Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up

Plot

One night during a snowstorm, two state troopers are investigating a crash in the woods, described by a woman as the landing of a flying saucer. They follow footprints leading from the crash site to a diner, where a group of passengers from a bus to Boston are waiting for word that a bridge over a river up ahead is safe to cross. The only patrons of the roadside eatery are seven bus passengers: two married couples, a businessman, a professional dancer, and a "crazy" old man. The bus driver insists that there were only six passengers, but the businessman, Mr. Ross (John Hoyt), thinks he must be mistaken.

This creates a mutual suspicion among the stranded travelers, as they try to guess which among them is the alien. It is suggested that since there was only one set of tracks from the lake, that the two married couples be paired off and excluded. The driver then vouches for the dancer. This leaves only Mr. Ross and the old man (Jack Elam) as suspects. The troopers ask the old man for ID, but he claims to have left it in his flying saucer. Not knowing if he has exposed himself as the extraterrestrial or is just being humorous, the troopers ask him to name the winner of the most recent World Series – which he correctly answers, seemingly letting himself off the hook.

Several odd and sinister events occur. The jukebox starts and stops on its own, the lights flicker on and off, and most alarmingly, sugar bowls explode on the tables. As the troopers draw their weapons, a pay phone rings and the caller informs them that the bridge is safe to cross, although the bus driver has his doubts. The troopers, driver and passengers all depart the diner together.

Shortly afterwards, Mr. Ross returns to the diner alone and tells the cook, Mr. Haley, that the bridge was not safe after all and has collapsed, killing the troopers and all the other occupants of the bus. Mr. Haley asks how Mr. Ross could have made it out of the river without getting wet. Mr. Ross, revealing a third arm under his overcoat, explains that he used illusions to make his clothes appear dry and cause the other strange events - including the phone call with the all-clear on the bridge. Mr. Ross is a Martian scout, sent to Earth as part of an effort to colonize the planet. Instead of being scared, Mr. Haley removes his paper cap to reveal a third eye on his forehead and states that he is a Venusian. His people intercepted the arriving Martians and will soon arrive to start a colony on Earth. Mr. Haley laughs at the dumbfounded Mr. Ross as the episode ends.

Cast