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The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 28

Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up

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9.1

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AIRED: 5/26/61

Troopers follow the tracks from a frozen pond, into a diner. Inside they find a soda jerk, a bus driver and his seven passengers. The bus driver is certain only six people boarded his bus…

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Fan Episode Reviews (6)

Perfection

10

By MagicMocha, Nov 02, 2012

My favorite episode. A nice twist ending, I read some where that there was supposed to be a dog in the diner that was supposed to get the last word and say "that's what you think" and wink to the camera. If they ever make a remake or another movie I want this one, "The Hunt" and "Hocus pocus and Frisby" done in color.
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The Hidden

9.4

By sh811a, Oct 24, 2007

This episode is sort of the classic "Whodunnit" mystery somewhat similar toward John Carpenter's "The Thing" and it's done right.

The name of the game of course is paranoia. Basically we have seven characters all of them strangers, only one of them is of course the alien. What's interesting about this whole story is that fact none of them every really give out there names in this story. We only can determine them by character, in a way this whole episode is sort of about the common unknowing about other people, how much we know and don't know about someone.

We see when a lot of strange things happen a lot of people are pointing fingers at each other without any concrete facts. One example would be an engaged couple when the female half gets suspisious of her own man when she recalls rather obsurely something that happened in the past with him as well as some of his changing behavior. This sort of reflects the common fear a lot of couples hold toward one another, the fear that their significant other could be a total stranger from the secrets they tend to hide.

And of course we see the observations from a lot of other people. From one old man that acts rather goofy, most people will probably think it's him but I knew it could be him that was way too obvious plus there are a lot of guys that are as odd as him. A woman whom looks like your common new girl in town, the suspission on her is a little ironic because it reminds me of a common thing a lot of kids sometimes do in school when they single out a new kid as automatically a target of prejudice, this according to psychology is because of human subconcous fear of the new and different some people can't adapt very well that they have to protect themselves because they fear that a certain change could threaten their livelyhood. And of course the ending was great it was a double twist. I never really guessed who it was because there just wasn't enough concrete evidence to point a finger at anyone, though I'm a little sad that I didn't pick up on this guy. The Businessman, I probably should of known if you look at most of the episode he was the character that no one really pointed a finger at much, let alone the fact that he exersise a lot of that common capitalistic hostility.

Anyway the ending was both funny and a little scary at the same time, because of coruse we see that there isn't just one alien but two.

We can never fully know who a person is, because when you least expect it he or she may'be a total stranger, hidden by a veil of deception.moreless
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You didnt know what was going to happen at all.

10

By FrankDK1995, Aug 02, 2007

In this episode its about these cops that see footprints coming from the lake out of this big spaceship-meteor like thing. They follow them to a local diner and there is the bus driver and seven people in there (other than the person at the counter.....) the bus driver only picked up six people (the seventh came from the lake) and the cops were trying to figure out who it was but couldnt. so later after everybody took the bus home one guy (he was the guy that was saying that there were no such things as aliens) came in and was talking about how the bus crashed in to the lake on the way home! (but he wasnt wet!!! because he was an alien)and about how Earth would be a nice place to colonize for the people from Mars! Then....(this was so unexpected)the counter guy behind the counter was like "i do agree with you this would be a nice place to colonize, but for the people in Venus" Then he pulls of his hat and reveals a third eye on the top of his head!!!!! Oh my gosh that was unexpected !!!! here is the exact words of what the countermen and that guy that came in that was the alien said and the narrator (I copied it from tv.com)

Counterman: Hey, uh, didn't you, uh, what I mean is... Didn't you go out on that bus? Businessman: I did indeed. Oh, yes, I went out on that bus. And you know something? That bridge wasn't safe. It collapsed. The state police car, the bus, everything -- kerplunk -- right into the river. It was a terrible scene. No one got out.

Counterman (incredulous): Except you.

Businessman: Except me. Lucky, I guess, huh?

Counterman: Very lucky. But... but...

Businessman: But what?

Counterman: You're not even wet.

Businessman: Wet? What's "wet"?

Counterman: What do you mean "what's wet"? You landed in the river but you're clothes are all dry.

Businessman: An illusion, that's all. Just an illusion. Like that jukebox playing in the corner. That's an illusion, too. (the jukebox stops playing)

Businessman: Or that telephone ringing.

(the phone rings)

Businessman: That's an illusion. Just a parlor trick.

Counterman: What are ya, some kind of magician?

(a thrid arm emerges from under the businessman's coat. He's uses it to help light a cigarette)

Businessman: Who, me? Oh, hardly. Now, uh, before you, uh, faint dead away, I ought to explain that the name isn't really Ross. And I wasn't really going to Boston. No, I was sent as a kind of advanced scout. You know these, uh, cigarettes, do you call them? They taste wonderful. We haven't got a thing like this on Mars. That's, incidentally, where I come from. We're beginning to colonize. My friends will be arriving very shortly. I think they're going to like it here. Lovely area, so... so remote, so pleasant, so off-the-beaten track. Just the perfect spot for a colony, don't you think, Mr. Haley? While we're waiting, how about a little what you call music? Counterman: I don't mind. I have to do a little waiting myself. You see, Mr. Ross, my name isn't Haley. And I do agree with you, this is an extraordinary place to colonize. We folks on Venus had the same idea. We got it several years ago. And I think I really ought to tell you now that your friends are not coming. They've been intercepted. Oh, a colony is coming. But it's from Venus. And if you're still alive, I think you'll see how we differ. (the counterman removes his hat revealing a third eye)

Counterman: And I agree with you about what they call music. Why don't you play some?

(the counterman bursts out laughing) (edit) Closing Narration

Narrator: "Incident on a small island, to be believed or disbelieved. However, if a sour-faced dandy named Ross or a big, good-natured counterman who handles a spatula as if he'd been born with one in his mouth, if either of these two entities walks onto your premises, you'd better hold their hands - all three of them - or check the color of their eyes - all three of them. The gentleman in question might try to pull you into... the Twilight Zone." (edit) (this is the narration at the beginning of the episode)

Opening Narration

Narrator: "Wintry February night, the present. Order of events: a phone call from a frightened woman notating the arrival of an unidentified flying object, and the check-out you've just witnessed with two state troopers verifying the event, but with nothing more enlightening to add beyond evidence of some tracks leading across the highway to a diner. You've heard of trying to find a needle in a haystack? Well, stay with us now and you'll be a part of an investigating team whose mission is not to find that proverbial needle, no, their task is even harder. They've got to find a Martian in a diner, and in just a moment you'll search with them, because you've just landed in the Twilight Zone."moreless
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This is my favorite episode! The ending was great and unexpected.

10

By LOSTismylife, Mar 24, 2007

"Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?" has to be my favorite Twilight Zone episode. It was one of the first episodes that I saw. During the whole episode I was racking my brain trying to figure out who the real martian was. Then at the end it turns out that he was in there the entire time and no one even expected him; it was the diner owner. I loved the conversation between the business man and the counter worker at the end. It was completely awesome. I loved his laugh at the end. It was a little scary. This episode just proves what a great writer Rod Serling was. This was truly a classic.moreless
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Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up is the first episode of The Twilight Zone I would show someone to get them hooked.

9.6

By tvloverduh, Jul 04, 2006

Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up really showcases all the elements of The Twilight Zone that make the show such a classic fourty some odd years later. This episode in paticular was fantastic. The cast was great and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time wonering who the alien was. This is such a great episode and one you have to see.

9.6
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Cast & Crew: STARS

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Rod Serling

Narrator/Host

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Cast & Crew: RECURRING AND GUESTS

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John Hoyt	Ross	Guest Star
Jean Willes	Ethel McConnell	Guest Star
Jack Elam	Avery	Guest Star

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (0)
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QUOTES (3)
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- Haley: Hey, uh, didn't you, uh, what I mean is... Didn't you go out on that bus?
  Ross: I did indeed. Oh, yes, I went out on that bus. And you know something? That bridge wasn't safe. It collapsed. The state police car, the bus, everything--kerplunk--right into the river. It was a terrible scene. No one got out.
  Haley: (incredulous) Except you.
  Ross: Except me. Lucky, I guess, huh?
  Haley: Very lucky. But... but...
  Ross: But what?
  Haley: You're not even wet.
  Ross: Wet? What's "wet"?
  Haley: What do you mean "what's wet"? You landed in the river but you're clothes are all dry.
  Ross: An illusion, that's all. Just an illusion. Like that jukebox playing in the corner. That's an illusion, too.
  (the jukebox stops playing) Or that telephone ringing. (the phone rings) That's an illusion. Just a parlor trick.
  Haley: What are ya, some kind of magician?
  (a third arm emerges from under the businessman's coat. He's uses it to help light a cigarette)
  Ross: Who, me? Oh, hardly. Now, uh, before you, uh, faint dead away, I ought to explain that the name isn't really Ross. And I wasn't really going to Boston. No, I was sent as a kind of advanced scout. You know these, uh, cigarettes, do you call them? They taste wonderful. We haven't got a thing like this on Mars. That's, incidentally, where I come from. We're beginning to colonize. My friends will be arriving very shortly. I think they're going to like it here. Lovely area, so... so remote, so pleasant, so off-the-beaten track. Just the perfect spot for a colony, don't you think, Mr. Haley? While we're waiting, how about a little what you call music?
  Haley: I don't mind. I have to do a little waiting myself. You see, Mr. Ross, my name isn't Haley. And I do agree with you, this is an extraordinary place to colonize. We folks on Venus had the same idea. We got it several years ago. And I think I really ought to tell you now that your friends are not coming. They've been intercepted. Oh, a colony is coming. But it's from Venus. And if you're still alive, I think you'll see how we differ. (removes his hat revealing a third eye) And I agree with you about what they call music. Why don't you play some?
  (the counterman bursts out laughing)
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- (Closing Narration)
  Narrator: Incident on a small island, to be believed or disbelieved. However, if a sour-faced dandy named Ross or a big, good-natured counterman who handles a spatula as if he'd been born with one in his mouth, if either of these two entities walks onto your premises, you'd better hold their hands - all three of them - or check the color of their eyes - all three of them. The gentleman in question might try to pull you into... the Twilight Zone.
  EDIT SHARE
- (Opening Narration)
  Narrator: Wintry February night, the present. Order of events: a phone call from a frightened woman notating the arrival of an unidentified flying object, and the check-out you've just witnessed with two state troopers verifying the event, but with nothing more enlightening to add beyond evidence of some tracks leading across the highway to a diner. You've heard of trying to find a needle in a haystack? Well, stay with us now and you'll be a part of an investigating team whose mission is not to find that proverbial needle, no, their task is even harder. They've got to find a Martian in a diner, and in just a moment you'll search with them, because you've just landed in the Twilight Zone.
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NOTES (4)
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- Included on volume 41 of Image-Entertainment's DVD collection.
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- The story was rewritten from an earlier script by Serling called "The Night of the Big Rain". Originally, after the rewrite, it was titled "Nobody Here but Us Martians".
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- Fantasy author Ray Bradbury (one of Serling's favorites) gets another in-joke reference when Avery mentions that the whole thing is like a "Bradbury story."
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- The bus is labeled "Cayuga Bus Co.," the name of Twilight Zone's production company.
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ALLUSIONS (2)
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- Ray Bradbury
  The old man jokes about the situation the people are in being like a Ray Bradbury novel. Bradbury was known for writing science fiction novels, one of which was Fahrenheit 451.
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- Title: "Will the Real _____ Please Stand Up?"
  Actually, both this episode and the rap single take their title from the famous tag line of the game show To Tell The Truth, where the host asks the actual person being talked about to reveal themselves (while the two "impostors" remain seated).
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