I never thought I would say this, but I think I might be more obsessed with a show other than “South Park.” And it’s not a current one. No, this show is actually older than some of your parents.
I’m talking about “The Twilight Zone,” the original series that ran from 1959-1964. My obsession with this program started off in an unconventional way when about four weeks ago my classmates and I viewed an episode of the show in one of my classes.
The episode was entitled “Obsolete Man,” an episode from season two in which an elderly librarian receives a death sentence in a futuristic totalitarian society.
It was a great episode; one that I found out later was one of the show’s best in its five seasons. But it wasn’t until the following weekend where I picked up from that and watched another episode.
Now, I can’t go one day without watching at least one episode. I’ve been hooked for about a couple weeks now. With each episode I view, I become more and more fascinated with just how much this TV series has stood the test of time.
The black-and-white aspect of it bothered me at first, but I’ve become so accustomed to it. Each episode’s quality is that of an actual feature-length film despite most of them clocking in at about 25 minutes. From the engaging storylines to the engrossing dialogue, every part of the “Twilight Zone” immerses you from start to finish. Even the music to accompany scenes was top-notch quality.
Show creator Rod Serling was quite a visionary for his time and still stands out today as one of the few writers who could transition his stories perfectly from pen and paper to the television screen.
Rarely do you see someone in the TV industry today both write their own work and produce it as well.
Serling also rivaled Alfred Hitchcock in creating suspenseful drama as well. Nearly every episode of “The Twilight Zone” features some sort of twist that the viewer rarely sees coming. I haven’t watched an episode to date where I’ve correctly guessed its ending. Perhaps it’s this factor that makes me keep coming back to watch another episode.
“The Twilight Zone” is also well-known for its themes as well. It was one of the first examples of television to demonstrate social and political commentary.
A recurring theme in many of the episodes is the idea of a totalitarian state’s repercussions on society. With every episode, Serling sets the stage as the narrator at the beginning and ends it with a sermonizing message that preaches something that deals with ethics and/or morality.
With all the above characteristics that have made this show great, who wouldn’t want to be a fan of it? Of the 156 episodes created, I’ve only watched about 20. I’ve only scratched the surface and there’s no telling when my obsession with this show will stop.
