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The Twilight Zone
Season 1
Episode 53

Take My Life...Please!

March 28, 1986

60.0%

The Twilight Zone - S1 - E53

A mainstream comedian is killed by the one from whom he stole his work from. When he comes to, he is in one strange stage show, but there is something extremely wrong...

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The Twilight Zone: Season 1 - 57 Episode s

1x3 - Wordplay
October 4, 1985
Salesman Bill Lowery wakes up one morning and discovers, to his horror, that people around him are slowly degenerating their talk into gibberish that he cannot understand. His ability to communicate is needed more than ever when his son becomes sick. Lowery manages to get his son the treatment he needs and discovers he must relearn everything from scratch.
1x4 - Dreams for Sale
October 4, 1985
On an idyllic outdoor picnic with her husband and their twins a nameless woman becomes confused and disoriented when events begin to repeat themselves. Then she awakens and discovers she is in a futuristic dream-making machine - she is only a drone in a future where no "outside" exists since Man has grown over the whole planet and turned it into factory, and the only escape is a 15-minute virtual reality scenario once a week. Despairing of her future, the woman returns to the reality which breaks down, "trapping" her there forever.
1x5 - Chameleon
October 4, 1985
A space shuttle returns from a mission and NASA discovers that something unusual has been picked up. They discover that they have a shape-changing alien in their holding tank that poses a danger to all.
1x6 - Healer
October 11, 1985
Cat burglar Jackie Thompson breaks into a museum to steal ancient artifacts and takes a rare gem that has strange healing powers - he is shot but the gem heals him. Taking on the name of Brother John, Jackie becomes a faith healer but soon becomes too greedy. Meanwhile an old Indian man, Duende, shows up and tells Jackie the relic must go back to where it belongs. Jackie starts to have second thoughts but his partner Harry leaves with the cash and his old bullet wound opens up and he begins dying again. A young deaf boy he had previously rejected because of lack of payment heals Jackie with it, then Jackie heals the boy and Duende leaves with the stone.
1x7 - Children's Zoo
October 11, 1985
A little girl's parents are always fighting and screaming at each other. She takes them to the Children's Zoo with a special invitation and she gets something very special, something her parents could not even imagine.
1x8 - Kentucky Rye
October 11, 1985
Bob Spindler, a drunk driver, arrives at the "Kentucky Rye" bar where the customers are all victims of drunk drivers.
1x9 - Little Boy Lost
October 18, 1985
A photographer torn between taking a plum overseas assignment and getting married, meets a strangely familiar little boy.
1x10 - Wish Bank
October 18, 1985
Janice finds a magic lamp at a garage sale. Restrictions and lots of paperwork apply for her three wishes.
1x11 - Nightcrawlers
October 18, 1985
A deputy trooper stops by a diner during a rainstorm where a Vietnam veteran's nightmares come to life.
1x12 - If She Dies
October 25, 1985
A year after his wife died a man is involved in a car accident that leaves his young daughter in a coma. On his way home the man has a vision.
1x13 - Ye Gods
October 25, 1985
Cupid arrives in the modern world. A love spell for his target does not work as well as he hopes.
1x14 - Examination Day
November 1, 1985
In the far future, twelve-year-old Dickie must pass the government intelligence test. He is very nervous about the outcome of the test but eager to show how smart he is. At the end his parents get the news - Dickie "passed" the test...but the government kills anyone who is too intelligent.
1x15 - A Message From Charity
November 1, 1985
In 1985, a fever-stricken Peter Wood finds himself in telepathic contact with Charity Paine, a sick girl his age living in Puritan New England. The two rejoice in sharing their thoughts, and Peter gives Charity the chance to see things that she'd never experienced in her limit time and place. However, their new-found contact turns to horror when Peter's knowledge of the future endangers Charity's life. She inadvertently speaks of the future, causing the villagers to believe she is a witch. With help from Peter, she convinces the witch-hunter to drop the case by hinting she can reveal information about him that Peter has found in the future. Eventually their contact breaks, but Peter receives one last message telling him to look on a rock...where the words "CP+PW" are inscribed.
1x16 - Teacher's Aide
November 8, 1985
A teacher on a violent and gang infested high school has trouble controlling her students. The building is warded by some mysterious gargoyles, which give some special powers to the teacher.
1x17 - Paladin of the Lost Hour
November 8, 1985
A Vietnam Vet named Billy saves an old man named Gasper from a mugging at a cemetery. He discovers that this old man holds the future of time in his watch.
1x18 - Act Break
November 15, 1985
A landlord hounds a playwright named Maury for his rent. When the playwright's partner dies of a heart attack, he wishes he could become the greatest playwright ever. Maury is transported back in time and meets Shakespeare.
1x19 - The Burning Man
November 15, 1985
During a heat wave in the 1930's a mother and her son enjoy a drive in the country. They encounter a strange man who wants a ride.
1x20 - Dealer's Choice
November 15, 1985
Four friends and a fifth's stand-in get together for a game of poker. The fifth man, Nick, has an uncanny knack for drawing three-of-a-kinds...in 6s. The men figure out that Nick is the Devil, come to claim one of them. The unlucky man offers to play the Devil a game of poker to get his soul free. The Devil agrees, and the game is lowball...but the condemned man gets an incredibly good hand. The simple-minded Marty decides to touch the cards, disspelling the Devil's illusion that he didn't have four sixes. Caught out cheating, the Devil apologies and leaves the men a kitchen full of beer and food to make it up to them.
1x21 - Dead Woman's Shoes
November 22, 1985
Shy Maddie finds a pair of shoes and after trying them on, is possessed by the vengeful spirit of a rich murdered woman.
1x22 - Wong's Lost and Found Emporium
November 22, 1985
David Wong searches for something he lost. He seeks the Lost and Found Emporium where he finds others looking for their lost items.
1x23 - The Shadow Man
November 29, 1985
The smartest boy in school is a target for bullies. At home in bed after an attack, the boy meets the "Shadow Man" under his bed who offers him a solution. The "Shadow Man" is a serial killer, but tells the boy that it never kills the one underneath whose bed he lurks. In defiance of all the curfews, the boy goes out and taunts the killer to show his courage. As the other kids run, the boy stands confident as the "Shadow Man" approaches, only to be told, "I'm not the Shadow Man under your bed."
1x24 - The Uncle Devil Show
November 29, 1985
Parents don't realize that the video their child watches demonstrates magic tricks like turning parents into lizards and giving dogs four eyes.
1x25 - Opening Day
November 29, 1985
A beautiful woman and her boyfriend plan to kill her husband on the first day of duck hunting season.
1x26 - The Beacon
December 6, 1985
When Dr. Dennis Barrows's car breaks down, he goes to an unusual town where visitors are disliked and townspeople are terrified of lighthouse and where it might shine. The house where Barrows stays the night is shined upon by the lighthouse. It holds a sick child, one which he helps with his medicine. The child recovers, but when Barrows goes to the lighthouse, the townfolk confront him with the truth: the lighthouse keeper is long dead, but in return for ensuring the town's prosperity, it demands the occasional sacrifice. Since Barrows saved the girl and was in the house where the light shined, he becomes the townsfolks' next sacrifice.
1x27 - One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty
December 6, 1985
Angry with his adult life, a man, Gus Rosenthal, returns to his childhood stomping ground in Ohio and while digging up an old toy soldier finds himself transported back to when he was a boy. Taking on the guise of a writer he meets himself as a child - angry, frustrated and misunderstood. Taking the name of 'Harry Rosenthal', Gus tries to guide his younger self but sickens from his place out-of-time. When he has to leave he tells his younger self to stay behind...which was what frustrated himself as a child and led to him being so angry throughout his life. Returning to his own time, the old Gus returns to his life, sadder but wiser.
1x28 - Her Pilgrim Soul
December 13, 1985
Two scientists named Kevin and Daniel are experimenting with a holographic device. One day they are confronted with a fetus in their machine. Growing, it becomes a woman whose life story fascinates and allures Kevin.
1x29 - I of Newton
December 13, 1985
A frazzled mathematics professor accidentally summons a demon who will let him riddle to get free of the contract he accidentally invoked. The professor, Sam, has three questions to find a task the demon can't accomplish, or a question he can't answer, then challenge him after the questions are answered. The demon appears omnipotent, but Sam gives the demon a simple command: "Get lost." The demon is banished and Sam goes back to work.
1x30 - Night of the Meek
December 20, 1985
A drunken storefront Santa is terminally depressed by the many children who go gift less and starving during Christmas. He is fired from his job at a department store when he shows up late, and subsequently finds a bag that he can pull any present anyone wants from it.
1x31 - But Can She Type?
December 20, 1985
An overworked, underpaid, and under appreciated secretary uses a Xerox machine and wakes up in a parallel reality where no one has heard of her. In this reality, however, secretaries are a revered, rare commodity.
1x32 - The Star
December 20, 1985
Onboard a spaceship an astrophysicist and a priest learn they have discovered a planet long dead and a transmitter emitting a signal for eons. They discover that the planet holds the last remains of a civilization, which died when their star went supernova.
1x33 - Still Life
January 3, 1986
Finding an old trunk, a couple realizes that it has a false bottom containing a 70-year-old film from the Amazon.
1x34 - The Little People of Killany Woods
January 3, 1986
An old Irishman has often been called a fool for his stories about Leprechauns. He catches the leader of "The Little People" and gets greedy.
1x35 - The Misfortune Cookie
January 3, 1986
A young man has had his heart broken recently. At a Chinese restaurant, he reads a fortune about finding new love and it comes true. His life seems perfect until he becomes greedy with his good luck. He only wants to read the fortune cookies. The old Chinese owner advises him of the bad luck of not finishing his meal before reading his fortune.
1x36 - Monsters!
January 24, 1986
A young boy becomes fascinated with the new neighbor next door. The neighbor, Mr. Bendictson, warns him that he cannot stay long, as he is a vampire! The boy is still intrigued, but soon finds out the truth.
1x37 - A Small Talent for War
January 24, 1986
An alien ship arrives at the UN and the alien representative declares his disappointment at Earth's progress. The UN ambassadors plead for 24 hours to resolve their differences. In 24 hours the ambassadors manage to arrange world peace and nuclear disarmament. When the alien returns the ambassadors realize they have misunderstood him entirely.
1x38 - A Matter of Minutes
January 24, 1986
A young married couple discovers that their home is being remodeled by blue-clad workers who are workers of time that build and move objects from one time period to another.
1x39 - The Elevator
January 31, 1986
Two twenty-something brothers go to their father's laboratory to steal his fathers' growth serum research and sell for their own profit. They find a web-like material, which tastes great. They find large plants. Some plants have increased in size more than others. Then they find animals that have also grown in different degrees of magnitude, but they are all dead.
1x40 - To See the Invisible Man
January 31, 1986
For the crime of emotional coldness, Mitchell Chaplin is condemned to social invisibility. For one year he will be branded with an irremovable brand that everyone knows means they must totally ignore him. At first, Chaplin is thrilled at the prospects. However, he soon finds he can't pay his rent, or gain medical treatment.
1x41 - Tooth and Consequences
January 31, 1986
A depressed dentist, Myron Mandel, is visited by the Tooth Fairy, who grants him the wish to be incredibly popular and loved. The wish is granted in full force, and soon Mandel can't handle the endless stream of visitors singing his praises. He flees, only to find himself on a train with a bunch of other hobo/dentists who similarly wished for the same thing.
1x42 - Welcome to Winfield
February 7, 1986
The grim reaper arrives at a hospital to take possession of a dying man. The man's wife rescues him and takes him to the western town of Winfield where residents have been living for hundreds of years. Apparently, the reaper has failed to collect those living there.
1x43 - Quarantine
February 7, 1986
A man is awakened after several hundred years of cryogenic sleep. He finds a world where psychic powers abound. The people there want him to complete a mission that only he can accomplish.
1x44 - Gramma
February 14, 1986
A young boy is left to care for his old, scary grandmother. He finally confronts his fears and steps up to her, finding that she has no pulse. Then Gramma reaches out and grabs him...
1x45 - Personal Demons
February 14, 1986
A screenwriter is having writer's block when strange impish creatures start haunting him. Sadly, only he can see them.
1x46 - Cold Reading
February 14, 1986
An actor arrives at a radio station to perform a radio play. An old voodoo stick is accidentally activated and the play becomes more real that anything anyone expected.
1x47 - The Leprechaun-Artist
February 21, 1986
Vacationing in the United States, an Irish leprechaun is caught by three boys. To be freed, he must grant them three wishes.
1x48 - Dead Run
February 21, 1986
An out-of-work trucker takes on a bizarre job upon the recommendation of a friend: deliveryman of souls to Hell. He soon begins to realize that Hell is essentially out of control, running on momentum, and that the current regime is way too harsh. Resolved, he decides to begin choosing which among the supposed "damned" should try to make their way to Heaven.
1x49 - Profile in Silver
March 7, 1986
A researcher from the future, a descendent of President John F. Kennedy goes back in time to witness his ancestor's death, and inadvertently changes history by saving the President. The researcher accidentally gives away the fact that he is from the future, as Kennedy is "pursued" by a series of hurricanes. The researcher soon realizes that he has irrevocably altered history, and there's only one way to fix it. He travels back in time and takes the President's place, leaving his ancestor free to travel back to the future.
1x50 - Button, Button
March 7, 1986
A mysterious man offers a couple a bizarre deal: if they will push a button on a box that will kill one person they don't know, they will get a million dollars. After some contemplation, the couple goes ahead and pushes the button. The man tells them that they will indeed get the money. And somewhere, sometime, another couple will get the same box, and the same offer...
1x51 - Need to Know
March 21, 1986
On a little town people started going crazy. Edward Sayers is sent by the senator to investigate. He makes the usual tests but doesn't find anything. He traces it to one person with a very special secret...
1x52 - Red Snow
March 21, 1986
A KGB investigator is sent to Siberia to investigate the deaths of communist party officials. Later, he discovers that Stalin's exiles are alive and well. He also discovers dead people drained of blood.
1x53 - Take My Life...Please!
March 28, 1986
A mainstream comedian is killed by the one from whom he stole his work from. When he comes to, he is in one strange stage show, but there is something extremely wrong...
1x54 - Devil's Alphabet
March 28, 1986
A college group holds their "Devil's Alphabet" meeting every year. When one of them dies, all the rest expect foul play.
1x55 - The Library
March 28, 1986
Landing a new job at a private library a girl is warned never to look at the books. Taking a peek she learns that there's a book for everyone alive. When a neighbor pesters her, she rewrites his biography.
1x56 - Shadow Play
April 4, 1986
A condemned man, Adam Grant, insists that everything and everyone around him is a dream: one that he can't wake up from. He claims that every time he is executed, he fails to wake up and must relive the whole thing again. His attorney is originally skeptical, but Grant knows all of the "lines" and can predict things that will happen miles away. His attorney tries to get a stay of execution, but is just too late: Grant is "executed" and wakes up at his trial once more. The players have changed roles, but otherwise everything is the same as he must relive the same events over...and over...and over.
1x57 - Grace Note
April 4, 1986
An opera singer is having a hard time. Her sister is at the hospital dying. Her sick sister leaves a gift: a glimpse into the future when the singer is a world-famous star.
1x58 - A Day in Beaumont
April 11, 1986
In the 1950s a flying saucer crashes on Earth. The crash is seen by a couple. They run into town, but no one believes them.
1x59 - The Last Defender of Camelot
April 11, 1986
"The Last Defender of Camelot" takes place in 1986 in London and, eventually, Cornwall. An extension of the story by Sir Thomas Mallory, a mid-50's man is drawn toward Cornwall with a sense of urgency. He is jumped by 3 young men, who are thrown aside like playthings. The old man forces one of the younger ones to take him to the boss. The boss is a late-30's woman, who reveals herself as Morgana. Lancelot is quested by her to see Merlin, who is asleep in a cave in Cornwall. Lancelot finds Merlin awakened. Merlin has different plans to resurrect a new king. What does the world's oldest magician have up his sleeve? Who can save mankind? Perhaps the Last Defender of Camelot?

The Twilight Zone: All seasons

S0: Specials
6 Episode s
S1: Season 1
59 Episode s
S2: Season 2
21 Episode s
S3: Season 3
30 Episode s

1x3 - Wordplay

1x4 - Dreams for Sale

1x5 - Chameleon

1x6 - Healer

1x7 - Children's Zoo

1x8 - Kentucky Rye

1x9 - Little Boy Lost

1x10 - Wish Bank

1x11 - Nightcrawlers

1x12 - If She Dies

1x13 - Ye Gods

1x14 - Examination Day

1x15 - A Message From Charity

1x16 - Teacher's Aide

1x17 - Paladin of the Lost Hour

1x18 - Act Break

1x19 - The Burning Man

1x20 - Dealer's Choice

1x21 - Dead Woman's Shoes

1x22 - Wong's Lost and Found Emporium

1x23 - The Shadow Man

1x24 - The Uncle Devil Show

1x25 - Opening Day

1x26 - The Beacon

1x27 - One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty

1x28 - Her Pilgrim Soul

1x29 - I of Newton

1x30 - Night of the Meek

1x31 - But Can She Type?

1x32 - The Star

1x33 - Still Life

1x34 - The Little People of Killany Woods

1x35 - The Misfortune Cookie

1x36 - Monsters!

1x37 - A Small Talent for War

1x38 - A Matter of Minutes

1x39 - The Elevator

1x40 - To See the Invisible Man

1x41 - Tooth and Consequences

1x42 - Welcome to Winfield

1x43 - Quarantine

1x44 - Gramma

1x45 - Personal Demons

1x46 - Cold Reading

1x47 - The Leprechaun-Artist

1x48 - Dead Run

1x49 - Profile in Silver

1x50 - Button, Button

1x51 - Need to Know

1x52 - Red Snow

1x53 - Take My Life...Please!

1x54 - Devil's Alphabet

1x55 - The Library

1x56 - Shadow Play

1x57 - Grace Note

1x58 - A Day in Beaumont

1x59 - The Last Defender of Camelot

S0: Specials

S1: Season 1

S2: Season 2

S3: Season 3