Another week, another Internet holiday. This time, we are talking about National Twilight Zone Day — a celebration of Rod Serling‘s groundbreaking 1959-64 anthology series. The show continues to remain a part of the pop culture conversation all of these years later because of how it shined a mirror to the human condition, showcasing man’s best and (more often) worst traits. It was unlike anything ever seen in before, and the series’ reliance on twist endings and other unexpected narrative turns reverberated throughout all aspects of entertainment.
It was television at its most masterful, and arguably the greatest and most influential show ever to air.
Any conversation about The Twilight Zone will invariably lead into a discussion of favorite episodes. “The Invaders,” “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet,” “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” and on and on and on. These are installments that shocked and captivated us. (My personal favorite is “Time Enough at Last,” in which Burgess Meredith portrays a bookworm who finally has all the hours he needs to read after the world ends…only to, womp womp, break his glasses immediately after.
Find some time today to watch an episode or two of the series. And let us know your favorite episode in the comments below!