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Changed line(s) 1,33 (click to see context) from:
--> '''Creator/RodSerling''': "Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, gentle and infinitely patient people whose lives have been a hope chest with a rusty lock and a lost set of keys. But in just a moment that hope chest will be opened and an improbable phantom will try to bedeck the drabness of these two people's failure laden lives with the gold and precious stones of fulfillment. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, standing on the outskirts and about to enter the Twilight Zone."
Air date: October 7, 1960
Arthur Castle, the kind-hearted but poor owner of a failing pawnshop, gets more than he bargained for when he accepts an old lady's offer to purchase a bottle she got out of the trash for a few dollars. Arthur and his wife Edna soon find out that the bottle contains a genie, who is willing to grant them four wishes. The genie does take the time to tell the Castles that each wish has its repercussions, so they had best use them wisely. Arthur and Edna, unfortunately, learn the hard way that the genie wasn't bluffing.
----
!!The Tropes in the Bottle:
* ActorAllusion: This isn't the first time Luther Adler, who plays Arthur, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Adler was Russian-Jewish American.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Hard-up antiques dealer Arthur Castle gives Mrs. Gumley, an equally destitute old woman, a few dollars for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him and his wife Edna four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the Castles use the second to wish for a million dollars in cash. Once they've gotten the money and have given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, Arthur and Edna are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. Arthur decides to use the third wish to become the leader of a powerful, modern, foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office... and he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses the fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* BittersweetEnding: The Castles are still broke and their store may still go under, but their experience has given them a new outlook on life, and they still gave many of their neighbors a portion of their magical funds to ensure they're better off than they are.
* {{Bookends}}: The beginning and end of the story feature the glass display case in the Castles' shop breaking.
* BottleEpisode: Noted pun aside, with the exception of one scene in UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's bunker, this episode takes place entirely in the Castles' pawnshop.
* ContrivedCoincidence: As soon as Arthur bemoans how he can wish his bills can be paid, in walks Mrs. Gumley with a certain bottle.
* ExactWords: Arthur does everything he can to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and Edna look at every possible downside or loophole in the details of their next wish, Arthur wishes to be the leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that exact description]] and places the poor guy in a time period closest to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grants Arthur's third wish, we cut to a leader with his head on the table, sobbing his eyes out, while a subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of bombs startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Arthur has become Adolf Hitler.
* GenieInABottle: The genie housed in the wine bottle Mrs. Gumley pawns on Arthur, who seems to only come out every 101 years.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle containing the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, to the point where Arthur thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it. In the end, it ''does'' manage to improve his outlook on life.
* HereWeGoAgain: The last shot of the episode has the genie's bottle repairing itself, waiting in a trash can for someone else to pick it up.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Arthur becomes Adolf Hitler with his third wish (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate: Arthur is an old and fairly out of shape man, so when he becomes Adolf Hitler after making his third wish, Hitler looks like [[FatBastard Goering]] with an undercut and toothbrush mustache.
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruin the Castles' wishes. The first time, he's a jackass by inaction, neglecting to mention the tax issue. Then, when Arthur wishes to be a ruler with absolute power, the genie is a more active jackass, making him Hitler in the bunker in April 1945.
* MundaneWish: Arthur's first wish is to have a pane of glass in his shop repaired, as a test of the genie's power. He and Edna then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end, they console themselves with the fact that the glass got repaired. Arthur accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna begin laughing.
* NiceGuy: Arthur, who is willing to even accept trash from a poor old lady for a few dollars. He also shares the million dollars he wishes for with his neighbors, offering to have the money pay off their mortages or treat them to a nice vacation.
* PrestigePeril: Arthur wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position... only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* SharpDressedMan: The genie appears from a cloud of smoke, wearing an elegant suit.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mrs. Gumley, the old woman who pawns the genie's bottle on Arthur.
* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler, Arthur is given the choice between ingesting his cyanide capsule or risk being captured by the Allies and put on trial for war crimes. [[TakeTheThirdOption Desperate for a third option]], Arthur uses his final wish on the cyanide bottle, pleading for the genie to undo his wishes and return him to his mundane life.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash, which the genie makes rain from the ceiling. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe, leaving them with only five dollars.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this trick, fearing what would happen if Arthur tried it, and instead tells him to think over the consequences of each wish, bad or good.
-----
--> '''Creator/RodSerling''': "A word to the wise, now, to the garbage collectors of the world, to the curio seekers, to the antique buffs, to everyone who would try to coax out a miracle from unlikely places. Check that bottle you're taking back for a two-cent deposit. The genie you save might be your own. Case in point, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, fresh from the briefest of trips into The Twilight Zone."
Air date: October 7, 1960
Arthur Castle, the kind-hearted but poor owner of a failing pawnshop, gets more than he bargained for when he accepts an old lady's offer to purchase a bottle she got out of the trash for a few dollars. Arthur and his wife Edna soon find out that the bottle contains a genie, who is willing to grant them four wishes. The genie does take the time to tell the Castles that each wish has its repercussions, so they had best use them wisely. Arthur and Edna, unfortunately, learn the hard way that the genie wasn't bluffing.
----
!!The Tropes in the Bottle:
* ActorAllusion: This isn't the first time Luther Adler, who plays Arthur, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Adler was Russian-Jewish American.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Hard-up antiques dealer Arthur Castle gives Mrs. Gumley, an equally destitute old woman, a few dollars for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him and his wife Edna four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the Castles use the second to wish for a million dollars in cash. Once they've gotten the money and have given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, Arthur and Edna are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. Arthur decides to use the third wish to become the leader of a powerful, modern, foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office... and he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses the fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* BittersweetEnding: The Castles are still broke and their store may still go under, but their experience has given them a new outlook on life, and they still gave many of their neighbors a portion of their magical funds to ensure they're better off than they are.
* {{Bookends}}: The beginning and end of the story feature the glass display case in the Castles' shop breaking.
* BottleEpisode: Noted pun aside, with the exception of one scene in UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's bunker, this episode takes place entirely in the Castles' pawnshop.
* ContrivedCoincidence: As soon as Arthur bemoans how he can wish his bills can be paid, in walks Mrs. Gumley with a certain bottle.
* ExactWords: Arthur does everything he can to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and Edna look at every possible downside or loophole in the details of their next wish, Arthur wishes to be the leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that exact description]] and places the poor guy in a time period closest to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grants Arthur's third wish, we cut to a leader with his head on the table, sobbing his eyes out, while a subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of bombs startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Arthur has become Adolf Hitler.
* GenieInABottle: The genie housed in the wine bottle Mrs. Gumley pawns on Arthur, who seems to only come out every 101 years.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle containing the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, to the point where Arthur thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it. In the end, it ''does'' manage to improve his outlook on life.
* HereWeGoAgain: The last shot of the episode has the genie's bottle repairing itself, waiting in a trash can for someone else to pick it up.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Arthur becomes Adolf Hitler with his third wish (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate: Arthur is an old and fairly out of shape man, so when he becomes Adolf Hitler after making his third wish, Hitler looks like [[FatBastard Goering]] with an undercut and toothbrush mustache.
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruin the Castles' wishes. The first time, he's a jackass by inaction, neglecting to mention the tax issue. Then, when Arthur wishes to be a ruler with absolute power, the genie is a more active jackass, making him Hitler in the bunker in April 1945.
* MundaneWish: Arthur's first wish is to have a pane of glass in his shop repaired, as a test of the genie's power. He and Edna then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end, they console themselves with the fact that the glass got repaired. Arthur accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna begin laughing.
* NiceGuy: Arthur, who is willing to even accept trash from a poor old lady for a few dollars. He also shares the million dollars he wishes for with his neighbors, offering to have the money pay off their mortages or treat them to a nice vacation.
* PrestigePeril: Arthur wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position... only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* SharpDressedMan: The genie appears from a cloud of smoke, wearing an elegant suit.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mrs. Gumley, the old woman who pawns the genie's bottle on Arthur.
* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler, Arthur is given the choice between ingesting his cyanide capsule or risk being captured by the Allies and put on trial for war crimes. [[TakeTheThirdOption Desperate for a third option]], Arthur uses his final wish on the cyanide bottle, pleading for the genie to undo his wishes and return him to his mundane life.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash, which the genie makes rain from the ceiling. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe, leaving them with only five dollars.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this trick, fearing what would happen if Arthur tried it, and instead tells him to think over the consequences of each wish, bad or good.
-----
--> '''Creator/RodSerling''': "A word to the wise, now, to the garbage collectors of the world, to the curio seekers, to the antique buffs, to everyone who would try to coax out a miracle from unlikely places. Check that bottle you're taking back for a two-cent deposit. The genie you save might be your own. Case in point, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, fresh from the briefest of trips into The Twilight Zone."
to:
Air date: October 7, 1960
Arthur Castle, the kind-hearted but poor owner of a failing pawnshop, gets more than he bargained for when he accepts an old lady's offer to purchase a bottle she got out of the trash for a few dollars. Arthur and his wife Edna soon find out that the bottle contains a genie, who is willing to grant them four wishes. The genie does take the time to tell the Castles that each wish has its repercussions, so they had best use them wisely. Arthur and Edna, unfortunately, learn the hard way that the genie wasn't bluffing.
----
!!The Tropes in the Bottle:
* ActorAllusion: This isn't the first time Luther Adler, who plays Arthur, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Adler was Russian-Jewish American.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Hard-up antiques dealer Arthur Castle gives Mrs. Gumley, an equally destitute old woman, a few dollars for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him and his wife Edna four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the Castles use the second to wish for a million dollars in cash. Once they've gotten the money and have given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, Arthur and Edna are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. Arthur decides to use the third wish to become the leader of a powerful, modern, foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office... and he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses the fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* BittersweetEnding: The Castles are still broke and their store may still go under, but their experience has given them a new outlook on life, and they still gave many of their neighbors a portion of their magical funds to ensure they're better off than they are.
* {{Bookends}}: The beginning and end of the story feature the glass display case in the Castles' shop breaking.
* BottleEpisode: Noted pun aside, with the exception of one scene in UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's bunker, this episode takes place entirely in the Castles' pawnshop.
* ContrivedCoincidence: As soon as Arthur bemoans how he can wish his bills can be paid, in walks Mrs. Gumley with a certain bottle.
* ExactWords: Arthur does everything he can to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and Edna look at every possible downside or loophole in the details of their next wish, Arthur wishes to be the leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that exact description]] and places the poor guy in a time period closest to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grants Arthur's third wish, we cut to a leader with his head on the table, sobbing his eyes out, while a subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of bombs startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Arthur has become Adolf Hitler.
* GenieInABottle: The genie housed in the wine bottle Mrs. Gumley pawns on Arthur, who seems to only come out every 101 years.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle containing the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, to the point where Arthur thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it. In the end, it ''does'' manage to improve his outlook on life.
* HereWeGoAgain: The last shot of the episode has the genie's bottle repairing itself, waiting in a trash can for someone else to pick it up.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Arthur becomes Adolf Hitler with his third wish (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate: Arthur is an old and fairly out of shape man, so when he becomes Adolf Hitler after making his third wish, Hitler looks like [[FatBastard Goering]] with an undercut and toothbrush mustache.
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruin the Castles' wishes. The first time, he's a jackass by inaction, neglecting to mention the tax issue. Then, when Arthur wishes to be a ruler with absolute power, the genie is a more active jackass, making him Hitler in the bunker in April 1945.
* MundaneWish: Arthur's first wish is to have a pane of glass in his shop repaired, as a test of the genie's power. He and Edna then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end, they console themselves with the fact that the glass got repaired. Arthur accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna begin laughing.
* NiceGuy: Arthur, who is willing to even accept trash from a poor old lady for a few dollars. He also shares the million dollars he wishes for with his neighbors, offering to have the money pay off their mortages or treat them to a nice vacation.
* PrestigePeril: Arthur wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position... only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* SharpDressedMan: The genie appears from a cloud of smoke, wearing an elegant suit.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mrs. Gumley, the old woman who pawns the genie's bottle on Arthur.
* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler, Arthur is given the choice between ingesting his cyanide capsule or risk being captured by the Allies and put on trial for war crimes. [[TakeTheThirdOption Desperate for a third option]], Arthur uses his final wish on the cyanide bottle, pleading for the genie to undo his wishes and return him to his mundane life.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash, which the genie makes rain from the ceiling. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe, leaving them with only five dollars.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this trick, fearing what would happen if Arthur tried it, and instead tells him to think over the consequences of each wish, bad or good.
-----
--> '''Creator/RodSerling''': "A word to the wise, now, to the garbage collectors of the world, to the curio seekers, to the antique buffs, to everyone who would try to coax out a miracle from unlikely places. Check that bottle you're taking back for a two-cent deposit. The genie you save might be your own. Case in point, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, fresh from the briefest of trips into The Twilight Zone."
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Changed line(s) 5,6 (click to see context) from:
Kindhearted Mr. Castle, a poor pawnshop owner, gets more than he bargained for when he accepts an older lady's trade of an old bottle for a few dollars. The bottle contains a genie capable of making their most impossible desires come true.
to:
Changed line(s) 10,26 (click to see context) from:
* ActorAllusion: This is not the first time Luther Adler, the man who played Mr. Castle, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Adler was a Russian-Jewish American.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A hard-up antiques dealer gives an equally destitute old woman a couple of bucks for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the shopkeeper uses the second to wish for a million dollars cash; after he and his wife have gotten the money and given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, the couple are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. The shopkeeper then wishes to be made the leader of a powerful, modern foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office; he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses his fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* BottleEpisode: With the exception of one scene in UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's bunker, the episode takes place entirely in the Castles' pawnshop.
* ExactWords: Mr. Castle does everything he could to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and wife look at every possible downside or loopholes in the details, Mr. Castle wishes to be a leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that description]] and places Mr. Castle in a time period closest to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
* GenieInABottle: It seems he can only come out every century plus one year.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle with the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, and even Mr. Castle thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it -- though it doesn't really improve anything but his outlook.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Adolf Hitler is used as a character (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate: Mr. Castle is an old and fairly out of shape man, so when he becomes Adolf Hitler after making his third wish, Hitler looks like [[FatBastard Goering]] with an undercut and toothbrush mustache. It's rather comical and makes you pity Castle for making such a foolish wish.
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruin Mr. Castle's wishes. The first time he's a jackass by inaction, neglecting to mention the tax issue. Then, after Mr. Castle wishes to be a ruler with absolute power, the genie is a more active jackass, making him Hitler in the bunker in April 1945.
* MundaneWish: The couple's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceeds to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna begin laughing.
* PrestigePeril: Mr. Castle wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position...only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* SharpDressedMan: The genie wears an elegant suit.
* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler, Mr. Castle is given a choice between ingesting the cyanide poison given to him or risk being captured by the Allies and put on trial for war crimes. Castle, [[TakeTheThirdOption desperate for a third option]], uses his final wish on the cyanide bottle, pleading the genie to undo his wishes and go back to his mundane life again.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe on it. This leaves them with only five dollars.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this. He tells Arthur Castle that he dreads to think of the consequences of making such a wish.
----
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A hard-up antiques dealer gives an equally destitute old woman a couple of bucks for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the shopkeeper uses the second to wish for a million dollars cash; after he and his wife have gotten the money and given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, the couple are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. The shopkeeper then wishes to be made the leader of a powerful, modern foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office; he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses his fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* BottleEpisode: With the exception of one scene in UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's bunker, the episode takes place entirely in the Castles' pawnshop.
* ExactWords: Mr. Castle does everything he could to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and wife look at every possible downside or loopholes in the details, Mr. Castle wishes to be a leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that description]] and places Mr. Castle in a time period closest to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
* GenieInABottle: It seems he can only come out every century plus one year.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle with the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, and even Mr. Castle thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it -- though it doesn't really improve anything but his outlook.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Adolf Hitler is used as a character (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate: Mr. Castle is an old and fairly out of shape man, so when he becomes Adolf Hitler after making his third wish, Hitler looks like [[FatBastard Goering]] with an undercut and toothbrush mustache. It's rather comical and makes you pity Castle for making such a foolish wish.
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruin Mr. Castle's wishes. The first time he's a jackass by inaction, neglecting to mention the tax issue. Then, after Mr. Castle wishes to be a ruler with absolute power, the genie is a more active jackass, making him Hitler in the bunker in April 1945.
* MundaneWish: The couple's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceeds to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna begin laughing.
* PrestigePeril: Mr. Castle wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position...only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* SharpDressedMan: The genie wears an elegant suit.
* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler, Mr. Castle is given a choice between ingesting the cyanide poison given to him or risk being captured by the Allies and put on trial for war crimes. Castle, [[TakeTheThirdOption desperate for a third option]], uses his final wish on the cyanide bottle, pleading the genie to undo his wishes and go back to his mundane life again.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe on it. This leaves them with only five dollars.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this. He tells Arthur Castle that he dreads to think of the consequences of making such a wish.
----
to:
* ActorAllusion: This is not isn't the first time Luther Adler, the man who played Mr. Castle, plays Arthur, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Adler was a Russian-Jewish American.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor:A hard-up Hard-up antiques dealer Arthur Castle gives Mrs. Gumley, an equally destitute old woman woman, a couple of bucks few dollars for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him and his wife Edna four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the shopkeeper uses Castles use the second to wish for a million dollars cash; after he and his wife have in cash. Once they've gotten the money and have given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, the couple Arthur and Edna are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. The shopkeeper then wishes Arthur decides to be made use the third wish to become the leader of a powerful, modern modern, foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office; office... and he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses his the fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* BittersweetEnding: The Castles are still broke and their store may still go under, but their experience has given them a new outlook on life, and they still gave many of their neighbors a portion of their magical funds to ensure they're better off than they are.
* {{Bookends}}: The beginning and end of the story feature the glass display case in the Castles' shop breaking.
* BottleEpisode:With Noted pun aside, with the exception of one scene in UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's bunker, the this episode takes place entirely in the Castles' pawnshop.
* ContrivedCoincidence: As soon as Arthur bemoans how he can wish his bills can be paid, in walks Mrs. Gumley with a certain bottle.
* ExactWords:Mr. Castle Arthur does everything he could can to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and wife Edna look at every possible downside or loopholes loophole in the details, Mr. Castle details of their next wish, Arthur wishes to be a the leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that exact description]] and places Mr. Castle the poor guy in a time period closest to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grantsMr. Castle's Arthur's third wish, it cuts we cut to a crying leader with his head on the table table, sobbing his eyes out, while his a subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb bombs startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Arthur has become Adolf Hitler.
* GenieInABottle:It The genie housed in the wine bottle Mrs. Gumley pawns on Arthur, who seems he can to only come out every century plus one year.
101 years.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottlewith containing the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, and even Mr. Castle to the point where Arthur thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it. In the end, it -- though it doesn't really ''does'' manage to improve anything but his outlook.outlook on life.
* HereWeGoAgain: The last shot of the episode has the genie's bottle repairing itself, waiting in a trash can for someone else to pick it up.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Arthur becomes Adolf Hitleris used as a character with his third wish (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate:Mr. Castle Arthur is an old and fairly out of shape man, so when he becomes Adolf Hitler after making his third wish, Hitler looks like [[FatBastard Goering]] with an undercut and toothbrush mustache. It's rather comical and makes you pity Castle for making such a foolish wish.
mustache.
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruinMr. Castle's the Castles' wishes. The first time time, he's a jackass by inaction, neglecting to mention the tax issue. Then, after Mr. Castle when Arthur wishes to be a ruler with absolute power, the genie is a more active jackass, making him Hitler in the bunker in April 1945.
* MundaneWish:The couple's Arthur's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their his shop repaired, in order to as a test of the genie's power first. The couple power. He and Edna then proceeds proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end end, they console themselves with the thought fact that at least the glass got repaired. Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna begin laughing.
* NiceGuy: Arthur, who is willing to even accept trash from a poor old lady for a few dollars. He also shares the million dollars he wishes for with his neighbors, offering to have the money pay off their mortages or treat them to a nice vacation.
* PrestigePeril:Mr. Castle Arthur wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position...position... only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* SharpDressedMan: The geniewears appears from a cloud of smoke, wearing an elegant suit.
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mrs. Gumley, the old woman who pawns the genie's bottle on Arthur.
* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler,Mr. Castle Arthur is given a the choice between ingesting the his cyanide poison given to him capsule or risk being captured by the Allies and put on trial for war crimes. Castle, [[TakeTheThirdOption desperate Desperate for a third option]], Arthur uses his final wish on the cyanide bottle, pleading for the genie to undo his wishes and go back return him to his mundane life again.
life.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars incash. cash, which the genie makes rain from the ceiling. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe on it. This leaves owe, leaving them with only five dollars.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbidsthis. He tells this trick, fearing what would happen if Arthur Castle that he dreads tried it, and instead tells him to think of over the consequences of making such a wish.
----each wish, bad or good.
-----
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor:
* BittersweetEnding: The Castles are still broke and their store may still go under, but their experience has given them a new outlook on life, and they still gave many of their neighbors a portion of their magical funds to ensure they're better off than they are.
* {{Bookends}}: The beginning and end of the story feature the glass display case in the Castles' shop breaking.
* BottleEpisode:
* ContrivedCoincidence: As soon as Arthur bemoans how he can wish his bills can be paid, in walks Mrs. Gumley with a certain bottle.
* ExactWords:
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grants
* GenieInABottle:
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle
* HereWeGoAgain: The last shot of the episode has the genie's bottle repairing itself, waiting in a trash can for someone else to pick it up.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Arthur becomes Adolf Hitler
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate:
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruin
* MundaneWish:
* NiceGuy: Arthur, who is willing to even accept trash from a poor old lady for a few dollars. He also shares the million dollars he wishes for with his neighbors, offering to have the money pay off their mortages or treat them to a nice vacation.
* PrestigePeril:
* SharpDressedMan: The genie
* SmallRoleBigImpact: Mrs. Gumley, the old woman who pawns the genie's bottle on Arthur.
* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler,
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids
----
-----
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Changed line(s) 10 (click to see context) from:
* ActorAllusion: This is not the first time Luther Adler, the man who played Mr. Castle, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Alder is a Russian-Jewish American.
to:
* ActorAllusion: This is not the first time Luther Adler, the man who played Mr. Castle, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Alder is Adler was a Russian-Jewish American.
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* ActorAllusion: This is not the first time Luther Adler, the man who played Mr. Castle, ends up becoming Hitler himself. Nearly a decade earlier, he played the Führer in ''Film/TheDesertFox''. An even bigger casting irony is that Alder is a Russian-Jewish American.
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Added DiffLines:
* HistoricalUglinessUpdate: Mr. Castle is an old and fairly out of shape man, so when he becomes Adolf Hitler after making his third wish, Hitler looks like [[FatBastard Goering]] with an undercut and toothbrush mustache. It's rather comical and makes you pity Castle for making such a foolish wish.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Deleted line(s) 19 (click to see context) :
* Narm: "I'M HITLER!!!"
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* SuicidalSadisticChoice: After being turned into Hitler, Mr. Castle is given a choice between ingesting the cyanide poison given to him or risk being captured by the Allies and put on trial for war crimes. Castle, [[TakeTheThirdOption desperate for a third option]], uses his final wish on the cyanide bottle, pleading the genie to undo his wishes and go back to his mundane life again.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
* FaceRevealingTurn: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
Deleted line(s) 19 (click to see context) :
* RevealShot: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
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* RevealShot: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
Deleted line(s) 21,22 (click to see context) :
* WhamLine: "Well, what about it, [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Führer]]!?"
* WhamShot: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
* WhamShot: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
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Changed line(s) 12 (click to see context) from:
* ExactWords: Mr. Castle does everything he could to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and wife look at every possible downside or loopholes in the details, Mr. Castle wishes to be a leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that description]] and places Mr. Castle in a time period close to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
to:
* ExactWords: Mr. Castle does everything he could to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and wife look at every possible downside or loopholes in the details, Mr. Castle wishes to be a leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that description]] and places Mr. Castle in a time period close closest to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
Added DiffLines:
* WhamLine: "Well, what about it, [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler Führer]]!?"
* WhamShot: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
* WhamShot: After the genie grants Mr. Castle's third wish, it cuts to a crying leader with his head on the table while his subordinate screams at him about the war going outside. The sound of the bomb startles the leader and he turns his head to reveal... Mr. Castle as Adolf Hitler.
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Added DiffLines:
* ExactWords: Mr. Castle does everything he could to make a wish that can't screw him over. After he and wife look at every possible downside or loopholes in the details, Mr. Castle wishes to be a leader of a powerful, foreign country that can't be voted of office in a contemporary setting. Unfortunately for him, the genie knows [[UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler a leader who fits that description]] and places Mr. Castle in a time period close to the present day (i.e. Battle of Berlin).
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Changed line(s) 8,9 (click to see context) from:
!!This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
to:
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Air date: October 7, 1960
Kindhearted Mr. Castle, a poor pawnshop owner, gets more than he bargained for when he accepts an older lady's trade of an old bottle for a few dollars. The bottle contains a genie capable of making their most impossible desires come true.
Deleted line(s) 3,6 (click to see context) :
Kindhearted Mr. Castle, a poor pawnshop owner, gets more than he bargained for when he accepts an older lady's trade of an old bottle for a few dollars. The bottle contains a genie capable of making their most impossible desires come true.
----
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Changed line(s) 15 (click to see context) from:
* MundaneWish: The couple's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceeds to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna burst out laughing.
to:
* MundaneWish: The couple's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceeds to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna burst out begin laughing.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Changed line(s) 15 (click to see context) from:
* MundaneWish: The couple's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna then burst out laughing.
to:
* MundaneWish: The couple's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceed proceeds to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna then burst out laughing.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
* SharpDressedMan: The genie wears an elegant suit.
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Changed line(s) 18 (click to see context) from:
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this. He tells Arthur Castle that he dreads to think of the consequences
to:
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this. He tells Arthur Castle that he dreads to think of the consequences of making such a wish.
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None
Changed line(s) 10 (click to see context) from:
* GenieInABottle: It seems he can only come out every hundred years and a day.
to:
* BottleEpisode: With the exception of one scene in UsefulNotes/AdolfHitler's bunker, the episode takes place entirely in the Castles' pawnshop.
* GenieInABottle: It seems he can only come out everyhundred years and a day.century plus one year.
* GenieInABottle: It seems he can only come out every
Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* MundaneWish: The couples' first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Guess what happens next.
to:
* MundaneWish: The couples' couple's first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Guess what happens next.Arthur then accidentally breaks the pane with the end of his sweeping brush. He and Edna then burst out laughing.
Changed line(s) 17 (click to see context) from:
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this.
to:
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this. He tells Arthur Castle that he dreads to think of the consequences
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--> '''Creator/RodSerling''': "Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, gentle and infinitely patient people whose lives have been a hope chest with a rusty lock and a lost set of keys. But in just a moment that hope chest will be opened and an improbable phantom will try to bedeck the drabness of these two people's failure laden lives with the gold and precious stones of fulfillment. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, standing on the outskirts and about to enter the Twilight Zone."
----
----
Changed line(s) 14 (click to see context) from:
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this.
to:
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this.this.
----
--> '''Creator/RodSerling''': "A word to the wise, now, to the garbage collectors of the world, to the curio seekers, to the antique buffs, to everyone who would try to coax out a miracle from unlikely places. Check that bottle you're taking back for a two-cent deposit. The genie you save might be your own. Case in point, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, fresh from the briefest of trips into The Twilight Zone."
----
--> '''Creator/RodSerling''': "A word to the wise, now, to the garbage collectors of the world, to the curio seekers, to the antique buffs, to everyone who would try to coax out a miracle from unlikely places. Check that bottle you're taking back for a two-cent deposit. The genie you save might be your own. Case in point, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Castle, fresh from the briefest of trips into The Twilight Zone."
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Added DiffLines:
----
Added DiffLines:
Added DiffLines:
* GenieInABottle: It seems he can only come out every hundred years and a day.
Added DiffLines:
* JackassGenie: The genie clearly acts to ruin Mr. Castle's wishes. The first time he's a jackass by inaction, neglecting to mention the tax issue. Then, after Mr. Castle wishes to be a ruler with absolute power, the genie is a more active jackass, making him Hitler in the bunker in April 1945.
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None
Changed line(s) 8 (click to see context) from:
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe on it. This leaves them with only five dollars.
to:
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe on it. This leaves them with only five dollars.dollars.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this.
* WishingForMoreWishes: The genie explicitly forbids this.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
None
Added DiffLines:
Kindhearted Mr. Castle, a poor pawnshop owner, gets more than he bargained for when he accepts an older lady's trade of an old bottle for a few dollars. The bottle contains a genie capable of making their most impossible desires come true.
!!This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A hard-up antiques dealer gives an equally destitute old woman a couple of bucks for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the shopkeeper uses the second to wish for a million dollars cash; after he and his wife have gotten the money and given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, the couple are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. The shopkeeper then wishes to be made the leader of a powerful, modern foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office; he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses his fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle with the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, and even Mr. Castle thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it -- though it doesn't really improve anything but his outlook.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Adolf Hitler is used as a character (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* MundaneWish: The couples' first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Guess what happens next.
* PrestigePeril: Mr. Castle wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position...only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe on it. This leaves them with only five dollars.
!!This episode contains examples of the following tropes:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: A hard-up antiques dealer gives an equally destitute old woman a couple of bucks for an empty wine bottle she found in the trash. The bottle turns out to house a genie, who grants him four wishes. After using the first wish to have the genie prove his power by fixing a cracked glass display case, the shopkeeper uses the second to wish for a million dollars cash; after he and his wife have gotten the money and given a fair chunk of it away to their friends and neighbors, the couple are presented with a tax bill from the IRS, which leaves them with a mere $5. The shopkeeper then wishes to be made the leader of a powerful, modern foreign country, one who cannot be voted out of office; he finds himself turned into Adolf Hitler in his bunker at the end of World War II. He then uses his fourth and final wish to return to his old life, which now looks better to him than ever before... even after he accidentally re-breaks the glass case, leaving him completely back at square one.
* GrailInTheGarbage: The bottle with the genie looks like just an ordinary wine bottle, and even Mr. Castle thought it was just a useless piece of trash when he accepted it -- though it doesn't really improve anything but his outlook.
* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Adolf Hitler is used as a character (and Eva Braun is mentioned).
* MundaneWish: The couples' first wish (out of four) is to have a pane of glass in their shop repaired, in order to test the genie's power first. The couple then proceed to waste their remaining wishes, but in the end console themselves with the thought that at least the glass got repaired. Guess what happens next.
* PrestigePeril: Mr. Castle wishes to be the leader of a modern country who cannot be voted out of position...only to find that he's Adolf Hitler, and it's the end of World War II.
* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: The Castles' second wish is for a million dollars in cash. After they give away some of the money, an IRS agent shows up and gives them a bill for the taxes (Federal and state) they owe on it. This leaves them with only five dollars.
