Summary
- "The Long Morrow" is the saddest episode of "The Twilight Zone," as both lovers make sacrifices to be together but end up with the worst-case scenario.
- The episode explores the heartbreaking idea that timing can make or break a relationship, even if two people are perfect for each other.
- Despite his own emotional pain, Douglas still wants Sandra to be happy and encourages her to find someone else to share her life with.
Rod Serling’s classic anthology series The Twilight Zone was renowned for its spooky storylines and terrifying twists, but its most heartbreaking installment is season 5, episode 15, “The Long Morrow.” Throughout its run, The Twilight Zone delivered plenty of emotional gut-punches. In season 1, episode 8, “Time Enough at Last,” the last man on Earth decides to use his isolation to catch up on his reading, but then his reading glasses fall off and smash on the ground. In season 5, episode 3, “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” William Shatner is institutionalized for his very rational fear of a gremlin. But “The Long Morrow” is the show’s saddest episode by far.
“The Long Morrow” revolves around an astronaut named Douglas Stansfield, who falls in love just before he’s expected to embark on a 40-year space mission. Since his four decades in suspended animation will create a significant age gap between Douglas and his new girlfriend Sandra Horn, the two lovers are faced with a dilemma. Douglas takes himself out of suspended animation and spends those 40 years completely alone, just so he’ll be the same age as Sandra when he gets back. But when he returns, he finds that Sandra had a similar idea and put herself in suspended animation, so there’s still a 40-year age gap between them.
Why "The Long Morrow" Is The Twilight Zone's Most Heartbreaking Episode
The tragic irony of the love story in “The Long Morrow” is that both lovers made a sacrifice so they could be together, but they ultimately couldn’t be together because those sacrifices canceled each other out. If Douglas had just taken himself out of suspended animation, or Sandra had just put herself into suspended animation, then there wouldn’t have been a problem. An older Douglas would’ve returned to an older Sandra and they could live out their final days together, or a younger Sandra would reunite with a younger Douglas and they could pick up where they left off.
But since they both made an irreversible sacrifice for each other, they ended up with the same worst-case scenario they were trying to avoid. Instead of a younger Douglas returning to an older Sandra, an older Douglas returns to a younger Sandra. The real heartbreak is that, despite his bleak circumstances and the devastating emotional pain that stems from the situation, Douglas still wants Sandra to be happy. He encourages her to live out her days and find someone else (someone more age-appropriate) to share her life with.
What Is The Real Meaning Of "The Long Morrow" Episode?
As with most episodes of The Twilight Zone, there are deeper themes and meanings at play in “The Long Morrow.” It ties into the heartbreaking notion that timing can make or break a relationship. Two people could be absolutely perfect for each other, and madly in love with one another. But if their careers take them to different places, or one of them still hasn’t gotten over a previous relationship, or some other unforeseen circumstance out of their control keeps them apart, then, tragically, they can’t be together. “The Long Morrow” is a touching sci-fi version of that.