Gramma (The Twilight Zone)
"Gramma" is the first segment of the eighteenth episode from the first season (1985–86) of the television series The Twilight Zone.
| "Gramma" | |
|---|---|
| The Twilight Zone (1985 series) episode | |
_(screencap).jpg.webp) The final shot. | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 18a |
| Directed by | Bradford May |
| Written by | Harlan Ellison Stephen King (original story) |
| Original air date | 14 February 1986 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
Barret Oliver: Georgie | |
Plot
Eleven-year-old George (Barret Oliver) is left alone with his ancient and infirm grandmother, while his mother leaves to visit George's brother in the hospital. George's mother is concerned that George might be frightened of his Gramma, but George insists that he is not. After she leaves, George spends the time completing his schoolwork and attending to his household chores.
A heavy storm brews outside, and George hears a monstrous growl from the bedroom. It is his grandmother asking George for her tea. George is startled and hides, but convinces himself he's too old to behave this way and resigns himself to bring the tea. As he walks down the hall to the Gramma's room, George recalls conversations in which his mother and her siblings discussed how dangerous Gramma is now that she is senile. As George enters Gramma's room, he considers how awful it would be if she died while he was alone with her. A gnarled hand reaches out from the bedclothes. This startles George, and he drops the tea tray and flees the room.
Regaining his composure, George returns to clean up the broken mess. He opens a panel in the floor. A red, smoky light shines from the aperture, and he hears screams. Thinking that this is the entrance to Hell, George grabs his grandmother's books and runs out with them.
When he reaches the kitchen, he examines the books. Much of the text is in a language he does not understand, but the illustrations suggest to him that they are books about witchcraft and summoning the dead. He assumes that his grandmother wrote the books and that she is a witch.
George returns to his grandmother's room and tries without success to rouse her. Thinking she must be dead, he runs to the phone to call the hospital. He then imagines the things he must do if she is dead, like covering her face and explaining the circumstances to the doctor. He returns to her room, even though he doesn't want to do so, to make sure she is dead. A gnarled hand reaches out and grabs him. Gramma opens one glowing red eye and glares at him. She draws him to her and embraces him, and tells him that he is her favorite, and they seem to merge into one being.
George's mother returns and finds George sitting at the kitchen table with his grandmother's books. He explains that Gramma died and he didn't know what to do. She tries to comfort him, but does not see that he now has glowing red eyes like Gramma.
Note
This episode is based on the short story of the same name by Stephen King, published in the collection Skeleton Crew (1985).
The segment contains several references to the Cthulhu Mythos, including use of the names Cthulhu, Yog-Sothoth, and an appearance by the Necronomicon.
