Time Lapse (The Twilight Zone)

"Time Lapse" is the seventh episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode first was first broadcast on October 9, 2002, on UPN.

Opening narration

Plot

In Phoenix, Arizona, orderly Zack Walker is helping his fiancée and nurse Maria wheel in a patient with a head wound. A Secret Service agent tells them that he has put a guard on the door and that they are to notify the man if the patient, Tom Fisk, says anything. As they discuss their engagement and her brother's upcoming bachelor party, Zack suddenly blacks out. He finds himself in a cheap hotel room with his car keys on the desk. There is also a newspaper which reveals that he is in Portland, Oregon, and two days have passed since he can remember. On the bed is a duffel bag with a cell phone and a plastic gun.

Zack talks to the front desk clerk, who confirms that she checked him in. He then calls Maria, who does not understand and thinks that he is trying to get out of their engagement. Zack finds his car outside in the night, throws away the gun, and starts to drive away and suddenly discovers that it is daylight and he is driving down a country road. He manages to pull over in time and discovers the plastic gun is in the back seat. He throws it away again and finds a sign saying that he is 43 miles out of Seattle.

Zack blacks out again and awakens to find himself in a Chinese restaurant buying a lacquered case from Mei Ling and her father, a black marketer. Thugs search Zack and take $5,000 from him, which Mei Ling says is the agreed price for what is in the case. Zack takes the case and confirms that it contains another plastic gun, designed to get through security metal detectors. He leaves and discovers that he is in Seattle, and his ATM account is empty. The police drive by and briefly take an interest in him, but Zack puts them off and gets in his car.

Zack blacks out again and finds himself taking a shower in an expensive hotel room. A newscast on the television is talking about how the President's daughter, Michelle Carson, is visiting Seattle. On the wall is a map of the building with exits, entrances and security routes marked. The plastic gun is on the desk and someone has written "Don't fight this" on the mirror. Zack calls Maria, who grows increasingly concerned as Zack tries to convince her something is wrong. She suggests that Zack turn himself over to the Secret Service. He sets up a meeting with agent Carl Taggart in the hotel's ballroom and tries to explain what he has been going through. Taggart thinks he is a nut until Zack tells him to have men check out his hotel room. When Taggart receives word of what is in there, he tries to arrest Zack.

Zack blacks out again and finds himself standing over an injured Taggart.

Zack blacks out again and finds himself walking down a hotel corridor. He is carrying the plastic gun and someone has written "12:45" on his hand. Zack looks at a clock and discovers its 12:44.

Zack blacks out again and finds himself at the top of an escalator. Michelle Carson is riding the escalator up toward Zack. He takes out the gun, aims and fires at a bellhop. Taggart arrives and takes Zack prisoner, but Zack explains that he is Tom Fisk, Taggart's partner, and that the man he shot was an assassin who shot and injured Fisk in Phoenix.

Zack blacks out one final time and finds himself back in Phoenix in Tom Fisk's body. He tries to tell Maria what happened as she backs away in horror. Forest Whitaker appears and narrates that Zack has become the most unlikely of heroes yet he will never know why it had to be.

Closing narration

External links

• "Time Lapse" at TV.com
• "Time Lapse" at the Internet Movie Database