The Billy Mumy episode and it's follow up where his daughter plays the part of the weird child are my favourites but I won't say it too loud in case I end up in the corn field.
Rod Serling was a gem and his Twilight Zone one of a kind. It continues to hold up today with a quality that outshines most TV series. I love many episodes but my favorite is "Walking Distance".
My second favorite television show off all-time (My favorite being Star Trek, the original series). The writing, the acting, the baring of the souls of mankind...What's not to Love!!!
One of my favorites, was " The Grave ". Great story and just a killer cast. Lee Marvin, Strother Martin, James Best, Lee Van Cleef, Stafford Repp, Elen Willard. All these great performers made the story work like a well oiled machine.
It is really great to see young school loving old school tv shows. Considering that today's writers are borrowing from old school. In the 90"s I started watching all the old black& white tv shows and movies. I found a gold mine of great shows. There were some really gifted writers back then. I am so glad a young lady like youself find these films to be great shows to watch. Thanks for giving us all such a great video. God bless you
I've tried watching the modern revivals of The Twilight Zone but they just serve to remind me how great the original series is. Rod Serling was a creative genius.
I was born in 1952. I remember loving Fridays, not only was it the weekend, I got to see the new TZ episode. Watched all the re-runs also. I can truly say that out of all of the TV I watched as a child, this was always my favorite. Very few shows become part of American culture like this one does. Every generation still knows what the TZ theme sounds like. And for the record, "eye of the beholder" gave me nightmares also (it was the only episode that did!).
The Twilight Zone has stabilized in the number one slot for TV shows for me (as a kid my original favorite was "I Love Lucy"). Serling was, I believe, the first to successfully navigate the network censors by taking a firm stance on issues of the day by hiding it in tales of fantasy and other-worldliness. Serling's contemporary in skirting oppressive censorship from the same era was Stan Lee of Marvel Comics. Both men were saddled with a ton of restrictions (most of it being arbitrarily stifling). Although I greatly detest censorship, when you give humans several obstacles to storytelling it can greatly augment creativity versus having zero restrictions. I find it fascinating that Twilight Zone episodes have a way of becoming relevant again at random intervals. During COVID-19 the episode "The Old Man In The Cave" gained new meaning. In the current world tension I find that "The Shelter" reverberates loudly in my head. The Twilight Zone had a pattern of highlighting human faults and frailties that causes people to recalibrate their sense of morality and community during stressful situations.
"The Twilight Zone" is absolutely in my top 5 of favorite television shows of all-time. I remember my first encounter with the show was on New Year's Eve as a child. It was "The Dummy" and it only took one scene before I left the room altogether. Possibly a few or many years later I watched single episodes until those became regular marathon watches. "Nick Of Time" may be my favorite episode of all-time although I could go on about many other episodes as well. I hope to one day tackle every episode with my sibling as we have done other television shows recently.
Enough Time at Last is the episode that I remember the most. When CBS re-broadcasted them in the late 80’s that one episode stood out so much to me. It was the ultimate prison. All this guy wanted to do was read his books then he broke his glasses. I never felt so bad for a character even till this day.
I have 2 favorite episodes: One for the Angels, and The Passerby. They're not scary, and I found these two episodes to be very moving. Another one I like is The Monsters are Due on Maple Street. We read this one in high school. Quite a few of his stories take place in the Southern Tier of Upstate NY. Speaking of my K-12 days, I grew up in the same town Rod Serling did, Binghamton, NY. I even graduated from the same high school. One of the english teachers had Rod as a student during her first year of teaching, and was invited to the world premier of the Twilight Zone movie, which was held in Binghamton. When I mention any of this to people, the usual response is: That explains a lot about you. :) Thank you for posting this. It's nice meeting another Twilight Zone fan. Best wishes to you, Jerome.
I still love and remember "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" where there's a man, a clown, a ballerina, a soldier, and a bagpiper who all end up being... not what they appear to be.
One of my favorites was the one when this cowboy man from the 1800s tries to get help for his sick son back in the wagon but he mysteriously travels to the future (1960s) and goes in the diner.
The Twilight Zone has always been my favorite TV show. To Serve Man is my favorite episode. Here's my Top 20 episodes(not in any particular order). 1. To Serve Man 2. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet 3. Deaths-Head Revisited 4. Kick The Can 5. I Shot An Arrow Into The Air 6. The Rip Van Winkle Caper 7. Time Enough At Last 8. A Stop At Willoughby 9. The Hitchhiker 10. Perchance To Dream 11. Living Doll 12. The Masks 13. Its A Good Life 14. Changing Of The Guard 15. King Nine Will Not Return 16. A Hundred Yards Over The Rim 17. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street 18. Walking Distance 19. Where Is Everybody? 20. Four O'clock
I first saw the Twilight Zone in 1960. My brother and I were allowed to stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights for the first time. I was 9 and he was 8. We loved space opera, horror, and he still liked westerns. We were hooked from that first episode that we saw! It was "The Chaser". The reasons you mention were the very same for us. Even then I knew there was more to this show than spookiness and fear as I laid in bed at night pondering the questions that it put into my mind. I can still watch it, and enjoy it greatly to this day. I am not a movie or TV show re-watcher. There is at least one good RUclips vid on Rod Serling's backround.
New to your channel, and I will say that The Twilight Zone is my favorite series of all time. I'm 39 and remember watching the new years marathons every year as a kid and teen and always being amazed by it, from the horror sci-fi and social commentary. Rod Serling was way ahead of his time, and it still holds up.
_'The Twilight Zone'_ is probably my favorite show of all time. I pretty much love every single episode from the classic B&W series. I also took a Film and TV analysis class back in High School and my teacher used a few episodes from _'The Twilight Zone'_ in our curriculum. Every episode is a mini-masterpiece unto itself in my opinion.
VERY astute explanation of why this series continues to enthrall new generations. I have the Blu-ray set, and just firing up one of these things on my player makes me feel like I'm opening an old cabinet of curiosities from the 1950's and 60's. - I mean, I can just about SMELL the wood and dust from that time! I LOVE it.
Hi, I recently discovered your channel and I am just blown away by your vast knowledge of past cinema and television. You remind me of myself to a certain degree. After all, my mother likes to call me an “old soul”. The Twilight Zone is definitely a TV series that I enjoy watching. I began watching it while i was in middle school, circa 2007. I must confess that I have not seen every single episode, but I have seen many. Some of my favorite episodes include: The Lonely, Eye of the Beholder, The Invaders, The Midnight Sun, Five Characters in Search of an Exit, Miniature, I Am the Night-Color Me Black, and The Jeopardy Room.
I'm old enough to have been around when THE TWILIGHT ZONE aired originally on CBS. My mother was a fan of stories with twists, so we always watched things like Alfred Hitchcock and this "new" show on CBS called THE TWILIGHT ZONE. I have specific memories of certain episodes, and I guess the one that got to me the most was the hour-long "On Thursday We Leave For Home". I felt really bad for the protagonist in that one and it left a deep impression. It remains my favorite.
My favorite episode is The Eye of the beholder, is just something else really. The lighting, the camera Shots, the picture, the story and how it unfolds is a beauty. Everything is so well blend and mix. I do believe it will continue to find new fans but every next generations will bring less. The reason is because time makes it a little less relatable with those concept and ideas but still doesn’t takes credit that is a really good series, it not only takes us in to that dimension where you get to experience the episode but it also makes us have the mindset of a person living in the 1960s and thinking about the episode. Depends on the person on how well it connects with the series, but thanks to this masterpiece there’s other show that can bring a more larger audience that can enjoy and relate to, like for example Black Mirror from Netflix. (Another Masterpiece) but hey who knows maybe were on the twilight zone and I was speaking to a time traveller the whole time! *The Twilight zone theme songs plays in the background*
THE TWILIGHT ZONE just seems to cut across the generations. We studied a few episodes in school too, er, when it was first being aired. Yikes! Kinda a long time ago. One thing I remember much more recently (some 5-5 years ago>?) was meeting the actor who played the giant alien in To Serve Man. Truly imposing guy. His hand was as big as my head! (honesty note: that's a little exaggeration there). Thank goodness he was such a gentle person. It always leaves me with a good feeling to know that there are at least a FEW things in our culture that can be shared so fondly across such a stretch of time. Thanks for your comments!
In the Rod Serling biography I read, it was mentioned how he would receive letters from students who were discussing Twilight Zone episodes in class. It seems it was a national and enduring tradition you and I were both part of, something Serling certainly didn't foresee when he came up with the show!
I think my first exposure to the show was when my 7th grade English teacher assigned us to read the script for the episode, "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street."
The superb imagery was unforgettable. I was playing with toys on the floor when these shows premiered. I vividly remember many of them. This show is embedded in our national psychology, and the opening theme is the ticket. Your observations are spot-on. But you failed to mention that opening theme!. When something unexplainable occurs in your space, you can immediately communicate through it by singing "Dew-dew-dew-dew, dew dew dew dew". Everyone around you will understand at once. The social message stories thrilled me as I grew older with the reruns. ==> ! I recommend (no, I urge) a close look at "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". I believe you will enjoy researching the background story. First watch "Occurrence", then do your research. You don't want to spoil it. You may have to rent it. All the best.
We watched "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" in my 10th grade English class after reading the short story by Ambrose Bierce. It's curious you single that one out, as some fans don't consider it an official Twilight Zone episode, being a short French film that was repurposed and tacked on when the show was about to end. It's a classic story, but a major outlier in the series.
@@Weiselberry Thanks, Jerome. I saw it in College Film Class too. I think the TZ producers saw it and shouted, "wow, let's import this". The little boy, who grew to love this show, saw a fit at the premiere broadcast. This may be an "after-the-fact" assessment, but "Occurrence" was a fitting CODA, making plain that TZ was theater of the mind after all. "Once Upon a Time" is also an outlier, and beloved, so methinks. All the best.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE is my fave TV series of all-time and Rod Serling is one of my heroes. TIME ENOUGH AT LAST with Burgess Meredith is my fave ZONE. I discovered the series by accident when I was 11 visiting my grandparents and one very late night (4am) I turned on their TV set and TO SERVE MAN was on 1/2 way thru so I had zero clue what I was watching but it scared the hell out of me and I became obsessed with it (I scoured the TV GUIDE weekly to find listings back in the day since there was no VCRs then). I highly recommend Anne Serling's memoir on her dad if you haven't read it yet Jerry :D
I've seen a bunch of the show over the years, but very sporadically. I've never just decided "I'm watching this" (and followed through). I should do that. Another great video, THANKS!!!!
Favorite aspects: "Thirty minutes for 4 of their 5 seasons of the most taut, clever writing ever." "I can't even name 5 UNfavorite episodes." I get tired of quite a few and really dislike days of marathons. THOSE bore me. But give me 2 episodes a day? Four? Six? Personally, I'd re-insert TWILIGHT ZONE in a prime time schedule and wipe out the competition.
Thanks for this compelling review. I haven't seen it for years (I think it was shown here in the early 90s) and thought it'd be worth trying out the first season on Prime on a quiet Saturday off. Jings, they are so much better than I thought theyd be given the age they were made. Beautifully written, great cast and really smartly directed. Not anachronistic at all - there is a strange timelesness. (10 episodes in and still no sign of Rod, though.)
Miss Jerome Weiselberry, My favorite episode will also be Third From The Sun. The recent passing of Dean Stockwell reminded me of one the episodes that grew out of paratrooper Rod Serlings military service A Quality Of Mercy.
I love the Twilight Zone! (The original) I've always loved the way Eye of the Beholder was filmed. I thought it was some cool way of filming, not realizing we didn't see anyone's face till the end! I am a Rod Serling fan girl since my childhood. He was very tired of censorship preventing him from being able to bring social issues to the fore. With TZ he got to bring them up as the censors he fought were not too interested in Sci Fi. He was able to give a lot of morality tales that way. Rod's writings was superb. I really enjoyed his little intro and outros as well. My favorite episodes are usually ones he wrote, like the "Masks", "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up" or "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine". Yet my very favorite episode is the Charles Beaumont story, "Miniature" starring Robert Duval. (Could be because I am a fan girl of Robert Duval as well!) I did not know this episode existed until my husband brought me the complete DVD set. "Miniature" a little too long as it was one of those hour long ones, and has terrible special effects, but I liked the story and the happy ending.
I sought out "Miniature" after reading The Twilight Zone Companion, and I agree with your assessment. It's often forgotten because they seldom play the hour-long episodes in the marathons, but it's a very charming episode.
The Twilight Zone aside, Rod Serling wrote some superb teleplays (think Live Television Plays) in the fifties but was frustrated by all the censorship he had to endure...Never the less he managed to write the following classic works...PATTERNS, REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, THE COMEDIAN, IN THE PRESENCE OF THINE ENEMIES and THE VELVET ALLEY...
Among my faves "Midnight Sun" "The Lonely" and "The Hitch-hiker" and yeah Shatner, but so many it's true are truly great. Eerie how the writer died on the operating table at a young age, and Gig Young in a truly great episode committed suicide in real life.
as hilarious as shatner's acting is, nightmare at 20,000 feet still manages to creep me out every time i watch it. nick of time (another shatner classic) is also great.
Another fine review As you like the twilight zone try and catch the UK series Inside No 9 It is the modern day equivalent and written and and performed by two of the best writers and actors on British Tv Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith ( a I am sure you have not heard of either but they are brilliant) It is an anthology series of comic thrillers with a twist in the tale with great originality I think you will be able to get at least the first few series on Hulu As a UK viewer I can thoroughly recommend them Keep up your great work
The era of THE TWILIGHT ZONE series was rich with "hosts", an idea that had come into full bloom with Hitchcock, initially, and led to Serling and a few others. One of my favorites, a truly excellent host, was John Newland, who guided the viewer into the world of ONE STEP BEYOND, a show which proceeded THE TWILIGHT ZONE by a year (might be wrong about that). Newland had the calmest demeanor while presenting some very haunting "true life" stories of psychological/psychic/supernatural experiences. Might not be your cup of tea, but I would recommend you might want to sample the series---most of the episodes are on youtube. (One other thing you might find interesting: ONE STEP BEYOND was truly a vision of one man, Newland. He directed every single episode. And. like Serling---even more so, in fact---he would appear on the set with the actors, sometimes even walking between and around them during dramatic moments, almost like a ghost---a g-host!?---and then walk off and let the scene continue. A real innovative "breaking of the fourth wall", I think. Anyway...just thought I'd point that out.) ;-)
I've heard of One Step Beyond and read a little about a couple episodes, but I've never seen one. I didn't know the host occasionally circulated among the actors mid-scene! That alone makes me want to check out the show.
"Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up" the twist at the end was delicious. I like the way it played out. Ethel had a constuctive suggestion. With the driver eliminating Ethel that cut the suspect list down to 2, the grouch and the annoying jokester. Then they went off on tangents. The jokester made a tongue in cheek suggestion that would have worked. I've seen where a similar scenario played out, with simalr results in a classroom setting. I remember reading where Rod Serling explained some things couldn't be said staight out by a human character but you could get away with it if a Martian says it. I think that's a good thing for writers to keep in mind. Thank you for talking about it. Have you seen and/or commented on that other Rod Serling series, Night Gallery?
Did you notice the cameral does a double spin before it stops on Serling... I wonder why? Which theme music did you like better the first year which was moody and atmospheric vrs the second to fifth seasons which was more jazzy and iconic. Speaking of music, have you heard the "Twilight Tone," by the Manhattens? It has a great Serling impersonation. BTW the Lonely was heartbreaking. "My mouth has a taste of burnt copper and gunpowder." Damn that's great writing.
I'm a new watcher who really enjoys your content. I'm a fan of the Twilight Zone & The Outer Limits. My favorite TZ episode is "The Hunt" season 3 episode 19. I feel it is a high esoteric teaching on connection with spirit. My favorite TOL episode is "O.B.I.T." season 1 episode 7. A chilling & accurate harbinger of where western culture is today. Have you ever reviewed the work of Kurt Vonnegut? I am glad you can see the important messages in these entertaining maxims. Peace & blessings. 🗿
Thanks! I agree, "O.B.I.T." was a very good Outer Limits episode. I believe the only Vonnegut I've talked about was Cat's Cradle, and that was in this video: ruclips.net/video/d7AQngJU0MQ/видео.html If I remember correctly, I liked it up to a certain point.
My teacher did the same with i believe The Eye of the Beholder last semester. And my two favorite episodes i dont remember the name of one but nightmare at 20 thousand ft scared me really good. The other one is about a man in a universe where reading is a bad thing and for the life of him he cant ever get to read even though he loves it. And one day after an nuclear explosion he does. But then a sad thing happened. I dont want spoil if its possible to. Its just reallu easy for me to feel emotion towards the Twilight Zone's characters almost every episode. And even somehow relate to them despite the crazy things that they often go through
After watching your tenth anniversary video I wondered how often you returned to the Twilight Zone. Admittedly I'm not much of a reader of "story books". Meaning that I usually read reference books that don't require a linear path. I find it intimidating to commit myself to a 600+ page book and feeling obligated to finish it even if I lose interest in it about a quarter of the way through. I have faith in your recommendations. Had you ever sought out a biography on Rod Serling? Next weekend is the unveiling of his statue in his hometown of Binghamton, New York. This is tied to the commemoration of Serling's 100th birthday this coming Christmas day (1924 to 2024). Any chance that you have read "As I Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling" by his daughter Anne Serling?
That intro made me laugh. Lol The one with the talking doll inspired Chucky. So many great actors. Like Lee Van Cleef and Robert Redford. Also the one were they released the devil. That’s a great one. The ending of it is kind of silly. Why would he leave such an incredible responsibility to his cleaning lady. Here is the Devil now don’t let him out I’ll be right back. Why? lol
Yes, seek out his interviews were he speaks extemporaneously. He is a gifted genius and he offers these insights about writing and philosophy. Some of this is caught on camera or audio tape. You would appreciate them if you have not already come across them. Otherwise you have captured this very well. Twilight Zone is profound.
Definitely that series are one of the most high moments in TV history. There's a plenty of good episodes, I agree, but I like Serling's next effort, The Night Gallery. For art lovers it is a delight, for the premise of a painting portraying a terror story is thrilling .The Twilight series have a more scifi flavor, even good natured moments (that episode that has to do with Santa Claus), while the Gallery episodes are more macabre and ghoulish.Try 'The Doll,' Escape Route' , 'Rare Objects' , ' The Cemetery' and 'The Return of the Sorcerer' (with Vincent Price and Bill Bixby!).
Have you ever seen the Twilight Zone movie that was released in the 1980’s? I remember seeing it in the theater as a kid, and really loved it. My favorite segment was the first one about the bigot who gets a taste of his own medicine.
I don't think Mr. Serling ever wrote an autobiography of his life. I do know he was a qualified paratrooper in the U.S. Army and saw plenty of action in the Pacific Theater during World War II. That in itself probably explains a lot about his background and inevitably the source of much of his material. In the "Twilight Zone," as in war, death is always lurking around the corner. "A Quality of Mercy" stands out as an episode that must have been close to his heart.
Old TV shows were so much more rooted in purpose amd morality. Check out " Man With a Camera" with Charles Bronson, " Peter Gunn" and "Have Gun Will Travel" and " Naked City" and" Route 66" .Many up and comers appeared including Peter Falk, John Voight, amongst many others that escape me right now.
I don't think it was quite that many. According to the nerdy spreadsheet I made when I went through the Twilight Zone Companion, Matheson wrote about 16, fewer than Charles Beaumont and definitely fewer than Serling himself, who wrote more than half. (Assuming I took accurate notes.)
Love your reviews! Have you ever watched and reviewed the original, T"he Outer Limits" sci-fi tv series? That series was a masterpiece of a series, like Twilight is a masterpiece of a series. The remake of The Outer Limits was appalling, compared to the original. I highly recommend you watch the original series. It is truly amazing!
Thanks! At the time I filmed this video, I hadn't seen any episodes of The Outer Limits, but I've since watched a good number. I remain partial to The Twilight Zone, where the scripts are more succinct and the stories seem more dynamic (as opposed to being about aliens most of the time). But I've seen several great episodes of The Outer Limits!
I was thinking, I wonder if she likes the twilight zone? Here is the answer, you have good taste. Although I know all the "punch lines" I enjoy watching this show over and over again.
I don't know Jerome I kinda think Leave It To Beaver and Mr. Ed (the talking horse) were far deeper and meaningful shows in an intellectual and spiritual sense. Those shows still resonate with me not unlike Shakespeare.
My favorite show of all time and I wasn't even born until 1974.
I love it too. I watched many many episodes during its original run with my brothers. We were all fans.
I saw Rod Serling lecture in 1970.
The Billy Mumy episode and it's follow up where his daughter plays the part of the weird child are my favourites but I won't say it too loud in case I end up in the corn field.
Rod Serling was a gem and his Twilight Zone one of a kind. It continues to hold up today with a quality that outshines most TV series. I love many episodes but my favorite is "Walking Distance".
My second favorite television show off all-time (My favorite being Star Trek, the original series). The writing, the acting, the baring of the souls of mankind...What's not to Love!!!
Jerome Walking Distance is one of the best!
One of my favorites, was " The Grave ". Great story and just a killer cast. Lee Marvin, Strother Martin, James Best, Lee Van Cleef, Stafford Repp, Elen Willard. All these great performers made the story work like a well oiled machine.
“Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up” is probably my favorite. That ending blew my 8 year old mind and I’ve loved the show ever since.
It is really great to see young school loving old school tv shows. Considering that today's writers are borrowing from old school. In the 90"s I started watching all the old black& white tv shows and movies. I found a gold mine of great shows. There were some really gifted writers back then. I am so glad a young lady like youself find these films to be great shows to watch. Thanks for giving us all such a great video. God bless you
"Time Enough At Last" is so memorable. So tragic. Like a punch in the gut.
I've tried watching the modern revivals of The Twilight Zone but they just serve to remind me how great the original series is. Rod Serling was a creative genius.
The big alien guy in How To Serve Man was Richard Kiel the actor that played Jaws the assassin in the Roger Moore James Bond films.
The Vast of Night. Recent movie is a lot like a Twilight Episode. I enjoyed it. I think it was done for a modest budget.
Oh, I loved The Vast of Night! I did a review of it here: ruclips.net/video/-pfT2zTCHm4/видео.html
Three things that made growing up in the 60s wonderful: the space program, the Beatles, and the Twilight Zone.
You nailed it!
I was born in 1952. I remember loving Fridays, not only was it the weekend, I got to see the new TZ episode. Watched all the re-runs also. I can truly say that out of all of the TV I watched as a child, this was always my favorite. Very few shows become part of American culture like this one does. Every generation still knows what the TZ theme sounds like. And for the record, "eye of the beholder" gave me nightmares also (it was the only episode that did!).
The Twilight Zone has stabilized in the number one slot for TV shows for me (as a kid my original favorite was "I Love Lucy"). Serling was, I believe, the first to successfully navigate the network censors by taking a firm stance on issues of the day by hiding it in tales of fantasy and other-worldliness.
Serling's contemporary in skirting oppressive censorship from the same era was Stan Lee of Marvel Comics. Both men were saddled with a ton of restrictions (most of it being arbitrarily stifling). Although I greatly detest censorship, when you give humans several obstacles to storytelling it can greatly augment creativity versus having zero restrictions.
I find it fascinating that Twilight Zone episodes have a way of becoming relevant again at random intervals. During COVID-19 the episode "The Old Man In The Cave" gained new meaning. In the current world tension I find that "The Shelter" reverberates loudly in my head.
The Twilight Zone had a pattern of highlighting human faults and frailties that causes people to recalibrate their sense of morality and community during stressful situations.
"The Twilight Zone" is absolutely in my top 5 of favorite television shows of all-time. I remember my first encounter with the show was on New Year's Eve as a child. It was "The Dummy" and it only took one scene before I left the room altogether. Possibly a few or many years later I watched single episodes until those became regular marathon watches. "Nick Of Time" may be my favorite episode of all-time although I could go on about many other episodes as well. I hope to one day tackle every episode with my sibling as we have done other television shows recently.
Enough Time at Last is the episode that I remember the most. When CBS re-broadcasted them in the late 80’s that one episode stood out so much to me. It was the ultimate prison. All this guy wanted to do was read his books then he broke his glasses. I never felt so bad for a character even till this day.
I have 2 favorite episodes: One for the Angels, and The Passerby. They're not scary, and I found these two episodes to be very moving. Another one I like is The Monsters are Due on Maple Street. We read this one in high school. Quite a few of his stories take place in the Southern Tier of Upstate NY.
Speaking of my K-12 days, I grew up in the same town Rod Serling did, Binghamton, NY. I even graduated from the same high school. One of the english teachers had Rod as a student during her first year of teaching, and was invited to the world premier of the Twilight Zone movie, which was held in Binghamton.
When I mention any of this to people, the usual response is: That explains a lot about you. :)
Thank you for posting this. It's nice meeting another Twilight Zone fan. Best wishes to you, Jerome.
I love TZ. A Stop at Willoughby, Time Enough at Last, To Serve Mankind, Maple Street...timeless!
You have excellent taste. There is nothing around today to match 'The Twilight Zone.'
I still love and remember "Five Characters in Search of an Exit" where there's a man, a clown, a ballerina, a soldier, and a bagpiper who all end up being... not what they appear to be.
One of my favorites was the one when this cowboy man from the 1800s tries to get help for his sick son back in the wagon but he mysteriously travels to the future (1960s) and goes in the diner.
The Twilight Zone has always been my favorite TV show. To Serve Man is my favorite episode. Here's my Top 20 episodes(not in any particular order).
1. To Serve Man
2. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet
3. Deaths-Head Revisited
4. Kick The Can
5. I Shot An Arrow Into The Air
6. The Rip Van Winkle Caper
7. Time Enough At Last
8. A Stop At Willoughby
9. The Hitchhiker
10. Perchance To Dream
11. Living Doll
12. The Masks
13. Its A Good Life
14. Changing Of The Guard
15. King Nine Will Not Return
16. A Hundred Yards Over The Rim
17. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
18. Walking Distance
19. Where Is Everybody?
20. Four O'clock
I first saw the Twilight Zone in 1960. My brother and I were allowed to stay up late on Friday and Saturday nights for the first time. I was 9 and he was 8. We loved space opera, horror, and he still liked westerns. We were hooked from that first episode that we saw! It was "The Chaser". The reasons you mention were the very same for us. Even then I knew there was more to this show than spookiness and fear as I laid in bed at night pondering the questions that it put into my mind. I can still watch it, and enjoy it greatly to this day. I am not a movie or TV show re-watcher. There is at least one good RUclips vid on Rod Serling's backround.
New to your channel, and I will say that The Twilight Zone is my favorite series of all time. I'm 39 and remember watching the new years marathons every year as a kid and teen and always being amazed by it, from the horror sci-fi and social commentary. Rod Serling was way ahead of his time, and it still holds up.
_'The Twilight Zone'_ is probably my favorite show of all time. I pretty much love every single episode from the classic B&W series. I also took a Film and TV analysis class back in High School and my teacher used a few episodes from _'The Twilight Zone'_ in our curriculum. Every episode is a mini-masterpiece unto itself in my opinion.
VERY astute explanation of why this series continues to enthrall new generations. I have the Blu-ray set, and just firing up one of these things on my player makes me feel like I'm opening an old cabinet of curiosities from the 1950's and 60's. - I mean, I can just about SMELL the wood and dust from that time! I LOVE it.
I love TZ! Also, I'm a preK teacher and I read that Spider and the Fly book behind you to my students all the time!❤
Hi, I recently discovered your channel and I am just blown away by your vast knowledge of past cinema and television. You remind me of myself to a certain degree. After all, my mother likes to call me an “old soul”. The Twilight Zone is definitely a TV series that I enjoy watching. I began watching it while i was in middle school, circa 2007. I must confess that I have not seen every single episode, but I have seen many. Some of my favorite episodes include: The Lonely, Eye of the Beholder, The Invaders, The Midnight Sun, Five Characters in Search of an Exit, Miniature, I Am the Night-Color Me Black, and The Jeopardy Room.
"A Nice Place To Visit" is my favorite Twilight Zone episode with a profound message about hell.
I'm old enough to have been around when THE TWILIGHT ZONE aired originally on CBS. My mother was a fan of stories with twists, so we always watched things like Alfred Hitchcock and this "new" show on CBS called THE TWILIGHT ZONE. I have specific memories of certain episodes, and I guess the one that got to me the most was the hour-long "On Thursday We Leave For Home". I felt really bad for the protagonist in that one and it left a deep impression. It remains my favorite.
My favorite episode is The Eye of the beholder, is just something else really. The lighting, the camera Shots, the picture, the story and how it unfolds is a beauty. Everything is so well blend and mix. I do believe it will continue to find new fans but every next generations will bring less. The reason is because time makes it a little less relatable with those concept and ideas but still doesn’t takes credit that is a really good series, it not only takes us in to that dimension where you get to experience the episode but it also makes us have the mindset of a person living in the 1960s and thinking about the episode. Depends on the person on how well it connects with the series, but thanks to this masterpiece there’s other show that can bring a more larger audience that can enjoy and relate to, like for example Black Mirror from Netflix. (Another Masterpiece) but hey who knows maybe were on the twilight zone and I was speaking to a time traveller the whole time!
*The Twilight zone theme songs plays in the background*
THE TWILIGHT ZONE just seems to cut across the generations. We studied a few episodes in school too, er, when it was first being aired. Yikes! Kinda a long time ago. One thing I remember much more recently (some 5-5 years ago>?) was meeting the actor who played the giant alien in To Serve Man. Truly imposing guy. His hand was as big as my head! (honesty note: that's a little exaggeration there). Thank goodness he was such a gentle person.
It always leaves me with a good feeling to know that there are at least a FEW things in our culture that can be shared so fondly across such a stretch of time.
Thanks for your comments!
In the Rod Serling biography I read, it was mentioned how he would receive letters from students who were discussing Twilight Zone episodes in class. It seems it was a national and enduring tradition you and I were both part of, something Serling certainly didn't foresee when he came up with the show!
I think my first exposure to the show was when my 7th grade English teacher assigned us to read the script for the episode, "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street."
They have a marathon on this week. One of my favorite is Odyssey of Flight 33.
The superb imagery was unforgettable. I was playing with toys on the floor when these shows premiered. I vividly remember many of them. This show is embedded in our national psychology, and the opening theme is the ticket. Your observations are spot-on. But you failed to mention that opening theme!. When something unexplainable occurs in your space, you can immediately communicate through it by singing "Dew-dew-dew-dew, dew dew dew dew". Everyone around you will understand at once. The social message stories thrilled me as I grew older with the reruns. ==> ! I recommend (no, I urge) a close look at "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". I believe you will enjoy researching the background story. First watch "Occurrence", then do your research. You don't want to spoil it. You may have to rent it. All the best.
We watched "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" in my 10th grade English class after reading the short story by Ambrose Bierce. It's curious you single that one out, as some fans don't consider it an official Twilight Zone episode, being a short French film that was repurposed and tacked on when the show was about to end. It's a classic story, but a major outlier in the series.
@@Weiselberry Thanks, Jerome. I saw it in College Film Class too. I think the TZ producers saw it and shouted, "wow, let's import this". The little boy, who grew to love this show, saw a fit at the premiere broadcast. This may be an "after-the-fact" assessment, but "Occurrence" was a fitting CODA, making plain that TZ was theater of the mind after all. "Once Upon a Time" is also an outlier, and beloved, so methinks. All the best.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE is my fave TV series of all-time and Rod Serling is one of my heroes. TIME ENOUGH AT LAST with Burgess Meredith is my fave ZONE. I discovered the series by accident when I was 11 visiting my grandparents and one very late night (4am) I turned on their TV set and TO SERVE MAN was on 1/2 way thru so I had zero clue what I was watching but it scared the hell out of me and I became obsessed with it (I scoured the TV GUIDE weekly to find listings back in the day since there was no VCRs then). I highly recommend Anne Serling's memoir on her dad if you haven't read it yet Jerry :D
I've seen a bunch of the show over the years, but very sporadically. I've never just decided "I'm watching this" (and followed through). I should do that.
Another great video, THANKS!!!!
Favorite aspects: "Thirty minutes for 4 of their 5 seasons of the most taut, clever writing ever." "I can't even name 5 UNfavorite episodes." I get tired of quite a few and really dislike days of marathons. THOSE bore me. But give me 2 episodes a day? Four? Six? Personally, I'd re-insert TWILIGHT ZONE in a prime time schedule and wipe out the competition.
i loved this show it so realistic as life itself is like a science fiction episode
Thanks for this compelling review. I haven't seen it for years (I think it was shown here in the early 90s) and thought it'd be worth trying out the first season on Prime on a quiet Saturday off. Jings, they are so much better than I thought theyd be given the age they were made. Beautifully written, great cast and really smartly directed. Not anachronistic at all - there is a strange timelesness. (10 episodes in and still no sign of Rod, though.)
Great review! You captured the essence of the show perfectly. Love your enthusiasm. Aloha.....
The Hunt is my favorite.
I remember the 1980’s version of the series as a teenager.
Timeless Classic! Have you seen Black Mirror?
Miss Jerome Weiselberry, My favorite episode will also be Third From The Sun. The recent passing of Dean Stockwell reminded me of one the episodes that grew out of paratrooper Rod Serlings military service A Quality Of Mercy.
I love the Twilight Zone! (The original) I've always loved the way Eye of the Beholder was filmed. I thought it was some cool way of filming, not realizing we didn't see anyone's face till the end! I am a Rod Serling fan girl since my childhood. He was very tired of censorship preventing him from being able to bring social issues to the fore. With TZ he got to bring them up as the censors he fought were not too interested in Sci Fi. He was able to give a lot of morality tales that way. Rod's writings was superb. I really enjoyed his little intro and outros as well. My favorite episodes are usually ones he wrote, like the "Masks", "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up" or "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine". Yet my very favorite episode is the Charles Beaumont story, "Miniature" starring Robert Duval. (Could be because I am a fan girl of Robert Duval as well!) I did not know this episode existed until my husband brought me the complete DVD set. "Miniature" a little too long as it was one of those hour long ones, and has terrible special effects, but I liked the story and the happy ending.
I sought out "Miniature" after reading The Twilight Zone Companion, and I agree with your assessment. It's often forgotten because they seldom play the hour-long episodes in the marathons, but it's a very charming episode.
The Twilight Zone aside, Rod Serling wrote some superb teleplays (think Live Television Plays) in the fifties but was frustrated by all the censorship he had to endure...Never the less he managed to write the following classic works...PATTERNS, REQUIEM FOR A HEAVYWEIGHT, THE COMEDIAN, IN THE PRESENCE OF THINE ENEMIES and THE VELVET ALLEY...
Oh, please do a review on Rod Serling's Night Gallery.
Among my faves "Midnight Sun" "The Lonely" and "The Hitch-hiker" and yeah Shatner, but so many it's true are truly great. Eerie how the writer died on the operating table at a young age, and Gig Young in a truly great episode committed suicide in real life.
as hilarious as shatner's acting is, nightmare at 20,000 feet still manages to creep me out every time i watch it. nick of time (another shatner classic) is also great.
Another fine review
As you like the twilight zone try and catch the UK series Inside No 9
It is the modern day equivalent and written and and performed by two of the best writers and actors on British Tv Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith ( a I am sure you have not heard of either but they are brilliant)
It is an anthology series of comic thrillers with a twist in the tale with great originality
I think you will be able to get at least the first few series on Hulu
As a UK viewer I can thoroughly recommend them
Keep up your great work
The era of THE TWILIGHT ZONE series was rich with "hosts", an idea that had come into full bloom with Hitchcock, initially, and led to Serling and a few others. One of my favorites, a truly excellent host, was John Newland, who guided the viewer into the world of ONE STEP BEYOND, a show which proceeded THE TWILIGHT ZONE by a year (might be wrong about that). Newland had the calmest demeanor while presenting some very haunting "true life" stories of psychological/psychic/supernatural experiences. Might not be your cup of tea, but I would recommend you might want to sample the series---most of the episodes are on youtube. (One other thing you might find interesting: ONE STEP BEYOND was truly a vision of one man, Newland. He directed every single episode. And. like Serling---even more so, in fact---he would appear on the set with the actors, sometimes even walking between and around them during dramatic moments, almost like a ghost---a g-host!?---and then walk off and let the scene continue. A real innovative "breaking of the fourth wall", I think. Anyway...just thought I'd point that out.) ;-)
I've heard of One Step Beyond and read a little about a couple episodes, but I've never seen one. I didn't know the host occasionally circulated among the actors mid-scene! That alone makes me want to check out the show.
@@Weiselberry The host was also the director of every episode (which I may have already mentioned).
Of all the incarnations of the show, the original stands alone as the best. I mean, there's no Twilight Zone without Rod Serling.
"Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up" the twist at the end was delicious. I like the way it played out. Ethel had a constuctive suggestion. With the driver eliminating Ethel that cut the suspect list down to 2, the grouch and the annoying jokester. Then they went off on tangents. The jokester made a tongue in cheek suggestion that would have worked. I've seen where a similar scenario played out, with simalr results in a classroom setting. I remember reading where Rod Serling explained some things couldn't be said staight out by a human character but you could get away with it if a Martian says it. I think that's a good thing for writers to keep in mind. Thank you for talking about it. Have you seen and/or commented on that other Rod Serling series, Night Gallery?
No, I keep meaning to watch some Night Gallery, but as yet I haven't gotten to it.
Did you notice the cameral does a double spin before it stops on Serling... I wonder why? Which theme music did you like better the first year which was moody and atmospheric vrs the second to fifth seasons which was more jazzy and iconic. Speaking of music, have you heard the "Twilight Tone," by the Manhattens? It has a great Serling impersonation. BTW the Lonely was heartbreaking. "My mouth has a taste of burnt copper and gunpowder." Damn that's great writing.
I'm a new watcher who really enjoys your content. I'm a fan of the Twilight Zone & The Outer Limits. My favorite TZ episode is "The Hunt" season 3 episode 19. I feel it is a high esoteric teaching on connection with spirit. My favorite TOL episode is "O.B.I.T." season 1 episode 7. A chilling & accurate harbinger of where western culture is today. Have you ever reviewed the work of Kurt Vonnegut? I am glad you can see the important messages in these entertaining maxims. Peace & blessings. 🗿
Thanks! I agree, "O.B.I.T." was a very good Outer Limits episode. I believe the only Vonnegut I've talked about was Cat's Cradle, and that was in this video: ruclips.net/video/d7AQngJU0MQ/видео.html If I remember correctly, I liked it up to a certain point.
@@Weiselberry Thanks for the link.
My teacher did the same with i believe The Eye of the Beholder last semester. And my two favorite episodes i dont remember the name of one but nightmare at 20 thousand ft scared me really good. The other one is about a man in a universe where reading is a bad thing and for the life of him he cant ever get to read even though he loves it. And one day after an nuclear explosion he does. But then a sad thing happened. I dont want spoil if its possible to. Its just reallu easy for me to feel emotion towards the Twilight Zone's characters almost every episode. And even somehow relate to them despite the crazy things that they often go through
Oh, how I can forget these?: 'Camera Obscura' and 'Pickman's Model' ( especially this one).
After watching your tenth anniversary video I wondered how often you returned to the Twilight Zone.
Admittedly I'm not much of a reader of "story books". Meaning that I usually read reference books that don't require a linear path. I find it intimidating to commit myself to a 600+ page book and feeling obligated to finish it even if I lose interest in it about a quarter of the way through.
I have faith in your recommendations. Had you ever sought out a biography on Rod Serling? Next weekend is the unveiling of his statue in his hometown of Binghamton, New York. This is tied to the commemoration of Serling's 100th birthday this coming Christmas day (1924 to 2024).
Any chance that you have read "As I Knew Him: My Dad, Rod Serling" by his daughter Anne Serling?
Yes, as it happens, I did read his daughter's biography of him. I discussed it in this video from 2020: ruclips.net/video/GbH7w3YLaKQ/видео.html
Favorite twist: Keenan Wynn writes Rod Serling out of his own show!
That intro made me laugh. Lol The one with the talking doll inspired Chucky. So many great actors. Like Lee Van Cleef and Robert Redford. Also the one were they released the devil. That’s a great one. The ending of it is kind of silly. Why would he leave such an incredible responsibility to his cleaning lady. Here is the Devil now don’t let him out I’ll be right back. Why? lol
Yes, seek out his interviews were he speaks extemporaneously. He is a gifted genius and
he offers these insights about writing and philosophy. Some of this is caught on camera
or audio tape. You would appreciate them if you have not already come across them.
Otherwise you have captured this very well. Twilight Zone is profound.
Did you ever see the Night Gallery? Some good episodes, fun to watch. The pilot Night Gallery movie was quite good.
No, still haven't seen any Night Gallery. Keep meaning to check it out...
Definitely that series are one of the most high moments in TV history. There's a plenty of good episodes, I agree, but I like Serling's next effort, The Night Gallery. For art lovers it is a delight, for the premise of a painting portraying a terror story is thrilling .The Twilight series have a more scifi flavor, even good natured moments (that episode that has to do with Santa Claus), while the Gallery episodes are more macabre and ghoulish.Try 'The Doll,' Escape Route' , 'Rare Objects' , ' The Cemetery' and 'The Return of the Sorcerer' (with Vincent Price and Bill Bixby!).
Have you ever seen the Twilight Zone movie that was released in the 1980’s? I remember seeing it in the theater as a kid, and really loved it. My favorite segment was the first one about the bigot who gets a taste of his own medicine.
I don't think Mr. Serling ever wrote an autobiography of his life. I do know he was a qualified paratrooper in the U.S. Army and saw plenty of action in the Pacific Theater during World War II. That in itself probably explains a lot about his background and inevitably the source of much of his material. In the "Twilight Zone," as in war, death is always lurking around the corner. "A Quality of Mercy" stands out as an episode that must have been close to his heart.
Do you also enjoy The Outer Limits classic version; and probably the 90s version too?
Where to start with TZ? Season 1?
Alfred Hitchcock Presents was similar to TZ.
Scariest AHP episode was The Glass Eye (1957).
Old TV shows were so much more rooted in purpose amd morality. Check out " Man With a Camera" with Charles Bronson, " Peter Gunn" and "Have Gun Will Travel" and " Naked City" and" Route 66" .Many up and comers appeared including Peter Falk, John Voight, amongst many others that escape me right now.
I had HEARD that Richard Matheson wrote over 50% of the TZ scripts, although I was unable to verify that with my cursory search....
I don't think it was quite that many. According to the nerdy spreadsheet I made when I went through the Twilight Zone Companion, Matheson wrote about 16, fewer than Charles Beaumont and definitely fewer than Serling himself, who wrote more than half. (Assuming I took accurate notes.)
@@Weiselberry I probably was confused between Matheson and Serling.. Confusion is not an unusual situation for me
That's okay! For a long time I thought Ray Bradbury was behind many of the episodes. Imagine my surprise when I learned that he'd only written one.
If you like Rod Serling’s work, you should check out “Seven Days in May”.
Watch an English movie called Dead of Night. It was made in 1940. Some of the story lines from that movie were used in The Twilight Zone.
Yup, seen it a couple times.
@@Weiselberry It was a great movie
Love your reviews! Have you ever watched and reviewed the original, T"he Outer Limits" sci-fi tv series? That series was a masterpiece of a series, like Twilight is a masterpiece of a series. The remake of The Outer Limits was appalling, compared to the original. I highly recommend you watch the original series. It is truly amazing!
Thanks! At the time I filmed this video, I hadn't seen any episodes of The Outer Limits, but I've since watched a good number. I remain partial to The Twilight Zone, where the scripts are more succinct and the stories seem more dynamic (as opposed to being about aliens most of the time). But I've seen several great episodes of The Outer Limits!
I was thinking, I wonder if she likes the twilight zone? Here is the answer, you have good taste. Although I know all the "punch lines" I enjoy watching this show over and over again.
Going my way?
I don't know Jerome I kinda think Leave It To Beaver and Mr. Ed (the talking horse) were far deeper and meaningful shows in an intellectual and spiritual sense. Those shows still resonate with me not unlike Shakespeare.
I think Serling would be mortified by today's current events had he lived. Material O' plenty.
You like this show too! Wow!---How old are you anyway?--- This and the Invaders covers most of it for me --LOL
A couple of episodes were all right but most were whimsey for juveniles or morality lectures.
Always liked the outer limits better. Like monsters more
we dont have great TV like they had back than..now we have crap like "teen moms" and "love after lock up" 🤮