Rob enjoys a scary televised sci-fi movie while Laura cowers in fear from it, but the next day details of that movie, where Earthlings are being taken over, appear to be coming true.Rob enjoys a scary televised sci-fi movie while Laura cowers in fear from it, but the next day details of that movie, where Earthlings are being taken over, appear to be coming true.Rob enjoys a scary televised sci-fi movie while Laura cowers in fear from it, but the next day details of that movie, where Earthlings are being taken over, appear to be coming true.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe thousands of walnuts used for the scene of Laura descending from the closet were supplied to the show by walnut wholesalers. Rob Petrie actor, Dick Van Dyke recalled that the actors and crew were allowed to eat as many walnuts as they wanted - eventually causing many of them intestinal problems from over-consumption of the low-fiber nut meat. After the show, the producers returned any unbroken walnuts to the wholesalers - most of which ended up on store shelves.
- GoofsAfter the famous closet scene (done in one take) Rob gets the feeling that he is dreaming and he asks Laura to hit him to wake him up, but he says, "I gotta get my thumb backs!", not "...thumbs back", most likely not re-shot due to not wanting to have to re-shoot a cumbersome scene.
- Quotes
Robert 'Rob' Petrie: Laura was getting even with me this morning because I scared her last night.
Buddy Sorrell: You scared her? What'd you do? Show up?
Robert 'Rob' Petrie: [Chuckling] Nah, I was pretending that I was this guy, Kolak, who breathes water.
Sally Rogers: Oh, yeah. The four-eyed monster they threw out of the U.N. He came from the planet Twilo.
Robert 'Rob' Petrie: Did you see that picture?
Sally Rogers: No. Did they make a picture outta that?
Robert 'Rob' Petrie: Last night, on television.
Sally Rogers: Noooo. I was at the U.N. the day it happened. Listen, if this guy didn't have those four eyes, I'd have married him.
- ConnectionsFeatured in TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All-Time (1997)
This has been flagged as one of the most funniest episodes of all time, and it's a must for Dick Van Dyke Show completists. No question, what with the enormous popularity of the TWILIGHT ZONE at the time, the gang had to put this one together.
10 Stars. Well earned.
Rob and Laura watch an eerie late night horror flick... and comes the next day... or next nightmare. Ron awakens to find a walnut trail around the house, this all leading to a super alien who resembles Danny Thomas? Has the earth been taken over? Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Thomas was the executive producer of the show, so why not add him to the insanity.
The ULTIMATE surprise is the exploding closet full of walnuts, and "alien duplicate" Laura casually rolling out onto the floor! One you have to see, and expertly filmed as it would have taken a lot of time and effort to keep re-shooting the same scene. It had to have been done in one take and it's perfect, and a bit ominous. All us kids loved this kind of stuff back in the day.
As the last reviewer noted, yes, applause to Dick Van Dyke for some priceless expressions as to what the heck is going on in his otherwise serene, suburban world. Jerry Paris did an excellent job directing, particularly Mary Tyler Moore, as we have never seen her before, though she was no stranger to dramatic roles either. She appeared on many cop shows early in her career. I remember Mary briefly discussing this episode years ago on a talk show, explaining that rolling out of a closet with literally thousands of walnuts was easier said than done, but it all went fast and they got the shot they wanted.
Production notes indicate the nuts were acquired from a local wholesaler, which were used for the scene and then returned? The cast and crew were also allowed to help themselves and some obviously got sick from consuming TOO many. The closet scene had to have been inspired by the likes of the Three Stooges, and even Abbott and Costello's off the wall tv show, which usually had Costello being buried alive in something.
Another quick note; around this time was a popular sci-fi flick called, THE DAY MARS INVADED EARTH (1962), all about a scientist's family being duplicated by aliens? It was one of those really weird drive-in chillers, and well done, starring Kent Taylor. Watch for it as its fun and could have been the springboard to this story.
Another example of the cast having a good time with a super script. From SEASON 2 EPISODE 20 remastered dvd box set.
- tcchelsey
- Oct 15, 2023
Details
- Runtime30 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1