Nightmare as a Child

This is one I like, it's not quite a favorite of mine but good all the same. It's another really different entry in the series (but then again that's part of what the show is about) it kinda feels more like an anthology tale for "Alfred Hichcock Presents" as it's more of a psychological suspense thriller, but I like tales like that for the show it's kinda a breather from the usual fare.

I really like the dynamic between both Helen and Markie. Markie is an interesting character as she seems to know about every exact single detail of Helen and her past, it made me wonder if the kid was psychic because no one could ever know those intimate details unless Helen disclosed them to the girl which she never did as she's never seen her in her life.

You can say in a way it's kinda the reverse in the dynamic between Councelor and Student because this time it's the kid that is Helen's Councelor. Like any councelor Markie is really trying to get Helen to open up, help her remember her lost childhood. It's a little tense as the kid is constantly challenging Helen and Helen is still blocking or in a state of denial which makes the interplay a bit realistic because most victims of a certain trama in their lives have trouble opening up but most of all dealing with their internal issue.

It's really suspenseful because I honestly felt Helen had to remember not just to save her sanity but her life. Though it got even more suspenseful when the guy came into her loft. I honestly felt uncomfortable and concerned for Helen's life when he came in, I honestly didn't trust the guy because of three things: 1. It's a little too coincidental that he would suddenly see her on the street one day, those kinds of coincidences don't exist. 2. If he knew a lot about Helen's past why wouldn't he disclose all the details? 3. His smile didn't like the look of it, it's a crocodile smile.

Time for Helen is not on her side and her only way out is though the past.

Rating: 3 stars

Janice Rule plays school teacher Helen Foley, who, after returning home from work, is confronted by a talkative little girl named Markie(played by Terry Burnham) who looks strangely familiar, but Helen just can't place her, despite Markie's constant prompting. Then a man from Helen's past returns into her life when he knocks on her door, reminding Helen that he knew her deceased mother and her many years ago, and that now he has come back for a most sinister reason... Interesting episode has a quite sophisticated idea at its heart, even if it is now rather obvious. Certainly a unique tale in the series canon, if not that well remembered.

Were I giving out TZ Oscars, I'd give one to Janice Rule for her compelling turn as the troubled Helen Foley. And while I'm at it, I'd give a junior-sized one to little Terry Burnham as the sinister 10-year old girl, Markie. Between them, they really grab viewers though nothing much happens except the subtle dialog. Just who is this kid, and how is it she knows so much about the adult Helen and her mother's mysterious death. Overall, it's psychological drama at TZ's most insidious, and more dependent on good acting than most.

I really like that initial staging where little Markie sits on the stairs as if she's just stepped down from above, like from Helen's brain or maybe the Twilight Zone itself. Plus, she's so angelic looking. Could she be Serling's version of the Bad Seed (1956) despite her innocent looks. All in all, it's another first-rate installment from the series's magical first year.

Not the best of the show, not as exciting as other stories but cool to watch, agreeable enough to justify the twenty six minutes watch. It is question of nightmare, childhood trauma, the eerie and fantasy elements that could have made this story included in ONE STEP BEYOND tv anthology show, also dedicated to unexplained events, some kind of cousin anthology series to TWILIGHT ZONE. So, yes, this is a cute story, that you can easily show to your family. This plot could have been made for a long length movie. I love the woman lead character, her face, her eyes, she is vvery convincing in this role.

I've seen just about every episode of the Twilight Zone, and I can say with relative confidence that this one scared me the most (and still does). Yes, it's pretty obvious what's really going on by the time it's revealed but people who say this is a detriment to the story misunderstand that this is really a suspense story not a mystery. The main source of anxiety on the viewer's part is the question of "when will Helen figure it out? Will it be in time?" The moment of realization for Helen is paired with the scariest cut in Twilight Zone history (in my opinion). The acting is really great and the casting was perfect.