“The Twilight Zone” is one of the most influential creations in the history of entertainment. 2024 marks Rod Serling’s centennial.
There are 156 episodes, and most are hit or miss. I struggled to craft a list of the Top 60 and ranked them accordingly.
15 – I Shot an Arrow into the Air
My first favorite episode and the one that made me get into writing. Three astronauts struggle to survive after crashing on a mysterious asteroid.
14 – Judgement Night
A Nazi captain relives the horrors of a ship under attack.
13 – And When the Sky Was Opened
Spacemen return to Earth and vanish one by one.
12 – Long Distance Call
Pure horror about a little boy receiving calls from his dead grandmother on a toy phone. Would be a top 5 if not for the soft ending.
11 – The Lonely
Jack Warden stars as a criminal banished to a remote asteroid.
10 – The Howling Man
A Bavarian monastery holding a dark secret amidst its walls.
9 – Time Enough at Last
Burgess Meredith stars in one of, if not the most iconic episode.
8 – The Midnight Sun
Heat wave to the next level as the Earth is off its orbit and getting closer to the sun. And Lois Nettleton is bae in a tight sweaty tank top.
7 – Shadowplay
A man condemned to death is on the brink of sanity as he fights to delay the execution.
6 – Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
William Shatner iconic episode about a man on a plane seeing a gremlin on the wing.
5 – Mirror Image
A beautiful dame (Vera Miles) stalked by her doppelganger. The episode takes place in a bus depot inspired by the historic Union Station in Downtown Utica NY.
4 – Steel
Boxing by humans has been outlawed, replaced by androids. Lee Marvin stars as a former prize fighter who must step into the ring with a superior being.
3 – The After Hours
Anne Francis stars as a woman trapped in a department store one night. Mannequins are moving and talking. It’s a recipe for nightmares. I only wish the horror tones were consistent throughout.
2 – Night Call
An old woman receiving calls from an unknown source. The caller moans and speaks in a truly unsettling way. It would be the best episode if not for the very end.
1 – Living Doll
Terrified me as a kid, the title explains the situation. Telly Savalas stars as Erich Streator, an emotionally abusive stepdad who draws the ire of Talky Tina, a sentient doll.
