Introduction to “The Twilight Zone,” a classic series
The Twilight Zone, a sci-fi/horror and suspense television series, was one of the most sought-after shows during the 1960s. The show first aired on October 2, 1959, and ended its run on June 19, 1964. The Twilight Zone consisted of 5 seasons and a total of 156 episodes. The series became so popular that a feature film, a radio series, a comic book, a magazine, many other spin-offs, and two revivals of this classic television series have been made from 1985 to 2002. In The Twilight Zone, each episode focuses on ordinary people who have been involved in or become the subjects of an “extraordinary, usually supernatural, situation.”
The Twilight Zone had won many awards since it first went on air. Some of those awards include: the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing – Drama Series, and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography in Entertainment Programming for a Special. The show was also ranked fourth in TV Guide’s 2013 list of “The 60 Greatest Dramas of All Time.” The Twilight Zone’s two episodes, “To Serve Man” and “It’s a Good Life”, were ranked at 11th and 31st respectively, on TV Guide’s “100 Greatest Episodes of All Time” in 1997.
“The Twilight Zone”‘s creator, Rod Serling
The creator of The Twilight Zone, Rod Serling, was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator. Serling was also the series’ executive producer and head writer, as well as its host and narrator. Rod Serling said that his favorite episodes in the series were “The Invaders” and “Time Enough at Last.” Along with other recognitions, Serling was awarded an Emmy, Hugo, Peabody, and Golden Globe award.
The series’ featured stars
The Twilight Zone is also very noteworthy, because it featured so many famous actors. These actors include, Joan Blondell, Ann Blyth, Buster Keaton, Burgess Meredith, Ed Wynn, Veronica Cartwright, Bill Bixby, William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Duvall, Mariette Hartley, Burt Reynolds, Lee Van Cleef, Dennis Hopper, and Robert Redford. One of the most famous of The Twilight Zone cast was William Shatner, who would later take on the role as Captain James T. Kirk in another popular sci-fi series, Star Trek.
Still enjoyed by today’s viewers and sci-fi fans
Even after it was cancelled, The Twilight Zone was still shown in syndication. Following the series’ cancellation, Rod Serling sold his rights to the show to CBS. Little did he know that he would later miss out on many royalties that the show would later receive. The Twilight Zone can still be watched “in late-night slots, and in marathons aired typically every year on New Year’s Eve and Day and the Fourth of July,” and has been enjoyed even by the present-day generation of television viewers.