Your Top 10 favorite Twilight Zone episodes

Jess-Belle
Miniature
The Night Of The Meek
A Stop At Willoughby
A Hundred Yards Over The Rim
Eye Of The Beholder
Mr. Denton On Doomsday
Number 12 Looks Just Like You
In Praise Of Pip
The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine

 

As I listed back on the first page, "Mirror Image" was listed first, though I stated no particular order. There's a reason that one's first, as it's the one that puts a chill down my spine every time. "Mirror Image" represents the TWILIGHT ZONE at probably its most malevolent in that the protagonist has done nothing wrong and yet is subject to the terrifying events that take place. Everything here is just right - the quick cuts, the flashes in the mirrors, and the reactions of those around our main character.

 

The Twilight Zone is one of my top two favorite TV shows. Picking my top 100 episodes would be difficult, so I've limited this list to the first season, which is hard enough. But my absolute favorite episode is season 2's The Invaders with the great Agnes Moorehead.

Nightmare as a Child
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Alvin Ganzer
Starring Janice Rule, Terry Burnham, Shepperd Strudwick, Michael Fox

"Month of November, hot chocolate, and a small cameo of a child's face, imperfect only in its solemnity. And these are the improbable ingredients to a human emotion, an emotion, say, like fear. But in a moment this woman, Helen Foley, will realize fear. She will understand what are the properties of terror. A little girl will lead her by the hand and walk with her into a nightmare."


Mirror Image
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by John Brahm
Starring Vera Miles, Martin Milner

"Millicent Barnes, age twenty five, young woman waiting for a bus on a rainy November night. Not a very imaginative type is Miss Barnes. Not given to undue anxiety, or fears or, for that matter, even the most temporal flights of fantasy. Like most young career women, she has a generic classification as a, quote, girl with a head on her shoulders, end of quote. All of which is mentioned now because, in just a moment, the head on Miss Barnes' shoulders will be put to a test. Circumstances will assault her sense of reality and a chain of nightmares will put her sanity on a block. Millicent Barnes, who, in one minute, will wonder if she's going mad."


The After Hours
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Douglas Heyes
Starring Anne Francis, Elizabeth Allen, James Millhollin, Patrick Whyte, Nancy Rennick

"Express elevator to the ninth floor of a department store, carrying Miss Marsha White on a most prosaic, ordinary, run of the mill errand. Miss Marsha White on the ninth floor, specialties department, looking for a gold thimble. The odds are that she'll find it, but there are even better odds that she'll find something else, because this isn't just a department store. This happens to be The Twilight Zone."


The Hitch-Hiker
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Alvin Ganzer
Starring Inger Stevens, Leonard Strong, Adam Williams

"Her name is Nan Adams. She's twenty seven years old. Her occupation, buyer at a New York department store. At present on vacation, driving cross country to Los Angeles, California from Manhattan. Minor incident on Highway 11 in Pennsylvania. Perhaps, to be filed away under "accidents you walk away from." But from this moment on, Nan Adams' companion on a trip to California will be terror. Her route, fear. Her destination, quite unknown."


The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Ronald Winston
Starring Claude Akins, Jack Weston, Barry Atwater, Burt Metcalfe, Ben Erway, Jan Handzlik

"Maple Street, USA, late summer. A tree lined little world of front porch gliders, barbecues, the laughter of children, and the bell of an ice cream vendor. At the sound of the roar and the flash of light, it will be precisely 6:43pm on Maple Street. This is Maple Street on a late Saturday afternoon. Maple Street in the last calm and reflective moment. Before the monsters came."


People Are Alike All Over
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Mitchell Leisen
Starring Roddy McDowall, Susan Oliver, Paul Comi, Byron Morrow, Vic Perrin, Vernon Gray

"You're looking at a species of flimsy little two legged animal with extremely small heads, whose name is Man. Warren Marcusson, age thirty five. Samuel A Conrad, age thirty one. They're taking a highway into space. Man unshackling himself and sending his tiny, groping fingers up into the unknown. Their destination is Mars, and in just a moment, we'll land there with them."


The Big Tall Wish
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Ron Winston
Starring Ivan Dixon, Stephen Perry, Kim Hamilton, Walter Burke, Charles Horvath

"In this corner of the universe, a prizefighter named Bolie Jackson, 183 pounds and an hour and a half away from a comeback at St Nick's Arena. Mr Bolie Jackson, who, by the standards of his profession, is an aging, over the hill relic of what was, and who now sees a reflection of a man who has left too many pieces of his youth in too many stadiums for too many years before too many screaming people. Mr Bolie Jackson, who might do well to look for some gentle magic in the hard surfaced glass that stares back at him."


The Lonely
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Jack Smight
Starring Jack Warden, Jean Marsh, John Dehner, Ted Knight, James Turley

"Witness, if you will, a dungeon, made out of mountains, salt flats, and sand that stretch to infinity. The dungeon has an inmate, James A Corry. And this is his residence, a metal shack. An old touring car that squats in the sun and goes nowhere, for there is nowhere to go. For the record, let it be known that James A Corry is a convicted criminal placed in solitary confinement. Confinement in this case stretches as far as the eye can see, because this particular dungeon is on an asteroid nine million miles from the Earth. Now witness, if you will, a man's mind and body shriveling in the sun; a man dying of loneliness."


One For the Angels
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Robert Parrish
Starring Ed Wynn & Murray Hamilton

"Street scene, summer, the present. Man on a sidewalk named Lou Bookman, age sixtyish. Occupation, pitchman. Lou Bookman, a fixture of the summer, a rather minor component to a hot July, a nondescript, commonplace little man whose life is a treadmill built out of sidewalks. And in just a moment, Lou Bookman will have to concern himself with survival. Because as of three o'clock this hot July afternoon, he'll be stalked by Mr Death."


Walking Distance
Written by Rod Serling
Directed by Robert Stevens
Music by Bernard Herrmann
Starring Gig Young, Frank Overton, Irene Tedrow, Michael Montgomery, Pat O'Malley, Nan Peterson, Byron Foulger, Ron Howard

"Martin Sloan, age thirty six. Occupation, vice president, ad agency, in charge of media. This is not just a Sunday drive for Martin Sloan. He perhaps doesn't know it at the time, but it's an exodus. Somewhere up the road, he's looking for sanity. And somewhere up the road, he'll find something else."

 

Here are some of my favorite Twilight Zone episodes. I may have missed one or two:

One for the Angels
Time Enough at Last
What You Need
The Hitch-Hiker
The Fever
Mirror Image
A Nice Place to Visit
Mr. Bevis
The Man in the Bottle
Eye of the Beholder
Nick of Time
The Lateness of the Hour
A Most Unusual Camera
The Night of the Meek
The Whole Truth
Twenty Two
Long Distance Call
Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
The Obsolete Man
A Game of Pool
It's a Good Life
The Midnight Sun
The Jungle
Five Characters in Search of an Exit
Nothing in the Dark
Dead Man's Shoes
Kick the Can
A Piano in the House
To Serve Man
The Dummy
I Sing the Body Electric
Cavender Is Coming
In His Image
Miniature
Printer's Devil
I Dream of Genie
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
A Kind of a Stopwatch
Living Doll
A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain
Ninety Years Without Slumbering
You Drive
Number 12 Looks Just Like You
Night Call
From Agnes - with Love
Spur of the Moment
What's in the Box
The Masks
Caesar and Me
Stopover in a Quiet Town
The Fear
The Bewitchin' Pool

The episodes I tend to not be interested in are those from the old west (Westerns) and those from past wars. I consider Rod Serling and all those involved with him as the very most creative bunch of people to ever create a TV series so early.

 

I tried and failed...I just like too many episodes to narrow it down to 10...

 

the Last episode of the series written by Earl Hamner Jr...

 

As mentioned, have started the 2 disk set. Just watched The After Hours. Loved it!

The only one I haven't cared too much for, was The Monsters are due on Maple Street.

If I like this set, will I like The Outer Limits?

 

Listed in alphabetical order:

1. The Brain Center At Whipple's
2. Escape Clause
3. The Chaser
4. A Game Of Pool
5. He Lives
   
6. Long Live Walter Jameson
   
7. The Obsolete Man
8. To Serve Man
9. The Silence
   
10. A World Of His Own

Although not from the Classic Series, the following are my favorite stories from the later versions of the series (with my comments):

• The Once And Future King: Has one of the saddest ending of any Twilight Zone story.
• The Card: To me, this story has the feel of the classic Twilight Zone series.
• The After Hours: For the original is okay, but I like the way that this version turns up the terror factor (though editing of this story in the reruns significantly reduces this by cutting out key elements).

 

It is pretty easy for me to pick. In decending order.
1. A Game Of Pool
2. Nick Of Time
3. What You Need
4. He's Alive
5. Execution
6. Back There
7. A Most Unusual Camera
8. The Obsolete Man
9. What's In The Box
10. Living Doll

 

There are many great episodes of ' Twilight Zone ' but just as many duds.
And , speaking of ' The Outer Limits ' ..there were far more duds than good 'uns in that series !

 

The Dummy
Living doll
The After Hours
It's a Good Life
The New Exhibit
Thirty Fathom Grave
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
Mirror Image
Little Girl Lost
The Howling Man

 

Yeah but the Zanti Misfits gave me nightmares!

 

Had a thread going awhile ago about the Twilight Zone series hosted by Forrest Whitaker.
It was awful. The show and the thread. !

 

Can't remember the title here, but I liked the one where a morose businessman returns to his childhood neighborhood and there was a creepy looking kid left over...

 

lot of good ones in this thread, I also love Judgement Night, wich was about a guy waking up on a ship, not knowing who he is, or where he is. During the episode he finds out he's on a ship across the Atlantic during WW2, wich is stalked by german uboats. At the end he finds out he's the uboat captain, and in his own personal hell reliving the terror of those last moment aboard a ship just before it gets torpedoed, over and over again.

The 80's version of TZ had a lot of turkey's (remember that one with Danny Kaye?), but it had a few really good ones, my favorite was A Little Peace and Quiet, with the amazing Melinda Dillon as a housewife of a busy family, she finds a timepiece, and you've guessed it, she can stop time. It follows the same kind of plot as its 60's cousin, with her trying out all kind of goofy things while stopping time, but then it turns incredibly dark when all of a sudden WW3 breaks out, and you hear the airraid sirens when she stops time and sees to her horror a Sovjet ICBM hanging in the air.

 

I agree that the 80's Twilight Zone did have a few great episodes that to me are on the same level as those on the classic series. Among them are:

• The Once And Future King
• The Card
• Upgrade (I think that's its name)
• The After Hours - To me, I think this remake is better than the original, although you have to see the uncut version (reruns often cut out many of the scenes that add to the horror) to get the full effect of the episode.

 

A Stop At Willoughby
Nothing In The Dark
Walking Distance
Hitch-Hiker
To Serve Man
Midnight Sun
Eye Of The Beholder
The Arrival
After Hours
Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine

 

1) The After Hours
2) Eye of the Beholder
3) It's a Good Life
4) The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
5) Nick of Time
6) Walking Distance
7) Living Doll
8) The Midnight Sun
9) Perchance to Dream
10) And the Sky Was Opened

Some honorable mentions:

Penny for Your Thoughts - I tend to rate the serious episodes higher, but this is my favorite lighthearted episode.
Printer's Devil - Not a fan of the hour long format of the 4th season but always liked Burgess in this one.
The Trouble with Templeton - The absolute best single shot/moment of the whole series, even if they ruin it later.

 

Come Wander With Me
The Midnight Sun
The Howling Man
The Obsolete Man
The Old Man In The Cave
The New Exhibit
Two
Deaths-Head Revisited
Judgement Night
Twenty-Two

 

I wish I could keep it to 10 and follow the rules, but... I couldn't:

In Praise of Pip
Walking distance
The Changing of the Guard
He's Alive
A Passage for Trumpet
The Obsolete Man
Mirror Image
Elegy
Midnight Sun
The Howling Man
Rip Van Winkle Caper
Shadow Play
The Shelter
Deaths-Head Revisited
Nothing in the Dark
The Jeopardy Room

 

The Silence
Will The Real Martian Please Stand Up?
The Obsolete Man
Five Characters In Search of an Exit
To Serve Man
The Gift
I Sing The Body Electric
The New Exhibit
Nightmare At 20,000 Feet
Uncle Simon

 

And When the Sky Was Opened
Twenty Two
Person or Persons Unknown
The Arrival
Living Doll
Death Ship
Shadow Play
Miniature
I Shot An Arrow Into the Air
Deaths Head Revisited
The New Exhibit
Five Characters In Search of An Exit
Ring A Ding Girl
The Parallel
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge

 

Good point. I wonder about the formatting in the official DVD set -



Can anyone here comment on the specs?

 

After viewing all 156 episodes, I altered my Top 10 a bit:

10. A Piano in the House 3
9. Eye of the Beholder 2
8. The After Hours 1
7. Number 12 Looks Just Like You 5
6. A Stop at Willoughby 1
5. Nothing in the Dark 3
4. The Lonely 1
3. The Midnight Sun 3
2. Perchance to Dream 1
1. Five Characters in Search of an Exit 3

If you're interested, here are the rest from least to most favorite:

156. I Sing the Body Electric 3
155. The Mind and the Matter 2
154. Showdown with Rance McGrew 3
153. The Brain Center at Whipple's 5
152. Uncle Simon 5
151. The Jeopardy Room 5
150. The Whole Truth 2
149. I Am the Night - Color Me Black 5
148. One More Pallbearer 3
147. The Fever 1
146. Escape Clause 1
145. Mr. Garrity and the Graves 5
144. A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain 5
143. I Dream of Genie 4
142. The Gift 3
141. Cavender is Coming 3
140. The Bard 4
139. One for the Angels 1
138. The Mighty Casey 1
137. Mr. Dingle, the Strong 2
136. Kick the Can 3
135. The Mirror 3
134. Nick of Time 2
133. Black Leather Jackets 5
132. A Kind of Stop Watch 5
131. The Self-Improvement of Salvatore Ross 5
130. The Fear 5
129. Hocus-Pocus and Frisby 3
128. The Bewitchin' Pool 5
127. Ninety Years without Slumbering 5
126. No Time Like the Past 4
125. Of Late I Think of Cliffordville 4
124. The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine 1
123. The Obsolete Man 2
122. Death's-Head Revisited 3
121. The Changing of the Guard 3
120. Where is Everybody? 1
119. Spur of the Moment 5
118. The 7th is Made Up of Phantoms 5
117. A Thing About Machines 2
116. The Man in the Bottle 2
115. The Hunt 3
114. A World of His Own 1
113. The Arrival 3
112. Mute 4
111. Night of the Meek 2
110. The Fugitive 3
109. The Passersby 3
108. Probe 7, Over and Out 5
107. Last Night of a Jockey 5
106. Mr. Bevis 1
105. Queen of the Nile 5
104. King Nine Will Not Return 2
103. Sounds and Silences 5
102. A World of Difference 1
101. The Four of Us Are Dying 1
100. The Jungle 3
99. In Praise of Pip 5
98. Caesar and Me 5
97. The Chaser 1
96. The Parallel 4
95. The Purple Testament 1
94. The Little People 3
93, The Dummy 3
92. The New Exhibit 4
91. People Are Alike All Over 1
90. Static 2
89. Dead Man's Shoes 3
88. Four O'clock 3
87. Nightmare as a Child 1
86. A Most Unusual Camera 2
85. He's Alive 4
84. Long Live Walter Jameson 1
83. Elegy 1
82. A Game of Pool 3
81. The Incredible World of Horace Ford 4
80. Young Man's Fancy 3
79. Death Ship 4
78. Printer's Devil 4
77. Still Valley 3
76. You Drive 5
75. Once Upon a Time 3
74. To Serve Man 3
73. A Nice Place to Visit 1
72. Mr. Denton on Doomsday 2
71. The Rip Van Winkle Caper 2
70. Back There 2
69. A Stopover in a Quiet Town 5
68. The Trade-Ins 3
67. Judgement Night 1
66. Time Enough at Last 1
65. The Howling Man 2
64. Walking distance 1
63. And When the Sky Was Opened 1
62. A Passage for Trumpet 1
61. The Grave 3
60. The Prime Mover 2
59. The Old Man in the Cave 5
58. What You Need 1
57. A Quality of Mercy 3
56. The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank 3
55. Valley of the Shadow 4
54. Jess-Belle 4
53. Person or Persons Unknown 3
52. The Long Morrow 5
51. The Silence 2
50. Shadow Play 2
49. Nightmare at 20,000 Feet 5
48. The Masks 5
47. Execution 1
46. What's in the Box 5
45. A Hundred Yards Over the Rim 2
44. Steel 5
43. Night Call 5
42. On Thursday We Leave for Home 4
41. Passage on the Lady Anne 4
40. Will the Real Martian Pease Stand Up? 2
39. The Shelter 3
38. Nervous Man in a Four-Dollar Room 2
37. Dust 2
36. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street 1
35. Living Doll 5
34. Two 3
33. It's a Good Life 3
32. From Agnes - with Love 5
31. Third From the Sun 1
30. The Lateness of the Hour 2
29 . The Odyssey of Flight 33 2
28. Little Girl Lost 3
27. The Big Tall Wish 1
26. The Thirty Fathom Grave 4
25. Long Distance Call 2
24. The Last Flight 1
23. I Shot an Arrow into the Air 1
22. In His Image 4
21. The Hitch-Hiker 1
20. A Penny for Your Thoughts 2
19. The Trouble with Templeton 2
18. Come Wander with Me 5
17. Twenty Two 2
16. Mirror Image 1
15. Ring-a-Ding Girl 5
14. The Encounter 5
13. The Invaders 2
12. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge 5
11. Miniature 4

 

I wonder if anyone else here that had seen Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge, thought about it immediately, when seeing Last Temptation Of Christ for the first time, like I did?
That's how much of an impact that episode had had when I first saw it as a pre-teen, that I remembered it almost instantly 20 odd years later.