The first episode of Twilight Zone.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN4sPnIXySYPlayed by Angie Dickinson's later police captain, in the
Police Woman series.
Although the title could also be applied to recent times on RKMB.
We're here.
It's just....we're sleeping.
Well, that's a comfort.
I've actually had a resurgence of interest in the Twilight Zone recently. Partly spurred by the Sy-Fy channel's marathons of TZ episodes twice a year, on July 4th and New Year's Day.
Also partly by a book on my shelf I rediscovered, titled THE TWILIGHT ZONE COMPANION by Marc Scott Zicree. (I also have a similar OUTER LIMITS COMPANION.) These give the opening and closing narrations, plot synopses, photos, and behind the scenes views of making the episodes. They're representative of the entire Hollywood industry during the latter period of the "Golden Age" of cinema and television.
Also remarkable is that Rod Serling died of complications of a heart attack in June 1975 at the age of 50. And yet the TWILIGHT ZONE series' enduring popularity has outlived, by 40 years now, the creator himself.
Frankly, I always preferred the original OUTER LIMITS in its consistency, musical scores, and overall sophisticatedness.
But it's a close call, they're both terrific shows. I think TWILIGHT ZONE had a greater variety of stories, ranging from deadpan melodrama to science fiction to westerns, to horror, to lighthearted playful humor, and many cross-genre combinations.
I recall TV guide over 20 years ago rated TWILIGHT ZONE "the greatest series of all time" for both its variety of stories, and for its incredible list of guest-stars over its 156-episode run.
One I particularly found interesting was "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge", about a Civil War soldier being hung for crimes, based on a story by Ambrose Bierce. Which was actually a short French film, that was purchased as a TWILIGHT ZONE episode, and modified slightly to become a series episode, to bring the series back under budget. And obscure previously as a foreign film, it was nominated for an Oscar, but got far more exposure as a TWILIGHT ZONE episode!
Although for me more hit-and-miss than OUTER LIMITS, TWILIGHT ZONE has many fantastic episodes. Some of my favorites I can think of offhand are "The Lonely", "Escape Clause" and "Mr Garrity and the Graves".
True story: Rod Serling lived near me when I was growing up. I actually used to see him in the grocery store. It's kind of surreal seeing the host of the twilight zone, in that famous voice, asking if they're out of frozen corn.
"Witness if you will, a former TV host in search of a side order for his dinner..."
Actually, at the time. I think he was hosting Night Gallery
My favorite Rod Serling song is Hot Legs.