Ep 36. The Bewitchin' Pool

In The Twilight Zone season 5 episode 36, titled "The Bewitchin' Pool," two children, Sport and Jeb, are neglected and emotionally abused by their wealthy parents. They spend their summer days swimming in the family's extravagant pool, but long for love and attention from their parents, who are preoccupied with their own social lives and marital problems.

One afternoon, while swimming, the siblings discover a secret door at the bottom of the pool. Curiosity gets the better of them and they swim through the door, finding themselves transported to an idyllic countryside with rolling hills and pristine lakes. They meet a kindly old woman named Aunt T who welcomes them to a peaceful and magical world filled with other neglected children.

Aunt T offers Sport and Jeb a chance to remain in this new world forever, free from the neglect and emotional abuse they suffered at home. They accept her offer but are only able to stay if they convince their parents to join them. The children return home and try to convince their parents to come through the secret door at the bottom of the pool.

Their parents, angry and dismissive, refuse to believe their children's stories and dismiss them as fantasies. In the end, Sport and Jeb jump into the pool, rejoining Aunt T and the other children in their new home, leaving behind their uncaring parents.

"The Bewitchin' Pool" is a timeless tale of children desperately seeking love and attention from their parents, only to find it in a magical world far from home. The episode highlights the importance of family, love, and emotional support, and warns against neglecting the emotional needs of children. As with many Twilight Zone episodes, there is a powerful, poignant twist that viewers won't see coming.