Sanctuary (The Twilight Zone)

"Sanctuary" is the twentieth episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode was first broadcast on November 20, 2002, on UPN.

Opening narration

Plot summary

A sports agent, Scott Turner, is on the side of the parkway arguing with a client on the phone. His car has a flat tire and the tow truck has not yet arrived. He goes down a hill and through a bush to relieve himself. As he finishes up, Scott notices he's not in the same place anymore. When he goes back through the bushes, Scott only finds more forest. He makes his way through the woods and finds a huge expensive house. Scott searches for someone inside and finds a woman. She introduces herself as Marisa Sanborn, a real estate agent who was talking to her fiance Paul. Marisa tells Scott that she also stumbled into the woods, became lost, and is looking for the highway. They discover that none of their technology (cell phones, watches, etc.) works anymore and there is no technology in the house itself. There are mountains and hills surrounding them even though the area is supposed to be flatlands.

They go through the woods looking for a way out and find nothing. They go back to the house and talk. Marisa tells Scott about the fight she had with her fiancé Paul, which caused her to get out of the car and go through the woods. They both describe the huge workload that they have waiting for them back in their own lives. They start to realize that this place is their release from their lives.

They begin enjoying the luxuries of leaving their lives behind for a simpler way of life where everything is provided for them. They also begin to bond and eventually fall in love.

One day when Marisa is working in the garden, a girl comes staggering out of the woods with a head injury. She tells them her name is Rikki and she was in a motorcycle accident. Marisa tries to tell her phones do not work there but Rikki dials up her friend and talks to him. Somehow, hers is the only phone that works. This starts to worry Marisa. She tells Scott to make sure he does not use Rikki's phone. When he wonders why, she says that if they let the world back in then they will lose what they have.

Strange things start to happen once Rikki shows up. A wasp stings Marisa (despite that there are no insects anywhere in the wooded paradise). Rikki assures her that she wants to be friends and has no sexual or romantic interest in Scott. Later, as they are eating dinner, a scorpion crawls across the table. Rikki continues to insist she needs to leave and offers Scott the use of her phone. Later, while everyone is sitting in the living room, a huge snake slithers in. Scott gets rid of it and Marisa wonders how it got in.

Scott finally asks Rikki to use her phone. After making sure it is what he wants, she gives it to him. He calls his client. While he is on the phone, everything outside begins to get dark and stormy. Rikki stands up, takes off her jacket revealing a snake tattoo, and takes the phone back. She tells them that it was their chance as mortals to be free and innocent again, but he ruined it by using her phone. A huge lightning bolt strikes.

Scott and Marisa are back on the highway, with no memory of what happened or of each other. He finds Marisa in her car with her fiance where he asks if she has a cell phone he can borrow since he lost his. Marisa then asks Paul where her cell phone is. When Marisa is unable to find it and apologizes, Scott says that it's okay as she leaves. As Scott waits by his car, Forest Whitaker appears and narrates that Scott is back in the game of modern life.

Closing narration

External links

• "Sanctuary" at TV.com
• "Sanctuary" at the Internet Movie Database