The Card (The New Twilight Zone)

"The Card" is the first segment of the thirty-second episode (the thirteenth episode of the second season (1986–87)) of the television series The New Twilight Zone.

Opening narration

Plot

After having a number of credit cards revoked for lack of payment, Linda Wolfe, a mother of three and a compulsive spender, is invited to become a cardholder for a mysterious credit company called The Card. Entering the office of The Card, she notes a woman clutching a baby coming from a door labeled Acquisitions, then entering a door called Disbursements behind a glass window. During her appointment with the office manager, Catherine Foley, she discovers they have reviewed her credit history and because it is so poor, she will have to agree to special terms of payment; she will be required to make payments weekly and if she misses a payment there will be 'severe' penalties. Nevertheless, they want her as a cardholder and she immediately signs, without bothering to read the contract.

Linda's husband, Brian, soon discovers the new card and that Linda has used it already to buy herself a bottle of perfume. He begs her to be very careful this time. One week later, she is delinquent on her payment, and her cat mysteriously disappears, but when she asks her family about it no one seems to remember that they ever had a cat, nor is there any evidence the cat existed. Later when Linda and Brian attempt to buy a refrigerator she discovers she neglected to make the first payment but isn't overly concerned. The following week, after she once again neglects to pay on time, their dog disappears and, as before, none of the family remembers ever owning the dog. Then, Linda's car breaks down and she needs a mechanic. Since she only has twelve dollars in cash, she uses her credit card. As a result of using her card again while still delinquent, Linda's three children disappear. Of course, Brian doesn't know anything about the children and this pushes Linda over the edge.

Linda starts to realize that the credit card company might be behind it all. She goes to The Card and sees what their Acquisitions and Disbursements are about as she sees her own children going through the doors. Catherine informs Linda that because she neglected to make her payments they repossessed her pets and children to cover her bills, along with all memories that anyone but her have of them (She describes this as the "Experiential Matrix" calling it unfair to give someone else pets and children with the old memories intact). Catherine explains to Linda that The Card tries to disburse it's 'acquisitions' in what they believe to be better environments. Linda frantically tries to buy back her children with a check from her and Brian's joint account. Catherine accepts it but warns that if the check doesn't clear another penalty will be assessed.

Linda arrives home to tell Brian about the check but he tells her the bank has already called him about it and he canceled it. Everything then starts to disappear around her—car, furniture, and her husband. She cuts the credit card (which now has her maiden name Wilson on it) to keep more things from disappearing but it's too late. As the card falls to the ground, her house and everything remaining in it, including her, disappears...with only the cut credit card lying on the ground now with no name on it, implying that as a final penalty, Linda has been wiped from existence.

External links

• "The Card" at the Internet Movie Database
• "The Card" at TV.com