Parallel Quest

The Twilight Zone — A Beloved Anthology

Episode Summary

The Twilight Zone brought science fiction to our televisions screens, changing the way many relate with the genre.

Episode Notes

The guys start off the episode with a returning segment, "10 questions." This time Cody answers 10 questions from Zach  that range from whether Rambo would win in a fighter over the Terminator, to what movie he would completely erase from existence. 

In our MAIN TOPIC we discuss the TWILIGHT ZONE, it's history, plot, and impact.

  1. History
    1. Was first aired in 1959 and ran for five seasons
    2. Rodman Serling, or just Rod Serling, was a man before his time. Fascinated with pulp magazines as well as culturally relevant issues such as race, war, government and society. Wanted to combine the two in story form
    3. Rod Serling was a prominant figure in television by the 1950s though was very frustrated by the changes and edits to many of his television plays
      1. In his play Requiem for a Heavyweight the line “Got a match?” had to be taken out because the company sold lighters
    4. Wanted to take the genre of sci-fi and tell moral stories. Thought he could get away with some of the more taboo subjects of the time
    5. First pilot pitch to CBS was “The Time Element”
      1. About a man who dreams of returning to Honolulu in 1941 and trying to warn people of the impending Pearl Harbor attack
      2. Was rejected and shelved until 1958 when it was aired, giving Serling the go-ahead for his anthology series, The Twilight Zone
    6. Serling wrote many of the episodes himself and is famous for introducing and closing each one
      1. Originally didn’t want to do it and had to be coaxed into it
    7. The series has run on and off-air since ‘59, with Jordan Peele recently taking the helm and trying to restart the franchise in 2019. Has had multiple seasons, one movie (controversial), and one television film
    8. Many famous writers, actors and directors got their start on The Twilight Zone, such as Richard Matheson (I Am Legend), Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451), Robert Duvall (Apocolypse Now), Robert Redford (The Sting), Ron Howard (Arrested Development), William Shatner
  2. Plot Synopsis. 
    1. Anthology series that usually dealt in the world of science-fiction where characters found themselves in weird, unusual situations. They would often have a surprise ending and moral.
    2. Serling mastered the art of ironic fate and poetic justice. Many times his characters would meet an end that would be satisfying, but oftentimes ironic.
      1. Example: “Time Enough at Last” - story about a man who works for a bank and wants nothing more than just to sit at home and read.
    3. Some of my favorite episodes:
      1. “Time Enough at Last”
      2. “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” - literally the best one
      3. “Where is Everybody?” - about going to the moon. Is also a recurring theme in the TZ, being the last person on earth, city, town
      4. “The After Hours” - made me afraid of mannequins
      5. “Eye of the Beholder” - easiest moral to understand
      6. “Little Lost Girl” - showed how tension could build to incredible heights with such a short, simple story
      7. “It’s a Good Life” - so scary

Initial Impact: Zach has a history watching this show with his dad while growing up. Cody has never seen an episode before but really appreciates all that he has learned about it.

Lasting Appeal: For Zach, this is a series that he enjoys coming back to time and time again. He especially likes watching it during the scy-fy channel's marathon. For Cody, this is a show that he wants to learn more about and research.

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