"Such Interesting Neighbors" is a

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

by the American writer

Jack Finney Walter Braden "Jack" Finney (born John Finney; October 2, 1911 – November 14, 1995) was an American writer. His best-known works are science fiction and thrillers, including ''The Body Snatchers'' and '' Time and Again''. The former was the ba ...

, first published in 1951. Versions of the story adapted for television aired as episodes of ''

Science Fiction Theatre ''Science Fiction Theatre'' was an American science fiction anthology television series that was produced by Ivan Tors and Maurice Ziv and originally aired in syndication. It premiered on April 9, 1955 and ended on April 6, 1957, with a total of ...

'' and ''

Amazing Stories ''Amazing Stories'' is an American science fiction magazine launched in April 1926 by Hugo Gernsback's Experimenter Publishing. It was the first magazine devoted solely to science fiction. Science fiction stories had made regular appearances i ...

''.

Plot summary

The story deals with the narrative of Al and Nell Lewis's encounters with their new neighbors, the Hellenbeks. As the plot progresses, the Hellenbeks' interactive manners and general behavior puzzle Al Lewis, who seeks to uncover the cause of their uncommon ways. Towards the end of the story it is revealed that the Hellenbeks are time travellers from a future era. As their world was on the brink of global war, inexpensive time machines became available for the general public to cause a diversion from the extremely unfavorable conditions. However, much of the population, including the Hellenbeks, used them to settle in past eras and caused severe depopulation, which made the waging of war impossible, while eventually the remaining population migrated as well.

Adaptations

"Such Interesting Neighbors" was first adapted for ''

'' and aired as its second episode on April 16, 1955, as "Time Is Just a Place". On March 20, 1987, a second adaptation of the story aired under its original title for ''

''.

Sources

1951 short stories Works originally published in Collier's Works by Jack Finney {{1950s-sf-story-stub