The Twilight Zone: The Most Influential Show of All Time

[@TheInterFella]

Didn’t expect this many views. I appreciate you guys stopping by. Would mean a lot if you could like and subscribe. Many more films and shows that I plan on talking about!

[@JCFuller442]

Is this @tranquiloclub?? I know that voice anywhere

[@monilaninetynine3811]

You're not the only one who loves this show.

[@hystericluci7345]

the twilight zone is so incomprehensibly wide reaching. like, when you realize how much of horror, science fiction, and television as a whole is sooo influenced by it, it's genuinely bewildering. Rod Serling was the goat!!

[@TheInterFella]

Rod Serling is HIM

[@ubnubmaster]

I always considered planet of the apes to be the twilight zone’s final send off. It really is one of Rod’s best screenplays (props to Wilson too) and the whole thing just feels like a massive episode of the show. In hindsight, the actual twilight zone movie never even needed to exist…we already had it

[@TheInterFella]

I agree. Planet of the Apes was The Twilight Zone epilogue in the form of a feature length film. Rod Serling is legitimately one of the greatest and most important writers this world ever produced.

[@track1949]

Plant of the Apes was a novel before it was a film. Give the author of it some credit. Thanks.

[@livingtaco7876]

Especially considering that, the filming ended in tragedy

[@gregoryblack8109]

​@@track1949no

[@dirty3dragonz]

I loved watching this with my grandma when I was a kid. And i always felt unease and curiosity with any episode we watched. This held some of the best childhood memories for me

[@allysonbroyles]

There’s something unsettling, uncanny about this series that feels ahead of its time. I think you’re right about human nature- and as an audience, we love to get goosebumps from the eerie

[@Allystargirl]

“One for the angels” is probably my favorite episode of a tv show of all time, like standalone episode, and that’s one of the MUCH more lighthearted TZ episodes, but something about it is just so wholesome and endearing. And it approaches the theme of death and accepting it in just a beautiful way. The end makes me tear up a bit every time hah. Death is scary, and the end takes a second to make it more lighthearted, and like it just feels RIGHT to go with death into the night. And the actors bring a LOT of heart and soul into the character with such a short amount of screen time to perform.

[@nope1853]

I recently rewatched the series & am convinced that it's the greatest piece of television ever made. Every single performance is award worthy, the cinematography is heightened by the lack of color instead of limited by it, there are no bad episodes.

[@nope1853]

& the concept of the Twilight Zone in itself is the greatest writing device of all time. Scifi is intrinsically dependent on world building & exposition. You need to explain shit & justify it. That simply isn't possible in a 20min, contained story. But making the show's entire premise "everything's possible in the Twilight Zone, don't search for logic because there is none" completely eliminates that problem.

[@TheInterFella]

⁠​⁠@@nope1853great point about the concept that I wished I could’ve though of to talk about. They really could write about anything and no one would question it because it’s “the twilight zone” where anything can happen.

[@monilaninetynine3811]

I'm in the process of watching the series from beginning to end

[@KalCounty]

God I love The Twilight Zone. How many people other than Rod Serling would've been able to get a tv episode that blatantly says "Fuck your racism" greenlit in 1960s America?

[@TheInterFella]

What a legend.

[@Gmthekiller]

You're ignorant as hell. I bet you haven't even watch one movie from the 60s. You're probably a hipster who only watches popular stuff to look smart

[@PraveenSrJ01]

My dad was a 7 year old child during the start of the twilight zone and my dads father was 37 years old

[@TheWutang1995]

I grew up watching The Twilight Zone with my dad every 4th of July and New Year's on Syfy. It was just our thing and I always looked forward to it. He passed away a few years ago and I don't have cable but I think it was Pluto that still ran a Twilight Zone marathon so I kept that tradition going. My first born was on the way and I was incredibly stressed and nervous so I didn't think about the marathon this past 4th of July but there I was in the delivery room flipping through channels to kill time and The Twilight Zone was on. It feels silly sharing such a special moment with a TV show but idk there was just something cool about my daughter coming into this world during a tradition my dad and I had as far back as I can remember.

[@TheInterFella]

Not silly at all. That’s the effect of profound art. I’m glad you have great ties to it that’ll forever remind you of people/moments that are important you. Thanks for sharing 🙏

[@ashleyrios8793]

beautiful story. I believe it was your father’s reminder that he’s still with you-spiritually :)

[@meimei8718]

I saw an interview with Rod Serling. He didn’t seem satisfied with the dialogue. He said, “they all sound like me.” I suppose that’s the curse for any creative is not being able to fully appreciate your own work.

[@TheInterFella]

We are each our own worst critic, unfortunately.

[@meimei8718]

Yeah. I really like his dialogue so it was hard to hear him being so critical of it. They say don’t meet your heroes (is that how you spell it? anyway) but I would really like to meet Rod Serling. He seemed like a person with a lot of ideas who was interested in more ideas. With those ideas he had a vision he wanted to convey which allowed an open question at the end. Something like reading a story to a toddler and then asking before the end, “What do you think happened?” The Twilight Zone did exactly what Mr Serling wanted it to. It stimulated thinking and allowed minds to consider something they never thought worth considering before. I hope I’m making sense here. Thanks for reading this reply.

[@Thor-Orion]

I love this show so much. My favorite part of New Year’s is the marathon on Syfy. 0:55 mine too.

[@Thor-Orion]

3:25 Rod knew these executives personally and clearly knew they were some big idiots.

[@PraveenSrJ01]

I agree ☝️

[@linkinparkday96]

One of my favorite shows of all time. Favorite episode: Nightmare at 25,000 Feet. Put it simply The Twilight Zone will remain timeless and relevant forever and Rod Serling’s message are just as true as they were in the 60’s.

[@OlWyatt]

I watch this show at least once a year, I was also introduced to it through the holiday marathons, and would watch it with my dad, as he grew up with up. When he was pretty young, him and his siblings would scare each other by singing the theme song in the dark before bed. Compared to the horror we have now it seems pretty tame, but just have been a bit scary at the time. One of the best shows of all time imho

[@abstract5249]

I wonder if today's horror would feel tame by future generations. It's been a trend since the horror genre started, than newer movies got scarier and older movies became cheesier in hindsight. I wonder if we're hitting a plateau where we can say, "yes, this is as scary as a movie could ever be and it will never get scarier." Then again, maybe I feel that way because I'm here and now, not from the future when horror movies will get scarier.

[@WesMoast]

Stop Over In a Quiet Town ... the first episode I watched at 5 years old and while I didn't fully grasp everything going on in the episode, the ending hit me like a ton of bricks. Twilight Zone has remained my favorite show ever since and introduced me to anthology series.

[@TheInterFella]

First saw that one as a kid and the ending blew my mind.

[@dvs1930]

One of my favorites shows... got the box set on DVD ... awesome mijo!!!

[@tomh6183]

Rod could have stories that made you think,cry,hope,wonder,laugh and be so entertaining.A collection of stories that today wouldn’t even make it to the feeble minds of any tv executive.

[@dustinhellstern7728]

Yup. Well said!!

[@quentinfaison2826]

12:35 "but that's okay because he made signs" 😂😂😂.. signs is great though

[@lauraholmes2402]

Time Enough At Last is one of my absolute favourites. There’s also an episode where there’s a threat of a nuclear strike and you see the raw emotion of the people that realise that they don’t have shelters, and they all gang up against the one person that does, and then they turn on each other. A wonderful view of who we are capable of being when we’re backed into a corner.

[@EmiliaMartinezhernandez]

The Best television serie of all time.

[@MultiVales]

There is something very powerful about this kind of storytelling. My favorite show of all time.

[@aaronbonds1926]

Great video. The Invaders is probably my favorite. Amazing how much was done with no dialouge

[@TheInterFella]

Fantastic episode that I managed to watch the first day I even discovered this show.

[@danrandlehandle]

Holy shit your point at the end about humans never changing was great yet greatly depressing

[@TheInterFella]

An unfortunate point I wish I didn’t have to make.

[@drugtaxx]

im glad yor channel popped up on my feed im def subbing w video

[@TheInterFella]

Means a lot, stay tuned for more!

[@michaelsmyth3935]

Grew up pre cable. Lived in the sticks. Over ten years we went from four channels to three channels to nine including PBS [2]. Twilight Zone: had to search the TV GUIDE to find it. Usually Saturday afternoon.

[@ashleyrios8793]

“Rod Serling had a gift for saying a lot, with a little” 9:08 🔥🙌 absolutely true.

[@mathewomolo]

its my favorite show too. it's why I love anthologies, good or bad.

[@SonnyK248]

I got into the Twilight Zone about ten years ago. Lost is my favorite show of all time and when it began I just chased anything scifi and thought provoking and anytime I searched for "mystery scifi shows" after Lost ended the lists always had Twilight Zone but it was old and dated so I skipped it. Then I watched it and not only was it amazing but the old and dated factor just made it better. Like if it was brand new today and it was exactly the same in the black and white format and with old school special effects it would still feel like the future of scifi because that aspect of it makes the show better.

[@Silvio-b9o]

My favorite episodes “ Will the real Martian please stand up” , “Monsters on Maple street”and “The midnight sun”

[@TheInterFella]

Fantastic choices

[@thedreammweaver6274]

The midnight sun terrified me so much as a kid

[@Zxgrhexbj]

I remember the first time I saw the twilight zone, it was the episode where a bank teller just wanted to read but didn’t have enough time, one day he hid in a safe(?) and there was a missile strike and he was the only one left. The episode ends with his glasses breaking. I felt so awful for days after watching it, I was like 8 or 9. I remember it was one of the first shows where I consciously knew what was going on and understood the outcome and endings of the episodes. I actually plan on getting a pair of broken glasses tattooed with “That’s not fair” at some point.

[@TheInterFella]

Love that tattoo idea!

[@Sparecards]

Thank you Twilight Zone for brining us my favorite ride of all time

[@red_light_3937]

I have a very similar story of channel surfing as a kid during one of SciFi/SyFy’s holiday marathon, (I believe it was new years for me). So I’m happy to hear I’m not the only one! Before the Twilight Zone I mostly watched horror because they were classics even my horror-hating movie enjoys, (Alien(s), Silver Bullet, The Shining etc.), or because of a ‘I look cool & mature because it’s super scary’ factor (Aliens vs Predator, the Ring, Grudge, Splice etc.). The Twilight Zone is what really made me delve in & appreciate SciFi & Horror as truly compelling story telling genres and spawned my current interests in the medium today.

[@hbassey]

I'd heard of iconic episodes of The Twilight zone, but I had never watched it. I watched it for the first time this year!! And I'm blown away

[@tomh6183]

Try to watch them all,your life will be forever changed.

[@joeylawrence3865]

It's good to hear someone else who prefers the season one intro. I always thought it was a better fit for the tone and atmosphere of the show

[@TheInterFella]

It’s funny cause I only just came to that realization semi-recently. That season 1 intro is chill inducing.

[@Pozorrogo]

The Twilight Zone makes me think of my mom whenever I watch it. Shes the one who would always have the marathons on TV every 4th of July and New Years. It makes me miss her so much when I see my personal favorite one come on (The Hunt, the one with the old man and dog who die and the dog prevents the man from being tricked to enter Hell instead of Heaven) Ill never forget my mom calling me at 3am to tell me that my favorite TZ was on. And I would call her when her favorite was on (The Midnight Sun) Shes the one who got me into anthology horror and we had many conversations about our favorites.

[@TheInterFella]

Thank you for sharing this. I’m glad a show as brilliant as The Twilight Zone can remind you of your mom and the times you used to have. And much like The Twilight Zone, cherished memories are forever. Hang on to those always. Sending much love your way. 🙏

[@Large_Marge_Sent_Me]

Like yourself, I remember first watching this show during the annual 4th of July marathon growing up. Bravo, sir! A well-earned subscribe. Looking forward to seeing more from you in the future.

[@TheInterFella]

Your support is greatly appreciated. Stay tuned for more, perhaps very soon…

[@MasterBotttle]

Surprisingly well edited for a video that has little views, great vid you did there.

[@TheInterFella]

Appreciate this, thanks for watching

[@TheaterOfThePhantom]

Great video! also a life long fan of the twilight zone, i love seeing similar minded people delving deep into the background and themes of the show.

[@MelchVagquest]

I thoroughly enjoyed this video. My only feedback would be that I feel like you missed an opportunity to include Rod Serling's voice after you mentioned how enthralling he is

[@TheInterFella]

Thanks for the feedback. There could never be enough Rod Serling, frankly.

[@richardcooley6061]

'Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room' is the episode that got me hooked when I saw it on syndication in the seventies, and I'm sure that Harlan Ellison would try to kick my ass if he were still alive when I say that this episode was a big influence for his short story 'Shatterday'.

[@evanlikesfilm]

Wonderful video. Glad to see such an introspective essay over an absolutely masterful behemoth of a series. Great work!

[@TheInterFella]

Glad to hear so many other people resonated with my favorite show of all time. Thank you for watching.

[@win9804]

Preferring the season 1 opening to the iconic one that begins in season 2 is controversial, yet I entirely agree!

[@rodrigosouto9502]

I love when you say that the twilight zone is about humans. You really did a nice description of it's essence.

[@monicarenee7949]

Your discovery of twilight zone sounds so much like mine. I watched the marathon as a child every year, in the early-mid 90s.

[@abstract5249]

God, The Monsters are Due on Maple Street breaks my heart. Seeing what happened recently in the UK... we haven't learned anything.

[@s-a-r-a-h]

my middle school was pretty big about teaching critical thinking skills in the humanities classes, and i distinctly remember having a unit in 7th grade where we reviewed episodes of the twilight zone... it was awesome

[@haileyrivera2948]

This show was my favorite growing up, great video

[@TheMaskedHero]

Realizing that The Magnus Archives are a solid podcast version of Twilight Zone.

[@davidmcdonald1898]

My favorites: "The Shelter" "Number 12 Looks Just Like You." Timeless impact.

[@thedreammweaver6274]

Number 12 Looks Just Like You is sooo relevant today with how widespread plastic surgery is and also filters making everyone look the same

[@rebekahm6672]

One of the only shows I have found to be so unpredictable that it’s frightening. I am never sure what exactly will be in each episode, but I know it may be so thought provoking that I end up watching anyways due to curiosity.

[@marcocarmona4463]

It was a nostalgia filled show. It really was another dimension

[@isabellasantiago6473]

Another thing that’s great about the Twilight Zone is that a lot of the horror elements STILL hold up even without graphic imagery. I watched “The Hitchhiker” when I was 13 and it continues to scare the shit out of me to this day

[@rebeccag8589]

I love this show and I know it's hard to list them all, haha, and you shared some great examples! 3 of my favorites that I don't think you shared- After Hours, The Hitchhiker, and my #1, I Am the Night, Color me Black. Another fun fact! On some of the episodes Rod didn't write, he also enlisted Ida Lupino, who was behind the camera writing and directing films and TV shows at a time when essentially no other women were (and doing it brilliantly).

[@TheInterFella]

Great list of episodes! As to your point on Ida Lupino, I really wish I would’ve included that in my video (I would’ve had I known) because it further adds to the notion of The Twilight Zone being ahead of its time.

[@JonSmith-i8h]

Grew up on this show. It was so influential

[@japerow]

Very very underrated video. The Twilight Zone will forever remain to be one of the best shows of all time.

[@ginitab]

Great breakdown! I found Twilight Zone through their 4th of July marathons, too!

[@benjamincox4211]

Great show and great video

[@TheInterFella]

Appreciate the kind words

[@huntrrams]

Amazing video! I love Twilight Zone!

[@cmoss132]

great video, i'm shocked this doesn't have more views. keep it up!!!

[@JustMe-ne5dw]

Go back a little further in time and you’ll run across a radio show called X -1. The first episode he mentions is of the earth falling towards the sun. X -1 talks about the earth flying away from the sun….hmmm

[@davidpumpkinsjr.5108]

My favorite episode is one that no one ever talks about: One for the Angels, starring Ed Wynn.

[@TheInterFella]

Love that one, it’s a classic!

[@karenmandeville7116]

i watched it when it first came out. one of my all time favorite shows!

[@allanbani]

Wonderful essay. I agree with your views on Rod Serling, an absolute master-

[@annelizabethcarroll3396]

I was eleven when Twilight Zone first started. I think it's effect on younger viewers shaped our selfs as it opened many social issues. We began to open our eyes the of concept of well, morality. The first seasons had me look at life in a unique way. I'm not ashamed to say, his influence made me grow up to be a better person. And, I bet a lot of us feel the same way.

[@bunny-bx5ou]

if you love the twilight zone and comics i would recommend reading the weird fantasy series from ec comics. 1950s science fiction with a lot of commentary

[@countessD84]

As someone who prefers the first season intro, I don't see it as an unpopular opinion. That said, this is a well-made video. I highly agree that Rod Serling's voice is the most iconic I've ever heard. It's mysterious, relaxing, and otherworldly that gives him an omnipotent presence every time he does his opening and closing monologues in each episode.

[@TheInterFella]

Well said. And his legend only continues to grow the more time passes.

[@CarlosRodela]

great vid on this timeless series (and one of my favorites)

[@sarahvandemark]

So true. And Rod was pretty hot too

[@TheInterFella]

lol I respect it 💀

[@delfin5418]

I really miss The Tower of Terror Twilight Zone ride at Disneyland. You really were transported in the fifth dimension every time you went in that elevator shaft. From the various props, to Mark Silverman’s homage to Rod, etc. that attraction was my introduction to The Twilight Zone. And we thank Rod Serling for creating lasting stories that will always be “timeless as infinity” as he puts it.

[@malik2363]

Loved this show growing up, eye of the beholder is my favorite episode

[@TheInterFella]

Classic episode

[@sirjamesgalway4534]

Love this video I love the weirdness and eeriness of this show it’s so cool and relevant

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

Sad that we haven't progressed as a civilization to not need these type of stories that Rod shared with us. We are no better off than when this show was first aired. Do I dare say, we are in a worse way and need to revisit these modern-like Aesop's Fables.

[@subtleintherain]

Love the video!! New subscriber here 😊❤️

[@kwamesmith3214]

I don’t like a nice place to visit… because I’ll visit and live there… and that episode is why I like the season 1 opening music 🤔🤔

[@John-g6x1h]

The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street. Rod Serling was so right. They're here.

[@sebswede9005]

4:04 "Prepare to enter The Scary Door".

[@GitaraDad]

Nowadays we are saying: "we're living in a south park episode"

[@grierwillis5045]

It was never a New Year’s Eve without the Twilight Zone

[@TheInterFella]

Agreed. Best New Year’s/Fourth of July tradition growing up.

[@brushstroke3733]

Well done! I love the show too, but I really only picked up on it a couple years ago. I concur with everything you said. As a tip for you videos: if you put time stamps in the description, your video will automatically be made into chapters with those start times. So someone could skip to 10:48 to skip spoilers for example. You might need five time stamps minimum though. I haven't made any videos in a while!

[@taytaypointless]

Channel surfing is a lost art. I found so many of my favorite shows or movies by stumbling across them

[@josephcallahan1664]

Well done. Thanks! I'm convinced of your thesis.

[@nothingelse1520]

My exposure to The Twilight Zone was the remake movie from the 1980s when I was like 6 years old. The monster on the plane was crazy scary in the remake for a little kid.

[@davidmcdonald1898]

Terrific video! Yes, the networks were a tough sell for TZ, but even worse were trying to get sponsors.

[@amethystz8603]

I really enjoy considering the lineage of films/shows, not only the literal products but also concepts, tropes, and styles of media making and how that evolves over time. It is interesting to consider the impact The Twilight Zone has on later works (and of the sci-fi genre as a whole!), as you described, the show was very advanced for its time. I wonder what foundations this show used to inspire it. I wonder about radio shows (and very early TV) such as Suspense (an insanely long running anthology show, mainly about crime but still with some horror and/or fantastical elements with its iconic twist endings) as well as X Minus 1 (aka Dimension X which was also an early anthological sci fi show)

[@kojinaoftheinvertedeye810]

Genuinely Rod was ahead of his time, he talked about stuff that even now I'd say people aren't fully comfortable treading on, the fact that Rod himself is an inspiration for so much of sci fi vocally and appearance wise, also inspired one of the best themed Disney rides and something about him being a character on a ride based on his show and on said ride you are a character in it is kinda crazy lol

[@danielbloomquist9810]

I am all but certain that had he lived to witness it, Rod Serling would not only be an admirer of the brilliant and monumental collected catalog of collaborative fiction that is the SCP Wiki, I'd bet money he would be a significant contributor with more than a couple entries bearing his name as author, potentially even his own Doctor avatar in the tradition of Drs Gears, Kondraki, Cimmerian, and Clef.

[@harper5846]

I love the twilight zone, but never got around to watching the Jordan Peele reboot. I would LOVE to see a video of your take on it since I love this vid sm :)

[@TheInterFella]

I do plan on talking about that one one day, just not anytime soon. I’m glad you enjoyed this one though, thank you!

[@malaquiasquiroz6279]

I WAS LIKE MAN THIS IS GOOD CONTENT THIS GUYS GOTTA HAVE A BIG FOLLOWING… OH MY GOSH 500??? THATS CRAZY BRO KEEP PUTTING THESE OUT YOULL BE AT 100k IN NO TIME

[@TheInterFella]

Here’s hoping. Help spread the word, we’re making it big 🙏 thanks for the support

[@thedreammweaver6274]

I love this show so much. It only gets more and more relevant with time which is impressive but also scary. Talking Tina had a big influence on me as a kid, maybe why I love Chucky now. I think my very fav episode is Five Characters In Search of an Exit. The DVD menu screen on the set we had is burned into my brain cause it was a little compilation of lines, I just randomly think about it all the time.

[@bobthecomputerguy]

It's shot so well too. Usually on film, so it really holds up. I was going to say I thought the last season was shot on video, so I looked it up: "Six episodes of the second season of The Twilight Zone were shot on videotape instead of film due to budget concerns." That was a TIL.

[@dianaortiz9775]

As a kid in the 80’s it was always a ritual to watch the twilight zone marathon on January 1st

[@VmhGhosta]

sick vid man keep it up!

[@kgtfp]

Amazing video should stream one of these

[@kalebboggs2282]

love the puppet one

[@hoc1992]

This might be my favorite show (and easily one of the best) OF ALL TIME!

[@robderiche]

watching all of tz is kind of a prerequisite for understanding the simpsons halloween eps

[@TheInterFella]

For my family it became a New Year’s/4th of July tradition thanks to Syfy. But watching it on Halloween definitely fits the vibe of the show too.

[@robderiche]

True, true. But I just meant that a significant portion of the Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror series are TZ homages. But I’ll also add that the Carol Burnett TZ ep might qualify as bad. TZ did not do comedy well, even tho Burnett did.

[@spectreagent]

By the way, I agree with you that the season 1 theme is a lot better! Bernard Hermann was a genius!

[@dianaortiz9775]

It’s making a comeback, lots of young content creators doing episode reviews of the series

[@catsinq5726]

This show terrified me and I couldn't watch it. I was a sensitive child ... But it's fun to see Captain Kirk on that plane!

[@JohnSipe-jt7bm]

Twilight Zone is a term referring to the point where the horizon meets the sky.

[@PraveenSrJ01]

My life and my family life is definitely in the Twilight zone