To Serve Man (The Twilight Zone)

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

To Serve Man (The Twilight Zone)

“To Serve Man” is an episode

List of The Twilight Zone episodes

This is a list of The Twilight Zone episodes....
of the television series The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone (1959 TV series)

The Twilight Zone is a science fiction anthology series United States television series created by Rod Serling. The original series ran for five seasons on CBS from 1959 to 1964 and remains television syndication to this day....
.

The story is based on a short story To Serve Man
To Serve Man

"To Serve Man" is a science fiction short story written by Damon Knight, later adapted for use as To Serve Man of the 1960s television series The Twilight Zone ....
written by Damon Knight. The title is a play on the word serve having the dual meanings "assist" and "provide as a meal". The episode is one of the few instances in the series wherein the actor breaks the fourth wall

Fourth wall

The fourth wall is an element of fiction. Originally, the term referred to the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a proscenium theater, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the Play ....
and addresses the viewing audience at the episode's end.

Synopsis A race of aliens

Extraterrestrial life

Discussion

Ask a question about 'To Serve Man (The Twilight Zone)'

Start a new discussion about 'To Serve Man (The Twilight Zone)'

Answer questions from other users

Full Discussion Forum

Opening Narration

Synopsis

A race of aliens

Extraterrestrial life

Extraterrestrial life is defined as life which does not originate from Earth. It is the subject of astrobiology and its existence remains hypothetical, because there is no credible evidence of extraterrestrial life which has been generally accepted by the mainstream scientific community....
known as the Kanamits lands on Earth and promises to be nothing but helpful to the cause of humanity. Initially wary of the intentions of such a highly advanced race, even the most skeptical humans are convinced when their code-breakers begin to translate one of the Kanamit's books, with the seemingly innocuous title, "To Serve Man."

Sharing their advanced technology, the aliens quickly solve all of Earth's greatest woes, eradicating hunger, disease, and the need for warfare. Soon, humans are volunteering for trips to the Kanamits' home planet, which is supposedly a paradise

Paradise

Paradise is an idealized place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness....
.

All is not well, however, when a code-breaker discovers the Kanamits’ true intentions: Their book, "To Serve Man", is a cookbook

Cookbook

A cookbook is a book that contains information on cooking, and/or a list of recipes. It may also contain information on ingredient origin, freshness, selection and quality, e.g., the Slow Food movement's ark of taste criteria....
, and all their gifts were simply to make humanity complacent, much like fattening pigs or cows before they are slaughtered.

Closing Narration

Preview for Next Week's Story

Awards

The short story "To Serve Man
To Serve Man

"To Serve Man" is a science fiction short story written by Damon Knight, later adapted for use as To Serve Man of the 1960s television series The Twilight Zone ....
" on which this episode is based was retroactively awarded the 1951 "Retro" Hugo Award
Hugo Award

The Hugo Awards are given every year for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories....
for Best Short Story
Hugo Award for Best Short Story

The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best English language science fiction or fantasy works. The awards are named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and given in various categories....
in 2001.

Production

The full-size lower portion of the Kanamits' transport spaceship is the adapted version, with retractable stairway, of the saucer-shaped United Planets Cruiser C-57D

Starship C-57D

Starship C-57D is the fictional flying saucer starship, first presented in the 1956 science fiction movie Forbidden Planet....
, seen in MGM's 1956 film Forbidden Planet
Forbidden Planet

Forbidden Planet is a 1956 in film science fiction film directed by Fred M. Wilcox and starring Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis and Leslie Nielsen....
. The ship used for the episode is also seen on the episode "Third from the Sun

Third from the Sun

"Third from the Sun" is Earthan an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone . It is based on a short story of the same name by Richard Matheson....
," and shots of the ship and/or stairway also appear in the episodes "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone . Originally aired when memories of the Second Red Scare were still fresh in the minds of viewers, the episode is often presented commercial-free as part of the Cable in the Classroom series, to teach kids about the dangers o...
," "Hocus-Pocus and Frisby

Hocus-Pocus and Frisby

Hocus-Pocus and Frisby" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone ....
," and "The Invaders

The Invaders (The Twilight Zone)

"The Invaders" is an episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone ....
."

Critical response

Marc Scott Zicree

Marc Scott Zicree is an American science fiction author, television writer, and screenwriter. He is also the author of "The Twilight Zone Companion", a detailed history of Rod Serling's series The Twilight Zone ....
in The Twilight Zone Companion:

In the show...a staff of cryptographers

Cryptography

Cryptography is the practice and study of hiding information. In modern times cryptography is considered a branch of both mathematics and computer science and is affiliated closely with information theory, computer security and engineering....
led by Lloyd Bochner attempts to decipher the alien language as though it were some secret code, which is utterly ludicrous. Without some sort of interplanetary Rosetta stone

Rosetta Stone

The Rosetta Stone is an Ancient Egyptian Artifact which was instrumental in advancing modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphsic writing....
, deciphering an unknown language would be impossible.

Zicree’s comments have been seconded by many others, including Damon Knight

Damon Knight

Damon Francis Knight was an United States science fiction author, editor, literary criticism and science fiction fandom....
, though an explanation as to how the cryptographers managed to translate the Kanamit language may be found in an early draft of Serling’s teleplay, which included this scene:

(Close shot Chambers as seen over her shoulder. His eyes narrow.)

Chambers: What’s the matter, Pat? What's going on?

(Reverse angle looking toward her. Her lips tremble.)

Pat: I...I finally deciphered their language. All of it. I read their book.

(Close shot a suspended speaker overhead. A Kanamit's metallic voice rings out.)

Kanamit's voice: Please move ahead. You're holding up our departure. Kindly move ahead.

(Cut to: Two shot Chambers and Pat)

Chambers: Well?

Pat: "Mr. Chambers... Mr. Chambers. Don't get on that ship. The rest of the book, 'To Serve Man'... It's a cookbook!"

Pat's shocking revelation has been repeated several times in popular culture, including television shows, films, and online games.

To Serve Man (The Twilight Zone)

Opening Narration

Synopsis

Closing Narration

Preview for Next Week's Story

Awards

Production

Critical response

External links