The Best Sci-Fi Show of All Time Is Officially a Streaming Hit

Certain pieces of popular culture are credited with changing the creative model altogether, and The Twilight Zone is among the rare shows that have withstood the test of time. Recently, the iconic sci-fi anthology series has been climbing the charts on the Apple TV store, proving that even 67 years after its premiere and in the streaming age, the series still captivates audiences. The Twilight Zone was an anthology series of horror, supernatural, and science fiction stories that presented bizarre concepts of warped reality. Created and hosted by Rod Serling, the series is responsible for coining many phrases and plot mechanics that have been adopted by filmmakers ever since. Although there are a number of modern masterpieces that can either directly or spiritually be linked to the influence of The Twilight Zone, the original series remains a must-watch for anyone who considers themselves to be a television buff.

The Twilight Zone was an anthology series in the truest form, but it differed from the other television programming at the time of its debut in 1959. Although it was common for there to be anthology shows that collected works of theater, comedy, or literary adaptation that had already been depicted in some form or another, The Twilight Zone was startlingly original and responded to the issues that were relevant to the audience who was engaged. With its allusions to hatred, isolation, mob mentality, xenophobia, and capitalist corruption, The Twilight Zone provoked timely ideas that asked audiences to think about the world in different ways.

‘The Twilight Zone’ Was a Gateway to Imagination

The genius of The Twilight Zone is that the show presented concepts that were extraordinary, but only slightly removed from reality. One example is the Season 1 episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” which imagines a power outage that affects a small community, causing panic among the occupants who fear an extraterrestrial invasion. The degree to which the power is disrupted and the suggestion of an alien attack might feel like science fiction, but the portrait that the episode paints of the closely-knit community of a small town, and how it could easily crumble as the result of tension, was startlingly realistic. One of the best aspects of The Twilight Zone is how it forces discussion and debate. There was a conversation to be had at the end of each episode’s airing about how viewers would have reacted if they were in the same situation, and which characters they felt were morally in the right. The series was unique for the sci-fi genre because it often highlighted normal people caught in extraordinary circumstances, and did not center on the sort of superficial heroes that appear in the space opera serials of the ‘30s and ‘40s.

The Twilight Zone had the benefit of an expansive mythology that includes many types of stories, and the show kept audiences on their toes because there was nothing expected about what would happen the next week. Although there were some instances in which Serling seemed to have a more optimistic view of humanity, there are a number of notable twist endings that went in a darker direction in order to prove a point. The supernatural was a constant presence, but The Twilight Zone also dealt with contemporary sore spots, with many of the best episodes exploring the fallout of casualties of a potential nuclear war, which was seen as a real possibility at the height of the Cold War. There was also a platform for individual writers, directors, and actors to get a showcase thanks to the show’s format, which essentially allowed the creators to have a tremendous amount of creative freedom on each episode because they were standalone.

‘The Twilight Zone’ Has a Lasting Cultural Influence

The Twilight Zone became a brand that inspired several offshoots, analysis, expanded universe material, and three separate revivals, none of which ended up surpassing the original show in terms of quality. The Twilight Zone was brought to the big screen in 1985 with an anthology film that consisted of four different chapters helmed by successful filmmakers; there are some compelling stories within the film, but they are unfortunately overshadowed by the tragedy that took place on set. Perhaps the most outstanding legacy of the show is the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction that is stationed at the Disney parks; although the edition at the California location was taken down in 2017, two other rides exist in Florida and Paris.

The Twilight Zone has had a tremendous impact on cinema, as there are many famous films that cite Serling as an inspiration. Richard Kelly’s 2009 science fiction thriller The Box was an expansion of the 1986 episode “Button, Button,” and the Oscar-nominated sci-fi sports film Real Steel was based on the 1963 episode “Steel.” There’s also a number of films that present themselves in the style of a classic The Twilight Zone premise, including everything from The Sixth Sense and Us to this year’s The End of Oak Street. The Twilight Zone has always had something to say about human nature and problem-solving that doesn’t require any historical context; even if the show is now a period piece, its imagination remains timeless.