213 reviews
Wow! Where should I start? "The Twilight Zone" is arguably the greatest science fiction television show ever! Almost every single episode is a masterpiece of modern Sci-Fi. I feel "The Twilight Zone" is responsible for the way we view science fiction today...provocative, strangely eerie, and wildly entertaining. The shows creator and writer, Rod Sterling, was a master of creating a show that caused you to stop and think, re-examine reality, consider the impossible, check the closet before going to bed, and sleep with the lights on! I watched this program religiously as a child. Every Saturday night I had to bribe my little brother to stay up and watch "The Twilight Zone" with me because I was afraid to watch it alone. It came on at 11:00 p.m. By 10:45 my little brother was sound asleep with chocolate smeared around his mouth, and I would be alone, curled in a blanket, awaiting the next spine tingling episode. I was never disappointed. By the time it went off, I would usually be sitting there alone...in a comatose-like daze, staring at the static on the television screen, too afraid to turn it off because to do so would ensure that you met with some hideous fate similar to the one you just saw earlier. "The Twilight Zone" was also a spring board for many young and talented actors/actresses during its run from the late 50's well into the 60's.
Thanks to mail order companies, I have ordered and received every single episode of "The Twilight Zone"! It would be impossible for me to say which episode is my absolute favorite because I loved so many. But a couple do stick out in my mind. They are "Time Enough At Last" and "Eye Of The Beholder". If you've never watched this wonderful example of television at it's best, I plead with you to check it out. It can be found on the Sci-Fi channel as well as various other stations via cable T.V. There's no sex, no foul language, and no graphic violence. But you will find a solid plot, famous actors/actresses years before before they became famous, and a story with a very surprising twist at the end that will leave a smile on your face, or, a cringe as you wake up your someone else in the house to turn off the T.V.
Thanks to mail order companies, I have ordered and received every single episode of "The Twilight Zone"! It would be impossible for me to say which episode is my absolute favorite because I loved so many. But a couple do stick out in my mind. They are "Time Enough At Last" and "Eye Of The Beholder". If you've never watched this wonderful example of television at it's best, I plead with you to check it out. It can be found on the Sci-Fi channel as well as various other stations via cable T.V. There's no sex, no foul language, and no graphic violence. But you will find a solid plot, famous actors/actresses years before before they became famous, and a story with a very surprising twist at the end that will leave a smile on your face, or, a cringe as you wake up your someone else in the house to turn off the T.V.
Just recently, I finished a kick of re-watching all 156 episodes of the original Twilight Zone series. If I were to average out all my individual episode rankings, that number would probably fall between 7-8 stars. Yet, when looked at as a whole rather than the sum of its parts, The Twilight Zone is 10/10 all the way.
When TZ is hitting on all cylinders, it is easily one of the greatest anthology pieces ever produced. The lion's share of the credit here goes to show creator and writer Rod Serling, who is truly one of the most inspired individuals to ever put pen to paper in screenplay format. The deeper themes about society or humanity are just as relevant now (if not sometimes more so!) than they were upon original airing.
It absolutely astounds me that this show premiered in 1959. That was ten years before the moon landing! I can't imagine what my grandparents would have thought about a show like this, dealing with space travels, aliens, and all manner of oddities hardly a decade removed from the Second World War and firmly in the Cold War.
Like I said, the best TZ episodes are treasures that will be enjoyed and studied for decades to come. Does the show have its share of clunkers? Of course. But only a true handful of episodes are truly bad. The others largely depend on personal sci-fi tastes or the time-period in which they are viewed.
About the only reason I would even consider dropping this from a perfect ranking is the fourth season of the show, which produced hour-long episodes. Those efforts aren't bad, per se, but are simply padded with dialogue to fill time rather than written for a longer runtime, for the most part.
When taking the long view, however, The Twilight Zone firmly resides in my top-five television programs of all-time. Despite premiering well before it could fully be appreciated, having to deal with the inane TV standards and practices of the era, and being constantly underfunded, Serling managed to keep everything afloat and write some of the best multi-genre material ever seen on the small screen. Whether comedy, mystery, horror, sci-fi, human drama, or any other genre is your game, you'll likely find something to enjoy in the breadth of The Twilight Zone.
When TZ is hitting on all cylinders, it is easily one of the greatest anthology pieces ever produced. The lion's share of the credit here goes to show creator and writer Rod Serling, who is truly one of the most inspired individuals to ever put pen to paper in screenplay format. The deeper themes about society or humanity are just as relevant now (if not sometimes more so!) than they were upon original airing.
It absolutely astounds me that this show premiered in 1959. That was ten years before the moon landing! I can't imagine what my grandparents would have thought about a show like this, dealing with space travels, aliens, and all manner of oddities hardly a decade removed from the Second World War and firmly in the Cold War.
Like I said, the best TZ episodes are treasures that will be enjoyed and studied for decades to come. Does the show have its share of clunkers? Of course. But only a true handful of episodes are truly bad. The others largely depend on personal sci-fi tastes or the time-period in which they are viewed.
About the only reason I would even consider dropping this from a perfect ranking is the fourth season of the show, which produced hour-long episodes. Those efforts aren't bad, per se, but are simply padded with dialogue to fill time rather than written for a longer runtime, for the most part.
When taking the long view, however, The Twilight Zone firmly resides in my top-five television programs of all-time. Despite premiering well before it could fully be appreciated, having to deal with the inane TV standards and practices of the era, and being constantly underfunded, Serling managed to keep everything afloat and write some of the best multi-genre material ever seen on the small screen. Whether comedy, mystery, horror, sci-fi, human drama, or any other genre is your game, you'll likely find something to enjoy in the breadth of The Twilight Zone.
This show never gets old. It ages extremely well. The psychological horror of this is SO much better than any CGI horror you'll see these days. Every episode (or at least all the good ones) have a spooky element or something out of the ordinary, a twist ending, and a moral or something to think about. There are so many of these that are just, SO GOOD. Rod serling is a greek god. tres bien.
- CatfishOpinions
- Apr 30, 2020
- Permalink
Rod Serling's distinctive approach gave "The Twilight Zone" a unique character that will always keep it among the best-remembered of all classic television shows. Not only that, but it set high goals for itself, and it took a lot of chances - and not chances in the phony, trivial sense in which a lot of more recent series "take chances" by resorting to unnecessarily provocative or indecent material that actually guarantees them attention and acclaim.
"The Twilight Zone" took chances by experimenting with many different kinds of stories and material, and by aiming to provide high-quality entertainment while simultaneously giving you something to think about. As a result, there were a few episodes that didn't quite click, and that seem odd or even dull. But when it worked - as it did a great deal of the time - no television show then or now was more imaginative.
In a short review, it would be impossible to list all of the memorable episodes, or even to cover the full range of the kinds of material that it used. There were chilling episodes like "To Serve Man", which is often remembered by those who saw it decades ago, and there were thought-provoking episodes like "In the Eye of the Beholder", which was also imaginatively filmed.
Many episodes relied primarily on a well-written and well-conceived story, while others, like "The Invaders", relied heavily on excellent acting performances (in that case, by Agnes Moorehead). There were occasional light-hearted episodes like "Once Upon a Time", which was also a nice showcase for the great Buster Keaton.
It's too bad that these anthology-style series went out of fashion, because a number of them were of high quality. This one, in particular, stands well above its subsequent imitators. The best science fiction, like the best of any genre or art form, appeals to the imagination, not to the senses, and imagination is what "The Twilight Zone" was all about.
"The Twilight Zone" took chances by experimenting with many different kinds of stories and material, and by aiming to provide high-quality entertainment while simultaneously giving you something to think about. As a result, there were a few episodes that didn't quite click, and that seem odd or even dull. But when it worked - as it did a great deal of the time - no television show then or now was more imaginative.
In a short review, it would be impossible to list all of the memorable episodes, or even to cover the full range of the kinds of material that it used. There were chilling episodes like "To Serve Man", which is often remembered by those who saw it decades ago, and there were thought-provoking episodes like "In the Eye of the Beholder", which was also imaginatively filmed.
Many episodes relied primarily on a well-written and well-conceived story, while others, like "The Invaders", relied heavily on excellent acting performances (in that case, by Agnes Moorehead). There were occasional light-hearted episodes like "Once Upon a Time", which was also a nice showcase for the great Buster Keaton.
It's too bad that these anthology-style series went out of fashion, because a number of them were of high quality. This one, in particular, stands well above its subsequent imitators. The best science fiction, like the best of any genre or art form, appeals to the imagination, not to the senses, and imagination is what "The Twilight Zone" was all about.
- Snow Leopard
- Nov 3, 2004
- Permalink
The concept of 'The Twilight Zone' grabbed me immediately. Rather than a simple collection of supernatural tales designed to give us the willies, Rod Serling set out to utilise the often underrated medium of Science Fiction and Fantasy to put forward his social commentary on mankind. Serling's early straight drama scripts had been cut to shreds by the networks whose main concerns were keeping the sponsors happy and not offending potential viewers. This came at the price of quality entertainment and, despite the worthy targets of the scripts, it was more important for the bosses to ensure their funding was secure than it was to produce socially conscious programmes. However, by using a genre that was generally considered to hold little creative value, Serling managed to slip plenty of subversive social and political satire past the censors without them picking up on it. This was the sort of materiel that, in the 1950s, would never have made it to the screen unveiled. It exposed corruption in authority figures, it exposed the sort of weaknesses inherent in mankind that American networks are still so unwilling to portray in their country's citizens. By adding in a supernatural element Serling could suddenly comment on whatever he wanted. To the networks it was a sci-fi show, a bunch of far fetched stories about unusual people. In actuality, it was about all of us. Often the supernatural element figured far less heavily in the story than the social element. Serling's wonderfully melodramatic, wordy scripts focused squarely on his characters rather than just utilising them as two dimensional pawns overwhelmed by the story. People, their thoughts, choices, behavioural patterns and emotions were the story.
Just as compelling was the nature of the twilight zone itself. Although Serling offers us a long spiel at the beginning of each show describing the zone, it is purposefully vague so as to not erase the mystery. All we know is that entering the twilight zone causes things to take a turn for the unusual but in exactly what way is impossible to tell until you're in the thick of it. This is because the nature of the zone is so elusive. Sometimes it is a God like force which metes out justice or teaches characters a lesson. However, the zone's sense of justice is often distinctly skewed. Although corrupt, violent, generally unpleasant people get their comeuppance in the zone more often than not, being a good, honest, benevolent person is no guarantee that you won't end up with the rough end of the stick. This is what makes The Twilight Zone such a fascinating watch. You don't know what sort of mood the zone will be in from episode to episode. Sometimes it takes active control, rewarding the good and punishing the bad; sometimes it takes a step back after having set things in motion and simply observes the outcome; sometimes, in what often prove to be some of the best episodes, the zone unleashes its sick sense of humour on an unsuspecting innocent (the most notable example of this being 'Time Enough At Last'). It's even possible for the zone to contradict itself, such as the back to back episodes 'The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine' and 'Walking Distance', which offer two very different outcomes for characters who long to return to their pasts.
More than ably assisting Serling are several other regular writers, most notably Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson. These two writers turned in many of the very finest episodes of the series and proved to be more consistently reliable than Serling (although, to be fair to Serling, they did not contribute nearly as many scripts to the show as he did). Less inclined to lapse into broad, cartoonish comedy or over-sentimentality, Matheson and Beaumont turned in some of the most famous episodes ("Nightmare at 20,000 Feet") and some of the most undervalued ("Perchance to Dream"). Matheson was to be admired for his taut plotting, strong characterisation and convincing dialogue while Beaumont frequently came up with the most intriguing ("Miniature", "Passage on the Lady Anne") and plain horrific ("Long Live Walter Jameson", "Perchance to Dream", "The New Exhibits") concepts.
Of course, as is the case with virtually every anthology show, some episodes of The Twilight Zone were better than others while some were just downright awful (check out the likes of "The Mighty Casey", "The Whole Truth" or "Mr Dingle, The Strong" for just a few examples) but when it got it right, the result was frequently magical. These beautifully made stories in gorgeous, crisp black and white, continue to thrill, delight and disturb me with each viewing. Rod Serling's mysterious but lovable humanitarian host is a hard man to refuse and when he asks me to step into the twilight zone with him, I rarely refuse.
Just as compelling was the nature of the twilight zone itself. Although Serling offers us a long spiel at the beginning of each show describing the zone, it is purposefully vague so as to not erase the mystery. All we know is that entering the twilight zone causes things to take a turn for the unusual but in exactly what way is impossible to tell until you're in the thick of it. This is because the nature of the zone is so elusive. Sometimes it is a God like force which metes out justice or teaches characters a lesson. However, the zone's sense of justice is often distinctly skewed. Although corrupt, violent, generally unpleasant people get their comeuppance in the zone more often than not, being a good, honest, benevolent person is no guarantee that you won't end up with the rough end of the stick. This is what makes The Twilight Zone such a fascinating watch. You don't know what sort of mood the zone will be in from episode to episode. Sometimes it takes active control, rewarding the good and punishing the bad; sometimes it takes a step back after having set things in motion and simply observes the outcome; sometimes, in what often prove to be some of the best episodes, the zone unleashes its sick sense of humour on an unsuspecting innocent (the most notable example of this being 'Time Enough At Last'). It's even possible for the zone to contradict itself, such as the back to back episodes 'The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine' and 'Walking Distance', which offer two very different outcomes for characters who long to return to their pasts.
More than ably assisting Serling are several other regular writers, most notably Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson. These two writers turned in many of the very finest episodes of the series and proved to be more consistently reliable than Serling (although, to be fair to Serling, they did not contribute nearly as many scripts to the show as he did). Less inclined to lapse into broad, cartoonish comedy or over-sentimentality, Matheson and Beaumont turned in some of the most famous episodes ("Nightmare at 20,000 Feet") and some of the most undervalued ("Perchance to Dream"). Matheson was to be admired for his taut plotting, strong characterisation and convincing dialogue while Beaumont frequently came up with the most intriguing ("Miniature", "Passage on the Lady Anne") and plain horrific ("Long Live Walter Jameson", "Perchance to Dream", "The New Exhibits") concepts.
Of course, as is the case with virtually every anthology show, some episodes of The Twilight Zone were better than others while some were just downright awful (check out the likes of "The Mighty Casey", "The Whole Truth" or "Mr Dingle, The Strong" for just a few examples) but when it got it right, the result was frequently magical. These beautifully made stories in gorgeous, crisp black and white, continue to thrill, delight and disturb me with each viewing. Rod Serling's mysterious but lovable humanitarian host is a hard man to refuse and when he asks me to step into the twilight zone with him, I rarely refuse.
- phantom_tollbooth
- Feb 20, 2007
- Permalink
How much do we really know about our next door neighbors? The pleasant facade they masquerade around becomes a stilted and decorative shield for them when their prevailing circumstances are totally cop aesthetic. What happens though, when adversity besieges, and the obligatory veneer is stripped away? The affable camaraderie of your friendly neighborhood kindred spirit, (otherwise known as your neighbor) becomes abruptly, and instantaneously obviated with these circumstances, and now, your neighbor is now a vulgar,venomous, vile, gut-wrenching, self-absorbed- for- survival- mode, monstrous parasite! This episode "The Shelter" is unequivocally,one of the best "Twilight Zone" segments out of the entire series! While it is compared to "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street", I felt that "The Shelter" was a great deal more compelling. The intensity of the characters' excoriation was extremely gripping with the episode. As opposed to "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" where the people extracted a little too much exaggerated paranoia. The cast was very well put together, including Jack Albertson and Larry Gates. (Gates played a doctor, and was down in the basement in the "Twilight Zone's" "The Shelter", just like he was in the movie "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" ). "The Shelter" possesses a vitriolic contempt with which these threatened individuals harbored! This enmity is far more of a lethal arsenal than any defense weapon around. How much do we hate? What exactly is it that we are thoroughly willing to do just to stay alive? The desperation, the prejudice, the primal fears, and the scruple less non cooperation we capitulate to at the first sign of terror, becomes a grim scenario that is truly alarming!! This "Twilight Zone" segment "The Shelter" purveys an incredibly desperate acrimony which basically admonishes the entire human race. This false alarm for apocalyptic calamity with this "Twilight Zone" segment has encapsulated an aggregate character assassination for all of these New York suburban misanthropes who became victimized by this precariously macabre situation. You might want to look in the mirror and attempt to reaffirm the distinction between man and beast after watching this "Twilight Zone" episode. I did, and, quite frankly, such a situation that "The Shelter" brought before me, has made it very difficult for me to distinguish any comfortable dichotomy between human beings, and a bloodthirsty wolf pack!! This wry little epigram definitely put me in an frightfully horrid mood, particularly on a philosophical level! Rod Serling hones in on the rudimentary instincts of man, which are for better, or, for worse, Serling accomplishes this parody in a very successful manner too! What is the most significant aspect to Rod Serling's works is the esoteric element to them that transcends the importance of television ratings and popularity! This intriguing quality is one whereby the paradigms in which Rod Serling manifests were stunningly pertinent to the thought patterns of modern twentieth century America! I do not mean that these ideas were remotely similar to Eisenhower era conceptions, I mean that Serling pinpoints many U.S. cold war ideologies with an utterly succinct and identifiable accuracy! Rod Serling had attained such a creative stranglehold on television entertainment with "Twilight Zone" that it almost seemed as though programming approval from CBS President, William Paley, became relegated to the triviality of a tertiary concern! So many "Twilight Zone" segments were fabulous, and I feel that this episode of "Twilight Zone" entitled "The Shelter" was totally outstanding as well!!
- dataconflossmoor-719-601928
- Jul 6, 2010
- Permalink
"The Twilight Zone" is one of the classic old shows that will never die and that still has a big audience today, thanks to having stood the test of time. It is often recognized as the beginning of science-fiction in television, which is certainly indisputable looking at the ideas some of the episodes explored. However, this series is not only science-fiction - it also falls into the category of horror, the episodes of this genre working better than the sci-fi ones for me due to not being a huge sci-fi fan (although whatever genre the episodes explored, I was game). We are not talking about the modern, overly graphic and violent horror either, but the more suggestive horror that was primarily used in the day. The implied is often better than the overt, and while both have their place, the former tends generally to be more conceptually interesting due to leaving more food for thought for the viewer to digest. It is this very concept that makes the show work in its strange stories and odd plot twists, and that has continued to make it a classic throughout the years.
It is really incredible to think that "The Twilight Zone" ran only five years while other shows just as great ran even longer. The series could have probably continued for a couple decades if they had let it - due to a lack of consistent characters in the show as a whole. "The Twilight Zone" is without a single premise featuring true 'stars': each episode is its own distinct story, and all of them are absolute masterpieces. Sometimes, the episodes are more like ghost stories; other times, they deal with well-known scientific concepts like space travel to other planets; while others still are just plain odd. Only one character in each half-hour episode remains consistent: the narrator, Rod Serling, who introduces in a masterful voice-over the premise at the beginning, and provides a spine-tingling final narration that leaves the viewer wondering as to what really happened. The icing on the cake is this, and it brings each episode to a perfect close every time.
The stories are always brilliant and masterfully written, the acting superb, and the building suspense always terrific. Well-known episodes include "Nightmare at 20,00 Feet", "Living Doll", and "The After Hours", to name a few. They are just about perfect, each one being a solid entry to the series, and I have yet to see an episode that I didn't think was brilliant (though I am aware there were a few people consider to be poorer ones). Each one keeps the audience engaged to the end, all the way up to the final twist that leaves them to guess what really happened. As stated above, I tend to favor the horror ones over the sci-fi, but all of them are outstanding overall, each one a masterpiece in television history.
All in all, "The Twilight Zone" is one of the greatest shows in television history ever made - it keeps the viewer thinking with brilliant stories, and does so without explicit or graphic material that today tends to be Hollywood's trademark. It is by implication that the episodes work, not by shocking the audience with imagery that solves the puzzle for them. It is because of this aspect alone that has caused it to be remembered even now, and also the reason why it is actually better than most shows today - too bad film companies are too much into violence, language and sex to take a lesson from Rod Serling. This is the kind of television we should be mainly be seeing today, so catch it on MeTV while it's still being aired.
It is really incredible to think that "The Twilight Zone" ran only five years while other shows just as great ran even longer. The series could have probably continued for a couple decades if they had let it - due to a lack of consistent characters in the show as a whole. "The Twilight Zone" is without a single premise featuring true 'stars': each episode is its own distinct story, and all of them are absolute masterpieces. Sometimes, the episodes are more like ghost stories; other times, they deal with well-known scientific concepts like space travel to other planets; while others still are just plain odd. Only one character in each half-hour episode remains consistent: the narrator, Rod Serling, who introduces in a masterful voice-over the premise at the beginning, and provides a spine-tingling final narration that leaves the viewer wondering as to what really happened. The icing on the cake is this, and it brings each episode to a perfect close every time.
The stories are always brilliant and masterfully written, the acting superb, and the building suspense always terrific. Well-known episodes include "Nightmare at 20,00 Feet", "Living Doll", and "The After Hours", to name a few. They are just about perfect, each one being a solid entry to the series, and I have yet to see an episode that I didn't think was brilliant (though I am aware there were a few people consider to be poorer ones). Each one keeps the audience engaged to the end, all the way up to the final twist that leaves them to guess what really happened. As stated above, I tend to favor the horror ones over the sci-fi, but all of them are outstanding overall, each one a masterpiece in television history.
All in all, "The Twilight Zone" is one of the greatest shows in television history ever made - it keeps the viewer thinking with brilliant stories, and does so without explicit or graphic material that today tends to be Hollywood's trademark. It is by implication that the episodes work, not by shocking the audience with imagery that solves the puzzle for them. It is because of this aspect alone that has caused it to be remembered even now, and also the reason why it is actually better than most shows today - too bad film companies are too much into violence, language and sex to take a lesson from Rod Serling. This is the kind of television we should be mainly be seeing today, so catch it on MeTV while it's still being aired.
- Tornado_Sam
- Aug 4, 2020
- Permalink
Best anthology series ever. Episodes are extremely intelligent, interesting, and entertaining.
- marcus_stokes2000
- Aug 23, 2006
- Permalink
I don't think that any television series so personally bore the stamp of its creator than the original The Twilight Zone. There isn't anyone I know, especially from my age bracket who used to see this show on Friday at 10:00 pm that doesn't remember it and have some particularly favorite episodes.
Rod Serling who did the scripts for such diverse films as Patterns and Requiem For A Heavyweight was the creator and host of The Twilight Zone. Even Alfred Hitchcock in his television anthology series only personally directed a small percentage of the shows. But every Twilight Zone story bore the personal imprint of Serling.
The quality was uniformly excellent in each episode, you might like one better than another because some favorite player of your's was in it, but they were all good. I can't think of another show I can say that about.
In The Twiight Zone world that he created Rod Serling also saw that justice of a sort was meted out. Not anything man could quantify, but something that a ruling intelligence with a sense of humor showing sometimes meted out.
With cable now, even these old black and white episodes run all the time on some channel. And I think they will for centuries.
Rod Serling who did the scripts for such diverse films as Patterns and Requiem For A Heavyweight was the creator and host of The Twilight Zone. Even Alfred Hitchcock in his television anthology series only personally directed a small percentage of the shows. But every Twilight Zone story bore the personal imprint of Serling.
The quality was uniformly excellent in each episode, you might like one better than another because some favorite player of your's was in it, but they were all good. I can't think of another show I can say that about.
In The Twiight Zone world that he created Rod Serling also saw that justice of a sort was meted out. Not anything man could quantify, but something that a ruling intelligence with a sense of humor showing sometimes meted out.
With cable now, even these old black and white episodes run all the time on some channel. And I think they will for centuries.
- bkoganbing
- Nov 27, 2011
- Permalink
I have just started watching "Twilight Zone" from episode 1 and can confidently say I'll be watching many more. What a great way to fill 25 minutes, mystery, suspense, occasionally a bit of science fiction. The direction is tightly focused and even as you check how much time is left in an episode, still they are invariably wound up neatly with an often unexpected twist. It's also fun to see in early roles actors and actresses who would go onto wider prominence, for instance I've just watched one which featured Martin "Mission Impossible" Landis and Doug "The Virginian" McClure in minor roles as well as more established actors of the day. I was too young to see this programme on original release but can readily appreciate the nostalgia for it here. The fact is it still stands up today, the TV equivalent of the great short story.
Featuring some of the most bizarre, eerie, and thought-provoking tales of the weird and supernatural that you're ever going to see, Rod Serling's "The Twilight Zone", from the early 1960s, has had a phenomenal impact on redefining the genres of Horror and Science Fiction.
This brilliant, landmark TV series, that almost single-handedly changed the way we viewed things strange and extraordinary, has so rightly earned its high-ranking position in TV History thanks to its excellent production values, and its deft blend of credible human emotions mixed generously with incredible, awe-inspiring situations, which ranged from comic to tragic.
These intriguing half hour episodes were all filmed in b&w.
This brilliant, landmark TV series, that almost single-handedly changed the way we viewed things strange and extraordinary, has so rightly earned its high-ranking position in TV History thanks to its excellent production values, and its deft blend of credible human emotions mixed generously with incredible, awe-inspiring situations, which ranged from comic to tragic.
These intriguing half hour episodes were all filmed in b&w.
- strong-122-478885
- Oct 10, 2012
- Permalink
Twilight zone is an iconic anthology series that stands the test of time. With a long running show its inevitable to have some good episodes and some bad. For the most part, though, great special effects and unique storylines. It was truly a pleasure to watch.
- Calicodreamin
- Jun 24, 2021
- Permalink
Anyone voting this up are people in their 50's and 60's blinded by nostalgia suffering from a midlife crisis because this show is OLD!.. And it's age clearly shows. I don't mind older productions but scifi was in a primitive state at the time. This was before the age of Star Wars and Stark Trek and I'm not denying they may have inspired them, in fact I don't think Star Wars and Stark Trek would exist today if not for The Twilight Zone, but... My calendar says 2024 and this show premiered in the late 50s, it was probably good for it's time but looking at it today it's sadly outdated. I'm not denying the cultural impact and I get that this show was a big deal back in the day but It's no longer relevant in any way shape or form. Kids today don't even know of this show's existence.. I know of it through references and memes and I decided to give it a go out of curiosity.. Needless to say it felt like a complete waste of time.
This does not belong in a top 20 environment, not even close!!
This does not belong in a top 20 environment, not even close!!
- askeland89
- Aug 2, 2024
- Permalink
"The Twilight Zone" brought a complexity and maturity to television that had never existed before and probably hasn't been seen since. The stories were always ironic, briliant, and fascinating, and they often came with a moral lesson. Episodes like "A Kind of a Stopwatch", with Richard Erdmann, "Time Enough At Last", with Burgess Meredith, "Nightmare at 20,00 Feet", with William Shatner, and "Where is Everybody," with Earl Holliman, dove into concepts and situations no other show would have even touched. The entertainment brought on by "The Twilight Zone" was as vast as the Zone itself. Its principal writers, Sterling, Beaumont, and Matheson, were the best of their era. For sheer television entertainment, nothing compares to the brilliant, heavyweight stories of "The Twilight Zone." TO be frank, "The Twilight Zone" was the first show that didn't insult the viewer's intelligence.
- yarborough
- Dec 6, 2002
- Permalink
Twilight zone is my favorite show to watch whether it's on the Sci-fi Channel Marathons or if its on the DVD'S. I don't know what it is about it that just entertains me so but i can tell you one thing; it is a must no matter what kind of genre u love. I am 13 and i was first introduced to the Twilight Zone at around 10 years old when i saw my first Twilight zone episode: "Will the real Martian please stand up". But my favorite episodes would probably be "Man in the Bottle", "Long Live Walter Jameson",and "To Serve Man". If anyone has "Madagascar" or "The Naked Gun 2", then you will find the part where someone is in a panic, holding a book and screaming "IT'S A COOKBOOK" which was originally said by Susan Cummings in "To Serve Man". Most people know Twilight Zone famously for the Theme song (nee nee nee) and "Twilight Zone: Tower of Terror Ride" in Walt Disney World. But to really understand the Twilight zone, Please just watch one or three episodes and you too will be caught up in the suspense.
During a recent Scifi channel marathon (July 4th weekend, 2006), I caught a handful of episodes (not for the first time). I recognized that some of the concepts were used in other movies or shows. The movies didn't copy the TZ show but it appears TZ was the first time the concept had been presented. Twilight Zone was clearly ahead of its time.
Toys come to life when the humans are away. movie: Toy Story
Click watch to stop time. movie: Click
Plane flies through turbulence and back through time. movie: The Langoliers
Mannequins take turns going out as live people. movie: Mannequin
Guys in suspended animation to wake years later. movie: Forever Young
Robot as maid/caregiver: show: Outer Limits Episode movie: I, Robot
Toys come to life when the humans are away. movie: Toy Story
Click watch to stop time. movie: Click
Plane flies through turbulence and back through time. movie: The Langoliers
Mannequins take turns going out as live people. movie: Mannequin
Guys in suspended animation to wake years later. movie: Forever Young
Robot as maid/caregiver: show: Outer Limits Episode movie: I, Robot
Almost nothing that I have ever seen on television is quite this depressing! That does not mean that I thought this episode of "Twilight Zone" was bad! It does mean, however, that this episode entitled "The Long Morrow" was very poignant! The two main stars in this "Twilight Zone" segment were Mariette Hartley and Robert Lansing. Mariette Hartley is an actress who evokes very heart felt expressions that harbor an asserted and clarified cogency! This is a quality of an actress (or actor) which is very believable! Robert Lansing has a subtle disposition which purveys an intense and dedicated conviction throughout this entire episode.The characters that Mariette Hartley and Robert Lansing play, winds up being a situation where they encounter each other through happenstance interaction in this "Twilight Zone" segment. Their intuitive nature dictates that they follow their auspicious urges and get to know each other better. They decide to have an absolutely wonderful evening together regardless of the fact that he (Robert Lansing)has been assigned to a space mission which commences the very next day. This mission will distance Robert Lansing's character from the world for 40 years! As a result,all kindred spirits, and emotional cohesiveness he has experienced with everybody, including Mariette Hartley, must be abandoned and reduced to a bittersweet memory! Turns out, because of a mechanical failure, that his venture into space results in the earth aging all but a few days, while he has aged over 40 years! So now, the end result is one whereby the caprice of a space time continuum has relegated a sorry soul of a man into a plight of unprecedented loneliness!! This emotionally insurmountable tedium which comprises 40 years of festering an affection for a potential loving soul mate, has abruptly resonated into a situation where he must sever all ties, and, bid farewell. Arctic desolation has become the savage assassin which has alienated a man from societal contact, this inevitably means he has no ability to act on any love interests either!! Returning from this journey, 99.999% of all men would call in their marker and claim their love for their woman, even though she is 26 and he is 70! Love in this case is not tough, it is utterly gruesome! The disheartening circumstances are such whereby this man must let the love of his pre-isolated world go. This is a selfless act for the benefit of her well being. Such a philosophical catastrophe ruthlessly demonstrates that this is a case where love truly means total sacrifice! Idealistically phrased, she says "it doesn't matter the way you are, nor the way I am". More eloquently and astutely put, he says "Oh!! it matters"!! While watching this "Twilight Zone" episode and being barraged with an unusually precarious paradigm, I noticed that Rod Serling wrote this segment. You have to generously indulge Serling to attain the total gist of what he was trying to say with this episode. I did, and I got extremely depressed. In this instance, I would say that depression is not entirely pejorative, rather, depression serves as a strengthening tool for fortifying my stamina as an individual! This "Twilight Zone" episode is outstanding, and is one of the best episodes that this series has ever manufactured! I put it up with the top ten "Twilight Zone" segments in all of this series' history!!
- dataconflossmoor-1
- Dec 1, 2009
- Permalink
QUITE POSSIBLY THE GREATEST SHOW IN HISTORY! THE STORIES ARE INCREDIBLE! THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF EPISODES. ONE OF THE BEST IN MY OPINION IS "TO SERVE MAN." THERE'S SO MANY MORE I COULD MENTION. THANK GOD FOR THE SCI-FI CHANNEL!
Serling's ability to tell a complete satisfying story within 24 minutes was amazing, and likely unmatched in TV history. Acting, writing, directing and music for the show were all top notch. About 50 episodes I would rate as simply outstanding.
- garrett-828-74087
- Jan 10, 2019
- Permalink
Of course it's outdated. It was made 60 years ago. Plus, it's black and white. Still one of my favorite shows though.
- crazy-chicken-man
- Dec 12, 2020
- Permalink
- planktonrules
- Jul 3, 2010
- Permalink
This series by Rod Serling is an absolute classic of American television. The stories were simple and easy to relate to, but they always ended with a twist that left you with your mouth hanging open in awe. It dealt with many of the most basic fears of men: fear of the dark, nightmares that seem almost too real, paranoia, death, and concepts of evil. Mingled with these stories are ones that are 'what if?' situations, like "Probe 7: Over and Out", "Five Characters in Search of an Exit", "Eye of the Beholder", "The Night of the Meek", and "Time Enough at Last". A great many of the episodes were also chill-inducing in their own right; "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?", "To Serve Man", "It's a Good Life", and "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" all played with the viewers' minds and were much more effective in scaring people like myself than the so-called 'horror' films of today. The more psychological disturbing, the better...at least that's the case for this show.
Serling's appearances in the beginnings of the shows only added to the mystery surrounding each player, each situation, and each object. His monologues were beautifully delivered at the beginning and end of each episode, adding a sense of the supernatural to each installment. Serling also had help from many other writers for the show, like Ray Bradbury, and with great actors of their time (Mickey Rooney, Jack Klughorn, Agnes Moorehead, and Burgess Meredith), the show will always be one my favorites as long as I live.
"You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone!"
Serling's appearances in the beginnings of the shows only added to the mystery surrounding each player, each situation, and each object. His monologues were beautifully delivered at the beginning and end of each episode, adding a sense of the supernatural to each installment. Serling also had help from many other writers for the show, like Ray Bradbury, and with great actors of their time (Mickey Rooney, Jack Klughorn, Agnes Moorehead, and Burgess Meredith), the show will always be one my favorites as long as I live.
"You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, the Twilight Zone!"
- black_stormraven
- Dec 31, 2006
- Permalink
Simply put, the original "Twilight Zone" is undeniably the best series that has ever been on T.V.!!! The sheer genius of Rod Serling has amazed, frightened and enlightened us since 1959, and remains as fresh and relevant today as it was back in the '50's and 60's.
The sets were simple and the casts were small, low budget even. Despite that, Serling had the uncanny ability to transport you to the far reaches of space as well as the inner depths of your own psyche, and after every episode, you felt changed in some way.
Original, unique, inventive and even controversial, are some of the words used to describe this show, and it certainly is all those things. "The Twilight Zone" was a true lesson in the Human Condition. It showed us both the beautiful and the ugly side of human nature.
There has never been anything like it before, and I seriously doubt there will ever be anything like it again. It is a T.V. masterpiece, and one that will stand on it's own for decades to come.
The sets were simple and the casts were small, low budget even. Despite that, Serling had the uncanny ability to transport you to the far reaches of space as well as the inner depths of your own psyche, and after every episode, you felt changed in some way.
Original, unique, inventive and even controversial, are some of the words used to describe this show, and it certainly is all those things. "The Twilight Zone" was a true lesson in the Human Condition. It showed us both the beautiful and the ugly side of human nature.
There has never been anything like it before, and I seriously doubt there will ever be anything like it again. It is a T.V. masterpiece, and one that will stand on it's own for decades to come.