Twilight Zone episode review — 5.23 — Queen of the Nile

Episode 5.23 “Queen of the Nile”
Original air date: March 6, 1964
Writer: Jerry Sohl/Charles Beaumont
Director: John Brahm

Rating: 9/10

I think this has got to be one of the more underrated episodes of the series. It’s pretty great, and tells a very interesting story.

The story involves a journalist, Jordan Herrick (Lee Phillips), who goes to interview a movie star known for her beauty, Pamela Morris (Ann Blyth). He begins to suspect that somehow she’s found the fountain of youth or something, given that she’s looked the same for decades. He even thinks she went by a different name in the silent era when she was younger, but still looked the same.

His suspicions are confirmed when an old lady, Mrs. Draper (Celia Lovsky), who was supposedly Pamela’s mother, confirms that she is actually her daughter.

Before he can get the secret out, though, Pamela drains his life with an Egyptian scarab beetle, and then uses the same beetle on herself to rejuvenate.

I think what makes this episode work so well is that you really think Jordan is going to get out alive. He’s a determined and wise character, and he does all that you could expect him to in this situation, but still he gets killed.