History Recap / TheTwilightZoneS2E39NervousManInAFourDollarRoom

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/nervous_man_in_a_four_dollar_room-300x225_9684.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Left to right: John Rhoades and Jackie Rhoades.]]

->'''Creator/RodSerling''': This is Mr. Jackie Rhoades, age thirty-four, and where some men leave a mark of their lives as a record of their fragmentary existence on Earth, this man leaves a blot, a dirty, discolored blemish to document a cheap and undistinguished sojourn amongst his betters. What you're about to watch in this room is a strange, mortal combat between a man and himself, for in just a moment, Mr. Jackie Rhoades, whose life has been given over to fighting adversaries, will find his most formidable opponent in a cheap hotel room that is in reality the outskirts of the Twilight Zone.

Air date: October 14, 1960

Jackie Rhoades (Joe Mantell) is a cowardly and insecure gangster waiting in the four dollar hotel room he calls home for a call from his boss George (William D. Gordon). George then enters, and after mocking Jackie several times, hands him a gun and orders him to kill a bartender who won't pay for "protection" money. Jackie says that while he's done a fair share of criminal acts, he's never killed anybody in his life. George angrily tells him to have the job done by 2:00 or else he'll be killed before he leaves.

Jackie nervously considers the gun, and eventually decides that he has no choice. Suddenly, his reflection starts talking and moving on its own, acting as a stronger-willed version of Jackie. The reflection mocks Jackie for being a total loser and an unassertive coward his whole life. It goes on to remind Jackie that he had been given multiple chances to be a better person, but he always allowed himself to be pressured into doing the wrong thing, which led him to join George's gang instead of graduating and getting a real job. The reflection then laments about Jackie's crush Janie Reardon, and how Jackie blew his chance to be with her, before telling him that if he doesn't stand up and quit the gang, he'll either be killed or spend the rest of his life as a pathetic lackey. Jackie can't muster up the courage to quit the gang, so the reflection tells him that it'll be taking over. Terrified, Jackie rips the mirror off the wall and tries to escape, but finds mirrors everywhere as the reflection gets larger and larger...

At 2:30, George comes back to the room and yells at Jackie for not killing the bartender, threatening him with his own gun. Jackie suddenly casually knocks the gun out of George's hand, then beats him up and throws him out of the room. He calls the desk clerk and checks out, referring to himself as "''John'' Rhoades". He looks into a mirror, where it's revealed that Jackie and the reflection have switched places. "John" tells Jackie that he's going out into the world and finally making something out of their life. Seemingly content, Jackie wordlessly agrees.

!!Nervous Tropes in a Four Dollar Room:
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: In the beginning, George ridicules Jackie by saying that he's going to get some guts if he's going to kill the bartender. At the end of the episode, Jackie (or rather "''John''") has those guts, just enough to stand up to George and send him running.
* BottleEpisode: The entire episode takes place in Jackie's hotel room and the nearby hallway.
* ChromosomeCasting: The episode does not feature any women onscreen.
* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Jackie tries to light one up, only to find he has no matches. His reflection does, and offering one to him is how the two meet for the first time.
* CoolOldGuy: While nameless and off-screen, the old bartender who stands up to George and his gang is essentially this. George and his men expect that supplying his jukebox automatically entitles them to his services, but he isn't taking flack from them and spits in their eye instead. The whole reason George wants Jackie to kill him is solely because he suspects this man could potentially inspire others to stand up to him and his gang.
* DareToBeBadass: John calls Jackie out on his lackluster, criminal lifestyle, and tells him that he can be better than what he has been.
-->'''John''': Jackie! Jackie, let me out! I wanna take over! I ''gotta'' take over! I want a decent job, some friends!
-->'''Jackie''': I got a job! I got friends! I got everything I want!
-->'''John''': You got nothin'! You got nothin' but pain inside! You got no friends! You got nothin'! You ARE nothin! It's time to BE something!
* DeathOfPersonality: The reflection completely overrides Jackie's mind, though both it and Jackie himself are satisfied with the change.
* DidNotGetTheGirl: One of the unhappy results of Jackie's lifetime of poor choices was when he was in a relationship with Janie Reardon. But instead of settling down with her, he chose to continue working for street gangs and was sent to jail. By the time he was released, Janie had already moved away and married someone else.
* HappyEnding: Rare for a ''Twilight Zone'' episode. "John" Rhoades stands up to George and turns a corner into his new life.
* TheMafia: Jackie is a gangster associated with local crime boss George. He typically performs minor jobs such as breaking and entering and the occasional mugging. Since the police are well aware that Jackie doesn't handle big jobs, George tells him to kill the old bartender in order to throw them off the scent.
* TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack: Jackie's reflection spends the whole episode belittling the real deal. At the end, he takes over and vows to turn their life around.
* MeaningfulRename: When the reflection takes over Jackie's mind, he starts calling himself "John", signifying that at this very late date, he's finally going to start taking responsibility for his own life.
* MinimalistCast: This episode only features two actors: Joe Mantell and William D. Gordon (who appears in two scenes).
* MortonsFork: Jackie's situation: either he doesn't kill the bartender and gets killed by George, or he kills the bartender and gets killed by the police.
* NeverMyFault: Jackie laments how his life has been one long uphill climb with nothing to show for it. He was first dared as a child by some boys to steal from a teacher, then was sent to a reform school when he was caught shoplifting, then was sent to jail after disobeying his parole officer, then lost his girlfriend to another man when he got sent to prison ''again''. His reflection is the first to point out that a great deal of this misfortune was a result of his ''own'' poor life choices.
* TheOneThatGotAway: Janie Reardon, who fell in love with someone else while Jackie was in prison.
* PeerPressureMakesYouEvil: Jackie became the lowlife he is in large part to peer pressure, as some kids dared him to steal from a teacher when he was a boy.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: An episode-long one given from a reflection to its reflector.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: An inversion, as the reflection is annoyed with the man.
* TheSlacker: Jackie's reflection alleges that all of Jackie's troubles have been his own fault.
* SplitPersonalityTakeover: The reflection, aka "John", takes over Jackie's life, which he does in the end. It's a HappyEnding as "John" is a better, stronger person, and Jackie himself is actually quite fine with it, though he's stuck in a mirror.
* TalkingToThemself: Jackie spends the whole episode talking to his sapient reflection.
* TakeAThirdOption: George gives Jackie an ultimatum: kill the bartender or be killed. "John" exercises a third option by beating the crap out of George when he comes to take revenge.
* ThatManIsDead: Jackie's name change signifies that he's no longer the same person.
* TookALevelInBadass: Jackie goes from fearfully going along with everything George says, to defying him, beating him in a fight, and resigning from his gang.
* VerbalTic: Jackie adds "George" at the beginning and end of sentences, usually when talking to or about his boss.
-----
->'''Creator/RodSerling''': Exit Mr. John Rhoades, formerly a reflection in a mirror, a fragment of someone else's conscience, a wishful thinker made out of glass, but now made out of flesh and on his way to join the company of men. Mr. John Rhoades, with one foot through the door and one foot out of the Twilight Zone.

* DidNotGetTheGirl / TheOneThatGotAway: One of the unhappy results of Jackie's lifetime of poor choices was when he was in a relationship with Janie Reardon. But instead of settling down with her, he chose to continue working for street gangs and was sent to jail. By the time he was released, Janie had already moved away and married someone else.

* TheLostLenore: Janie Reardon, who fell in love with someone else while Jackie was in prison.

* DeathOfPersonality: The reflection completely overrides Jackie's mind, though both it and Jackie itself are satisfied with the change.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: In the beginning, George ridicules Jackie's by saying that he's going to get some guts tif he's going to kill the bartender. At the end of the episode, Jackie (or rather "''John''") has those guts, just enough to stand up to George and send him running.

Jackie Rhoades (Joe Mantell), a cowardly, insecure gangster, waits in his hotel room for his boss George. George (William D. Gordon) enters. After mocking Jackie several times, George hands Jackie a gun and orders him to kill a bartender who won't pay George protection money. Jackie says he's never killed anybody in his life and he's scared, but George angrily tells him to do the job by 2:00 or else he will come back and kill him. George leaves.

Jackie nervously considers the gun, and eventually decides he has no choice. Suddenly, his reflection starts talking and moving on its own. The reflection mocks Jackie and says he's tired of him being a total loser. Jackie was an unassertive coward his whole life. He had been given multiple chances to be a better person, but he allowed himself to be pressured into doing the wrong thing every time. Which led to him joining a gang instead of graduating and getting a real job. The reflection then laments about how Jackie blew his chance to be with a girl named Janie Reardon. The reflection says if Jackie doesn't stand up and quit the gang, all he will ever be is a lackey, and he will eventually be killed.

Jackie can't muster up the courage to quit, so the reflection says he is taking over. Terrified, Jackie rips the mirror off the wall and tries to escape, but finds more mirrors everywhere. The reflection gets larger and larger...

At 2:30, George comes back to the hotel room and yells at Jackie for not doing the job, then threatens him with a gun. George asks, "Whattaya gotta say for yourself, ''Crumb''?" Jackie answers, "I resign! You can have your gun back plus the following." He casually knocks the gun out of George's hand, then beats him up and throws him out of the room. He calls the desk clerk and checks out, referring to himself as "''John'' Rhoades". He looks into a mirror and it is revealed that Jackie and the reflection have switched places. John tells Jackie that he is going out into the world and finally making something out of their life. Jackie, seeming content, agrees.

->'''Creator/RodSerling''': Exit Mr. John Rhoades, formerly a reflection in a mirror, a fragment of someone else's conscience, a wishful thinker made out of glass, but now made out of flesh and on his way to join the company of men. Mr. John Rhoades, with one foot through the door and one foot out of the Twilight Zone.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: In the beginning, George ridicules that Jackie's going to get guts tonight if he's going to kill the bartender by 2 am. At the end of the episode, Jackie (or rather "''John''") has guts, just enough to stand up to George and send him running.
* BottleEpisode: The entire episode takes place in Jackie's hotel room and the hallway.
* ChromosomeCasting: This episode does not feature any women onscreen.
* CigaretteOfAnxiety: Jackie tries to light one, only to find he has no matches. His reflection, on the other hand, does.
* CoolOldGuy: While nameless and off-screen through the whole episode, the old bartender who stands up to George and his gang is essentially this. George and his men expect that supplying his jukebox automatically entitles them to his services, but he won't take flack from them and spits in their eye instead. Heck, the whole reason George wants Jackie to kill him is solely because he suspects this old man could potentially inspire others to stand up to him and his gang.
* DareToBeBadass: John calls out Jackie on his lackluster, lazy, criminal lifestyle, and tells him can be better than what he has been.
-->'''John''': Jackie! Jackie, let me out! I wanna take over! I gotta take over! I want a decent job, some friends!

* DidNotGetTheGirl / TheOneThatGotAway: One of the unhappy results of Jackie's poor choices. There was a time when Jackie had a working relationship with Janie Reardon. But instead of settling down with her, he chose to continue working for street gangs and was sent to jail before long. By the time he was released, Janie had already moved away and married someone else.
* HappyEnding: Rare for a ''Twilight Zone'' episode, Jackie..er John Rhoades takes the helm, stands up to George, and turns the corner into his new life.
* TheLostLenore: Janie Reardon is a not-dead variation of this. (See DidNotGetTheGirl).
* TheMafia: Jackie is a gangster who typically performs comparatively minor jobs such as breaking and entering and the occasional mugging for his boss George. As the police are well aware that Jackie does not do the big jobs, George tells him to kill the old bartender in order to throw them off the scent.
* TheManInTheMirrorTalksBack: For the whole episode. At the end, he takes over.
* MeaningfulRename: When the reflection takes over he starts calling himself "John" instead of Jackie, signifying that at this very late date Jackie/John is finally going to start taking responsibility for his own life.

* MortonsFork: Jackie thinks his situation is this -- either he doesn't kill the bartender, and gets killed by George, or he does and gets killed by the police.
* NeverMyFault: Jackie laments how his life has been one long up-hill climb with nothing to show for it. First he was dared as a child by some boys to steal from a teacher, then was later sent to a reform school when he shoplifted, was sent to jail after disobeying his parole officer, then lost his girlfriend to another man when he got sent to prison ''again''. John is the first to point out that a great deal of this was a result of his ''own'' poor life choices.
* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: From reflection to reflector.
* RageAgainstTheReflection: A possible inversion -- the reflection is annoyed with the man.
* TheSlacker: John alleges that much of Jackie's trouble is his own fault.
* SplitPersonalityTakeover: The reflection, aka "John", takes over and Jackie the weakling becomes the reflection in the mirror. It's a HappyEnding as "John" is a better, stronger person....and Jackie himself in the mirror is actually quite fine with it by the end.
* TalkingToThemself: Jackie Rhoades talking to himself in a mirror.
* TakeAThirdOption: George gives Jackie an ultimatum -- kill the bartender or be killed. John Rhoades exercises the third option of not killing the bartender and beating George up when he comes to take revenge.
* ThatManIsDead: Jackie's name change was probably supposed to signify that he's no longer the same person.
* TookALevelInBadass: Jackie -- er, ''John'' -- at the end of the episode. He goes from fearfully going along with everything George says to beating him in a fight and defying by resigning from the gang.
* VerbalTic: Jackie says "George" at the beginning and end of sentences sometimes, and at least at the end of sentences when talking to...you know who.
----

* ChromosomeCasting: This episode does not feature any women.

At 2:30, George comes back to the hotel room and yells at Jackie for not doing the job, then threatens him with a gun. George asks, "Whattaya gotta say for yourself, ''Crumb''?" Jackie answers, "I resign! You can have your gun back plus the following." He casually knocks the gun out of George's hand, then beats him up and throws him out of the room. He calls the desk clerk and checks out, referring to himself as "''John'' Rhoades". He looks into a mirror and it is revealed that Jackie and the reflection have switched places. John tells Jackie that he is going out into the world and finally making something out of their life.

* TheSlacker: Jackie's reflection alleges that much of Jackie's trouble is his own fault.

* NeverMyFault: Jackie laments how his life has been one long up-hill climb with nothing to show for it. First he was dared as a child by some boys to steal from a teacher, then was later sent to a reform school when he shoplifted, was sent to jail after disobeying his parole officer, then lost his girlfriend to another man when he got sent to prison ''again''. His reflection is the first to point out that a great deal of this was a result of his ''own'' poor life choices.

* DareToBeBadass: The reflection calls out Jackie on his lackluster, lazy, criminal lifestyle, and tells him can be better than what he has been.

-->'''Reflection''': Jackie! Jackie, let me out! I wanna take over! I gotta take over! I want a decent job, some friends!

-->'''Reflection''': You got nothin'! You got nothin' but pain inside! You got no friends! You got nothin'! You ARE nothin! It's time to BE something!

* CoolOldGuy: While nameless and off-screen through the whole episode, the old bartender who stands up to George and his gang is essentially this. Heck, the whole reason George wants Jackie to kill him is solely because he suspects this old man could potentially inspire others to stand up for themselves.

Jackie nervously considers the gun, and eventually decides he has no choice. Suddenly, his reflection starts talking and moving on its own. The reflection mocks Jackie and says he's tired of him being a total loser. Jackie was an unassertive coward his whole life, which led to him joining a gang instead of graduating and getting a real job. The reflection then laments about how Jackie blew his chance to be with a girl named Janie Reardon. The reflection says if Jackie doesn't stand up and quit the gang, all he will ever be is a lackey, and he will eventually be killed.

* DidNotGetTheGirl: One of the unhappy results of Jackie's poor choices. There was a time when Jackie had a working relationship with Janie Reardon. But instead of settling down with her, he chose to continue working for street gangs and was sent to jail before long. By the time he was released, Janie had already moved away and married someone else.

!!This episode contains examples of the following tropes:

VerbalTic: Jackie says "George" at the beginning and end of sentences sometimes, and at least at the end of sentences when talking to...you know who.

->'''Creator/RodSerling''': This is Mr. Jackie Rhoades, age thirty-four, and where some men leave a mark of their lives as a record of their fragmentary existence on Earth, this man leaves a blot, a dirty, discolored blemish to document a cheap and undistinguished sojourn amongst his betters. What you're about to watch in this room is a strange, mortal combat between a man and himself, for in just a moment, Mr. Jackie Rhoades, whose life has been given over to fighting adversaries, will find his most formidable opponent in a cheap hotel room that is in reality the outskirts of The Twilight Zone.

->'''Creator/RodSerling''': Exit Mr. John Rhoades, formerly a reflection in a mirror, a fragment of someone else's conscience, a wishful thinker made out of glass, but now made out of flesh and on his way to join the company of men. Mr. John Rhoades, with one foot through the door and one foot out of The Twilight Zone.

* CoolOldGuy: While nameless and off-screen through the whole episode, the old barkeeper who stands up to George and his gang is essentially this. Heck, the whole reason George wants Jackie to kill him is solely because he suspects this old man could potentially inspire others to stand up for themselves.

-->'''Reflection''': Jackie! Jackie let me out! I wanna take over! I gotta take over! I want a decent job, some friends!

* DidNotGetTheGirl: One of the unhappy results of Jackie's poor choices. There was a time when Jackie had a working relationship with Jainey Reardon. But instead of settling down with her, he chose to continue working for street gangs and was sent to jail before long. By the time he was released, Jainey had already moved away and married someone else.
* HappyEnding: Rare for a Twilight Zone episode, Jackie..er John Rhoades takes the helm, stands up to George, and turns the corner into his new life.
* TheLostLenore: Jainey Reardon is a not-dead variation of this. (See DidNotGetTheGirl).

* SplitPersonalityTakeover: The reflection, aka "John", takes over and Jackie the weakling becomes the reflection in the mirror. It's a HappyEnding as "John" is a better, stronger person.

* DeathOfPersonality: John switches places with Jackie and leaves to make something of their life. This is one of the rare times that this trope is played for a HappyEnding.

* TalkingToThemself

* TakeAThirdOption: John Rhoades' response to George's ultimatum.
* ThatManIsDead: Jackie's name change was probably supposed to signify this.
* TookALevelInBadass: Jackie -- er, ''John'' -- at the end of the episode.

* CoolOldGuy: While nameless and off-screen through the whole episode, the old barkeeper who stands up to George and his gang is essentially this. Heck, the whole reason George wants Jackie to kill him is solely because he could potentially inspire others to stand up for themselves.