A World of Difference
Encyclopedia
"A World of Difference" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone
.
. Raigan/Curtis rushes back to the set, which is being dismantled, and demands not to be left in the uncaring world of Gerry Raigan. Sure enough, Curtis reappears in his office (as it was before), just as his wife arrives. As he hears echoes of the "studio", he tells her he's not going to wait for their vacation, they're leaving "right away". Bewildered at his behavior, Curtis tells her, "I just don't want to lose you". Raigan/Curtis and his "wife" board a plane which then "vanishes". Raigan's agent shows up on the set to find Curtis/Raigan has vanished—as the set is being dismantled, a teaser shows the "Arthur Curtis" script left on a table, waiting to be thrown in the trash.
, in the episode "Mindbender" has the lead character, Col. Ed Straker, briefly entering a dimension where he's an actor in a TV series called UFO. An episode of the 1980s US sitcom, Growing Pains
entiled "Meet the Seavers" has character Ben Seaver dream that he is an actor named Jeremy Miller
starring in a sitcom about the Seaver family, with Miller and other cast members appearing as themselves. An episode of the original sci-fi series Eerie, Indiana
called "Reality Takes a Holiday" centered on Marshall (played by Omri Katz
) finding a script in his mailbox and his life is suddenly revealed to be a TV show (with his family and friends as the real-life actors and actresses of Eerie, Indiana). The film "The Truman Show
" starring Jim Carrey
had a similar plot as well.
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)
The Twilight Zone is an American anthology television series created by Rod Serling, which ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964. The series consisted of unrelated episodes depicting paranormal, futuristic, dystopian, or simply disturbing events; each show typically featured a surprising...
.
Synopsis
Arthur Curtis is a businessman. One day, he finds his phone no longer works, and is surprised to hear a voice yell, "Cut!" Suddenly he is faced with the fact his office was actually a set on a sound stage. He is told "Arthur Curtis" is merely a role he was playing, and his real name is Gerry Raigan, an alcoholic movie star in the middle of a brutal divorce and a declining career. He tries to find Arthur Curtis's house, but cannot find any evidence of it; Raigan's agent tells him the movie called "The Private World of Arthur Curtis" is being cancelled because they believe he has had a nervous breakdownNervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
. Raigan/Curtis rushes back to the set, which is being dismantled, and demands not to be left in the uncaring world of Gerry Raigan. Sure enough, Curtis reappears in his office (as it was before), just as his wife arrives. As he hears echoes of the "studio", he tells her he's not going to wait for their vacation, they're leaving "right away". Bewildered at his behavior, Curtis tells her, "I just don't want to lose you". Raigan/Curtis and his "wife" board a plane which then "vanishes". Raigan's agent shows up on the set to find Curtis/Raigan has vanished—as the set is being dismantled, a teaser shows the "Arthur Curtis" script left on a table, waiting to be thrown in the trash.
Plot adaptations
In later years, several TV series featured episodes with similar plotlines to "A World of Difference"—a character in the series finds himself in the "real world" and trying to convince people he's actually the character. The 1970–71 British TV series UFOUFO (TV series)
UFO is a 1970-1971 British television science fiction series about an alien invasion of Earth, created by Gerry Anderson and Sylvia Anderson with Reg Hill, and produced by the Andersons and Lew Grade's Century 21 Productions for Grade's ITC Entertainment company.UFO first aired in the UK and Canada...
, in the episode "Mindbender" has the lead character, Col. Ed Straker, briefly entering a dimension where he's an actor in a TV series called UFO. An episode of the 1980s US sitcom, Growing Pains
Growing Pains
Growing Pains is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.-Synopsis:The show's premise is based...
entiled "Meet the Seavers" has character Ben Seaver dream that he is an actor named Jeremy Miller
Jeremy Miller
Jeremy James Miller is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Ben Seaver on Growing Pains and its two reunion movies...
starring in a sitcom about the Seaver family, with Miller and other cast members appearing as themselves. An episode of the original sci-fi series Eerie, Indiana
Eerie, Indiana
Eerie, Indiana is an American television series that aired on NBC from 1991 to 1992 and then on syndication on Fox from 1997 to 1998. The series was created by José Rivera and Karl Schaefer, with Joe Dante serving as creative consultant.-Premise:...
called "Reality Takes a Holiday" centered on Marshall (played by Omri Katz
Omri Katz
Omri Haim Katz is an American actor. His TV and film credits include Eerie, Indiana; Matinee; Adventures in Dinosaur City; Hocus Pocus; and the CBS prime time soap opera Dallas, in which he played the role of John Ross Ewing III, the son of J.R...
) finding a script in his mailbox and his life is suddenly revealed to be a TV show (with his family and friends as the real-life actors and actresses of Eerie, Indiana). The film "The Truman Show
The Truman Show
The Truman Show is a 1998 American satirical comedy-drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Andrew Niccol. The cast includes Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank, as well as Laura Linney, Noah Emmerich, Ed Harris and Natascha McElhone...
" starring Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
had a similar plot as well.
External links
- TV.com episode page
- the-croc.com episode page(unlike TV.com - lists Frank Maxwell playing Marty)
- Full video of the episode at CBS.com