Five Characters in Search of an Exit

"Five Characters In Search of An Exit" clearly has to be one of the more clever and better "Twilight Zone" episodes ever made because of it's abstract ideas and thoughtful plan where the characters have to search to discover identity and it ends as a surprise. You have a military major, a female dancer, bag pipe player, a clown, and hobo who all awake together in the bottom of a wall and none know how they got there and they don't know who they are. So the episode starts out with very interesting drama and suspense from the very beginning making it so soul searching for the viewers interest to want to know the characters true identity and backgrounds. Plus the episode even adds more intrigue for the fact it places different types of characters with different views and lifestyles all with one goal in common to escape and find identity, and peace that's very compelling for the viewer. Only in the end I don't want to spoil for those who haven't seen a surprise fall happens! Proving that many times you might want to stay where you are away in your little sheltered world and be away from the masses of other people's world as you will see the characters are loved in a different way by people in a much different form. Really great and cleverly done a real shock twist surprise that makes the viewer see the unexpected and cruel fate that happens sometimes when you search and seek.

This one will either delight you or drive you crazy, or quite possibly both. William Windom plays the Major with no memory of who he is (the actor was brilliant in the Serling scripted 'They're Tearing Down Tim Riley's Bar' in 'Night Gallery') and searching for his identity. He is confined in the austere setting of four high walls and the first person he meets to converse with is a Clown with a flower in his hat and a similar identity crisis. The Ballerina is played by Susan Harrison (from 'The Sweet Smell of Success') with a serene and dreamy quality.

The fun is to escape the 21st century for a while to enjoy the mysterious appeal of this puzzling TZ entry. You might be groaning a little at the end - but wasn't it fun to guess along with the characters?

Cube (1997) is based on this spectacular episode & it's vastly intelligent; abundantly benevolent and nightmarishly perfect!

Five people - an Army Major, a ballet dancer, a clown, a hobo and a bagpiper - find themselves locked in an unknown place. They don't know their names or how they got there. They are determined to escape.

Very clever episode of The Twilight Zone. Set up very well - the mystery, the intrigue, the lack of characters' backstories or even names. Plot develops well and the conclusion is both unpredictable and wonderfully sentimental.

Excellent episode.

While researching Susan Harrison (The Ballerina) in reference to a Bonanza Episode, I was reminded of this gem.

This episode is the inspiration for Dylan's "All Along the Watch Tower" (Hendrix's cover is probably as well know and is one of his best) which is one of HIS best.

Thus this episode is responsible for several 'bests' - not bad for approximately 22 minutes of television.

But this is "The Twilight Zone". Further comment of the series is unnecessary.

'5 Characters' is typical Serling. Intense, dramatic, barreling toward an end that is as inevitable in hindsight as it is surprising the first time you see it.

This episode is spoiled in one sentence and is too good to spoil for any who have not seen it.

But you will feel ambushed. And you will never listen to Hendrix with the same ears again.