For me, it was the original short story that the the episode was based on. I read it first.
Original Twighlight Zone Suggestions.
- Thread starter Guy Gardener
- Start date
For me, it was the original short story that the the episode was based on. I read it first.
I've only seen up to Season 3 so far, but my favorites are:
Mr. Denton On Doomsday
Third From The Sun (love the camera angles that are used in this episode, gives it that outer space feel with such a cheap effect)
A Passage For Trumpet
The After Hours
The Night Of The Meek (this is one of the 6 episodes that was shot on video tape, so it looks like an old 1950's shot-live-to-air-production, but it is really good)
Nervous Man In A Four Dollar Room
The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
Mr. Denton On Doomsday
Third From The Sun (love the camera angles that are used in this episode, gives it that outer space feel with such a cheap effect)
A Passage For Trumpet
The After Hours
The Night Of The Meek (this is one of the 6 episodes that was shot on video tape, so it looks like an old 1950's shot-live-to-air-production, but it is really good)
Nervous Man In A Four Dollar Room
The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street
"Midnight Sun," "After Hours," "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" and "To Serve Man" are also among my favorites.
It really is. I think it's just the ending that prevents it from achieving the iconic status that other episodes have. People have a tendency to remember the twist endings.
With "Twilight Zone" it's also amazing how many times sets, props and even film stock from "Forbidden Planet" show up. Just last night I re-watched "Third From The Sun" and "The a Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" and in both episodes the exterior set piece used for "Forbidden Planet's" spaceship, and film stock of the ship appears.
"Howling Man" is one of my favorites, as are the others mentioned here. For Cold War paranoia, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" is the best.
I can't even watch "Time Enough at Last" anymore, it's too upsetting. Is that the sign of great art, when you can't bear to view it?
"A Game of Pool" is fun, Klugman and Jonathan Winters!
I can't even watch "Time Enough at Last" anymore, it's too upsetting. Is that the sign of great art, when you can't bear to view it?
"A Game of Pool" is fun, Klugman and Jonathan Winters!
This originally aired when I was nine. It scared me so much, I wasn't allowed to watch for a few weeks after.
Mannequins still creep me out a bit, but now they're even putting cameras in them.
Re: Original Twilight Zone Suggestions
Some that haven't been mentioned yet (or maybe they have and I didn't see them):
*"The Obsolete Man" w/ Burgess Meredith and Fritz Weaver
*"The Masks"
*"What You Need" featuring a bit with Arlene Sax aka Arlene Martel (one of the reasons I watch it)
*"The Grave" (watch this alone at night!)
*"The Dummy" (funny and weird)
Some that haven't been mentioned yet (or maybe they have and I didn't see them):
*"The Obsolete Man" w/ Burgess Meredith and Fritz Weaver
*"The Masks"
*"What You Need" featuring a bit with Arlene Sax aka Arlene Martel (one of the reasons I watch it)
*"The Grave" (watch this alone at night!)
*"The Dummy" (funny and weird)
^^ Ah, yes, "The Obsolete Man" is one of my favorites, too.
That's also true of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Thriller. The episodes all feel like little movies.
I adored the Obsolete Man.
Pretty much anything with Burgess Meredith is awesome and that episode is fantastic.
Night of the Meek' is a grand Christmas episode and 'One for the Angels' is another schmaltzy favorite.
That's one of my favorites, too. Burgess Meredith and Fritz Weaver are both great in it.
Niether Burgess Meredith or Fritz Weaver ever made a bad Twilight Zone episode, although "Printer's Devil" was only average in my opinion.
If you skip this episode I name thee Philistine! Endora from Bewitched moaning incomprehensibly for twenty minutes must never be skipped over! Never!
Meanwhile, instead of "advising", I will simply name the rest of my favorites:
The Odyssey of Flight 33
The Grave
The Lateness of The Hour
Two
Mister Dingle the Strong
The Obsolete Man (already mentioned)
Time Enough At Last
To Serve Man
Season one is great. Not every episode is forced to have a "surprise" ending you can see coming from a mile away. "Perchance to Dream" has the perfect twist ending.
I don't think "The Obsolete Man" has aged well. It's obviously a product of the political fears of the time. "The State has proven God does not exist" may have been the scariest world people could imagine then; if the episode were written today, it would be "The State has proven God does exist, and He's on our side. Which side are you on?"
I don't think "The Obsolete Man" has aged well. It's obviously a product of the political fears of the time. "The State has proven God does not exist" may have been the scariest world people could imagine then; if the episode were written today, it would be "The State has proven God does exist, and He's on our side. Which side are you on?"
I read once that in Twilight Zone episodes, the main character is usually given an 'out' from his situation somewhere in the episode that he may or may not take. I've been thinking about that for years ... it seems like in many cases that's not true. In "Midnight Sun", "Time Enough At Last", "Number 12 Looks Just Like You", and plenty of others, the characters don't seem to have any real command over what happens.
I may have misunderstood the comment or taken it out of context. Anyone familiar with it who can comment?
I may have misunderstood the comment or taken it out of context. Anyone familiar with it who can comment?
Hmm. Never heard that before. I don't think there was ever any intention to that effect . . . .
