Mirror Image (26 Feb. 1960)
"The Twilight Zone" Mirror Image (original title)

While waiting in a bus station, Millicent Barnes has the strange feeling that her doppelganger is trying to take over her life.

Director:

John Brahm

Writer:

Rod Serling

Stars:

Rod Serling, Vera Miles, Martin Milner

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Rod Serling	...	Narrator (voice)
Vera Miles	...	Millicent Barnes
Martin Milner	...	Paul Grinstead
Joseph Hamilton	...	Ticket Agent (as Joe Hamilton)
Naomi Stevens	...	Washroom Attendant
Therese Lyon	...	Old Woman (as Terese Lyon)
Ferris Taylor	...	Passenger
Edwin Rand	...	Bus Driver

Storyline

Millicent Barnes is waiting in the bus station waiting for her bus to Courtland to arrive. The weather outside is dreadful and the bus is over half an hour late already. When she inquires the station clerk chides her for constantly asking when it will arrive. The only thing is it's the first time he's asked him anything. When she goes to the powder room the cleaning lady suggests she was just in there, she begins to worry that she's going mad. A good Samaritan, Paul Grinstead, tries to help her out but soon realizes there may be an explanation for what is happening after all.

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Plot Keywords:

bus station | doppelganger | orders to kill | narrator | double | 

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1960 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cayuga Productions, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rod Serling claimed one of his real-life experiences inspired this story.

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Quotes

Narrator: [Closing Narration] Obscure metaphysical explanation to cover a phenomenon, reasons dredged out of the shadows to explain away that which cannot be explained. Call it parallel planes or just insanity. Whatever it is, you find it in the Twilight Zone.

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Connections

Featured in American Masters: Rod Serling: Submitted for Your Approval (1995)

User Reviews

Superb and Imaginative

This Twilight Zone episode is one of the very best. It involves a beautiful young woman (Vera Miles) sitting in a bus station. As she waits for the bus, which is a half hour late, strange things begin to happen. She talks to the crotchety ticket agent who tell her to quit asking him questions over and over. She has never talked to him before. Then a lady in the women's bathroom asks her if she is OK. She claims she talked to her before. She has never been in the bathroom before. Her luggage keeps moving around. She also sees herself sitting on a bench from the the bathroom mirror. Enter Martin Milner who tries to help her sort things out. He can't help. She tries to board her bus, but there, in one of the window seats, is she. This has so much going for it: suspense, terror, a cool science fiction theme of the parallel universe. Watch this one if you have not seen it before.