The Twilight Zone

[Ian]

On New Years Eve and New Years Day, Sci Fi ran a 48 hour Twilight Zone marathon.

I watched (and DVR'd) almost all the episodes. Man, I love this show. It's such classic television and it really showcases what an art form T.V. used to be. The episodes are so well crafted, clever, and relevant to the time. When you compare it to most of the dreck on television today, it's enough to make you nostalgic.

I was wondering if anyone else on the boards was as big a fan as I am?

Some of my favorite episodes are A Stop at Willoughby (my all time fave), The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, Time Enough at Last, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, To Serve Man, and Living Doll.

Anyone else have any special favorites? Maybe a poll is in order?

[murphy1]

Me, too!! I loved it in HS, I even did a report on it in my AP History class on Television in America. I can tell what most of the epis are about within three seconds. The Living Doll one is a favorite of mine (Talking Tina, I call it, LOL). I don't know the name of these, but the Mannequin Marsha and Earth people who were taken to another planet as pets were other favorites. I think Rod Serling had an amazing talent!

[pink]

I meant to watch it but I completely forgot. I'm a big fan too! :mickey:

[Ian]

don't know the name of these, but the Mannequin Marsha and Earth people who were taken to another planet as pets were other favorites. I think Rod Serling had an amazing talent!Is Mannequin Marsha the one where the "woman" buys the gold thimble on the 9th floor? If so, I love that one too.

I know the other one you mean, too, but I can't think of the name either.

There were soooo many good ones dealing with outer space. One of my other favorites was called Third from the Sun. That's the one where these people are escaping their planet because it's going to be destroyed. They're fleeing in this spaceship to another planet, but you assume it's Earth they're on and that they're fleeing an impending nuclear war.

But then in the very end they tell you that they're actually fleeing to Earth. Very cool! :cool:

[PirateLover]

My fiance and I both love Twilight Zone. Over the summer we rented a bunch of discs from Netflix.

My favorite is probably "Time Enough at Last" with Burgess Meredith. The first time I saw that one I actually cried at the end. "My books!..."

I also like "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." That gremlin thing is so weird!

And I can't remember the name but the one where the little space men are trying to get into the woman's house and then stab her and everything. She never says anything. I think the actress might've been Agnes Morehead. It was really creepy and I loved the twist ending on that one.

[Ian]

It is Agnes Moorehead and yeah ... that's a CREEPY episode.

I just finished watching In Praise of Pip, which stars a young Jack Klugman.

I think that's one of the things I like so much about this show. Almost every episode you find yourself saying, "Oh my God, is that ... ???" I mean the list of people who were on this show was amazing. William Shatner, Burgess Meredith, Charles Bronson, Jack Klugman, Art Carney ...

But even better are the people who show up in like meaningless parts that turn out to be someone famous later. Like I saw Leonard Nimoy in one. The same one, in fact, that starred a very young Dean Stockwell. Albert Salmi was in that same episode ... amazing the talent that swarmed around Serling in his day.

[2Epcot]

I've always enjoyed the Twilight Zone, even back when I was a kid. I would often watch the marathons when I knew about them. I did not see this past marathon, but would have loved to have recorded them as well.

Even though I watch quite a bit of tv programs today, I still find the older programs so much better. The last couple of weeks I've been watching the first season of Gunsmoke. 39 episodes in the first season made between 1955 and 1956. The show was on for 20 years, so I only remember seeing the episodes in the late 70s, and then I was still young.

The old TV programs were great. It's always fun to spot actors early in their career. I'll have to pay more attention to the listings to catch the next Twilight Zone marathon.

[Ian]

I'll have to pay more attention to the listings to catch the next Twilight Zone marathon.I know Sci Fi runs a couple episodes a week on their normal schedule, so if you have a DVR you can set a series recording for it and that way you'll pick up any episodes they do air.

That's what I've done.

[murphy1]

I love trying to guess the actors. There was one with a very young, very brunette Elizabeth Montgomery who was on Bewitched.

[Ian]

I love trying to guess the actors. There was one with a very young, very brunette Elizabeth Montgomery who was on Bewitched.Yeah, that's a good episode. It's called "Two" and it's just her and Charles Bronson. They play soliders on opposite sides that end up being the last two people left on Earth after a nuclear war.

There's hardly any dialogue at all. Very cool episode.

[murphy1]

Did y'all ever see the TZ movie? I never saw it was wondering if it was any good. Thought it couldn't capture the original. Ian, I forgot Bronson was in that show. I remember the first epi of TZ I ever saw, it had an Aunt T in it and these kids got to go to another place by jumping in their swimming pool. I guess I like all the epis.

[Ian]

Oh, Twilight Zone - The Movie is awesome!! It definitely captures the feel of the original ... in a more modern way, maybe. I mean honestly it's not in black and white, which changes things a little. You lose some of that creepy feel that automatically comes with b&w.

But most of the stories (save one, I think) are all Serling stories remade and I'll tell you ... I think John Lithgow's portrayal of the Shatner role from 20,000 feet is almost as good as the original. And I actually like the kick the can episode better in the movie than the original.

[CaptSmee]

I am a HUGE TZ fan! I have all the seaons on DVD box set. Watching the new year's marathon every year made me want to get them all. I have lots of favorite episodes. So many classics. The movie is also good. I love the Lithgow version of Nightmare at 20,000 ft! I can't pick just one epidsode as a favorite but right now i'm thinking: Steel, The Living Doll, Invaders, Time Enough at Last, Howling Man, The Shelter, To Serve Man, On Thursday we Leave for Home, A Most Unusual Camera...the list goes on and on...classic!

[CaptSmee]

I'll have to pay more attention to the listings to catch the next Twilight Zone marathon.

They will sometimes run a half day marathon during the week. Also, the New Years marathon is pretty much guaranteed. I know the past 4 years they have done it. Also, sometimes for Labor Day they do as well.

[Ian]

They will sometimes run a half day marathon during the week. Also, the New Years marathon is pretty much guaranteed. I know the past 4 years they have done it. Also, sometimes for Labor Day they do as well.I think they do them on a lot of the major holidays, because I remember a 4th of July one a couple times, too.

BTW all nine of those episodes you listed are among my favorites.

"IT'S A COOKBOOK!!! A COOKBOOK!!!"

[Jeff]

I was wondering if anyone else on the boards was as big a fan as I am?

Some of my favorite episodes are A Stop at Willoughby (my all time fave), The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street, Time Enough at Last, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet, To Serve Man, and Living Doll.

Anyone else have any special favorites? Maybe a poll is in order?

Ian
I can't say that I "love" the Twilight Zone. I have a strange feeling toward it really. I agree it is extremely well done and I watched it as a kid and watch it now when I can; however, the show has a strange impact on me. Many of the episodes I watched as a kid haunted me for years. "Nightmare" especially bothered me. I slept on a top bunk as a kid with a window right there by my head. I had to move the curtain and look out each night even though I didn't want to. I had to be sure that face was not pressed up to the glass. I think that show scared me for life.

So many others are classics. I like all those you listed. Poor Burgess Meredith with all the time in the world and no glasses to read his books.

This series is more like a "classic" novel that English teachers make us read. I don't like them but they have a huge impact and cause me to think about them for days, weeks or even years.

[Ian]

I can't disagree that many of them are very creepy and even, to a degree, disturbing.

But boy ... do I like them!! :blush:

[Jeff]

I can't disagree that many of them are very creepy and even, to a degree, disturbing.

But boy ... do I like them!! :blush:

Disturbing - well put. That's it exactly!

[Ian]

I'm telling you, it's that black and white. That automatically ups the "disturbing" factor by like 50% just for openers.

What's kind of interesting is that, in season 2 (I think) they actually shot a couple episodes (including The Night of the Meek, which I love) on videotape. The show's production costs were pretty high and the move was intended to save money.

I don't know if it saved them any money, but it sure upped the "creepy" factor even more. Videotape from the late-50's/early-60's has this almost surreal/hyper-real quality about it that really makes it freaky.

Pretty cool!

[Jeff]

I'm telling you, it's that black and white. That automatically ups the "disturbing" factor by like 50% just for openers.

I agree with this assessment. Black and white seems so crisp yet at the same time gives it a dream like quality. Kind of like it could be happening in my imagination or my dreams.

What's the name of the episode where the "tiny little spacemen land in the some peasant lady's attic. Then we find out at the end the spacemen are US astronauts and who radio back to earth not to come here as it's a planet of giants?

[PirateLover]

What's the name of the episode where the "tiny little spacemen land in the some peasant lady's attic. Then we find out at the end the spacemen are US astronauts and who radio back to earth not to come here as it's a planet of giants?

That's the one I was refrencing earlier as well. It stars Agnes Moorehead of Bewitched fame. I just looked it up myself. It's called "The Invaders"

[Ian]

Yeah, that's a great episode.