Night Of The Meek - Because everything that works with the main type of twist ending works just as well here, and the social commentary is just as sharp as the Dickens. Plus, I have honestly never decided if Corwyn just became, or had always been and forgot till the end.
The one where Shatner and his new bride get caught up by one of those 'prediction' machines. Scary look at obsession and assigning power over your life to another.
These are 2 of my favorites as well. I try to make "Night of the Meek" an annual Christmas tradition. Of the 2 Shatner episodes, I prefer "Nick of Time" over the more famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet."
"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" - I love the twist ending here as well as the message of how easy it is for humanity to destroy itself. The tension leading up to the twist is very good as well. It's a taut story that keeps you interested the whole time rather than just waiting around for the obligatory twist ending.
"A World of His Own" - This one is just fun, and great wish-fulfillment for any writer. A famous playwright is able to conjure anything he wants into existence by describing it in his tape recorder. I believe this was also the 1st episode where Rod Serling appears on screen. The twist with him at the end is priceless!
"He's Alive" - You can see the twist coming from a mile away but Rod Serling writes the episode with such earnest urgency, you can't help but take notice. Serling is right. He's alive and we can't allow the maddness to begin again. Also a standout performance by Dennis Hopper as the young neo-Nazi.
Lee Marvin delivers a great performance as a retired boxer in "Steel."
Jack Klugman & Jonathan Winters have great chemistry together as dueling pool players in "A Game of Pool."
And while the 2002 UPN revival was largely crap, they did a couple episodes that really stand out for me:
"It's Still a Good Life" - Bill Mumy & Cloris Leachman return in their original roles and show what life is like in Peakesville 40 years later. (Although I don't know how anyone managed to survive Anthony's teenage years.)
I don't remember the name but there was this episode about a white man driving his car who refuses to stop and help a black man who is being chased by some gang. As he tries to assuage his conscience and tell himself that it wasn't really about racism, the white driver starts turning into that black man. The ending has an unexpected twist and Vincent Ventresca (
The Invisible Man) gives a great performance in the lead role. Also starring Michael Shanks during his Season 6 hiatus from
Stargate SG-1.
