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There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone. —Rod Serling
I realized the other day that this was the first year in quite awhile that I missed the annual Twilight Zone marathon that happens every 4th of July. It’s sort of become a tradition for me to catch as many episodes as I can throughout the day. Then later in the week, my dad and I will talk about which ones we caught since he and I have always loved the show. Unfortunately, I had to work this year on the 4th and then afterward some other things popped up that needed to be taken care of. Therefore, I might have watched 20 minutes of TV total that day and it never dawned on me to check the Sci-fi channel.
Despite some awful special effects (common for the time), I’ve watched many of the episodes multiple times over. Yes, some shows are better acted than others, but generally the writing is top notch across the board. Rod Sterling is obviously known as the king of the twist ending, but the message that came across in these half hour stories and the questions that were asked, still influence people to this day. I know it’s affected my own writing (mainly in a short story form).
It’s kind of sad that most people my around my age and younger seem to scoff at the show while raising a condescending eyebrow. They focus only on those lackluster special effects, failing to see the story being told.
When my kids get older, I promise I’ll do my part in setting them on the right path. Even though they are years away from being mature enough to watch The Twilight Zone, I can’t wait for them to become a 4th of July tradition in our house.
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