Nightmare at 20,000 Feet

Season 5, Episode 3, Aired
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Episode Summary

Mr. Wilson believes he sees a gremlin on the wing of the commercial aircraft he is taking back home... from the sanitarium, where he has been committed for six months after a mental breakdown during a similar flight.
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Fan Episode Reviews (8)

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  • GRRR I'm a creature on the plane!

    9.0
    "Superb"
    By Brian4663, Jan 02, 2012 Report Abuse
    Great episode but I wish someone besides William Shatner played the role. He did a good job but Shatner is the "Star Trek" man not the "Twilight Zone" man. The gremlin looks great but not as scary as Twilight Zone the movie in the 1980's. This overall might be the second scariest of the series. Behind "Eye of the beholder."

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  • A paranoid masterpiece!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By jawsthecabbie, Feb 17, 2009 Report Abuse
    This is perhaps one of the most fondly remembered episodes of The Twilight Zone. Anybody undergoing treatment for severe anxiety disorders had probably better skip this one! I wonder how many people actually canceled important business trips or long awaited family reunions after seeing this episode for the first time because they had to fly. It might be interesting to check the business records of all the major airlines at the time this episode first aired, and to listen in on some of the board discussions of some the major airlines generated by this one episode. "Gee, thanks a lot Rod you #@*^$#!"
    Fans of The Twilight Zone won out, however, and had something to talk about for years to come. What a great story!moreless

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  • A businessman (William Shatner) on a red-eye flight sees a gremlin trying to destroy one of the plane's engines, but he cannot convince anyone else of the imminent danger.

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By puddleglum5999, Nov 28, 2008 Report Abuse
    Out of 156 TZ episodes, there are a handful that seemingly everyone has seen at least once. This episode makes the short list. Between the original episode, the TZ movie remake in 1983 with John Lithgow, and various other homages in movies and TV (3rd Rock, Ace Ventura, etc.), this is one episode that, perhaps more than any other, has crossed over into mainstream cultural consciousness.

    The story, adapted by Richard Matheson from his own short story, is taut and suspenseful. While William Shatner falls into the same fraternity as Leslie Nielsen and Adam West in terms of overall talent (better suited to self-parody than serious acting), he actually does a pretty good job here of not overacting--quite a statement for him.

    I once read that Matheson was unhappy with how "fake" the gremlin looked, but considering that we're talking about early-1960s FX (and for TV, at that), it doesn't look bad. And the final shot of the wing leaves a lasting imprint. In all, this episode is well-deserving of its reputation.moreless

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  • a gremlin on an airplane

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By 6tacky, Jul 06, 2008 Report Abuse
    well theres a guy named robert wilson has just recovered from a nervous breakdown after an airplane flight, making him terified of airplanes. he is now riding one on a dark and stormy night. he sees a monster on the wings and becomes very nervous. the strange thing however, is that whenever he tries to show it to someone it mysteriosly goes away. eventually he throws open the window and shoots down the monster. was it his imagination? my sister and i were both terefied of this episode when we were young. they did a pretty darn good job of making the monster considering the time the show was made.moreless

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  • After recovering from a nervous breakdown, Robert Wilson and his wife board a flight for home. During the flight, Wilson sees a creature on the wing of the plane. He tries to convinve himself the creature isn't real, but he soon realizes it is.moreless

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By meathead704, May 21, 2008 Report Abuse
    This classic episode of "The Twilight Zone" is rock solid proof that William Shatner is capeable of giving an excellent performance. I am a huge "Star Trek" fan but I must say that Shatner's performance here rivals every bit of acting he has done on that show or anything else. He is not the only reason why this episode is teriffic. The well written script and the nail biting suspense are another reason why this episode works so well. One vieweing of this episode and you will imeediaitley realize why this episode is as popular today as it was then.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • Trivia

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    • If he had opened a hatch at the altitude described, the cabin would have de-pressurized. Edit

  • Notes

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    • This episode was remade as a segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Edit
    • Included on volume 2 of Image-Entertainment's DVD collection. Edit
    • Some of the music in this episode was "borrowed" from Jerry Goldsmith's score to Episode 49, "Back There." Edit

  • Quotes

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    • Bob: I know I had a mental breakdown. I know I had it in an airplane. I know it looks to you as if the same thing's happening again, but it isn't. I'm sure it isn't. Look, the reason I'm telling you this... isn't just to worry you. You notice I didn't tell you before. Julia: I want you to tell me. Bob: I didn't tell you before because I wasn't sure whether it was real or not. But I am sure now. It is real. There's a man out there. Or a... a gremlin, or... whatever. If I described him to you, you'd really think I was gone. Edit
    • Bob: Honey, you remember what I told you before about seeing something outside? Julia: Yes. Bob: Julia, there's a man out there! Edit
    • Bob: Just a little... abject cowardice, that's all. I'm going to be all right. Had a teensy weensy breakdown. But now, I'm cured. Understanding--it's wonderful. It isn't the airplane at all. Overtension and overanxiety due to underconfidence. Edit

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