Skyping with my brother the subject of The Twilight Zone came up. He had been watching episodes from the original series and told me it was on the SCY-FI channel. That's all it took, I programmed our DVR to record each episode as it was broadcast.
I was 12 years old when this series first aired in 1959. I remember waiting every week for the next episode and then going to bed and having delicious nightmares. It was one of the programs that I call 'The Challenge Series'. It was one of a group of programs that included 'Inner Sanctum', 'The Adventures of Ellery Queen', among many others including the mysteries we listened to on the radio.
I call them the 'Challenge Series' because it wasn't enough to just watch or listen to them. About half way through each program our mother would ask the same question......'What is going to happen?'
Most of the time we all had different answers and many times we were all wrong. Being right or wrong wasn't the issue, we were actively involved in the program and shared the experience with each other. It also taught us to be critical observers listening to not only the words but how the voice inflection and body language would give away clues to the outcome.
I find it interesting which episodes I remember, not only the iconic Burgess Meredith episode concerning his thick glasses, but Robert Lansing as an astronaut, William Shatner as a passenger on an airplane, etc. I don't know why I remember those and not some of the others.
The other interesting thing is the length of the episodes. Most are a half hour long (actually 21 min. and 26 seconds if you don't count the commercials). Introduce the plot, develop the characters, setting up the usual false scenario and then coming to a finale....all under 22 minutes!
Amazed you remember watching them with Mom. I assume I was there as well, but do not remember her always asking that question. I'm sure you're right. As I have been watching them this week, I'm getting a little depressed. None are really cheery. I watched the Robert Lansing episode, and you were right, very sad. But I never remember watching it. I do remember watching the one about the camera that took pictures of the (immediate) future. I saw a MASH episode this morning, btw, that I never saw before. It was an early one, with Henry and Trapper. Talk to you Sunday...
ReplyDeleteBTW, the dictionary spells the present participle of binge several ways, including binging and bingeing. I was pronouncing your blog title as the sound bing!
ReplyDeleteYou say potato, I say French fries.
ReplyDeleteI should watch some...how about Alfred Hitchcock?? Did you watch him too...I am certain I had nightmares too. My husband likes the Twilight Zone. It probably isn't scary enough for kids now a days. Hope you are staying safe!
ReplyDeleteYes, Alfred Hitchcock was part of the 'Challenge Series'. I remember it being as difficult to predict as the Twilight Zone.
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