The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone (1959)

243 mistakes - chronological order

(9 votes)

The Jungle - S3-E12

Continuity mistake: Richards opens the door and finds a lion on the bed over his wife's body. When the door first opens, the corpse has dark hair and the blanket is twisted and disarrayed. But when the shot cuts to the lion leaping, the corpse's hair is a lighter color and the blanket is neatly spread across the bed. (00:23:40)

Jean G

Five Characters in Search of an Exit - S3-E14

Factual error: When all 5 prisoners stand on each other's shoulders with the ballerina on top, she still can't reach the edge of the cylinder. But when just the 4 men do the same thing and the major throws his rope over the edge, he is somehow far closer to the top than he should be. He ought to be the ballerina's height and then some away - but he isn't. (00:21:30)

Jean G

Nothing in the Dark - S3-E16

Continuity mistake: When the contractor forces his way into Wanda's apartment, she faints, her head landing in the center of the bare floor. But in the following shot, as the contractor leans over her, Wanda's head is at the edge of a large throw rug. (00:15:30)

Jeff Swanson

One More Pallbearer - S3-E17

Continuity mistake: After sounding the "alert" for his guests, Raden turns around to fully face them, and as he addresses the Reverend, from the back his hand is gripping the arm of the chair. In the the next moment, there is a frontal shot, and Raden's hands are folded on his lap.

Movie Nut

Showdown with Rance McGrew - S3-E20

Continuity mistake: The car Rance drives onto the set can be seen in the street from inside the saloon, but disappears when Rance, in character, comes through the swinging doors. It's visible again in the very next shot, but vanishes anew when Jesse James comes through the doors, after which it yet again reappears in the very next shot. (00:04:30 - 00:07:20)

Jean G

Showdown with Rance McGrew - S3-E20

Continuity mistake: Rance McGrew's white horse is tied up with its head just a few inches from the hitching rail, but a moment later is untied and several feet away from the rail. Next shot, it's tied up close again, though no one's touched it. Finally, it's completely loose, and at the episode's end, is wandering into the street. (00:22:00 - 00:23:30)

Jean G

Showdown with Rance McGrew - S3-E20

Factual error: Throughout this episode, the TV western supposedly being filmed lacks several essential elements. There are no clapboards to mark the scenes; the modern-day car is constantly in shot through the swinging doors; and the set is located inside the "real" saloon when it should be on a sound stage.

Jean G

To Serve Man - S3-E24

Other mistake: Chambers asks what time it is on Earth, a strangely vague question to which the Kanamits grant an equally odd answer: on Earth, it is noon. It can't be noon everywhere on Earth at once. While it can be fancifully explained away ("They somehow knew to answer for the time zone he was taken from"), it still jars the viewer, because neither Chambers nor the aliens, both highly intelligent, should make this sort of imprecise mistake. Both director Richard Bare and Damon Knight, author of the original short story, confirmed this as a scriptwriting error that should have been caught before shooting began. (00:02:15)

Jean G

To Serve Man - S3-E24

Revealing mistake: Stock footage used here is far too obviously borrowed from several old movies. While the episode is set in the 60s, people's clothing and all the cars are noticeably many years out of date. (00:03:05)

Jean G

To Serve Man - S3-E24

Factual error: Author Damon Knight was happy with Rod Serling's TV adaptation of his short story - except for the change that allowed the humans to translate the Kanamit language as though it were a code. Said Knight, "Without some sort of interplanetary Rosetta Stone, deciphering an unknown language would be impossible." (00:22:10)

Jean G

To Serve Man - S3-E24

Factual error: As well as the obvious problem with translating an unknown language as if it was a code, there is no chance that the word "serve" would have the same double meaning in English and Kanamit. It would be like the word "dope" and its French equivalent meaning "idiot" and "illegal drugs" in both languages.

Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: Just as astronauts on the International Space Station and the Shuttle before that had to.

The Fugitive - S3-E25

Other mistake: Old Ben duplicates Jenny so she can accompany him to his home planet. As he can turn into anything, he should be able to approximate her height. When the now twins walk out, the girl on the right is a couple of inches taller than the girl on the left. Not only that, but her hair is noticeably darker.

Movie Nut

Little Girl Lost - S3-E26

Audio problem: For reasons unknown, the child's voice throughout this episode is played by an adult actress trying to sound childlike - and the unconvincing imitation is painfully obvious. (00:19:25)

Jean G

The Obsolete Man - S2-E29

[A bomb in Wadsworth's room is seconds from going off, causing the Chancellor to panic].
Chancellor: Please, please let me out. In the name of God, let me out. Let me out! Let me out!
Wadsworth: Yes, Chancellor. In the name of God, I will let you out.

More quotes from The Twilight Zone

Come Wander with Me - S5-E34

Trivia: Producer William Froug rejected an extremely nervous young singer/actress auditioning for the part of Mary Rachel, and recalls thinking that "I'll probably kick myself. She'll probably be a big star." He turned out to be right on both counts. The aspiring young singer's name was Liza Minnelli.

Jean G

More trivia for The Twilight Zone

The Trade-Ins - S3-E31

Question: Who portrayed the female 'new model' alongside the male 'new model' (Edson Stroll)? She did not have a speaking part.

More questions & answers from The Twilight Zone

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