You are about to enter another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land of imagination. Next stop, the Twilight Zone!
Premiering in the late 1950’s, this exceptional sci-fi anthology created by Rod Serling showcases topics that continue to be relevant today. From themes of morality, racism, governmental corruption, and the pressures of conforming to beauty standards, this timeless show is a must watch for every generation. Here are five episode descriptions that will hopefully encourage you to watch this epic show.
- THE HITCH-HIKER (season 1, episode 16)
Nan Adams, twenty-seven years old, is driving to Los Angeles, California from Manhattan. As she embarks on this cross-country road trip, she keeps encountering a strange man looking to hitch a ride. Tensions rise as she cannot escape the presence of this man and fear accompanies her long journey. A great episode that produces spine chilling shivers whenever the hitchhiker says, “I believe you’re going…my way”, this one is bound to keep you on your toes from start to finish.
- IT’S A GOOD LIFE (season 3, episode 8)
In a little town in Ohio called Peaksville, the only town that remains in the world, a monster resides. By using his mind, he can make automobiles, electricity, machines, or anything he dislikes disappear. This monster’s name is Anthony Fremont, a six-year-old boy who must be kept happy under all circumstances. You better have happy thoughts when he looks at you or it might cost you your life. Here’s a spooky episode that will keep you on your toes and make you wish you never got stuck in such a bleakly wretched town.
- MIRROR IMAGE (season 1, episode 21)
On a rainy November night, Millicent Barnes is waiting for a bus. As the night progresses, this twenty-five-year-old is mentally tested as she feels like she is going mad due to the strange occurrences that keep happening. This episode is a disturbing story that inspired the movie Us by Jordan Peele. The next time you ask a question in a bus station, and the ticket agent tells you that you have already asked that before, and more strange and inexplicable events continue to affect you, beware you haven’t stumbled into a parallel universe.
- A QUALITY OF MERCY (season 3, episode 15) / THE ENCOUNTER (season 5, episode 31)
I’m counting these two episodes as one, considering the fact that they complement each other and share a similar theme. A Quality of Mercy takes place in August 1945, on the Philippine Islands. In the last days of WWII, Lieutenant Katell takes command to attack a group of sick and wounded Japanese soldiers. The attack would achieve nothing but pointless deaths on both sides. Suddenly, he is teleported to 1942, becoming a Japanese man named Lieutenant Yamuri, who was ordered to attack a group of wounded American soldiers. As roles reverse, the episode displays the many complexities of war.
Meanwhile, The Encounter focuses on two men digging through an attic in Hawaii. One is an American World War II veteran named Fenton and the other is a Japanese American named Arthur Takamori looking for work. After encountering an ancient samurai sword, tensions rise with the ghost of the past creeping through. These two episodes explore the traumas of war and how at the end of the day, everybody loses.
- THE AFTER HOURS (season 1, episode 34)
At a department store, we see Miss Marsha White running errands. She is looking for a gold thimble and she is taken to the ninth floor, though the elevator in the store only has eight floors. Puzzled by mysterious salesclerks, Marsha tries to leave but is unable to do so. For those who hate shopping, this episode will only amplify that fear.
This show will not only entertain you, but it will also make you reflect on your life. It’s such an influential piece of media that we can still see elements of its groundbreaking and inventive storytelling. It also contains themes and topics that are still relevant today. So the next time something strange occurs that you cannot explain, know that you might be in the Twilight Zone.