I found this interesting article on the narrative device of the mindf*ck, which is essentially a plot conceit in which a main character does not learn a significant truth about him/herself until the end of the story. It is a conceit common in horror, science fiction and fantasy narratives, as often the truth involves something related to the nature of existence itself, i.e. the character finds out they are actually dead (or, as in "The After Hours", a story on The Twilight Zone, a character finds out she is really a mannequin, not a human.
The essay is mostly about cinema but discussed a number of television examples, too. Nice to see Rod Serling still gets credit for his influence upon dark storytelling...
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