Chameleon (The Twilight Zone)

"**Chameleon**"
"Chameleon"
The Twilight Zone episode
	Final scene from "Chameleon"
Episode no.	Season 1; Episode 2c
Directed by	Wes Craven
Written by
Original air date	October 4, 1985
Guest appearances
	Terry O'Quinn: Curt Lockridge ; John Ashton: Chief Brady Simmons ; Ben Piazza: Dr. Vaughn Heilman ; : Gerald Tyson ; Lin Shaye: Kate Simmons
Episode chronology
← Previous; "Dreams for Sale"	Next →; "Healer"
	List of episodes

"Chameleon" is the third and final segment of the second episode of the first season (1985–86) of the television series The Twilight Zone. In this segment, a team of scientists contend with a shape-shifting alien.

Plot[]

On an American space shuttle orbiting Earth, the onboard camera malfunctions and the astronauts shut it off. Back on Earth, technician Gerald Tyson and Crew Chief Simmons work on the shuttle after it lands; Simmons detaches the camera and takes it to be repaired. A blue light flashes and he disintegrates. Tyson calls an emergency alert. The camera is put in an isolation chamber using a robot. As the scientists discuss what happened to Simmons, there is a bright flash in the isolation chamber, and the camera transforms into Simmons. He demands to be let out.

Realizing that "Simmons" is some sort of shape-shifting creature, the scientists insist on holding him for examination. Simmons disappears in another flash of light, turning into Simmons' wife Kathy, who tells them nothing is wrong with Simmons and to release him. After the nonsensicality of this request is pointed out, the creature turns back into Simmons and starts breaking valuable samples stored in the isolation room. The scientists subdue him with sleeping gas. Dr. Vaughn Heilman enters the chamber to give Simmons a sedative so they can restore normal atmosphere for examination procedures. However, Simmons awakes and grabs his hands. They both disappear in a flash of light and are replaced by a nuclear bomb. The scientists realize that while the creature may have assumed only the form of a bomb, it is also possible that it used Dr. Heilman's knowledge as a bomb expert for the U.S. nuclear weapons program to shift into a working bomb.

Dr. Curt Lockridge negotiates with the creature, saying that they will allow it to go free. When the timer reaches one, the creature turns into Heilman and runs through the open door with Lockridge at its heels. Heilman is confronted at a launch platform. Lockridge asks it to let the doctor and Simmons free. The creature claims that they are not prisoners, and stay within him due to their "thirst". The creature asks Lockridge to come with them, but Lockridge declines. He asks why the creature came to Earth. It replies, "Curiosity" before changing into a glowing gaseous cloud that flies away into the sky.

Production[]

The opening scene is actually NASA footage shot in outer space. NASA were reluctant to allow the use of the footage and the NASA logo after they read the script, concerned that a story about NASA astronauts bringing a dangerous alien back to Earth would be bad publicity, but were eventually persuaded.^[1]

The observation booth set was small, with director Wes Craven complaining during the filming that he didn't have enough room to work in.^[1]

References[]

^ ^a ^b Crocker, James; Craven, Wes; DeGuere, Philip (2020). The Twilight Zone: The Complete '80s Series: Audio Commentary - "Chameleon" (DVD). CBS DVD.

External links[]

"Chameleon" at IMDb

[AudioCom-1] Crocker, James; Craven, Wes; DeGuere, Philip (2020). The Twilight Zone: The Complete '80s Series: Audio Commentary - "Chameleon" (DVD). CBS DVD.

[1]

v t The Twilight Zone (1985) episodes
Season 1	"Shatterday" "A Little Peace and Quiet" "Wordplay" "Dreams for Sale" "Chameleon" "Healer" "Children's Zoo" "Kentucky Rye" "Little Boy Lost" "Wish Bank" "Nightcrawlers" "If She Dies" "Ye Gods" "Examination Day" "A Message from Charity" "Teacher's Aide" "Paladin of the Lost Hour" "Act Break" "The Burning Man" "Dealer's Choice" "Dead Woman's Shoes" "Wong's Lost and Found Emporium" "The Shadow Man" "The Uncle Devil Show" "Opening Day" "The Beacon" "One Life, Furnished in Early Poverty" "Her Pilgrim Soul" "I of Newton" "Night of the Meek" "But Can She Type?" "The Star" "Still Life" "The Little People of Killany Woods" "The Misfortune Cookie" "Monsters!" "A Small Talent for War" "A Matter of Minutes" "The Elevator" "To See the Invisible Man" "Tooth and Consequences" "Welcome to Winfield" "Quarantine" "Gramma" "Personal Demons" "Cold Reading" "The Leprechaun-Artist" "Dead Run" "Profile in Silver" "Button, Button" "Need to Know" "Red Snow" "Take My Life...Please!" "Devil's Alphabet" "The Library" "Shadow Play" "Grace Note" "A Day in Beaumont" "The Last Defender of Camelot"
Season 2	"The Once and Future King" "A Saucer of Loneliness" "What Are Friends For?" "Aqua Vita" "The Storyteller" "Nightsong" "The After Hours" "Lost and Found" "The World Next Door" "The Toys of Caliban" "The Convict's Piano" "The Road Less Traveled" "The Card" "The Junction" "Joy Ride" "Shelter Skelter" "Private Channel" "Time and Teresa Golowitz" "Voices in the Earth" "Song of the Younger World" "The Girl I Married"
Season 3	"The Curious Case of Edgar Witherspoon" "Extra Innings" "The Crossing" "The Hunters" "Dream Me a Life" "Memories" "The Hellgramite Method" "Our Selena Is Dying" "The Call" "The Trance" "Acts of Terror" "20/20 Vision" "There Was an Old Woman" "The Trunk" "Appointment on Route 17" "The Cold Equations" "Stranger in Possum Meadows" "Street of Shadows" "Something in the Walls" "A Game of Pool" "Room 2426" "The Mind of Simon Foster" "The Wall" "Cat and Mouse" "Rendezvous in a Dark Place" "Many, Many Monkeys" "Love Is Blind" "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich" "Special Service" "Father and Son Game"