Amazing Stories: The Cellar Ending Explained
Sebastian Wright
Published Mar 29, 2026
Amazing Stories, AppleTV's reboot of the 1980s Stephen Spielberg series, begins with a melodramatic, time-traveling love story, "The Cellar."
Amazing Stories kicks off with a melodramatic time-traveling love story. Steven Spielberg's original Amazing Stories series from 1985 has been revamped, with season 1 containing ten episodes. The new series premiered on AppleTV+ Friday March 6 2020, with a new episode available each week. Episode 1, "The Cellar," opens the series at a brisk pace.
The episode begins with Sam (Dylan O’Brien) and his brother Jake (Micah Stock) in an old farmhouse they've been hired to renovate. While Jake is interested in the history surrounding the property, Sam is distracted by his phone and seems not to know what he wants from life. On their second day at the house, Sam is working in the cellar when a sudden and massive thunderstorm rolls out of nowhere. Something strange happens and Sam is transported back in time to 1919.
Sam soon discovers a young woman named Evelyn (Victoria Pedretti) is living in the house, betrothed to an older man she does not want to marry as a means for her and her mother to save the family home. Over the next week, as Sam discovers that the storm is responsible for him having jumped through time, he bonds with Evelyn and agrees to take her with him back to 2019. While waiting for the day when the storm can send them through time, they fall in love and have a secret romantic relationship. Eventually, Evelyn's fiancé confronts them, and after jumping through time a few more times, Sam ends up trapped in 1919 and Evelyn in 2019.
What Happens In Amazing Stories: The Cellar's Ending
Amazing Stories episode 1, "The Cellar" is a sweet and classic story, if a little predictable. It's reminiscent of the 1980s movie Somewhere in Time, with some thriller elements thrown in and a few somewhat predictable Back to the Future plot twists. That being said, the last few minutes of the episode move so quickly, it's easy to miss what's going on.
Before Sam goes back to 1919 to retrieve Evelyn, he spends a brief moment in the future of 2034, where Evelyn, a successful singer, is singing to her little boy. Because of this moment, when the beam falls on Sam's leg in the cellar, trapping him so that only Evelyn can travel to 2019, he knows what's going on and accepts it. Later, he writes letters to Evelyn and his brother Jake, telling them how he survived and was able to live a life of purpose in 1919. This frees Evelyn up to go and live her life how she's always wanted, surrounded by music and free to make her own choices. Really the only question that remains is: who is the father of Evelyn's little boy in 2034?
Who Is The Father Of Evelyn's Child?
In many ways, "The Cellar" is a classic love story. With that in mind, the usual love story trope would have Sam being the father of Evelyn's child. However, if that was the case, the boy would have to be 14-15 years old in 2034, which he clearly is not. Although Sam and Evelyn's secret relationship is shown only as a brief montage, there is no indication they went any farther than kissing. Even if they did, it doesn't appear to be relevant to the story, as Evelyn's little boy is perhaps 6 years old.
This is one of the twists that makes the first episode of Amazing Stories interesting. If Sam is not the father of Evelyn's child, then who is? Could it be Evelyn ended up with Sam's brother Jake? It's a possibility but seems a little too convenient. More likely the father is never shown in the episode because he is a part of Evelyn's future life that has no connections to Sam and his story. The episode never reveals the boy's father, but perhaps it doesn't matter since Evelyn is happy and has the life she's always wanted.
Sam And Evelyn Were Born For Different Times
"The Cellar" opens with Sam in 2019 as a lost and bored young man. He hasn't found his purpose and is stifled by having too many choices. Evelyn, on the other hand, in 1919 is unhappy because she has too few choices. She's being forced to marry a man she doesn't love and can only listen to the music she likes in secret. She even has the potential to become a singer, but she'll never be given that opportunity in 1919. Each of them is born in a time period that represses them personally.
This is why, when Sam is eventually trapped in 1919 and Evelyn in 2019, they each thrive. Sam uses his construction skills to start a business and work with his hands, while Evelyn pursues her singing and appears to become successful, based on the poster Sam sees in 2034 showing her performance at a famous theater. They were each "born for another time." Sam finds happiness in a simple life and Evelyn finds it through opportunity.
Amazing Stories "The Cellar's" Real Meaning
"The Cellar" is largely about fate while also commenting on the advancements and pitfalls of modern society. In 1919, women had very few choices in life. It was hard for them to make a living on their own and it was common for women to marry for stability and financial security. Evelyn, who wants more from life, feels trapped in 1919 and finds freedom in the opportunities of modern life in 2019. On the other hand, Sam is lost in 2019. He's distracted by technology and doesn't have drive or a purpose. He is able to find these things in 1919 by living a simple life without smartphones and other distractions.
This episode of Amazing Stories is also about fate. As the events play out that will trap Sam and Evelyn in different time periods, it feels as if they were destined to be in this situation. Sam's personality works best for a simple life, while Evelyn's is suited to a time where artistic passions can be pursued. Whether or not the series will continue to explore these themes remains to be seen.
