"The Changing of the Guard": The Twilight Zone Christmas Episode That Didn't Air at Christmas

Donald Pleasance as
Prof. Fowler

Perhaps because he was born on Christmas Day, Rod Serling had a particular gift for writing Christmas stories. He wrote the classic 1964 TV movie A Carol for Another Christmas, not to mention Christmas episodes of The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery. Curiously, what in my opinion is the best Christmas episode of The Twilight Zone did not originally air at Christmastime. Instead, "The Changing of the Guard" aired in the spring, on June 1 1962.

"The Changing of the Guard" centres on elderly Professor Ellis Fowler (Donald Pleasance), who teaches English Literature at Rock Spring School, a Vermont prep school. It was at Christmastime that Professor Fowler learns he is being retired after 51 years of teaching, although he will receive free housing and a salary from the school for the rest of his life. Professor Fowler then grows depressed, feeling that he has made no impact in his life and that his lessons have come to nothing. He then decides to kill himself on Christmas Eve. Fortunately, an event occurs that makes Professor Fowler realize just how much good he had done as a teacher.

It is no secret that Rod Serling sometimes drew upon his own life in his writing, His Playhouse 90 episode "The Velvet Alley," as well as such episodes of The Twilight Zone as "Walking Distance" and "A Stop at Willoughby" both featured semi-autobiographical elements. I have to wonder if this isn't the case with "The Changing of the Guard." Certainly, the quote that Professor Fowler reads from a plinth of a statue of Horace Mann comes from Rod Serling's life. "Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity" is the school motto of Rod Serling's alma mater, Antioch College. Horace Mann, Antioch College's first president, made the quote at the school's first  commencement. I also have to wonder if the character of Professor Fowler wasn't drawn from one of Rod Serling's professors or perhaps wasn't drawn from several of his professors. Here I want to stress that I have never read anywhere that this was the case. Regardless, Ellis Fowler is one of Rod Serling's best realized characters.

Of course, much of this is due to Donald Pleasance's performance. Donald Pleasance was only 42 years old when he appeared in "The Changing of the Guard," yet he is utterly convincing as Professor Fowler. We know Professor Fowler has been teaching for 51 years and the headmaster (Liam Sullivan) states that he passed the usual retirement age long ago. At any rate, Donald Pleasance is entirely convincing in the role and it remains one of the best  roles he ever played on television.

Ultimately, while "The Changing of the Guard" aired in June rather than December, for me it remains the best of The Twilight Zone's Christmas episodes. It is a better written and better performed episode than "The Night of the Meek," the show's first Christmas episode. And while "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" is arguably a better episode, its ties to Christmas are less powerful than "The Changing of the Guard," making "The Changing of the Guard" the better episode to watch for the holiday.

Indeed, "The Changing of the Guard" deals with Christmas themes of rebirth and redemption. In many ways, it can be considered a blend of Goodbye, Mr. Chips and It's a Wonderful Life. "Changing of the Guard" also features many of the trappings of the holiday, from Christmas trees and other Christmas decorations to "It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" performed by carolers (some of Professor Fowler's students). Ultimately, it would seem to be very difficult to come away from watching "Changing of the Guard" without feeling a good deal of holiday spirit.

While "Changing of the Guard" may have first aired in June, today many television outlets (MeTV among them) choose to air it at Christmastime. There should be little wonder why. While there are other Twilight Zone Christmas episodes, I would argue it is the best.