Rod Serling goes off on a Domestic Violence and Unhealthy Strained Marriage in this episode. I wasn't even born during the years this show was on television; it seems that this episode would’ve been banned on later on television because of the Violence and Creepy Camera Scenes at the end of the episode. In those days it seems like television wouldn’t have have shown domestic violence displayed.
The Twilight Zone various fan sites really malign this episode. I disagree...it was different than most other episodes. I thought the dialog between these two was hilarious in several scenes. What was considered overacting by critics actually added a bizarre "flavor" to the scenes. I know I'm in the minority, but it is one of my favorite episodes. What it's about can be interpreted in different ways.
Pardon the overused cliche but I have watched this episode sporadically over the course of 45 years and dammit, it does get better each time I watch it.
I mean the fight is sad and funny.....I mean they are going AT IT! I would loved to have seen the rehearsal......lol. You can see from time to time the stunt double. Out of that window she went, lol
Its always funny and creepy to see the other side of family life ,as we are constantly bombarded with the spin and b/s about how good everyones family life is ,but this scene is a good look at the other real side.Rod Serling was a genius.
COMEDY GOLD imo I don't care what anyone says this is utterly hilarious in every way I mean even at about 1:14 the way he says " oh you will huh? " is reminiscent of Moe from the three stooges. Just every last thing about this is so funny I ALWAYS laugh my ass off at this scene I can't even quite explain it maybe I'm a sociopath or something idk because I am not a cruel person.
Toby Langlois I think this is the most memorable scene in the entire series and the episode itself is a standout for all the wrong reasons. It will never be hailed as a prime example of Serling’s thoughtful, philosophical musings on repentance, prejudice, avarice, nostalgic yearnings or any of the myriad themes he used in the series, but “What’s in the Box” is just so dammed memorable. And I agree about the dialogue, I always imagine Joe saying “Why you...! I oughta send you right up to Yonkers in a crate!”
@@tobylanglois3698 wait, the book throwing is so real, the lamp, the props and chair across her back.......I mean just well done and funny.....but they are GOING AT IT....I see the stunt double a few times. But OUT of that window she went, lol
The deleted flash back scene of what happened to Uncle Charlie's wife. "Gee, Uncle Charlie, whatever happened to your wife?" "Dammit Ernie, you ask too many questions!"
This is a unique episode. In all Twilight Zone episodes, there is AT LEAST 1 character the viewer cares about. In "What's In the Box?", BOTH characters are low-life, unsuccessful, uneducated, despicable people. The outcomes for Joe and Phyllis were well deserved ! Side note : I always found Sterling Holloway to be an off-center, creepy guy.
I was busting a gut the first time I watched it back in 1998 when I was in my early teens. When I watch this again the first new year celebration I had with my girlfriend turned wife that started the whole thing over again. She thought I was going to turn blue in the face for laughing that hard.
I admit laughing at this myself when I saw it as a kid. He breaks the tv screen with his fist , says I'll kill you ran into the wall after she moves out of the way he tried to tackle her and missed she grabbed a chair but he takes it from her and breaks it over her back but she stands up and they wrestle then she's breaking things on his head unable to knock him out so he knocked her backwards through the window
Wow Joan Blondell was a bombshell in pre-code Hollywood of the 1930s. Amazing to see her cast as a battleax 30 years later. She was also in Grease. Interesting to see her cast in such different roles from different periods.
As a lifelong and native Yonkers resident, I feel proud that this episode mentions our hometown. Plus the entire scene in and of itself is just fucking hilarious. Massive respect to you, CBS.
This is one of my top 10 of all time Twilight Zone episodes. I don't know why, but I love it. I even shared it on my FB page. Lol. Yonkers, Yonkers, Yonkers. Love how well she throws those books, too!
To me, this scene is a truly sobering, terrifying scene. It is done by Serling to absolute chilling perfection. Their altercation may seem comedic 60 odd years later, but the realism of the situation coupled with the woman's grisly death is bloodcurdling, especially since we are viewing from a front row seat, whereas with other deaths in the show, they are off camera or the viewer is removed from the experience itself. Whereas with the whole "yonkers, yonkers, yonkers" scene, I see this as Serling showing the viewer how the dude is viewing his wife's mockery of him. He sees it in a ridiculously over the top fashion, and it drives him to insanity.
This is one of the only TZ episodes with explicit violence and probably one of the only times domestic violence was shown on TV (despite plenty of Western shows that were weekly bloodbaths). I know that Serling was fed up with TV by this time and was probably looking to show that he could get away with this, despite not being allowed to mention anything involving race relations in his scripts. Ironically, 5 year later, he was criticizing The Mod Squad for taking the racial angle too far and becoming a caricature of itself; an early example of PC excess. I wonder if the evil repair man was intended to symbolize the TV business itself.
@@pcno2832 Oh STFU you whiny shit, first off Sterling DID do episodes about race. But arrogant bitches like you hate any idea that a white male "dare" express the life of folks not white. Second I DID watch that show and there was PC excess dumb bitch the show was a reflection of the times. But like I said lord forbid white males have to see anyone else besides yourselves represented.
once upon a time I was in a bar, all friends a few drinks in when this scene randomly comes on and escalates to its climax on mute and out of context and its one of the most wild laughs I've enjoyed
"You call yourself a wife!" *proceeds to smash her with a chair* Seriously, though, I never thought an episode of Twilight Zone would make me laugh so damn hard. This probably seemed like a brutal portrayal of domestic violence in the sixties, but not to me. The fight is so wacky and OTT, feels like an episode of Tom & Jerry. And that final part where he punches her out of the window is reminiscent of Chubb's death scene from Happy Gilmore. The funniest part is I think it's supposed to be played straight, but it's got the comedic timing of The Three Stooges. How can you not love it?
The fight scene was funny because that woman should have been lying on the floor when she got hit with the chair. But she stands up. She break things on his head and nothing happened but that punch knocked her through the window . Ok
What surprised me about this ep when I first saw it was him breaking the chair on her back... the whole fight is sad and hilarious. Really about self-fufilling prophecy... how we can be warned about the results of our action and STILL do them... smh
More so if you watch this scene in the original 4:3 format, the movie Vacancy hotel attack scenes have an uncanny similarity with the high full shot of the room.
For People of all ages considering Marriage of all races, backgrounds and all incomes; they both should seriously consider watching this episode because this Violence experience could potentially happen to the both of you at some point.
Did these two ever love each other? Why did they even get married? I feel like their back story is that Phyllis was pregnant, so they felt they had to get married. But then she lost the baby, and they stayed married to avoid the shame of a divorce. Then they got old and set in their ways, and still didn't like each other, but were used to each other. Pretty miserable, but that's the only explanation that makes sense to me.
This is the prequel on what happened to his wife. "Hey, Uncle Charlie, whatever happened to your wife?" "Shut up Ernie, before I give you one right across the mouth, you ask to many questions!"
Now that's entertainment! A special, one time only, Inter-Sex Death Match, with foreign objects aplenty, featuring the First Family Of Extreme Amateur Wrestling: Joe & Phyllis- "The Battling Britts". (Spoiler Warning) Joe takes it on a disqualification when Phyllis is unable to return to the ring and gets counted out.
Shame on the Twilight Zone for making domestic violence funny, ironic though that Joan Blondell starred in a TV film where she also had an abusive husband. He went too far in one scene, WAY TOO FAR and her character ended up dying.
Uncle Charlie in “My Three Knuckles”
LMFAO
Hilarious 😂
I forgot about Uncle Charlie.
Now, THAT was good!! lol.
This should be viewed by all bride's/grooms 72 hours before wedding,to get a glimpse of what will most certainly come.
Jonathan X - ha ha
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Rod Serling goes off on Domestic Violence on the Twilight Zone.
Rod Serling goes off on a Domestic Violence and Unhealthy Strained Marriage in this episode. I wasn't even born during the years this show was on television; it seems that this episode would’ve been banned on later on television because of the Violence and Creepy Camera Scenes at the end of the episode. In those days it seems like television wouldn’t have have shown domestic violence displayed.
Better than a divorce 🤪
The Twilight Zone various fan sites really malign this episode. I disagree...it was different than most other episodes. I thought the dialog between these two was hilarious in several scenes. What was considered overacting by critics actually added a bizarre "flavor" to the scenes. I know I'm in the minority, but it is one of my favorite episodes. What it's about can be interpreted in different ways.
This is one of my favorite scenes. They really go ham on each other and it's hilarious
Yes, I love the violence, the rage and struggling! 😂
Just like a real couple😂😭
Better than a divorce 🤪
@@YodaMiyagi they both ended up dead .
@@DoubeEdged7 Yes!
Pardon the overused cliche but I have watched this episode sporadically over the course of 45 years and dammit, it does get better each time I watch it.
I mean the fight is sad and funny.....I mean they are going AT IT! I would loved to have seen the rehearsal......lol. You can see from time to time the stunt double. Out of that window she went, lol
This is one of my favorite episodes. I love when he breaks the chair on her back.
“You call yourself a wife ?!?” ask he breaks a chair over her back 😂😂😂
"Yonkers Yonkets YONKERS!" lol omg this scene was comedic; and the music just highlights it 🤣
lol and to think we have a department store here in Iowa called Yonkers.....
@@omegasupreme1970 Awesome!
This episode was so funny and I loved it when the dude jumped out the window after her!
When enough is enough... these two right here! One of my favorite scenes on TwLiZo
One of the most memorable scene from The Twilight Zone episode, "What's in the Box"
Partly, because it was played twice!
Its always funny and creepy to see the other side of family life ,as we are constantly bombarded with the spin and b/s about how good everyones family life is ,but this scene is a good look at the other real side.Rod Serling was a genius.
Facts....it took thirty years before we saw it again with Married with Children. Serling was the OG
That stunt woman that crashed out the window really earned her keep !!!
When my brother and I were kids and saw this episode we incorporated "Yonkers Yonkers Yonkers!" into our lexicon and would bust it out at random!
LOL! I would say "Fandancers" and my mom would tell me to shut up! ; D
XD
Me and my brother as well. Paroxysms of uncontrollable laughter.
COMEDY GOLD imo I don't care what anyone says this is utterly hilarious in every way I mean even at about 1:14 the way he says " oh you will huh? " is reminiscent of Moe from the three stooges. Just every last thing about this is so funny I ALWAYS laugh my ass off at this scene I can't even quite explain it maybe I'm a sociopath or something idk because I am not a cruel person.
Toby Langlois I think this is the most memorable scene in the entire series and the episode itself is a standout for all the wrong reasons. It will never be hailed as a prime example of Serling’s thoughtful, philosophical musings on repentance, prejudice, avarice, nostalgic yearnings or any of the myriad themes he used in the series, but “What’s in the Box” is just so dammed memorable. And I agree about the dialogue, I always imagine Joe saying “Why you...! I oughta send you right up to Yonkers in a crate!”
funny as hell! lol. He said, I'll KILL YA! and that's exactly......lol.
@@cflo1023 Hahaha exactly!
@@tobylanglois3698 wait, the book throwing is so real, the lamp, the props and chair across her back.......I mean just well done and funny.....but they are GOING AT IT....I see the stunt double a few times. But OUT of that window she went, lol
@@cflo1023 Hahaha! Yeah it's just such a memorable and funny climax to the episode.
" You call yourself a wife"! Then Uncle Charlie smashes a chair over her back. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
I like how the wife just gets back up like nothing happens. That's a strong broad for ya! LOL!
It's a WWF special.
The deleted flash back scene of what happened to Uncle Charlie's wife. "Gee, Uncle Charlie, whatever happened to your wife?" "Dammit Ernie, you ask too many questions!"
Man she was a damm good shot throwing those books
LMAO@@JENDALL714
This is a unique episode. In all Twilight Zone episodes, there is AT LEAST 1 character the viewer cares about. In "What's In the Box?", BOTH characters are low-life, unsuccessful, uneducated, despicable people. The outcomes for Joe and Phyllis were well deserved ! Side note : I always found Sterling Holloway to be an off-center, creepy guy.
Looks more like William Demarest.
They were uneducated and their opinion meant nothing.
@@jeffreygranger6913 Sterling is the TV repairman
YONKERS YONKERS YONKERS FANNY DANCERSSSSSSS😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂😅😂
This is the funniest domestic fight I ever seen lol 😅😂
FUNNIEST DEATH SCENE EVER!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
I was busting a gut the first time I watched it back in 1998 when I was in my early teens. When I watch this again the first new year celebration I had with my girlfriend turned wife that started the whole thing over again. She thought I was going to turn blue in the face for laughing that hard.
I admit laughing at this myself when I saw it as a kid. He breaks the tv screen with his fist , says I'll kill you ran into the wall after she moves out of the way he tried to tackle her and missed she grabbed a chair but he takes it from her and breaks it over her back but she stands up and they wrestle then she's breaking things on his head unable to knock him out so he knocked her backwards through the window
Wife: do you see Joe huh?.
Yonkers Yonkers Yonkers
Husband: to the moon Alice. Bang zoom
Great fight scene, great acting.
Wow Joan Blondell was a bombshell in pre-code Hollywood of the 1930s. Amazing to see her cast as a battleax 30 years later. She was also in Grease. Interesting to see her cast in such different roles from different periods.
Wow is right. She was smoking back then!
Oh snap! That is the diner lady from Grease!
As a lifelong and native Yonkers resident, I feel proud that this episode mentions our hometown. Plus the entire scene in and of itself is just fucking hilarious.
Massive respect to you, CBS.
This episode reminds me of the one with the camera that takes pictures of future events.
That's where I just came from!
I thought she'd win that fight
Especially when you stand up after getting whacked with a chair
This is one of my top 10 of all time Twilight Zone episodes. I don't know why, but I love it. I even shared it on my FB page. Lol. Yonkers, Yonkers, Yonkers. Love how well she throws those books, too!
The other end of the the story is the handyman... the devil? Evil entity? Is he fixing televisions supernaturally to drive the tenants crazy?
All he wants is that they trussssst in him.
Earlier in the episode she said: "Kill me? I'd like to see him try it!". I wonder if those words went through her mind as she fell to her death.
To me, this scene is a truly sobering, terrifying scene. It is done by Serling to absolute chilling perfection. Their altercation may seem comedic 60 odd years later, but the realism of the situation coupled with the woman's grisly death is bloodcurdling, especially since we are viewing from a front row seat, whereas with other deaths in the show, they are off camera or the viewer is removed from the experience itself.
Whereas with the whole "yonkers, yonkers, yonkers" scene, I see this as Serling showing the viewer how the dude is viewing his wife's mockery of him. He sees it in a ridiculously over the top fashion, and it drives him to insanity.
This is one of the only TZ episodes with explicit violence and probably one of the only times domestic violence was shown on TV (despite plenty of Western shows that were weekly bloodbaths). I know that Serling was fed up with TV by this time and was probably looking to show that he could get away with this, despite not being allowed to mention anything involving race relations in his scripts. Ironically, 5 year later, he was criticizing The Mod Squad for taking the racial angle too far and becoming a caricature of itself; an early example of PC excess. I wonder if the evil repair man was intended to symbolize the TV business itself.
@@pcno2832 An interesting theory. I'm going to re-watch now in lieu of this and see if I can find a similarity.
@@pcno2832 Oh STFU you whiny shit, first off Sterling DID do episodes about race. But arrogant bitches like you hate any idea that a white male "dare" express the life of folks not white. Second I DID watch that show and there was PC excess dumb bitch the show was a reflection of the times. But like I said lord forbid white males have to see anyone else besides yourselves represented.
Two greats William Demerest and Joan Blondell.....wonderful actors from the 1930's along with Sterling Holloway
once upon a time I was in a bar, all friends a few drinks in when this scene randomly comes on and escalates to its climax on mute and out of context and its one of the most wild laughs I've enjoyed
"You call yourself a wife!"
*proceeds to smash her with a chair*
Seriously, though, I never thought an episode of Twilight Zone would make me laugh so damn hard. This probably seemed like a brutal portrayal of domestic violence in the sixties, but not to me. The fight is so wacky and OTT, feels like an episode of Tom & Jerry. And that final part where he punches her out of the window is reminiscent of Chubb's death scene from Happy Gilmore. The funniest part is I think it's supposed to be played straight, but it's got the comedic timing of The Three Stooges. How can you not love it?
It's funny because they are old. Two young people going at it would be gruesome
The fight scene was funny because that woman should have been lying on the floor when she got hit with the chair. But she stands up. She break things on his head and nothing happened but that punch knocked her through the window . Ok
Well away from the window at that, as if a punch from 20 feet away will have that strong of an impact@@DoubeEdged7
The greatest one minute and thirty seconds in TV history.
If only he walked out the room like Johnny Depp did.
" You call yourself a wife" ,and then proceeds to break a chair on her back !!!!Talk about wife abuse!
In real life she would be in a wheelchair or a coma but she stands up. That's what makes it funny
Well, at least Joe doesn't have to hear about fan dancers from yonkers anymore! 😂👍
Unless she's nagging him in the grave . They both died
good stuff. should have gone on longer.
He said he'd kill her... and, he did.
This is the best thing ever XD
What surprised me about this ep when I first saw it was him breaking the chair on her back... the whole fight is sad and hilarious. Really about self-fufilling prophecy... how we can be warned about the results of our action and STILL do them... smh
The Three Stooges + Edward Albee = (see above)
Consider this a divorce 🤪
TV set ok? Er, you will recommend my service won't you?
Yes we had wholesome TV back in my day…
Oh, I remember this episode. It's the one where Uncle Charlie kills Tramp!
this episode is weird as hell. loved it
I'm afraid to turn on channel 10 now🤣
They should have had Rod do his usually narration, than duck from a flying chair!
Who stands straight up after getting whacked with a chair
the joys of married life
Most unusual camera
More so if you watch this scene in the original 4:3 format, the movie Vacancy hotel attack scenes have an uncanny similarity with the high full shot of the room.
For People of all ages considering Marriage of all races, backgrounds and all incomes; they both should seriously consider watching this episode because this Violence experience could potentially happen to the both of you at some point.
Yonkers, Yonkers, Yonkers!
I am in stitches every time I see this episode.
What's in the box. I actually enjoyed this episode
U really shouldn’t taunt him, Phyllis. Because he’ll completely kill u if u keep focusing on packing and made a quick leave from the apartment
They tow the living room up😂 they was fighting
YOU CALL YOURSELF A WIFE! LOL
It's called 'What's in the box '.
This episode was on MeTV, 10-2-24.
Now that's true love lol.
The tv foresaw it sterling holloway
Did these two ever love each other? Why did they even get married? I feel like their back story is that Phyllis was pregnant, so they felt they had to get married. But then she lost the baby, and they stayed married to avoid the shame of a divorce. Then they got old and set in their ways, and still didn't like each other, but were used to each other. Pretty miserable, but that's the only explanation that makes sense to me.
It’s one possibility
And to think this started from an "I love you"...
Will the wedding vows did say:Tell Death Do US PART???
Yonkers! Yonkers! Yonkers!
Y'all. This is STILL hard to watch esp when he breaks that chair on her followed with that punch!
Someone took the phrase till death do you part way too serious
😅😅😅😅Amen anit that the truth
Just a normal day in the average home of a family in the US.
And this was the good ole days when people got married and had 2,3 kids. Plot twist...she fell on the white picket fence.
A story about a man going to murder his domestic violence.
To the moon Alice
Me and the wife nightly lol
Dang son. Wow
What kind of wife r u? LOL!
Is that uncle Charley from My Three Sons? Carl William Demarest.
This is the prequel on what happened to his wife. "Hey, Uncle Charlie, whatever happened to your wife?" "Shut up Ernie, before I give you one right across the mouth, you ask to many questions!"
@@JENDALL714
So he killed his wife and changed his name? Then he moved in with Fred MacMurrey. Maybe Fred MacMurrey killed his wife too?
William Demarest
0:28
At 0:39 Joe looks directly at the camera! That is a NO NO and should been a re take .
Barely noticeable.
Sad but this happens again and again and again..
Real domestic there
Covid19 warning,and probably no pot
Im on way to the pot shop now😂
@@roryteal5940 weeee!
I think you're on your way to Yonkers. Yonkers, Yonkers, Yonkers!
I Loathe Lucy or End it for Beaver?
Leave it to my fist!
Now that's entertainment! A special, one time only, Inter-Sex Death Match, with foreign objects aplenty, featuring the First Family Of Extreme Amateur Wrestling: Joe & Phyllis- "The Battling Britts".
(Spoiler Warning) Joe takes it on a disqualification when Phyllis is unable to return to the ring and gets counted out.
L.M.A.O watched 10 times....Joe P.
Did Mrs and Mr Brit deserve that?
I want episodes without karmic justice
This was okay, not as good as the original "Woman VS Husband" though.
YONKERS YONKERS YONKERS
The curtains disappear!
Shame on the Twilight Zone for making domestic violence funny, ironic though that Joan Blondell starred in a TV film where she also had an abusive husband. He went too far in one scene, WAY TOO FAR and her character ended up dying.
She would have done the same to him, it was a fair fight