Living Doll

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'The Twilight Zone'' original series Season five (1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5)''' Fall 1963 – Summer 1964 List of The Twilight Zone episodes
Episodes: In Praise of Pip Steel Nightmare at 20,000 Feet A Kind of a Stopwatch The Last Night of a Jockey Living Doll The Old Man in the Cave Uncle Simon Probe 7, Over and Out The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms A Short Drink From a Certain Fountain Ninety Years Without Slumbering Ring-a-Ding Girl You Drive The Long Morrow The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross Number 12 Looks Just Like You Black Leather Jackets Night Call From Agnes—With Love Spur of the Moment An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge Queen of the Nile What's in the Box The Masks I Am the Night—Color Me Black Sounds and Silences Caesar and Me The Jeopardy Room Stopover in a Quiet Town The Encounter Mr. Garrity and the Graves The Brain Center at Whipple's Come Wander With Me The Fear The Bewitchin' Pool

Cast

Erich Streator: Telly Savalas
Annabelle Streator: Mary LaRoche
Christie Streator: Tracy Stratford
Talking Tina (voice): June Foray

Synopsis

[Spoiler warningSpoiler warning]: Plot and/or ending details follow.

It's little Christie's birthday and she is excited about her new present. However, as they pull into the drive, her mother, Annabelle, instructs Christie to run upstairs with her new doll. Her mother informs her that her daddy does not need to see the doll now. Nonetheless, mother and daughter are stopped by father, Erich, as they enter the home. Christie is eager to show off her new present, but her father is merely concerned with how much it cost. Christie displays her doll for her father to see, exclaiming that this is "Talking Tina!" Talking Tina proclaims "My name is Talking Tina, and I love you very much!" Christie's father still only wants to know how much Talking Tina cost. Annabelle insists that this is not the time or place to discuss such matters - that she charged it. Erich demands to know how much it cost, stating that Christie does not need another doll. Christie flees the room, leaving Talking Tina behind. Annabelle follows Christie, and Erich examines Talking Tina, who verbally states that she does not like him. Erich throws Talking Tina across the room. Annabelle reenters the room, and we learn that Erich isn't actually Christie's father. Annabelle expresses her wishes for Erich to treat Christie better, stating that she loves him. Erich replies in a mocking tone, "But I don't love her, because I am her stepfather, and am incapable of loving children." Erich and Annabelle continue with a conversation about how they cannot have children of their own. Erich accuses Annabelle of placing a Walkie-Talkie in Tina and playing a trick on him. She denies his accusations. At dinner, Christie pretends to feed Tina, as Erich becomes annoyed. Annabelle declares that Tina is good for Christie, that it gives her someone to play with. He states that Annabelle bought Tina as a reminder that they cannot have children of their own. Later, Erich is alone with Tina, and they have a conversation. Erich says to Tina, "My name is Erich Streator, and I'm going to get rid of you." Tina exclaims "You wouldn't dare! Annabelle would hate you, Christie would hate you, and I would hate you." Erich places a match next to Tina, who gasps. Erich later places Tina in the garbage. Christie is looking for Tina, but Erich states that he does not know where Tina is. He receives a phone call, and the voice on the other end says, "My name is Talking Tina, and I'm going to kill you." He checks the garbage can, but Tina is gone. He accuses Annabelle of playing tricks on him, but she insists that she has done nothing. Erich finds Tina in Christie's bed. Christie is asleep, and Tina announces "Christie! Christie! Wake up!" Christie wakes up, and Erich tries to take Tina. Christie cries for her doll as Annabelle walks in. Erich says to Annabelle, "She was with her, it is her doing it!" Christie cries "Daddy...," and Erich yells "I'm not your Daddy!" Erich brings Talking Tina to the basement, where he tries various methods of destroying her. He is unsuccessful. He places her in the garbage can, and she laughs. Erich places various objects on the garbage can to lock Tina in. He returns to his bedroom to find Annabelle packing her bags. She states that Erich needs to see a psychiatrist. Erich insists that the doll was talking to him. Erich asks if he gives the doll back to Christie, "Will that solve this?" Annabelle replies with "I don't know." Erich takes TIna from the garbage, and Tina states, "My name is Talking Tina, and I don't forgive you." Erich brings Tina back to Christie, who is being consoled by Annabelle. Erich is awake in bed, when he hears noises. He looks in Christie's room and finds that Tina is gone. Erich walks down the stairs, where he trips on Tina, falling down the stairs to his death. Annabelle screams "Erich!" and runs down the stairs to her husband. She picks up Tina who proclaims, "My name is Talking Tina, and you better be nice to me."

Trivia

Foray also provided the voice of Chatty Cathy, a talking doll manufactured by Mattel that was the inspiration for the doll in this episode.
Tina and Christie are both nicknames for Christina. The doll and the child share a name, so among many other interpretations it could be argued that the doll is a proxy through which Christie expresses hostility toward her stepfather and protects her shy, frightened mother.

References

Zicree, Marc Scott: The Twilight Zone Companion. Sillman-James Press, 1982 (second edition)

External link

[TV.com episode page]

Twilight Zone links

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