Top 12 Favorite Episodes of The Twilight Zone

A Countdown of my favorite episodes of Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone. This video is fan made and non-profit. © CBS, FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT, MGM HOME VIDEO, Universal Studios Home Video, Warner Home Video

[@joyunicycle]

Living Doll was the first Twilight Zone episode I ever saw and after that, I began watching more episodes. The show always intrigues me with whether or not a situation is literal or in the main character's mind and is so well written.

[@Scripturegirl.]

Rip June.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

joyunicycle First inkling I ever got of that episode was an intro montage of a two-episode TZ VHS tape I had ("Obsolete Man" and "Deathshead Revisited" on it). The "and I'm going to kill you" line played chilled me to the bone. The actual episode, when I finally saw it, turned my insides into a meat locker.

[@theproplady]

You'll love "Nick of Time". We never do learn at the end if the fortune telling machine has actual power or if it's just the superstitions of the people around it that make it seem to work. The scary thing is, it doesn't really matter if the fortune telling machine has power or not - superstition by itself has more than enough power to keep people enslaved...

[@zoefang4563]

@joyunicycle: OMG samee..

[@kylefrank638]

The ones I like, that I never see get enough praise, and that you should definitely check out: * The Midnight Sun (Best episode all around) * The Lateness of the Hour (Simple story, but unmatched atmosphere) * The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine (Haunting commentary on the fragility of time) * On Thursday We Leave for Home (Hour-long episode; HANDS DOWN the scariest ending of any episode I've viewed) * The Grave (Beautifully-executed ghost story) * Judgement Night (Neat little mystery) * One More Pallbearer (Character study, plus a twist) * Still Valley (An unlikely protagonist) * I Am the Night-Color Me Black (Prime example of Serling's unmatched dialogue) *The Howling Man (Despite the exact year being mentioned, this one's narrative and moral feel timeless) *The Passersby (A little something about how wars aren't black and white) * The Hunt (The one about how great dogs are) * Come Wander with Me (I've only seen it once, but I remember it had a really uncanny tone and finale) * Mirror Image (I love episodes set in just one location, where the everyday characters have an unnatural problem to solve; aside from Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?, this one does that formula best) And, of course, every Top 10 list notes how poignant and relevant The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street's script is.

[@cornellgreen3692]

8:52 The dialogue is not merely a barrage of insults; it is a case-by-case dissection of the true natures of the family and all the awful personalities behind them. Jason Foster is simply exposing the family for who they really are, and his evaluations drive them to madness, while the masks put faces on the kinds of people they truly are. Great storytelling for sure.

[@omargomez9594]

15.- Eye of Beholder (1960) 14.- Twenty Two (1961) 13.- The Hunt (1962) 12.- Miniature (1963) 11.- The After Hours (1960) 10.- The Midnight Sun (1961) 09.- Person or Persons Unknow (1962) 08.- The Monsters are due on Maple Street (1960) 07.- A Stop in Willoughby (1960) 06.- A Hundred yards over the Rim (1961) 05.- The Lonely (1959) 04.- A Penny for your Thoughts (1961) 03.- Five Characters in Search of an Exit (1961) 02.- The Masks (1964) 01.- The Bewitchin' Pool (1964)

[@BillGraper]

FINALLY, someone included "Twenty-Two" among their favorites! **SPOILER ALERT** I guess dreams fascinate me. The thing about this one is her recurring nightmare actually SAVES her life! The way they added the breaking glass into the nightmare, and then in real life, she accidentally makes a woman break a large vase is BRILLIANT!!! It confirms her suspicion that her dream was telling her something. Actually, the woman on the plane does that, but the breaking glass puts her on high alert. This is one episode that has stuck with me over the years. I'd put it in my all-time top 5.

[@larryboysen5911]

Some more on my list: Static; The Invaders; 100 Yards Over The Rim; The Other Side Of The Sun; A Thing About Machines!

[@novax1029]

THE LITTLE PEOPLE WAS MY FIRST EPISODE I SAW WHEN I WAS 7

[@robinneher7539]

My faves are: 1 . Living doll 2.monsters are due on maple St. 3. A stop at Wiillouby 4.twenty-two~scarey dream comes true.

[@BillGraper]

I'm copying & pasting my response to another person's response. 😎 FINALLY, someone included "Twenty-Two" among their favorites! **SPOILER ALERT** I guess dreams fascinate me. The thing about this one is her recurring nightmare actually SAVES her life! The way they added the breaking glass into the nightmare, and then in real life, she accidentally makes a woman break a large vase is BRILLIANT!!! It confirms her suspicion that her dream was telling her something. Actually, the woman on the plane does that, but the breaking glass puts her on high alert. This is one episode that has stuck with me over the years. I'd put it in my all-time top 5.

[@victoriajohnson4420]

The doll is shown as really alive, and not inside daddy's imagination or a diabolical trick played by mommy, when Talky Tina threatens mommy at the end of the episode. Unless mommy is now losing it too, or the innocent-looking child is not so innocent after all.

[@Scripturegirl.]

Rip June.

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Scripturegirl1990 Truly...I first heard her voice as Nagaina in the Chuck Jones adaptation of "Rikki Tikki Tavi". I look at her credits and it staggers me how much she did.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

She was the female Mel Blanc.

[@jenniferschillig3768]

The only quibble I have against The Masks (an underrated gem) is the fact that Jason Foster's supposed to be a lifelong resident of New Orleans--and sounds about as Southern as I do. (Proud South Jerseyite.)

[@AbrasiousProductions]

I had no idea Matheson wrote Duel! I even compared duel to the twilight zone in my review of it! Matheson must have a helluva style for me to recognize it without even knowing it

[@johnathonhaney8291]

Kudos on your good taste in Twilight Zone episodes, sir. A few notes: 1) I appreciate that you gave those shoutouts to Richard Matheson, also responsible for Last Man On Earth (adapted from his novel I Am Legend), The Incredible Shrinking Man and Legend of Hell House. The third big TZ writer to always remember is Charles Beaumont, who was officially credited for Living Doll (but due to health problems, was actually ghostwritten). 2) June Foran was also the voice of the then-popular doll, Chatty Cathy, the basis of Talky Tina. She was also Rocky The Flying Squirrel's original...rest in peace, uncrowned queen. 3) My favorite Burgess Meredith appearance in TZ was "The Obsolete Man", a soon-to-be-executed librarian pitted against Fritz Weaver's all-powerful chancellor. Weaver also popped up in the 1980s revival as a devout Christian in the episode "The Star".

[@theproplady]

I loved Obsolete Man for the cat and mouse game between the Chancellor and the Librarian. A true battle of wills.

[@rebeccalovitch8504]

This is very well done. You obvious put a lot of work into it. The only problem I have is it’s too short!! I think you could discuss each episode a bit more! Great job!

[@melissacooper4482]

I'm glad that you put Deaths Head Revisited on this list. But I disagree that Lutze went insane from guilt. Before his judgement from Becker and the other victims he had no remorse for killing them or had any intention to redeem himself. He was forced to feel the pain and torment that he put upon them that he went insane. And Becker forewarned him that he will face judgement from God someday and spend eternity in Hell.

[@glennmarshall4693]

all of these are pretty good, , one interesting episode that dealt with the Nazis as when the guy was on the ship and the ship was destroyed by him as a Nazi submarine captain, he saw himself destroying the ship, he kept living the nightmare over and over again or the one where Dennis Hopper played a guy who was influenced by Hitler.. Those were memorable and pretty intense.

[@lukeharbolt7681]

Judgment night and he's alive.

[@Snailbarf]

omg a guy doing a TZ list Imitating Rod Sterling. MOST ORIGINAL IDEA EVER.

[@Snailbarf]

GOOD LIST anyway

[@richelliott9320]

When I do mine I’m using a Bogart impersonation just to be different

[@sandraweilbrenner67]

Excellent list

[@debbieanne7962]

My favorite top ten : A world of difference A most unusual camera The trouble with Templeton Miniature The 16mm shrine Stopover in a quiet town Time enough at last The masks To serve man On Thursday we leave for home

[@meltzerboy]

The Trouble with Templeton rarely makes top ten lists despite its being a beautifully scripted and poignantly acted (by Brian Aherne) tale of an older actor who again meets his (first) wife and best friend. The message of the story is also impressive and inspirational. The Twilight Zone at its best!

[@AbrasiousProductions]

I'm in the midst of writing my own top 10 video for the twilight zone, only I'm picking 10 episodes out per season, so by the end I'll have 5 videos listing my favorite episodes from each season, here are my picks for season 1: 10: "Enough Time To Last" 9: "A Nice Place To Visit" 8: "Execution" 7: "The Four Of Us Are Dying" 6: "One For The Angels" 5: "Perchance To Dream" 4: "The Lonely" 3: "The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" 2: "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine" 1: "Walking Distance"

[@zoefang4563]

My TOP FAVORITES--Not in any order 1. Five Character In Search Of Exit 2. To Serve Man 3. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet 4. Monsters Due On Maple Street 5. It's A Good Life 6. Twenty Two 7. Night Call 8. After Hours 9. Mirror Image 10. Night Of Meek 11. The Masks 12. Nice Place To Visit 13. People Are Alike All Over 14. Will Real Martian Please Stand Up? 15. Stopover At Quiet Town 16. Living Doll 17. The Bard 18. Perchance To Dream 19. The Lonely

[@RiverOfBlacklights]

To me, there are 157 episodes since I count _'The Time Element'_ as an official part of the 'Zone' "family" of episodes. Good to see that it is now included in _'The Twilight Zone'_ Blu-Ray box set...

[@jadaparks8047]

Most liked episodes 1 The Beholder 2 Terror at 20,000 feet 3 Living doll 4 Monsters due on Maple St 5 The masks

[@Scripturegirl.]

It's eye of the beholder, nightmare at 20,000, and monsters r due on maple street.

[@dennispowell907]

My favorite episode was the couple who ran a pawn shop who happened to come across a bottle which happens to conjure up a Genie who grants them three wishes which gives new meaning to the phrase, be careful what you wish for.

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

William Shatner

[@garyrichards3845]

Favorite espouses of twilight zone wonder than me and drive me high hiker and kick the can piano

[@livm9306]

My favorites are 1. Number 12 looks just like you 2. Eye of the beholder 3. A nice place to visit 4. The masks 5. To serve man

[@sandysexton6570]

A nice place to visit would very likely crack my top 15. There’s so many excellent episodes, the top 50 would be good.

[@adamcheck4941]

my favorite episode is nothing in the dark which explains why death is needed

[@kimberlytyrcha5930]

My favorite episodes, in no particular order are: The After Hours The Hitchhiker Living Doll Stopover in a Quiet Town Night Call The Odyssey of Flight 33 The Midnight Sun The Obsolete Man To Serve Man

[@Scripturegirl.]

To serve man is second place.

[@glennmarshall4693]

i felt bad for Burgess Meredith in that one, he loved reading and no one would let him, at least his wife would let him read sometimes.

[@Scripturegirl.]

Time enough at last.

[@fifinostalgia]

OMG YOU'RE ALIVE?

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

Where Is Everybody? The Midnight Sun

[@ruthalber6169]

This is exactly what I was afraid of the living dolls More like the living nightmare

[@stefanieprejean6609]

I agree with these but would also add The Obsolete Man, The Hunt, Perchance to Dream, Judgment Night and The Hitchhiker to the best episodes list

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

Top 12? Ok, I'll play. :) Shadow Play Walking Distance Eye of the Beholder The After Hours The Howling Man To Serve Man Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? Number 12 Looks Just Like You Nick of Time Nightmare at 20,000 Feet On Thursday We Leave for Home The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street

[@ruthalber6169]

Before there was Chucky there was talking Tina Talking Tina is evil

[@ruthalber6169]

I hope it's not living dog other than it's a good life that one is even more disturbing

[@heidibarker9550]

what about 5 characters in search of an exit? that's my favourite.

[@rickmanning5574]

you just said William Shatner actually makes this duh like we didn't know that and then monster looks like s*** looks like somebody in it fake fur Halloween costume

[@lukeharbolt7681]

Hey man have you considered doing a night gallery video. Oh yeah warning there is already a video out there by some kid with long hair. Total tool don't watch it. I've never been so insulted by someone's opinion

[@williamanthony9090]

Ahead of its time... Yawn! The most overused phrase in the English language!

[@sspdirect02]

Well it was!

[@suzycreamcheesez4371]

wanna bet?