If She Dies

**If She Dies** is the first of two stories (the other being **Ye Gods**, written by Anne Collins) in the fifth episode of the revived *Twilight Zone* TV series. It aired on CBS on October 25, 1985, and was written by David Bennett Carren and directed by John Hancock. The story was adapted from a comic story of the same name in *Twisted Tales* #10, also written by Carren.

Jenny Lewis was nominated at the Youth in Film Awards for "Best Young Actress - Guest in a Television Series" for her role, but lost to Jaclyn Bernstein for her performance in the third episode of the series, *The Twilight Zone*, in the segment "Children's Zoo".

## Plot

### If She Dies

After his daughter Cathy (Andrea Barber) winds up in a coma from a car accident, widower Paul Marano (Tony Lo Bianco) encounters the ghost of a small girl who directs him to purchase an antique bed from an orphanage sale. That night, the ghost Sarah (Jenny Lewis) appears to him again and asks for someone named "Toby" before he tucks her into the bed. Paul learns at the orphanage that Sarah died before he was born and Toby was her teddy bear. When he explains Sarah's ghost has returned, the nun reluctantly gives him the bear. Paul removes Cathy from the hospital and puts her in Sarah's bed, which brings her out of the coma, as she asks for Toby.

### Ye Gods

Wealthy businessman Todd Ettinger has always focused on the material things in life, until the god Cupid causes him to fall in love with a mysterious woman. When Todd does nothing about the encounter, Cupid follows him back to his office and chastizes him for not caring about love. He shoots Todd with several more arrows, in hopes of ruining his life with unrequited love. Todd continues to see the woman from afar, but can never seem to catch her. Unable to function, Todd tracks Cupid down, but Cupid had decided it's his own fault because he couldn't work things out with Magaera, the god he loves. Todd sets out to bring the two together, and when he succeeds, he finally encounters the woman again and they kiss in the street.

## Cast

* Charles Aidman as narrator (*uncredited; voice*)

### If She Dies

* Tony Lo Bianco as Paul Molano
* Nan Martin as Sister Agnes
* Andrea Barber as Kathy Molano
* Jenny Lewis as Sarah
* John Gowans as Dr. Brice
* Donna-Jean Lansing as nun
* Adele Miller as nurse

### Ye Gods

* David Dukes as Todd Ettinger
* Robert Morse as Cupid
* Carolyn Seymour as Megaera
* John Myhers as Ed Bacchus
* Andrew Masset as Peter
* Patti Karr as April
* Ingrid Boulting as woman

## Production

* The episode was shot in Los Angeles, California. The hospital, and both orphanages were located at the same intersection of Loma Dr. and W. 3rd St in the Westlake district. The building serving as the old orphanage actually *was* torn down and is currently Casa Loma Apartments.

## Home Video

1986 Volume Three VHS (UK)1988 Mas Alla de los Limites de la Realidad Vol. 3 Betamax/VHS (Spain)1988 Vol. 8 VHS (Japan)1990 Volume Three VHS (Australia)1990 Vol. 8 LaserDisc (Japan)2004 Season 1 DVD (US/Canada)2005 Season One DVD (UK)2007 Season One DVD (Australia)2009 The Complete Collection DVD (Australia)2011 The Complete Collection DVD (UK)2014 Más Allá de los Límites de la Realidad First Season DVD (Spain)2014 The 5th Dimension DVD (US/Canada)2016 Part 1 DVD (Germany)2017 The Complete '80s Series DVD (US/Canada)
## Other Information

* Sarah's last name is "Brannigan" in the comic book.
* The name Agnes is never spoken in the episode and comes from the script dated May 31, 1985. In the comic, her name is Sister Carmella and she is confined to a wheelchair.
* A promotional photo of Jenny Lewis is used on the front cover and spine of the Spanish VHS release.
* The "Ye Gods" script, dated May 9, 1985, gives Peter's last name as LaSalle.