The Twilight Zone Inspired This Cult 2010s Sci-Fi Movie With A Head-Spinning Ending

The most notable episodes of "The Twilight Zone" typically use horror, sci-fi, or fantasy to comment on real-world issues or explore profound existential questions. That's part of the reason Rod Serling's seminal anthology series remains highly influential to this day. "The Twilight Zone" pioneered the sci-fi genre for years to come and is as important today as it was during its initial run. Just take a look at "Coherence," the 2013 micro-budget brain-bender from first-time director James Ward Byrkit. Not only was the film inspired by the general tone and approach of "The Twilight Zone," one episode, in particular, appears to have been a direct precursor to "Coherence" and its own "Twilight Zone"-style head-spinning conclusion.

Underrated though it is, many consider "Coherence" one of the best sci-fi thrillers ever. The film deals with complex subject matter but is deceptively simple in its setup: Four couples meet for a dinner party at a friend's house on the same night a comet passes close to Earth. Once the comet sweeps by, the guests start to realize some serious trippiness is afoot. The cosmic event causes what's known as quantum decoherence, which basically means multiple realities with identical copies of all the guests have suddenly sprung up around them. Naturally, the group fractures as the reality of their situation sets in and paranoia takes hold.

With its limited locations (the whole film was basically shot in Byrkit's living room), shoestring budget, and cast made up of the director's friends, "Coherence" is an impressive feat. But it's even more impressive for taking a complex aspect of quantum mechanics and turning it into a gripping story. Of course, when you've got Serling's rubric, such a thing becomes a lot easier, especially when one episode of "The Twilight Zone" was based around a very similar premise.

In 1960, "The Twilight Zone" was still in its first season, but it was already one of the best shows on TV. That debut season featured several essential episodes of "The Twilight Zone" that everyone should see at least once, including "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street." Written by Rod Serling himself, this installment stars Claude Akins and Burt Metcalfe, alongside several other notable actors of the era, as the residents of Maple Street. After a meteor passes overhead and the power goes out, the quiet suburban street soon descends into chaos, as the locals come to suspect one another of being extraterrestrial invaders and turn on each other. It's essentially a commentary on the paranoia that had become rife in the United States during the Red Scare.

You might have noticed that the plot of this legendary episode sounds quite similar to "Coherence," down to a bleakly trippy ending (one that was almost quite different). But while the movie and its conclusion weren't modeled directly after "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," writer-director James Ward Byrkit was once asked about this specific "Twilight Zone" episode and seemed to confirm that it was part of the inspiration for the project.

Speaking to The Dissolve, Byrkit explained how the film was "based on the reality of not having any resources" and the way in which "The Twilight Zone" "made the most of simple locations and gave a very cosmic feeling to the most mundane circumstances." The director was then asked specifically about "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street," and he seemed to confirm it was an influence. "'Twilight Zone,' for sure," he replied, although he didn't elaborate on how the episode contributed to his creative process for "Coherence."

Aside from "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," "The Twilight Zone" was a big influence on the "Coherence" in general, and not just in terms of its storylines. Rod Serling's anthology series never had a huge budget and had to make do with what was available. That's evident in "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," which re-used alien uniforms, a spaceship, and even footage from the 1959 sci-fi film "Forbidden Planet." What's more, it was the third episode to use props and footage from the movie, and several more "Twilight Zone" installments did the same as the show went on.

That resourcefulness was a big part of James Ward Byrkit's approach to "Coherence." As the filmmaker told Spinning Platters in 2014:

"We had a camera. We had some actors who were pretty good, and we had a living room. So, we had to find out how to make a living room feel like more than just a living room. And, that led to a whole 'Twilight Zone' type story."

The writer-director went on to say that his film was "inspired by 'Twilight Zone' episodes that had a confined set and characters that were trapped in a bent reality." Clearly, that resulted in something special. Alas, thus far, Byrkit hasn't helmed another feature, only producing 2016's "The Forest" and directing TV shows. Happily, there was talk of a "Coherence" sequel, which was confirmed as being in development in 2024. There hasn't been any major updates yet, but, hopefully, we're in the timeline where such a thing does eventually materialize.