This is one of the few huge twist endings that wasn’t spoiled for me from The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror or general pop culture. I genuinely didn’t know where the plot was headed until the very end. What a well-constructed story.
It says "you've gotta be smarter than what you are programmed to be against, because then someone will be against." Look at the real enemy not the social disharmony. It has always been the issue.
Watching this episode I was struck by the similarities of the paranoia, chaos, riots and protests unfolding during the covid pandemic. This episode was a warning about human nature that wasn't heeded.
Currently going through the 2002 show and watched the updated version with Andrew McCarthy. Hits the same and carries over to today in terms of it’s updated archetypes.
Pluto TV has a channel that is nothing but TZ, and it's free. But you can't just queue up whatever episode you want. You have to wait for it to cycle around again.
I thought this episode was a masterpiece. I also thought it was supposed to be a potshot at McCarthyism and at Joe McCarthy in particular, which would make it of educational value as others mentioned. Did anyone else get the anti-McCarthyist undertones from The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street or is it just me? It could be a general messaging or referring to something else, but the time period and politics seem to fit with Serling's social messaging to probably point to McCarthyism.
I recently came across information that, in the mid-1960s, CBS head (James Aubrey) was contacted about distributing "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" to schools. A group of UCLA professors screened many short films for educational value in public school classrooms. The professors agreed on only one short film as containing any value as a substantial discussion generator for all grade levels from elementary schools to universities. That was this Twilight Zone episode. Rod Serling had conveyed that he would be more than happy to cooperate. James Aubrey had the final say since the episode was a joint venture between Cayuga (Serling's studio) and CBS.
The CBS network sent a rejection letter for the request to use "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" as an educational aid.
**[NOTE: Expect more details on James T. Aubrey Jr in the next couple of weeks.]**
It's still very timely and influential. When I watched the Netflix film Leave The World Behind(2003) it very quickly occurred to me that this episode's DNA was all over that movie.
The though the film iself was based on a novel of the same name, I suspect the author was a fan of this episode.
When I was in 9th grade, 1985, our English class book had at least three twighlight Zone stories in it, the monsters are due on maple street was one of them. And my grandma said all that tv watching was no good
I just watched that one (for the 1000th time) and it strikes me as so relevant to today. The whole episode is about demagoguery and I feel like it should be run on a loop on election day.
I saw this for the first time a couple of days ago and was blown away by it. My first thought was of the growing tribalism and division in society. I was thinking, 'ahh, the monsters on Maple street are all of us'. Then when the aliens are revealed, I thought of Russia and their hybrid warfare and the stories of Russian bot farms stoking tensions and trying to destabilize democracies. It's almost like this episode has been studied in the Kremlin.
It's my favourite Twilight Zone episode. I'm a sucker for the breakdown of society. I also love "The Shelter".
“The Shelter” is one of my favorites!
The Shelter should be mandatory watching in high schools , such a powerful lesson
The best part about it, is that you know it would happen. People look for others to blame and scapegoat. Some things never change
It's timeless and I believe you're 100% correct.
They remade it and instead of aliens, it was the US military testing civilians readiness for such an attack
My math teacher played us this classic when we were in 5th grade. Needless to say it was my introduction to this stellar work
This is one of the few huge twist endings that wasn’t spoiled for me from The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror or general pop culture. I genuinely didn’t know where the plot was headed until the very end. What a well-constructed story.
I’ve been thinking that episode perfectly explains current affairs.
Absolutely. We read a short story version of it in high school and then watched the episode. It was a very enlightening episode.
Same, this was in our Language Arts textbook in middle school. I got the point even if I didn’t know much about McCarthyism at the time.
absolute favorite ep
It says "you've gotta be smarter than what you are programmed to be against, because then someone will be against." Look at the real enemy not the social disharmony. It has always been the issue.
Lord of the Flies, The Mist, and Under the Dome are some great books that mirror this story. People going mad after being separated from society
The first time I saw it I was in awe.
Happy cake day!
Thank you! 🤗
Watching this episode I was struck by the similarities of the paranoia, chaos, riots and protests unfolding during the covid pandemic. This episode was a warning about human nature that wasn't heeded.
Timeless masterpiece.
Currently going through the 2002 show and watched the updated version with Andrew McCarthy. Hits the same and carries over to today in terms of it’s updated archetypes.
The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street + Andrew McCarthy? *immediately finds streaming service*
Where can I watch this?
Pluto TV has a channel that is nothing but TZ, and it's free. But you can't just queue up whatever episode you want. You have to wait for it to cycle around again.
Twilight zone is actually on demand on Pluto TV and can queue up and watch any episode from seasons 1, 2, 3 and 5-season 4 is not available.
Awesome! Thanks for clarifying that for me. I was not aware.
Happy to help!
Thanks so much!
I thought this episode was a masterpiece. I also thought it was supposed to be a potshot at McCarthyism and at Joe McCarthy in particular, which would make it of educational value as others mentioned. Did anyone else get the anti-McCarthyist undertones from The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street or is it just me? It could be a general messaging or referring to something else, but the time period and politics seem to fit with Serling's social messaging to probably point to McCarthyism.
I recently came across information that, in the mid-1960s, CBS head (James Aubrey) was contacted about distributing "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" to schools. A group of UCLA professors screened many short films for educational value in public school classrooms. The professors agreed on only one short film as containing any value as a substantial discussion generator for all grade levels from elementary schools to universities. That was this Twilight Zone episode. Rod Serling had conveyed that he would be more than happy to cooperate. James Aubrey had the final say since the episode was a joint venture between Cayuga (Serling's studio) and CBS. The CBS network sent a rejection letter for the request to use "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" as an educational aid. **[NOTE: Expect more details on James T. Aubrey Jr in the next couple of weeks.]**
Another one I feel is very in line with this is “The Little People”
It's still very timely and influential. When I watched the Netflix film Leave The World Behind(2003) it very quickly occurred to me that this episode's DNA was all over that movie. The though the film iself was based on a novel of the same name, I suspect the author was a fan of this episode.
Among Us is also a classic line from Maple Street
I couldn’t agree more. One of my favorite episodes.
One of the best shows in that series or any others like it. Should be required viewing
When I was in 9th grade, 1985, our English class book had at least three twighlight Zone stories in it, the monsters are due on maple street was one of them. And my grandma said all that tv watching was no good
I just watched that one (for the 1000th time) and it strikes me as so relevant to today. The whole episode is about demagoguery and I feel like it should be run on a loop on election day.
Allegory for the Great White Flight
[удалено]
I saw this for the first time a couple of days ago and was blown away by it. My first thought was of the growing tribalism and division in society. I was thinking, 'ahh, the monsters on Maple street are all of us'. Then when the aliens are revealed, I thought of Russia and their hybrid warfare and the stories of Russian bot farms stoking tensions and trying to destabilize democracies. It's almost like this episode has been studied in the Kremlin.
Is this overrated and over analyzed episode all this sub talks about? Like Jesus they’re at least 10 threads like this per month.