"The Twilight Zone" Number 12 Looks Just Like You (1964)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Abner Biberman

Writers:

Charles Beaumont (writer) and
John Tomerlin (writer) ...

TV Series:

"The Twilight Zone" (1959)

Original Air Date:

24 January 1964 (Season 5, Episode 17)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Horror | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Plot:

In a future society everyone must undergo an operation at age 19 to become beautiful and conform to society. One young woman desperately wants to hold onto her own identity. |

Plot Keywords:

Young Woman | Physical Appearance | Law | Surgery | Based On Short Story

Cast

Collin Wilcox Paxton	...	Marilyn Cuberle (as Collin Wilcox)
Richard Long	...	Uncle Rick / Dr. Rex / Professor Sigmund Friend
Pamela Austin	...	Valerie / Marilyn (as Pam Austin)
Suzy Parker	...	Lana Cuberle / Simmons / Grace / Doe / Jane / #12

Runtime:

25 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Cayuga Productions

Quotes:

Marilyn Cuberle: I'm not ugly. I'm not pretty but I'm not ugly.
Dr. Rex: [laughs] But to other people, you are!

Great morality play on the value of individuality and the dangers of conformity

I think this is an underrated episode. It rails against the cookie-cutter suburban uniformity that was running rampant in the late 50's and early 60's by taking it to its logical extreme at a time in the distant future. It also speaks to now, with shows like What Not To Wear on TLC being popular. I'm not saying that What Not To Wear is bad or evil, but it walks a very fine line between being a makeover show that helps people be more confident about themselves and being like this episode of the Twilight Zone. It wouldn't take much to make a show like What Not To Wear cross the line, and episodes like this one make us aware of that fine line and alert us to the dangers of crossing it.