People Are Alike All Over - Recap

Astronauts Sam Conrad and Warren Marcusson watch as their spacecraft is prepared for its flight to Mars the next day. Marcusson wonders why they're spending their last night staring at their spacecraft, and Sam wonders if his friend is afraid. He admits that he is, and that he's a scientist, not a trained pilot. Sam wonders if they could just send his mind and is frightened of what they'll find. Marcusson says that the unknown would scare anyone. However, he figures that people are the same all over, on Earth and in the furthest region of space.



The spacecraft departs for Mars, only to crash upon entry. Sam is unscathed but he discovers that Marcusson was badly wounded in the crash. As Sam does what he can for him, they hear a pinging noise on the outside hull. He lets Marcusson sleep for a few hours and when he wakes up, the pilot is eager to get out. The pinging noise continues and Marcusson tries to get out, but Sam warns that the door is jammed but Marcusson doesn't believe him and wonders what Sam is afraid of. All he asks the scientist to do is help him up and Sam reluctantly starts to help him. Marcusson insists that he's going to die from his injuries, and wants to die outside. He believes that whoever is out there will have hearts and souls and be like they are.



Marcusson collapses and Sam admits that he doesn’t want to know what the people outside are like. The door starts to open and Sam grabs a gun. When the door finishes opening, he looks outside and sees a group of human-like figures, clad in white robes. One of them gently takes his gun and an attractive female steps forward. Sam realizes that they look just like him and he tries to communicate with them, showing what planet he has come from. One of them confirms that Marcusson is dead, speaking in English, and the other male says that they've been wondering when he would come out. They explain that they've used telepathy of a sort to subconsciously teach him their language. They offer to take him somewhere to rest, and Sam admits that they are people, just like Marcusson. They assure him that they'll burial his friend and repair his ship. As they take out Marcusson's body, Sam admits that he was right, and wishes he had lived to see his theory confirmed.



Sam goes back in the ship with the woman and one of the males and says he has many questions for them. They assures him they'll answer his questions once has some rest, and go to prepare a place for him that he's familiar. As they go, Sam asks the female what her name is, and she introduces herself as Teenya. He asks her to tell the others how much he appreciates their aid, and she assures him that no one will hurt him. Sam believes her and thanks Teeny for her help.

The next day, Teenya and the others arrive. When he asks to see their city, they say have a surprise for him. Sam goes with them, and Teenya reluctantly follows. They take him to a building with an interior that is identical in every way to a home on Earth. They explain they live in different homes, but they built it using telepathy to get the impressions from his mind. They show him the rest of the house and are eager to make sure that he's comfortable there. They ask him to stay there for a bit while they make arrangements for him to see their city. He escorts them out, Teenya going last. Sam asks if he'll see her again and one of the males assures him that he will.



Sam looks around his new "home," testing the bar. As he lights a cigarette, he discovers that the stove doesn't work and there are no windows. He goes to the back door, but it's locked. Sam tests the other doors leading out and discovers that they're locked as well. Panicking, he runs to the front drapes and pulls them aside, only to discover a solid wall. When he cries out to ask them why he's locked in, he gets no response. One wall slides aside and he discovers Martians of all ages staring in at him through bars, laughing. When he approaches them, they nervously back away. Looking down, Sam sees a sign saying "Earth Creature in his native habitat." He looks into the crowd and sees Teenya staring sadly at him before turning and running off. Sam realizes that he's in a zoo and that Marcusson was right all along: people are alike all over.



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