episodes everyone loves that you don't - The Twilight Zone (1959) Discussion

[–] gbennett5 10 years ago

Sorry, but you're in the minority (except, of course, for the teen/
young adult fans, who simply don't get this incredible half-hour).

WD is perhaps the greatest TZ episode. Ever. Brilliantly conceived,
written, and acted...poetic in the totality of its execution.

You don't have to like it, but that doesn't alter its perfection one iota.

WD is said to be Serling's fave. One can see why.

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[–] ilovetvmovies 10 years ago

then I shall proudly sit in the minority.

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[–] gbennett5 10 years ago

Lol! I think you sit in a lot of things!

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[–] Qanqor 10 years ago

Save me a seat next to you in the minority.

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[–] castiggy-89163 8 years ago

And rightly so...I like this episode, but it's not for everyone.

"Joanie, I don't want to argue"
"Then stop talking"

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[–] dennisvest30 10 years ago

As I posted on another topic I really enjoy Walking Distance. Maybe it's one of those episodes that you don't fully appreciate until you get older, maybe with a family, etc. When you are younger (20s or younger) one doesn't look back much b\c your life is ahead of you. However, as you get older (especially with grown kids, grandchildren) you find yourself reflecting on your life more. Part of aging and growing wiser (I hope!). To the OP, watch it again in 20 years and see if you feel differently about it.

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[–] thivai-1 9 years ago

But is it really wise to look back at your life in regret and feeling that what you have got in the here and now is not worth anything? The father tells Martin to appreciate what he has in the present (his actual adult present) and not waste his time crying over a lost childhood and an idealized past that is gone and where "there is no room" for grown Martin anyway.

I think this goes deeper. Why is Martin miserable, why didn't he start a family of his own and built a life he can enjoy? Instead, he dwells on a kind of Peter Pan complex and wants to be a child in the summer holidays for the rest of his life. He has to understand that the past is gone and that this is the way life is and it is harmful to want to change it. So his trip to the past is some kind of psychotherapy that will hopefully teach him not to waste his life with dreams of the past any more. I think that is the point of the episode.

One more detail that I picked up was a situation with his father, when they talk about what lies ahead of him, the 11 year old Martin, and the aged Martin gives the father a certain look. I don't know whether it was intended, but I thought he thought of two world wars that lie between his now and the father's then, and not only has Martin lost his innocence, but the whole world because of that. So on a broader level, the episode is also about a feeling that time cannot be turned back and history has happened and we all (the postmodern humans) have lost our innocence for good. We cannot go back but we have to see how we can live on and make the best of it,

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[–] w22nuschler 9 years ago

The episodes I always pick as my least favortie that everyone seems to love are "That Midnight Sun" & "Perchance to Dream". I just don't see anything good about them.

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[–] Eve_of_Destruction 9 years ago

(except, of course, for the teen/
young adult fans, who simply don't get this incredible half-hour).

I have been watching the Twilight Zone since I was 4. And loved this episode as a kid. I am now well over 30. I think you are assuming things. There are many adults who don't get things.

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[–] sofianXmXh 8 years ago

Young adults won't get that episode? I watched it for the first time. I have only watched 6 episodes of The Twilight Zone chronologically and episode 5 Walking Distance was without a doubt one of my favorites. The weakest one so far was episode 3 Mr. Denton on Doomsday.

EDIT: Forgot to mention age. I'm 20. So your theory stinks.

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

I really liked Walking Distance, but there are a couple of TZs that I refuse to watch because I just find them dull. The Invaders and The Masks come to mind, but I do love most of them.
Dini

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[–] doug65oh 10 years ago

Myself I don't care for but just 2 episodes: "Escape Clause" & "The Fever" - mainly on account of David Wayne & Everett Sloane respectively. Those are the only two episodes I've seen yet that totally fail in my book. 

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[–] gbennett5 10 years ago

"It's a Good Life" is overrated to me, but I don't think it's a bad
ep; just overrated. My main problem is the unintentional laughs,
cheap special effects and over-the-top acting. And WHO bought people
a record album without a sleeve??? I think the wife truly hated Perry
Como, so she deliberately wrapped the album in harsh gift wrap in the
hopes the record would be too scratched to play! Little Billy Mumy
is a marvel, though.

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[–] kara-wild 10 years ago

Or maybe in Anthony Fremont's world, records didn't come with sleeves.

My TV, movie, book reviews: http://thewildbloginthewest.blogspot.com/

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[–] carthur27 10 years ago

"One for the Angels" Why would a supernatural being, Mr. Death, be interested in "bargains" from a street hustler?

"It's a Good Life" I like the way it begins with Rod Serling in front of the map but I could never get into Billy Mumy as "the monster."

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[–] Qanqor 10 years ago

Why would Mr. Death be interested in bargains from a street hustler? Because Mr. Death is no dummy, and he knew that letting Bookman entice him with a great pitch means that he gets to take Bookman, which is what he wanted all along.

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[–] sflowers539 10 years ago

I hated "It's a Good Life", but maybe it is just because it was so disturbing to me at the time it had a negative effect on me. Or maybe it's because I saw The Simpsons version first which I also did not like much and it carried over. I also think 20,000 Feet is over-rated, but not bad, it should just not be the flagship episode many consider it to be (I saw the Simpson's version of that too, but that one I enjoyed).

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[–] gbennett5 10 years ago

Yes, it's easy to predict the ending to "Eye", but I don't think Serling
or the director themselves thought for a moment people WOULDN'T
predict it! Not every TZ has to surprise you with its ending - the
series was so much more than that (if it was just about the "twist
ending", the series wouldn't be watched over and over for 55 years
now).

"Eye" dazzles with its atmosphere, lighting, and the suspense of
the bandages being removed. And the makeup STILL freaks me out.
In fact, the makeup looks utterly fake in the pointless '02 remake.
Black-and-white photography and lighting serve this story so
much better.

As for "Nightmare", it is also eons better than its remake in the
awful TZ film.

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[–] kara-wild 10 years ago

"Time Enough at Last": It's a classic, but it's boring until it's devastating (poor man can't catch a break!).

"To Serve Man": I loved it when I first saw it, but now that I know the twist, it's boring until the "cook book" line.

"Eye of the Beholder": Same. "Number Twelve" covers the same territory better.

My TV, movie, book reviews: http://thewildbloginthewest.blogspot.com/

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[–] gbennett5 10 years ago

Wow. I totally disagree that "Number 12" tops "Eye." Not even close,
in my view.

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[–] kara-wild 10 years ago

Great, you disagree. What do I care? You seem to be judging people's choices when the point of this is to list episodes each of us dislikes that are otherwise well liked and regarded.

My TV, movie, book reviews: http://thewildbloginthewest.blogspot.com/

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[–] gbennett5 10 years ago

And YOU seem interested in publicizing your "reviews" with your silly
link.

Do you honestly think we CARE?

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[–] kara-wild 10 years ago

It's a tag, and you don't have to click. You didn't even have to respond. But you couldn't help yourself, could you?

My TV, movie, book reviews: http://thewildbloginthewest.blogspot.com/

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[–] ayf_1983 9 years ago

Agree on Time Enough At Last. It just doesn't do it for me. The first time when it was fresh was okay for me, but it didn't hold the magic and I just skip it in later rewatching of the series.

Really, any Burgess Meredith episode is like this for me, although I don't hate the actor. To me, he just hams it up in his TZ performances.

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

Agree with you on Eye of the Beholder. The only time I enjoyed it was when I was a little kid and didn't know any better. It was way too drawn out. I like Nightmare at 20,000 Feet though which was the first TZ I remember seeing. It has remained a favorite for me because Shatner's acting is so good in that one.

Dini

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[–] w0304577 10 years ago

Two episodes that I heard a lot of great things about are "The Invaders" and "The Jungle", and I have to say I didn't care for either one. The Invaders was very slow and boring with a predictable ending. The Jungle was pretty much the same. I know it doesn't always have to have a "twist" but when an episode is TOO predictable, it's just not entertaining to me.

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[–] mhlebik 10 years ago

I cannot stand The Monsters are Dur on Maple Street

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[–] doug65oh 10 years ago

Can you elaborate, explain why?

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Qanqor 10 years ago

Just how old do I have to be? I'm 52 now and still can't get into this episode.

(and by the way, I *love* "Little Girl Lost". Except for the *dreadful* fake overdub of the little girl's voice)

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Anjoliejo 10 years ago

I, too, liked Walking Distance.. I'm also in my early 50's. Some may be more sentimental to their childhood years. Some are more easily able to move on and never look back. Neither is wrong. To us Sentimentalists it rings loudly. I wish I did not long for the past as much as I do. That's why it's special to me. It was a very special carefree time.

The Invaders, as much as I love Agnes Moorehead, was just plain boring. What was a half hour episode seemed more like an hour.

That being said, their aren't too many TZ's I don't like. But there are more than a few.

We all have our own tastes, likes and dislikes. Why is it so hard to be respectful of that? Not everybody had to agree with us.

I love hearing differing opinions as it makes me see things in a different life. You learn from differences.

Maybe some people take it as an affront if some don't deem special the Episodes they like. Such a shame.

I love hearing everyone's opinion and why. I don't like Ad Hominem attacks.

Looking forward to hearing more people's opinions.

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[–] Qanqor 9 years ago

I think that's very well put. I am decidely *not* a sentimentalist. I had a nice childhood, but nothing incredible. I would not cite my childhood as the best part of my life. Indeed, if I *had* to pick a best part, it would probably be my college years. So for me Walking Distance does *not* ring loudly. But your post makes me better appreciate how it does for some.

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[–] crockett_john 10 years ago

I think this is a good subject for discussion. One that everyone seems to like, but that I don't care too much for is the one about the mannequins. I don't dislike it, but it's not one that I look forward to seeing as much as some others.

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I'm just expressing my opinion.

You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas.

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[–] dtmuller 10 years ago

I've always been amazed at how popular "It's a Good Life" is. To me, the entire episode is:

"That's good, Anthony, real good."
"Somebody stop him."
"You're a bad man. A very bad man."
Repeat endlessly for 1/2 hour.
Roll credits.

Then again, I liked "I Shot an Arrow", which most people seem to despise. And I have to admit, the ending is improbable in the extreme. So there's no accounting for (my) taste.

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[–] pfanderson5 10 years ago

I never liked Nightmare at 20,000 feet, or, the Invaders. JMHO.

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[–] MonteCarloMan 10 years ago

The monsters are due on maple street -

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[–] Fletcherj119 10 years ago

Every episode mentioned on this thread are good ones (my opinion).

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Fletcherj119 10 years ago

I always thought so. One station was advertising a special colorized version, making it sound like a big deal. I simply said to myself "Who cares?".

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Fletcherj119 10 years ago

Never saw it. There's a ton of older movies I still haven't seen. Even Psycho.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Fletcherj119 10 years ago

Psycho came out two years before I was born. I've heard about it all my life, but never saw it on TV.
I saw Psycho 2 at the drive-in but it didn't seem that good.

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[–] Fletcherj119 10 years ago

I've heard that the blood in the shower scene was chocolate syrup, so I guess CGI would have to be employed if they were to colorize it.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Fletcherj119 10 years ago

Remakes are tough sometimes. The Wicker Man and The Omen, for example, right away you knew how it was going to end.

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[–] ItsGood2BeRight (3879) 2 years ago

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[–] dini0519 10 years ago

You are the second person to list this one, my number one TZ, as one you don't like. Can you elaborate?

Dini

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[–] Qanqor 10 years ago

I agree with you on both counts: I think "Good Life" is overrated, and "I Shot An Arrow" is a good one. The problem with "It's A Good Life" is that it's a pure premise episode. There' s no actual plot. The premise is a good one, to be sure, but there's no story at all. It has been said many times that if you want to know what a story is about, look at what's different between the beginning and the end. In the case of "Good Life", the answer is: *nothing*.

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[–] danzig138-668-939218 9 years ago

There' s no actual plot.

Nor is there supposed to be. That one's not about a story to be told, it's an exercise in showing the suffering of unrelenting terror. A story has a resolution; that episode works specifically because it has no resolution. That aberration in the framework makes it more disturbing, because we expect there to be an ending.

But there's not. Those people are going to continue to live in utter fear. And for 20 minutes, we get to experience that, with no sense of closure, just as they have no closure.

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WORDS MEAN THINGS! Also, before you come to bitch about a plot hole, rewatch the show/movie.

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[–] Qanqor 9 years ago

Interesting perspective. But to me, it's like chicken feet.

Ever had the chicken feet at a dim sum meal? I have, and I don't care for it. And those who like it tell me, "well, it's not really about the taste, it's about the texture." Well, that may be. But I don't *like* the texture.

Same here. It certainly is disturbing to me that it doesn't have an ending. But it's not disturbing in a good way. I find it a disturbing that leaves me feeling very unsatisfied.

And in thinking about it, my problem isn't just that it doesn't have an ending. It doesn't have a beginning either. The "story" starts with the situation already established, and ends with the identical situation. *nothing* happens. There is no story at all.

Contrast this with "The Odyssey of Flight 33". This one too lacks an ending. There is no resolution. But it doesn't bother me so much, because it at least *is* a story. There's a beginning, and a middle, and events happen and we start to understand better what's going on... stuff happens! The fact that the ending is left unresolved kind of works, because it leaves you to imagine for yourself what the resolution ends up being. And at least you know there's *going* to be a resolution. I don't *love* the non-ending, but I can live with it. The episode is at least very clearly a story. "It's A Good Life" is just static. Not my cup of tea.

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[–] goldenagefilmstv (178) 3 years ago

Well, it could be said that at the end, the townspeople were even *more* afraid of Anthony, because he had consigned one of their friends to the "cornfield," (which I always think of as a state of limbo). Also, by making it snow unseasonably, on a mere whim, he was causing them to lose half their crops. We don't know if he has ever done that before---probably not, judging by his father's reaction. And it's pretty serious in their circumstances. (You know *Anthony* won't be going hungry!)

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[–] stevewyzard (1614) 2 years ago

Technically, "It's a Good Life" is really just a "Monster of the Week" episode, even though Rod Serling consistently defended his show against critique by saying, "It's not a Monster of the Week show - it's more cerebral."

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[–] Anjoliejo 10 years ago

I did like that one.

I'm glad you expressed your opinion. May I ask why you did not like it?

I think I liked it because as a young child back in the 60's, being able to run around freely without parental supervision like today, my friends and I would pretend the mannequins would "come to life" and we'd run around the store, hiding in clothing racks.

Yes, that's what children did before there was Cable, Video games, I-phones this and I pads that.

We had to use our Imaginations.

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[–] crockett_john 10 years ago

To me, it was just kind of dull after the first viewing. It's fine the first time around, but after that, there's nothing really interesting or surprising about it (to me). I still watch it, but I prefer other episodes.

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I'm just expressing my opinion.

You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas.

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[–] 10 years ago

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[–] Anjoliejo 10 years ago

I agree.... I guess I just like it because of the creepiness of Mannequins and the Creepiness of the doll collection I had at a young age at the time. Thanks for your answer.

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[–] tgemberl 10 years ago

I hate "I Sing the Body Electric," but I'm not sure very many people really like that one. When I've posted on it in the past, most people said they disliked it.

I just find the basic premise of it far-fetched. Or maybe a better way to put my objection is that it doesn't say anything interesting about human life. Most TZ episodes have interesting morals. I don't think that one does.

"Extremism in the pursuit of moderation is no vice."

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[–] Anjoliejo 10 years ago

I liked it, but you are absolutely correct. Very farfetched.

The "Robot" at one point said to the effect she'd never leave them. But she did.

That was many of what one had to overlook to enjoy the episode for what it was.

I did not like the Aunt whom was all to willing to separate a loving Father from his children.

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[–] painmonger 10 years ago

The two main ones that come to mind are The Hitchhiker and Night Call. I just did not find the guy who played the Hitchhiker scary at all. And the old man's voice in Night Call... I dunno, it just sounded like...well..somebody really stupid rather than somebody dead. I don't like the Invaders either, but it seems that one's not as highly regarded as I had thought.

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[–] 10 years ago

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