Memories (The Twilight Zone)

"Memories" is the forty-first episode and the sixth episode of the third season (1988–89) of the television series The New Twilight Zone.

Opening narration

Plot

Two women are sitting in a room, one on a couch, the other in a chair. The one in the chair, Mary McNeal, is putting the woman on the couch under hypnosis to find a significant past life. The woman, Mrs. Gustin, finds herself working in a dress shop during the American Revolutionary war. She discovers this is why she is fearful of men in uniform. When Mrs. Gustin asks if Mary has been able to find a past life, she claims that she has been unable to remember. After Mrs. Gustin leaves, Mary once again tries to hypnotize herself and discover a past life. She awakens the next day on her couch, with no new information about any past lives or so she thinks.

Mary arrives at what she thinks is her next appointment, and is late. She knocks and discovers that the woman already knows about her past lives and is abruptly shown out. Confused, Mary goes to what she thought was her office only to find it is now an employment counselling center. She tries to find help since she has no idea why everything is different. The man at the employment center, Jim Sinclair, attempts to help her, thinking she is another unemployed person. She is curious when he asks why she didn't put information about her past lives. When she is unable to recall, then panics and leaves, Sinclair calls someone and talks to them about Mary and saying that "she could be the one".

Later on, Sinclair and another man discuss Mary again, talking about how she might have to be killed. Meanwhile, Mary finds a homeless woman who wants to die. When Mary asks why, she tells her that in her past life, she had a pretty good life, but now she hates her present life. Mary tries to make her believe that she is needed here and now, by Mary herself, because she doesn't have anyone or anything. Maybe they could start over together. Mary runs to get help but runs into Sinclair and they drug and kidnap her. When she awakens in an empty warehouse, Mary discovers that the fact that she doesn't know her past lives makes her someone these people need. They put her under and she starts talking about herself but still no information about her past lives. When they discover she is telling the truth, they want her to help them forget their past lives.

In this alternate reality, everyone remembers all their past lives; being able to remember past grudges, stressful times, and everyday problems from each life. To remember so much can drive anyone insane. And not only that, knowing that they can just die and go on, one can become lethargic and just kill themselves, so they can go on to another life. They want her to help them and others quit trying to avenge or yearn for joys from the past and make this life, the present life, much more desirable. They know she has a drive to help others. Most of all, she has a gift: the ability to make one forget past lives and all the "baggage" that comes with them. Soon, Mary is working with Sinclair to help people forget about their past lives through hypnotism and lead happier lives.

Closing narration

External links

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