There are some classic shows like Leave it to Beaver, I Dream of Jeannie, or even M*A*S*H where you watch them today, and you’re just like, “I guess I had to be there to truly appreciate this.” Then, you have timeless shows like The Twilight Zone, which is so good that people could still watch it today, and it doesn’t even need a reboot (even though we’ve already gotten three, with the most recent being Jordan Peele’s version).
That said, what is it about The Twilight Zone that has given it such long-lasting appeal? Similar to I Love Lucy, it’s in black and white, and even though I love anything black and white, I know a lot of people are turned off whenever they see anything that isn't in color.
However, the original Twilight Zone is still immensely popular, and it’s probably because it was so ahead of its time back in the late ‘50s, and early ‘60s, tackling a lot of the “isms” of the era (like racism, facism, collectivism, etc.) that are still relevant today. In fact, it could be one of the first examples of a show that many might consider to be “woke,” as it spotlighted bigotry in all of its many forms, and why it was a problem. But, with 156 episodes in total, what were the very best ones? Well, you’re about to find out.
20. The Masks (Season 5, Episode 25)
A dying man invites his family over for Mardi Gras and stipulates that in order to inherit his fortune, they have to don some hideous-looking masks. At first, they decline, but they eventually put them on only to realize that…well, they can’t take them back off again.
There are a lot of BIG ISSUE episodes of The Twilight Zone that really focus on the problems of the ‘60s, but this one feels all the more timeless because any generation can understand its message.
The avaricious family here just wants their relative to die already so that they can collect his inheritance. This episode reveals how most people don’t show their true intentions unless you force it out of them. It’s certainly one of the more cynical episodes of the series, but also one of the most potent.
19. The After Hours (Season 1, Episode 34)
A woman, looking for a gift for her mother, takes an elevator up to the ninth floor of a department store. She gets what she needs, but finds that it’s dented, so she tries to return it to the ninth floor. The only problem is, there is no ninth floor. Paranoia, and outright fear, ensue.
I know a lot of people can’t take doll horror movies (there’s actually a great Twilight Zone episode about a doll on this list), but for me, it’s mannequins that give me the creeps. Anytime I see their dead-eyed stare at a department store, I shiver.
And, it might be because of this episode, as mannequins definitely play a part in its overall story. I won’t spoil the twist, because, like many of these episodes, it ends on a good one, but I will say that ever since I first saw this entry, I’ve never been able to look at mannequins the same way again.
18. The Hitch-Hiker (Season 1, Episode 16)
A woman driving cross country gets into an accident, and is lucky to make it out alive. After the incident, she drives toward her destination, only to find a strange man constantly putting his thumb up for a ride. The creepy part is that no matter how far she drives, she keeps seeing him, time and time again. It’s almost as if she’s following him, as he beats her to every destination, just waiting for her to arrive.
You know what? Just writing that last sentence gave me the chills. If there was ever an episode that I might call Hitchcockian, it’s this one, as everything about it, from the narration, to the spooky music, just screams Hitchcock.
Some of the most memorable episodes of The Twilight Zone are the ones where even though you might figure out the twist, it’s still super satisfying, because there’s the suspense of when the protagonist will finally figure it out for themselves. When it comes to suspense, this episode is one of the greatest.
17. Little Girl Lost (Season 3, Episode 26)
Two parents hear their daughter calling for them, but they can’t find her. Not even in her room. The father touches the wall, only to find that his arm goes right through it. Remember how the famous Twilight Zone intro mentioned how you are now entering into another dimension? Well, this episode took that literally.
What I like to call the Poltergeist episode (which is a franchise I hold near and dear to my heart), this episode is probably the most sci-fi in the entire series. The whole concept of falling into another dimension is really out there, but it all comes together in this remarkably creepy episode that is pretty much nightmare fuel.
I mean, could you imagine sleeping one night, and then falling through your wall and getting trapped in some alternate dimension? Only in The Twilight Zone…I hope so, anyway.
16. A Stop At Willoughby (Season 1, Episode 30)
A man tired of the hustle and bustle of his job, falls asleep on the train, only to dream about a wonderful place called Willoughby, which looks like a town that time forgot. The only issue is, when he’s jolted awake, he’s back in his regular time, and also in his miserable life. He falls asleep a few more times, and each time, he vows to get off at Willoughby, and he eventually gets what he wishes for…but at what cost?
This is one of my father’s favorite episodes, and it’s also one of mine. It especially resonates with me now that I’m 40, as this episode’s protagonist is nearing his 40’s, and wishes that life could be simpler, just like when he was younger.
Once again, it’s kind of crazy that The Twilight Zone, which debuted in 1959, was already looking backward at the past being the halcyon days. Here we are, in 2024, doing much the same. I guess all of us are looking for a Willoughby in our lives. But again, at what cost?
15. Living Doll (Season 5, Episode 6)
A mother brings home a doll named “Talky Tina” for her daughter, and the doll is all sugar and spice to the little girl, telling her how much she loves her. But, the girl has an infertile stepdad who can’t have his own kids, so he takes it out on the stepdaughter. Well, said doll is a real terror for the man, telling him such things as, “I’m Talky Tina… and I’m beginning to hate you.” Fear (and humor!) ensue!
There is no doubt in my mind that the whole Child’s Play series was inspired by this episode. What makes this one so great is just how silly it is. Talky Tina isn’t scary, but the concept is just classic, vintage Twilight Zone. Without it, I doubt we’d have the whole scary doll subgenre of horror that I mentioned earlier, so that’s something.
14. The Obsolete Man (Season 2, Episode 29)
Burgess Meredith, who is one of The Twilight Zone’s MVPs, plays a librarian aptly named Romney Wordsworth in this very 1984-esque episode. In this totalitarian society, you can be put on trial and executed for being deemed obsolete, and what’s more obsolete than reading books? I mean, for real. Eww, books. But, Wordsworth has an ace up his sleeve and the ending might not be what you’re expecting. It’s a little preachy, sure, but it’s a good episode, and it sticks with you.
The imagery in this one is great, but it’s the story that really shines. The idea of standing up for what you believe in, which was a common theme for this show, is especially pronounced in this episode. It’s also one of the few episodes I could probably get away with showing at school to my students, so that’s a plus.
13. Walking Distance (Season 1, Episode 5)
A man working for an ad agency who looks nothing like Jon Hamm from Mad Men drops off his car at a gas station and walks to his hometown, which is nearby. But, once he’s there, he realizes that things are strangely just the way they were when he was younger. In fact, nothing has changed, including his parents, who don’t recognize him as an adult. This episode is kind of like “A Stop at Willoughby,” but nowhere near as grim.
It’s also rather beautiful. There are quite a few episodes about being nostalgic, but this is probably the best one. It’s mostly because it has the message that the past is nice to reflect on, but we should always look toward the future. The best years should be ahead of us, not behind.
12. Mirror Image (Season 1, Episode 21)
A woman waiting for a bus goes into the bathroom and sees her doppelganger in the mirror. What follows is a story about paranoia and what it can do to a person’s already fragile psyche.
This is one of the few Twilight Zone episodes from my childhood that still freaks me out today. I’m apparently not the only one freaked out by “Mirror Image”, as Jordan Peele actually got the idea for Us from this episode. So, yeah. This is one of the scary ones!
11. Eye Of The Beholder (Season 2, Episode 6)
A woman awaiting facial surgery discusses how hideous she is for almost a half an hour of TV time, and wonders if she can finally look “normal,” but what is “normal” anyway? This episode turns that entire concept on its head… with creepy results.
When people think of suspense, they usually focus on Alfred Hitchcock, and for good reason. He was “The Master of Suspense” after all. “Eye of the Beholder” is another masterclass in suspense, as the whole episode makes the audience wonder what she even looks like, because she has bandages covering her face until the very end. I mean, sure, this episode is not as good the second or third time around once you know the big reveal, but that first watch is one for the ages! It’s a classic!
10. A Game Of Pool, Season 3, Episode 5
A pool junkie named Jesse (played by Jack Klugman) has beaten every living player, but feels incomplete since he never got to play the legendary “Fats” Brown (played by Jonathan Winters). He’d give anything to play “Fats,” but there’s just one big problem—“Fats” is dead. Luckily (or unluckily since this is The Twilight Zone) “Fats” gets the call from Heaven, and he goes down to Earth to challenge Jesse. There’s a catch, of course, because again, this is The Twilight Zone.
A great majority of this episode is just two people playing pool, but the tension is sky high for both players. The ironic thing, though, is that we as an audience know that it would be better for Jesse if he loses, since it could only mean bad news for him if he wins. It’s the conclusion that ultimately sells this story, though. A great episode, and a simple one.
9. The Midnight Sun, Season 3, Episode 10
The earth is slowly, but surely, moving closer to the sun, creating an unbearably hot planet. Norma (Lois Nettleton) and Mrs. Bronson (Betty Garde) are the last people to stay in an apartment complex, but they slowly go insane from the excessive heat. Especially Mrs. Bronson, who just wants Norma to stop painting the sun and to start painting something cool for a change!
This episode is especially great since it was so ahead of its time. I mean, hello. Climate change! ! How many other shows in the ‘60s were tackling that topic? But, the interaction between the two characters (well, three, but I won’t spoil the episode), is great as well.
It all feels just way too claustrophobic and uncomfortable, which it’s supposed to. That image of the dripping paint at the end coupled with the music always gives me the chills. Unfortunately, there’s a twist at the end that kind of spoils the rest of the episode, but overall, it’s one of the best in the series.
8. To Serve Man, Season 3, Episode 24
Some big-headed aliens come down to Earth saying that they want to be friendly and “serve” us. We’re skeptical at first, but they eventually win us over. That’s a big mistake on our part, though, since the word “serve” can have multiple meanings.
I mean, come on. You don’t have to have even watched The Twilight Zone to know that famous — “It’s a cookbook!” — line. This episode’s great and all, but it would be a little higher if it didn’t completely need to rely on that twist ending to be effective.
7. The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street, Season 1, Episode 22
A shadow with lights and sounds appears over a quaint suburban area called Maple Street. Nobody really thinks much of it until one of the neighborhood boys suggests that it might be a UFO. Things quickly go downhill when strange occurrences start happening. If anything, this episode is a testament to just how little it would take to drive people to violence.
This is one of those thoughtful, “ism” episodes that I mentioned earlier. This episode is fantastic because it gets right to the heart of the matter — people are naturally distrustful of one another, and if someone seems like they’re “different,” then they’re probably dangerous. It doesn’t have any people of color, but it definitely touches on the concept of racism (us against them) and herd mentality. A fine and terrifying episode.
6. Nick Of Time, Season 2, Episode 7
William Shatner, who quite recently did a documentary about his life, plays a newlywed who stops into a diner after his car breaks down. He and his new bride sit at a table with a little devil fortune telling device that appears to really tell the future. But, when he continues to use it, he finds that it has a hold over him, and won't let him go.
A lot of these episodes have what I’ll call cheap twist endings, but this one is so effective that it elevates it above a lot of the other great episodes on this list. Plus, Shatner is just fantastic as a man who has stumbled into an addiction mounted by fear.
5. Time Enough At Last, Season 1, Episode 8
Burgess Meredith plays a googly-eyed man who has terrible eyesight, but loves reading. Everybody hates him for his intellectualism, but he keeps reading because that’s what he loves to do. When a giant bomb goes off while he’s in a safe, he finds that he’s probably the last living man on Earth. Loneliness sucks, but at least he has his books. As long as his glasses don’t break, he should be fine for the rest of his life…
Another “ism” episode — anti-intellectualism — the twist ending is more effective than in “To Serve Man,” which is more of a pun than anything else. This twist really stings, making it probably the most memorable twist in the entire show’s history. A fan-favorite, to be sure.
4. Nightmare At 20,000 Feet, Season 5, Episode 3
Everybody’s seen this one. William Shatner (again) is sitting on a plane after coming out of a mental institution, and he sees a gremlin on the wing that nobody else can see. Scares (and funny faces!) ensue.
Probably the most famous episode, William Shatner is hilarious in this one. He’s not supposed to be, but this is peak Shatner. The “gremlin” looks ridiculous (kind of like that bear creature in The Shining giving a BJ) the mere concept of a monster on the wing of an airplane is still terrifying.
3. He's Alive, Season 4, Episode 4
A Neo Nazi (seriously) played by Dennis Hopper gets disrespected by pretty much everybody because he’s a loser. But, when he has a chance encounter with a shadowy figure who sounds a lot like Hitler (Hint: It is Hitler), he has a rise, and fall, after hurting somebody very close to him.
The most important episode in the entire series, “He’s Alive” is one of the hour-long episodes from Season 4. It’s extremely potent and probably speaks more to today’s fractured America than any other episode in the series.
2. Shadow Play, Season 2, Episode 26
A man who is set to be executed claims that everything that is about to happen is all part of one of his dreams. He also says that he refuses to die again. He proclaims that everybody in the courtroom is just a figment of his imagination, and he tries to convince them that “dying” in his dreams every single night is torture, but nobody believes him.
My all-time favorite episode, “Shadow Play” haunts me to this day. It’s deep in a way that other episodes don’t even touch upon, and it takes its concepts gravely seriously. How hellish would it be to “die” every single night? This episode asks that terrible question and answers it, too.
1. It's A Good Life, Season 3, Episode 8
A little boy (played by Billy Mumy) has godlike powers, and can basically kill you by just thinking about it. He’s telepathic, so nobody in town can even think negative thoughts about him, because he’ll know, then he’ll turn them into a jack-in-the-box before he sends them to the cornfield.
By far the scariest, most hair-raising episode in the entire series. “It’s a Good Life” is the only episode that has ever actually given me a nightmare. The concept is mind-blowing, and the performances of everybody cringing their way through their entire lives so as not to upset a little boy is the most effective the show has ever been. This episode isn't really trying to make any grand point, but from a storytelling perspective, there’s nothing better.
The Twilight Zone will likely still be popular decades from now, as it truly is a timeless show. What’s your favorite episode?
