first episode of the Twilight Zone. I remember watching this and "The Shelter" in my 10th Grade English class and instantly fell in love with the series. I couldn't help but feel nostalgic when remembering the twist on my first time viewing. Completely out of left field at the time for me.

[@WilliamHaisch]

_“Today we return Brian’s Earthly remains to the soil with his favorite telephone. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”_ 😂

[@stillaboveground2470]

"Nothing in the Dark" is one of my favorites.

[@Alexvander10]

This is one of the episodes I remember watching as a child in the 80's and it stayed with me. Simple yet haunting twist and the elderly lady sells it.

[@RialVestro]

The first episode of Doctor Who, An UnEarthly Child, also got pre-empted on that same day and it almost got cancelled because Doctor Who at the time didn't have a fan base to keep it on the air. The producer had to fight with the BBC to get it reaired a week later. So in an alternate Universe where JFK was never assassinated this and An Unearthly Child would have aired on the same day. Also this episode reminds me of an episode of another series I use to watch except there was a very different twist at the end where it turned out the old woman herself had been a ghost the entire time. She had died a few days before the events of the episode even started and was being haunted by her late husband who was simply trying to tell her she was dead. There are hints on rewatch that she was a ghost the entire time but you'd never notice there was anything strange about her if you watch the episode for the first time. It was an episode of So Weird which I highly recommend watching, one of the best Disney channel shows ever made.

[@Guernicaman]

When I first watched this, I remember thinking how 'Night Call' was always one of those episodes which could work really well as a black box theater play. If you're a theater kid in high school & wanna show your acting chops, this is an easy one to perform.

[@TheLordmep]

Man, that ending was a kick in the groin.

[@TheMovieHangout]

This episode freaked me out as a kid.

[@katiepersons6575]

"I always do what you say." Please don't leave me! "No"

[@KM91]

Crazily enough, I saw this episode on SciFi last week.

[@ianr.navahuber2195]

1:57 the closest we are gonna get to have covering on an episode of the 1980s twilight zone

[@theshenpartei]

Plus it reminds me 11/22/63 by Stephen king.

[@oceandawn26]

When I first saw this episode, I felt frightened right along with Elva until the heartbreaking end...definitely a classic installment!

[@nataliegray8019]

This episode is the perfect blend of spooky and heartbreaking, and most of it comes from the leading lady herself. Every time I see it, I still get goosebumps.

[@socermomuva]

These are so good and in-depth thank you so much for the time and effort you put into these truly lost classics!

[@shadowldrago]

GodDAMN what an ending.

[@pointless104]

This episode really scared me when I would watch it as a kid. It's still one of my favorites.

[@jeffreyshafanda9447]

I LOVE THIS EPISODE ESPECIALLY WITH GLADYS COOPER ❤👍😮

[@FreihEitner]

"Night Call" was a fantastic Twilight Zone episode! Easily the creepiest from the original five seasons.

[@milestrombley1466]

Voice: "Do you like scary movies?"

[@ricardomartinez8430]

Mentions nightcall Driver has entered the chat

[@scientistservant]

Kavinsky has entered the chat!

[@ascendedwellnessplus4643]

You have improved so much on the quality of your productions over the years...

[@raynathomason1030]

Idea for next year: something similar to Twilight-tober zone where you give us the plot and bts of twilight zone episode, but next year, do it with GOOSEBUMPS and the R.L Stines The HAUNTING HOUR episodes!!

[@iacobustres8032]

I was seven years old when this episode aired. It still gives me chills. I recall having many bad moments of sleep every time I thought of that horrifying voice and visualizing the telephone line draped over Brian's tombstone. Still trying to make sense of JFK's assassination added to the somber atmosphere in which Night Call aired. Fortunately, the course of my life would be set and my outlook on the world would lighten forever only a few days later when on the Ed Sullivan Show the Beatles made their American television debut. They were like sunlight blowing away the cobwebs and shadows of recent events (and this episode). But even now, I watch this episode with more than a little trepidation.

[@matthewbuckley7757]

Definitely going to give this a watch, Being alone forever is one of the most terrifying things.

[@Sci-Fi-Mike]

I love this episode.

[@TheCreepypro]

a lot more interesting than I thought it was going to be

[@angelcat2865]

I've been waiting for this episode 💖💖💖💖💖

[@HarvestStore]

Great video.

[@melissadahl7561]

I love this one. It's so creepy and atmospheric without overdoing it like Long Distance Call does. This and Walter Jameson are probably my favorites. AND Nothing in the Dark. Must like Gladys Cooper's episodes.

[@JamesGilbert_]

Oh, man, I didn't know that Jacques Tourneur directed a _Twilight Zone_ episode. I definitely need to see this one; I love quite a few of his films.

[@daverage4729]

Wonderfully creepy episode. Liked the strange bittersweet turn at the end.

[@kingcastlequeenbeckett]

This episode frightened me as a kid.

[@CMW1995]

This was my very first Twilight Zone episode that I sat through to the end. My dad introduced me to this series with this one and I've been hooked ever since. What an unfortunate ending tho

[@JED1110]

One of my favorites too…. Excluding the voice on the phone, this is the only episode of TZ to feature an all female cast.

[@kennethsewell3789]

I like scary stories with unsettling beginnings that lead to heartbreaking endings.

[@PhoenixHealing]

Even the freaking review was giving me goosebumps and making me do the scared stiff thing I do sometimes wher eI shrink down and refuse to move or breathe 😅

[@mrodriguez16ks]

To this day this episode still gives me the creeps. Its why i love it.

[@pkmntrainermark8881]

That bit about the 80s TZ is interesting. Nice touch for that episode. Weird to think that The Twilight Zone exists in The Twilight Zone, though.

[@julieporter7805]

In her episodes, Gladys Cooper made a memorable impression of a woman filled with fear and regret as she comes face to face with death. The short story is creepier and ominous but this episode is more tragic and I think better for it.

[@TramiNguyen-oi3kp]

Awesome The Twilight Zone episode!

[@heliogabagool7847]

When I was younger, I was watching a re-run of this on a gloomy winter afternoon. Right after the denouement, the phone rang- and I answered- no one on the other side to respond to me. I freaked out.

[@RasheedaParker-qn9ec]

Awesome 🤩

[@Jon7763]

"I'm giving you a Nightcall to tell you how I feel"

[@Morgil27]

The original ending sounds like just a typical ghost story ending. The way they changed it is just so much more fitting for this show.

[@ricucci-hillmusic]

I remember in high school us reading a play about a very similar premise. A bedridden woman and creepy phone calls. Did some digging, it was most likely the radio play (Sorry, Wrong Number). I'm surprised that not even the Wikipedia page this episode doesn't draw the connection, especially since the original title of the short story this episode was based on is clearly a twist on the title of the original radio play which would have been well known at the time.

[@shenloken2]

Either ending could have worked because we never actually see what the deceased man looks like. If this were remade today I imagine if they stuck to the original ending we would see what he looked like at the episode’s conclusion. Most likely a reanimated corpse who isn’t looking quite himself so to speak after being dead and buried for over thirty years.

[@HamdiTafa]

Poor Elva, alone in the dark forever

[@FanGardinen]

thought it is a bit goofy that a telephone line leads into a grave but idk maybe it was tear apart during a storm

[@HandsomeSteveJacobson]

One of the best of season 5

[@ryanhall7607]

This was the first episode of Twilight Zone I ever saw, back in 2004 when I was starting college. I remember not liking it much, but it has a goofy but interesting twist.

[@giovannamoretti4001]

I thought for a second it was going to be “the calls are coming from inside the house”

[@goldenfiberwheat238]

That ending is kinda dumb. The twist is fine. It’s just the fact that the guy is like “well you told me to leave me alone so now I’m gonna leave you alone”

[@gameskyjumper1721]

Totally thought it's gonna be "it's from inside the house."

[@WreckInSilenceRecords]

Walter please do the 1980s series next year. I really enjoy these!!

[@historylover]

I don't see why it was such a surprise Jacques Tournier could direct so fast. He had his start working with Val Lewton's RKO B-horror movies (that were more than horror movies), such as Cat People, I Walked with a Zombie, etc. The three rules to these movies were that they had to be 75 minutes, had to cost less than something like $100,000, and had to conform to the title RKO picked. Since going over schedule would also mean going over budget, Tournier would have been great at working within TV episodes restraints too.

[@esteemedmortal5917]

I have to think the woman’s last name also drives home her loneliness and sadness; keening refers to mournful crying for the soon-to-be or recently dead.

[@HereForTheComments]

If Brian had simply answered her damn questions in the first place, she wouldn't have told him to go away.

[@AnimeLover9108]

I'm from Sweden and Elva is swedish for 11, so it sounds a bit weird for me every time her name is mentioned. Makes me imagine the spirit just dial 11 to get her phone to ring. (I know that he doesn't actually use a phone on his end since the haunting goes by the phoneline itself, but that the mental image I get when hearing it)

[@saltyk9869]

Honestly the change of the ending made for a better story. It completely changes the narrative and the relationship with the caller. Twilight Zone is always at its best when the twist completely changes the story.

[@zac3278]

hEllO? HeLLo? wE aRe caLLiNg to asK abOUt YoUr car'S wARrenTy.........

[@ryancoulter4797]

Wasn’t there a similar story that became an often retold OTR episode. Woman picks up her phone and hears someone plotting someone’s murder. She frantically alerts the operator who eventually tells her the call came from inside her own house.

[@claytonrios1]

In a lot of lists for the Twilight Zones Best Episodes this often ends up on them. I can see why.

[@cellytron]

Must see this!

[@LilyBannel]

This episode really is carried by the camera work and the main actress. I have a theory that the initial sounds she heard were because the connection wasn't fully there. The situation could've been explained earlier but the signal was distorted. It is a tragic form of miscommunication because the elderly lady's actions were valid with the information she knew. I know I wouldn't stay on the line if a man just moaned into the phone, heck no. Another theory is that because since the body is gone, maybe ghosts have a more difficult time remembering how to speak. Vocal cords are gone so got to try something else. I have seen videos of people remembering how to speak after accidents or comas and it is rough.

[@DoneRandomLee]

I love this one. Yes it is simple but it should be. Many wish they could talk to their deceased love ones just one more time and she did but didn't know. She was afraid like most people would. I do think the "i always do what you say" line was a bit goofy. I understand it was meant to show her attitude to others hurting her but i think if they just showed they fixed the powerline it could have had a better effect. That she knows the last thing she said to him was to leave her alone and that was the last thing she said to him. I feel the last call ignored the point because he didn't leave her alone and gave that last message. I think her not getting to call him again and regretting her last message would have worked better

[@meganshaw1987]

It’s kind of creepy to think that the only way for Bryan to have gotten that phone-line after he died, was for his corpse to have gotten-up out of the ground. I wonder if anyone saw and freaked-out about it.

[@JReed7560]

I'm giving you a Night Call to tell you, how I feel.

[@MarioFaker]

Hmmm, there are some similarities to the ending of Titanic… so James Cameron borrowed from The Outer Limits AND The Twilight Zone…