Veteran actor James Daly (Tyne's father) stars as Gart Williams, a burned-out New York City Advertising Executive who's being driven to an early grave by his demanding job and miserable blustery boss, Mr. Misrell (Howard Smith). Williams' wife Janie (Patricia Donahue) is equally unsympathetic to his frustrations and pressures and continually berates him for his perceived weakness. She's only interested in him making it to the top, no matter what the cost to his health and happiness. On the train coming home to his house in a nearby Connecticut suburb, Williams has a dream about an idyllic small town called Willoughby. It's just the place he's looking for because it's stuck in the past (1890's) and nobody seems to be under any 20th Century pressures. The sun is shining, the boys are out cat-fishing and the band is playing in the town square. "Next stop, Willoughby" he hears from a late 19th Century conductor. But it's all a dream and he soon awakens to reality. However, the vision of Willoughby reappears in his dreams and Williams soon becomes entirely enthused about the idea of being a citizen of this newfound town. After more stressful days on the job, Williams unfortunately decides to get off the next time the train "stops" at Willoughby. As it turns out, there truly IS a Willoughby nearby---but not the same one he was looking for.
Willoughby is a place that writer Serling clearly had in mind for people like Gart Williams---and himself. It's serene, peaceful, and a place where a man can take full measure of his life. Serling was under constant pressure himself during his career and he may have been writing about his own need to literally "jump off the train." That's exactly what poor Gart Williams does. Whether he truly ends up in a nice place similar to Willoughby is left to the viewer's imagination. One thing is certain, this quaint little town called Willoughby is located in the Twilight Zone.
Willoughby is a place that writer Serling clearly had in mind for people like Gart Williams---and himself. It's serene, peaceful, and a place where a man can take full measure of his life. Serling was under constant pressure himself during his career and he may have been writing about his own need to literally "jump off the train." That's exactly what poor Gart Williams does. Whether he truly ends up in a nice place similar to Willoughby is left to the viewer's imagination. One thing is certain, this quaint little town called Willoughby is located in the Twilight Zone.