Description: Season 5, Episode 17
Air Date: January 24, 1964
Plot Summary: In the future all young adults must undergo a physical transformation that removes individual identity.
Review: I guess this episode is mid-level classic? I mean, it gets recognition, but I find it's often overlooked in best episode lists. Nevertheless, they surprisingly pack a lot of issues into this story that expand upon ideas proposed in "The Trade-Ins." While "The Trade-Ins" focused on old people becoming young, this episode tackles the younger side of the equation but adds in themes regarding conformity, individualism, identity, and a subtle, totalitarian regime.
Upon turning 18, the main girl, Marilyn, is given a small window of time in which to decide how she will "transform." This transformation involves picking a chosen body she will be shaped into; in other words, there are a handful of models, and you must pick which one you will become. Marilyn is conflicted since she likes the way she looks, and no one can give a good reason why she must change. Marilyn is presented well enough as she questions the status quo, and we realize how disturbing this future truly is. The state has declared ugliness to be a trait that leads to war, but it is subtly shown that any kind of individualism is what is truly banned. It's kind of like "Gattaca" on steroids.
Beyond simply standardizing looks, you are given an extended life with vitality. However, the heavy cost also involves a kind of brainwashing that makes you vapid and shallow, incapable of free thought. Marilyn cannot convey rational thought or questioning into the minds of those that have transformed. There is also the idea that people get married many, many times with their long lives. I think TZ wanted to say people do a lot of random fucking but couldn't get away with that; there are a whole lot of winks going on to the audience. Toward the end, Marilyn reveals that her father committed suicide after he transformed since he couldn't take the loss of his identity. Honestly, there's a lot of heavy shit going on that I wish could have been fleshed out in season 4's one hour block. Perhaps the biggest statement of all is that the episode does end with Marilyn receiving the transformation and becomes a complete airhead immediately after. Even Mr. Serling's closing is a bit somber as he mentions that one should put a question mark after calling this future impossible.
Overall, this is a great episode with a lot of material to consider. The concepts are universal and worth considering in any time or society. They don't explain if these same models apply to the whole world or not, but I shudder at the idea of a world with no busty Asian beauties (am I right, Dean?)! As much as I would love to say this future is impossible, I just don't know anymore. Humanity has become (or always was) weak-minded and shallow and would easily go for this bullshit if it meant living longer and staying young. For me, I always stick to advice from Mark Twain: Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.
This was like the Trade ins with the concept of one's mind/soul being able to get transferred from their body to some great looking healthy happy body on display. Except 1) here, like you said, it's not jumping from an old to a young body, it's jumping from an ordinary young body to a very attractive young body. 2) In the Trade ins, there was nothing about one's mind and character being completely altered in the new body, like in this episode. The new body's characters are all the same air head bimbo, kinda reminds me of like those Reese Witherspoon's sorority friend's style air headedness in Legally Blonde. And most of the more modern college movies' stereotypical sorority types of "oh! my! god! you so didiin't" and "that is, like, so not cool".
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