Thank you all for the continued support and for sharing your Twilight Zone stories! A few clarifications that are long overdue: - I know how to pronounce Billy Mumy’s name now, so no need to comment it. - When I talk about the episode “Two” with Charles Bronson and Elizabeth Montgomery, I say “I don’t like the man.” I had no idea how much this statement was going to blow up 😂 in the episode Charles Bronson’s character’s name is “Man” so I was saying I don’t like his character! Trust me, I’m a fan of the actor! - My ranking has stayed fairly the same, minor changes here and there. Still not a big fan of To Serve Man.
This was a tremendous tribute to what I feel is the greatest tv series ever. I watched the original series 3 times over. A lot of that series was ahead of its time and is playing out today.
Straight talk - "it's playing out today" lol. Whenever something odd is happening in the world ; I always find some episode of TTZ to relate it to & the lesson ppl learned from it
Decades after Twilight Zone, William Shatner appeared as Big Giant Head in sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun, starring John Lithgow. In this episode, he mentions that during his flight he saw something on the wing of the plane, to which Lithgow's character Dick mentions that the same thing happened to him before. Not only is this reference to the original TZ episode, but also a reference to the TZ movie from the 80s in which Lithgow played the same character that Shatner played in the original, therefore, both experiencing the same thing during their flights.
I've had a hard time sleeping all of my life and it was as a very young boy in the eighties that I learned of The Twilight Zone. When my parents were asleep, I would turn on the TV in my end of the house- the volume turned very low. It was on from like 12:30 - 1:00 AM. I fell in love with this show and am amazed to see a young man like yourself so fully engaged in it!!! Nice work!!!!
The Obsolete Man, an excellent cautionary tale against authorian utilitarianism, awesome number 1 pick. My personal favorite is The Rip Van Winkle Caper personally, it shows how futile greed is in the end, very powerful.
So glad I watched your video!! I was the set designer / art director for the version of TOT at Disneyland. I'm also glad you spotted the easter egg on the wall of the second floor of the Boiler Room set. But did you know that I put 99 easter eggs in that attraction? My favorite prop was going to a local Los Angeles custom eyeglasses maker. I had a picture of Burgess' glasses in Time Enough at Last. The man said he could make a copy in about 3 weeks. When I went to pick it up from him he said to me that he remembered making glasses like that for "another project" I found out that he had built the original glasses (5 pairs) for the actual TZ episode so many years ago. The glasses (complete with shattered lens) were in one of the bookcases in the TOT Library set. Another favorite easter egg of mine was by the telephone near the timeclock in the Boiler Room. I hung a pencil on a string on the phone dangling down. On the wall (in pencil) I scratched the names of all the murderers in all the TZ shows. A dented thimble is in the display case in the hallway in the man lobby set. I could go on and on. Though I gave Operations a list of all the easter eggs, nobody employee or guest on the attraction never even found them. Pity it's gone now.
It's incredibly lazy anti-Soviet propaganda. It's really not that profound or genius. I love Rod, but let's be real, it's literally Red Scare-esque, anti-Communism. And it's not subtle.
This episode scares me still, as an adult. While being simplistic, it defines humanity at its worst which has happened time and time again in history, and will continue to. Every "legit" governmental body, cult group, or high control group falls into this danger, for all kinds of reasons. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man.
@@paulrichards6894 no kidding!! For what it’s worth, that one is nostalgic for me! One of my earliest memories of watching. Just think the actual thoughts he’s reading are pretty cheesy 🤣
Thank you for the tribute! Also my favorite tv show of all time as well as many who are here willing to see this major ranking! Glad to see everyone gathered and discussing, sharing, and promoting TTZ and their personal story of how it has affected them!
It’s very satisfying at my age and in our current global situation to see a young man enjoy something I’ve loved for over 60 years. Some of your lower ranked episodes you had to quickly review I actually had a hard time even remembering. I understand why you ranked “To Serve Man” so low but I still love it. I also just a few days ago saw an interview of Richard Kiel who revealed something I’d never known. He was involved in another project as this was being produced and he had a very long drive back & forth. The makeup also took a long time. Due to this he never knew his lines which ended up being done by another actor from another episode. The actor who played Satan in the pawn shop with the older couple you liked. A bit of trivia you might not know. Anyway I appreciate your eye for excellence in all the Twilight Zone stands for !! God Bless you !! 🙏🏻❤️
Ashame to see Come Wander With Me so low on the ranking. That one was my all time favorite and scared me the most since I first watched TTZ. Not to mention that song has wormed its way so far into my brain, I’ve still been humming it years later
I went 40 years, knowing I had seen a, "Twilight Zone", episode about a guy being hung, and the rope breaks. Then he swims and runs to get home. The scene of the snake swimming in the river stuck with me. Then a girl I was working with heard me talking about it. Her boyfriend ran an old record and DVD store. She brought me the entire series on DVD. I can't describe my excitement as I plugged in the tape, and wound it to, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". Always watched the, "Twilight Zone", marathons, and was always disappointed that it was never shown. I found out that that episode and, "The Encounter", weren't allowed to be shown for some forty years. I saw them as a child and they stuck with me, all those years. Some episodes aren't just my favorite episodes, but some of my favorite memories.
Rod said about a third of the episodes were excellent, a third were okay, and a third stank. I think he was a bit harsh on himself, because certainly nowhere near 52 episodes were stinkers.
Walking Distance is my number one episode. It's themes of aging, regret, nostalgia for the past, wanting to return to a simpler time, getting a second chance not to make mistakes, etc make it not only my favorite Twilight Zone, but one of my favorite tv episodes of any series. As well Bernard Herrmann's heart breaking atmospheric score and Gig Youngs performance make it a masterpiece.
The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank is a chilling episode. It plays upon our most innate fear of the dead. It manages to unsettle the viewer without startling, eerie shock scenes, talking dummies, scary masks, or makeup. Watch it closely, listen intently to the dialogue, and the ending twist will tie it all together, making it one of the more believable episodes in the series.
Great list - I mostly agree with your rankings - but gosh don't we always fondly recall the first episode we ever saw? For me, it was, believe it or not, "A Piano in the House", aired on a NY TV station as a fill-in when my dad's Yankees game was cancelled due to rain.
I have always wondered why, on “Time Enough at Last”, when the bomb hit the crystal on his pocket watch broke, but his glasses didn’t break at that particular time. Guess it would have been a short episode.
Brilliant! Loved your commentary on this masterpiece of a series! Your numbers 1 and three were my one and two, with Obsolete man coming in second! Burgess Meredith, what a legend!
It was made into a short black-and-white film as well, which our English teacher had us watch after reading the story. It was very impactful - I was shaken. I had no idea until this video that The Twilight Zone had bought the rights to it.
You did a very good job at an impossible task! Your ranking is very good. Of course, everyone will end up with a different one. Twilight Zone was a great show. Some episodes are real marvels. Beyond pure entertainment, there is often a spiritual, or philosophical message, this is what I like.
Superb video and I agree (with most of your rankings). I must say, I thoroughly enjoy your channel content as I'm a lifelong Hitchcock, classic film/tv and Twilight Zone fan as well. While TZ is undoubtedly my all-time favorite show, I would love to see a similar ranking video for the series "Night Gallery". I'm not sure if you've seen each episode of that series, but I enjoy the show and the actors who participated in the series almost as much as The Twilight Zone. Looking forward to more great content, keep up the good work!
Means so much, truly! Glad to find another fan of the classics! I have started Night Gallery, but have only seen a few episodes. I would love to someday have a complete ranking for that series as well!
Steel and Spur of the Moment deserve much higher. I know Nightmare at 20,000 ft is a classic but it's pretty dumb. "One for the Angels" should be somewhere around 130. Nick of Time is one of the most underrated episodes. It's actually quite poignant.
Great job with this post! My all time favorite show and I really like your countdown and your insights. A Stop At Willoughby is my #1 but so many classics! A timeless show!
That one really is awesome. I love Misrel's "Push, push, push, all the way, all the time, right on down the line" speech, especially as they close up on his mouth. The key scene in this is just before he steps off the train. He DELIBERATELY leaves his briefcase (and, thereby, his old life) behind.
The obsolete man is also my favorite. With only a few differences, I concur with this list, and I have been watching for over 30 years, including the 80's episodes (of which a few were reboots of the OS). The absolute devotion to faith will always demonstrate power over the state.
7:58 TWO: How can you not like Charles Bronson? Just curious, have you ever heard the song "The Twilight Zone" by Rush? It's from their "2112" album (whole album is awesome, especially the title track) and the album is dedicated to Rod Serling.
The Lonely, The Hitch-Hiker, The Purple Testament, After Hours, Eye of the Beholder, the Passersby, Five Characters In Search of An Exit, To Serve Man, Ring-A-Ding Girl, The Masks.
Excellent list! I think "The Self Improvement of Salvadore Ross" was underrated, but just my opinion. Also, "Number 12 looks just like you" is also excellent and under appreciated.
I loved Piano in the House. Such an interesting little story on how music plays on our subconscious. It’s exaggerated, but some truth to how music can flip emotions.
Can I get a little help here? I remember a twilight zone episode where this guy loves zither music and wierd things, but isn't very liked by his coworkers. Then he gets a guardian angel who tries to get him to stand up for himself, so he asks the angel to make him liked by his coworkers, but that takes away all the things he likes, like zither music, so he asks the angel to take it back, and at the end, he has a new appreciation for who he is. I re-watched this list multiple times, and I can't find it. Anyone remember the name of it? The angel's name is Mr. Hempstead if that helps.
Pleasantly surprised to see this one remembered! Mr. Bevis is a top 10-20 episode for me, but it tends to be one of them that folks completely forget about. Comedy isn’t one of Serling’s strong suits, but it’s just nice to see such a wholesome trip into the twilight zone.
Good list overall. However... You're no doubt sick of hearing arguments about your ranking of "To Serve Man", but I felt the need to try. "Twist" endings are a signature element of what made The Twilight Zone so beloved, and the alien cookbook may be the show's most iconic twist of all. Your main gripe appears to be the "special effects" of the aliens, which is a bit... petty. Lots of shows of the time had crappy special effects - including The Mask - yet that didn't seem to affect your ranking. The original Star Trek series had a lot of awful special effects, but some excellent stories - so critics made allowances. I would therefore challenge you to re-consider your ranking without "special effects", which is something the Twilight Zone had little control over and does not diminish the quality of the story.
My favorites: The Obsolete Man, Nothing in the Dark, Nick of Time, The Shelter, Deaths Head Revisited, The Night of the Meek, Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up, Once Upon a Time, Two, The Invaders (love how the entire story is told with little or no dialogue).
Good work with this list! I really enjoy most if not all the TZ episodes but To Serve Man will always be THE episode with the cleverest twist ending. BTW the concept for the movie Jacobs Ladder always struck me to have been borrowed from Death Ship.
This is the first time I’ve watched your channel. Well done young man! I’m old enough to have seen the show when it first aired. I’ve watched them over the years on tv and a few years ago purchased the entire series on dvd. Here’s my top 10: 1)Walking Distance 2)Miniature 3)Living Doll 4)The New Exhibit 5)The Hitchhiker 6)Nightmare 20,000’ 7)Willoughby 8)The After Hours 9)The Dummy 10)Little Girl Lost / Honorable Mention: The Lonely, Mirror Image, Nick of Time. As a kid, “Living Doll” and “The Hitchhiker” scared me the most!!
As prolific as a show this is, I'm surprised there's not more TZ content on youtube (maybe some copyright bs I'm not aware of). Awesome video and keep up the great work!
Jack Klugman and Billy Mumy realy bonded during shooting In Praise of Pip and remained good friends up until Klugman's death in 2012. It was Mumy who delivered eulogy at Klugman's funeral, which was Jack's specific wish. Mumy's father very rarely visited the set and, unlike so many child actors parents of the time, never interfered in his son's productions. One day when he did visit as it was shot on pier that he and Billy visited regularly, he was introduced to Jack Klugman, who approached him and introduced himself, and gave him a speech on how father son relationship is extremely important. Mumy's father claimed for many years that he was very moved and impressed by the encounter with Klugman. Interesting trivia is that 32 years later Klugman appeared in movie Dear God, which co-starred Bill's son Seth.
Billy Mumy and Cloris Leechman reprised their roles in 2002 TZ series episode It's Still a Good Life. However, John Larch, who played the father in the original episode, did not return in 2002, even though he was also still alive at the time.
I know I stumbled across this episode a few weeks ago. Didn't know it existed still I didn't watch much of the new twilight zone episodes. Absolutely brilliant & that ending with the girl I didn't see coming so much like her father though the misdirection was good thinking she was going to defy her father & use her powers for good & return the world back to normal. Cloris was great & what a speech just wish she had acted on it sooner when antony was a boy like that man said that turned in to a jack in the box why didn't someone kill him wouldn't have been hard.
"Mirror Image" was the first TZ that actually scared me. I was 10 in 1979 and a little local station showed one episode every Friday night at 10. I waited breathlessly for that time each week. And the shot of Alicia's blown-off face at the end of "The Lonely" just shocked me. To this day, when I watch it, I can feel my rising anxiety as that moment approaches. "A Stop At Willoughby" was the very first TZ I saw, Christmas Eve 1978. I had heard of the show but knew nothing about it...I was enormously surprised by the reveal at the end, and when that little local station started showing TZ the next year I was hooked.
I have no idea when I first saw TZ. Probably when I emigrated here from England in the 60s. Anyway, around 80-82, they had this Twilight Zone Magazine. I grabbed every copy of that. There was a lot of Stephen King in there, but also Dennis Etchison, and others. Wonderful magazine.
got here because I was watching channel awesome's discussion about each episode - but excited to watch your ranking as well! esp all in a row .. let's go!
@@maplestreetmovies yeah its super addictive to hear his take and research on each ep! I'm 1/2 way through this list and yeah feeling the same on a lot of your picks!
To me, Eligy and Death Ship take place in the same world, and they are two of my favorites. Kick the Can is a great story, written by George Clayton Johnson, who later would co-write Logan's Run. I agree with nearly all your picks for the "near perfect" category. I got to hang with Bill Mumy for a few days at Comic Con and he was awesome. Very generous and kind. It's Good Life is in my top 5. Also I love Walking Distance, Midnight Sun, and A Stop at Willoughby.
Easy to rank your top 20 but to do the whole lot is a bit wild. When you began with the average or bad episodes yes I agreed with most of them in fact I've been reluctant to watch them more than once. You had 2 episodes execution & uncle Simon come in at around the 120 mark well I put these in my top 20. Execution not only had a great twist but the whole episode moved at a very fast pace never a dull moment & as for uncle Simon not only was the twist one of the best but great drama to witness the psychological effects it had on the neice when Simon was alive & now that he's dead the torture will continue. Agreed with most of your top 20. The masks for me is number one.
This was an amazing video! You must have put a ton of effort into this. One of my favorite series ever, but I have to admit I haven’t seen every episode. A Stop at Willoughby is my number 1
Thank you so much Anthony! If I may say, it’s still the video I’m most proud of on my channel. Happy it’s still getting shared and even happier I’ve connected with so many fans!
I got very excited about #5 lol. Deaths Head Revisited is one of my all time favorite episodes and I feel like no one ever talks about it. I was very happy to see it ranked so high on your list.
Yes, it is amazing! You have to remember that the first time the public saw the concentration camp films was in the 1961 movie Judgement at Nuremberg, so it was still fresh.
Remarkable job Sir! Thank you.... and I am so glad you could kept breathing as you went thru your list...I almost thought you were going to pass out! LOL. Well done!!! I have them all on DVD. The Obsolete Man is probable my favorite as well...close second...The Changing of the guard. Such diverse stories thru the whole series...the best of TV. Thank you for taking the time to do this! Judging by your taste, I would like to suggest an old movie you might not have seen. PARK ROW 1952. Wonderful on all levels.
Great job putting this together! What one sees in these episodes is in the eye of the beholder, of course. I'm old enough to have seen some of the episodes when they originally aired. I was around nine or ten years old at the time and back then the more fantasy-themed episodes with special effects like ‘Stopover in a Quiet Town’ were my favorites. As an old man now, I like the ones that deal with old age, longing to go back in time, etc. As a ten-year-old, “Static” would have been around the bottom of my list; now it's near the top.
Thank you so much for your comment! What an insightful thing to say, the episode is in the eye of the beholder, that’s so true! Thank you for watching, and I’m glad to speak with a life-long fan! It’s funny how I also discovered it at the same age, but in a completely different era.
It was many years ago that I watched it, but there was a pretty stewardess in the episode "Nightmare at 20 000 feet" that I fell madly in love with. We all have our reasons, I guess, but that makes it my favourite episode for now, even though I have not even seen all the other episodes... yet. 😊
so did you watch them all again...great job on the video...i will pay way more attention next year and watch your video again before the marathon begins. Happy New Year.
This is very impressive. The Twilight Zone is my favorite show too, and I started watching it when I was 13. I stumbled across it on Netflix, and asked my mom it I could watch it, and thought she was going to say no. She seemed a little surprised, but said yes, and here I am now, and the show has had a significant impact on me. While I have each season ranked, I don't have the entire series ranked. However, there are my bottom three and top fifteen. Also, I do collect signed trading cards, and have ones signed by Jack Klugman, Dean Stockwell, and Martin Landua, so I appreciate you showing yours. Bottom Three 3. The Monsters are Due on Maple Street (I'm sorry, I have tried to like it, but have never been able to understand what makes it so great.) 2. The Mighty Casey 1. The Incredible World of Horace Ford Top Fifteen 15. Nightmare at 20,000 Feet 14. Valley of the Shadow 13. The Hunt 12. Jess-Belle 11. Spur of the Moment 10. The Old Man in the Cave 9. The Shelter 8. The After Hours 7. Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? 6. Miniature 5. The Masks (Had a birthday cake based off this episode) 4. A Game of Pool 3. The Obsolete Man (In terms of quality, I would consider this the best episode of the series) 2. In Praise of Pip 1. Walking Distance (Martin's Speech to his younger self after accidentally causing him to fall off the merry-go-round is such a beautiful shot. I also had a birthday cake based off this episode, and a custom made shirt dedicated to it. That's how much I love it.)
So glad to meet another TZ fan! Loved hearing your thoughts. Definitely shocked with Maple Street’s placement, but I’m sure you usually get that response 🤣 I just love how good it is at showing true human nature in such a short runtime.
I think everyone has their own particular favorites, and this may change as one grows older and watches the episodes over again. For example, I don't believe that when the series debuted and I was about eight or nine years old, that the same episodes which I love today, I had loved or even liked at that young age. How could I have appreciated such gems as The Trouble with Templeton or Young Man's Fancy when I was child. Yet today, these two are among my favorites. On the other hand, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet must have been impressive to a young child, but certainly is less so to a man in his seventies.
You can appreciate something like "Young Man's Fancy" as a 9 year old, it may make you melancholy and sad for the character you don't need to relate but you may be able to as you might miss things you don't do anymore which you did when younger or may experience a sadness knowing you might be in his position someday, it reminds you your youth is limited and a young person can feel bad being reminded of that.
@@maplestreetmovies I loved your description of how your family developed a New Years weekend tradition around watching the Twilight Zone marathon. My family did the same.
I'm reminded of that episode when I watched a biopic about Charlie Chaplin. The Twilight Zone moment was when I realized that Charlie Chaplin's mother Hannah was played by his daughter Geraldine!
@@maplestreetmovies Really enjoyed this. You did a great job. Top 20 (in no particular order) Where is Everybody? Walking Distance The Lonely And When The Sky Was Opened The Hitch Hiker The Last Flight A World of Difference The After Hours The Eye of the Beholder Nick of Time Shadow Play The Midnight Sun Nothing in the Dark Five Characters In Search Of An Exit The Dummy In His Image Miniature Number 12 Looks Just Like You
Thank you for this. I'm with you all of the way, except regarding "The Mute". It's about traumatized people (in this case a child) finding their voice. We play it in PTSD groups. It's not for everyone, but very moving for some.
@@maplestreetmovies Look forward to your list. Lots of the old ones have been redone, and tons of new ones. I'd love to hear your opinion about the classics that were redone, for example, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street". Modern day twist to an old classic.
Thank you all for the continued support and for sharing your Twilight Zone stories! A few clarifications that are long overdue:
- I know how to pronounce Billy Mumy’s name now, so no need to comment it.
- When I talk about the episode “Two” with Charles Bronson and Elizabeth Montgomery, I say “I don’t like the man.” I had no idea how much this statement was going to blow up 😂 in the episode Charles Bronson’s character’s name is “Man” so I was saying I don’t like his character! Trust me, I’m a fan of the actor!
- My ranking has stayed fairly the same, minor changes here and there. Still not a big fan of To Serve Man.
This was a tremendous tribute to what I feel is the greatest tv series ever. I watched the original series 3 times over. A lot of that series was ahead of its time and is playing out today.
Thank you so much!
Straight talk - "it's playing out today" lol.
Whenever something odd is happening in the world ; I always find some episode of TTZ to relate it to & the lesson ppl learned from it
Decades after Twilight Zone, William Shatner appeared as Big Giant Head in sitcom 3rd Rock From the Sun, starring John Lithgow. In this episode, he mentions that during his flight he saw something on the wing of the plane, to which Lithgow's character Dick mentions that the same thing happened to him before. Not only is this reference to the original TZ episode, but also a reference to the TZ movie from the 80s in which Lithgow played the same character that Shatner played in the original, therefore, both experiencing the same thing during their flights.
I've had a hard time sleeping all of my life and it was as a very young boy in the eighties that I learned of The Twilight Zone. When my parents were asleep, I would turn on the TV in my end of the house- the volume turned very low. It was on from like 12:30 - 1:00 AM. I fell in love with this show and am amazed to see a young man like yourself so fully engaged in it!!! Nice work!!!!
Appreciate it so much! I wish more people watched it today, it still has so many profound lessons. Thank you for watching and sharing your experience!
The Obsolete Man, an excellent cautionary tale against authorian utilitarianism, awesome number 1 pick. My personal favorite is The Rip Van Winkle Caper personally, it shows how futile greed is in the end, very powerful.
Thank you! And yes, that’s a great pick!
DID YOU GUYS KNOW Rod Serling earned a Purple Heart for his extensive combat experience in WW2?
So glad I watched your video!! I was the set designer / art director for the version of TOT at Disneyland. I'm also glad you spotted the easter egg on the wall of the second floor of the Boiler Room set. But did you know that I put 99 easter eggs in that attraction? My favorite prop was going to a local Los Angeles custom eyeglasses maker. I had a picture of Burgess' glasses in Time Enough at Last. The man said he could make a copy in about 3 weeks. When I went to pick it up from him he said to me that he remembered making glasses like that for "another project" I found out that he had built the original glasses (5 pairs) for the actual TZ episode so many years ago. The glasses (complete with shattered lens) were in one of the bookcases in the TOT Library set. Another favorite easter egg of mine was by the telephone near the timeclock in the Boiler Room. I hung a pencil on a string on the phone dangling down. On the wall (in pencil) I scratched the names of all the murderers in all the TZ shows. A dented thimble is in the display case in the hallway in the man lobby set. I could go on and on. Though I gave Operations a list of all the easter eggs, nobody employee or guest on the attraction never even found them. Pity it's gone now.
Wow that is so cool! Thank you so much for sharing!!
The Orwellian future of The Obsolete Man is what really terrified me as a kid.
The obselete man episode scared the hell out of me as an adult lol. I didn't fully grasp it fully as a kid
It's incredibly lazy anti-Soviet propaganda. It's really not that profound or genius. I love Rod, but let's be real, it's literally Red Scare-esque, anti-Communism. And it's not subtle.
This episode scares me still, as an adult. While being simplistic, it defines humanity at its worst which has happened time and time again in history, and will continue to. Every "legit" governmental body, cult group, or high control group falls into this danger, for all kinds of reasons.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana, The Life of Reason, 1905. From the series Great Ideas of Western Man.
The ending is awesome, especially with Burgess Maradeth at his best;
@@fshoapsyeah, that's a good thing..
The Changing of the Guard! So glad it placed high!
Time Enough At Last blew my mind as a kid. It really drove home the "be careful what you wish for" mantra and frightened me. Number 1 IMO.
Impressive amount of work that this must have taken. Definitely want to see some of these now
Thank you!!
@@maplestreetmovies watching this now for the 3rd time....what number is penny for your thoughts....i keep missing it
just found it 83....its my no 1...shows how no 2 people like the same thing
@@paulrichards6894 no kidding!! For what it’s worth, that one is nostalgic for me! One of my earliest memories of watching. Just think the actual thoughts he’s reading are pretty cheesy 🤣
@@maplestreetmovies can you tell me a platform on youtube that is safe to watch them ...cheers
Thank you for the tribute! Also my favorite tv show of all time as well as many who are here willing to see this major ranking! Glad to see everyone gathered and discussing, sharing, and promoting TTZ and their personal story of how it has affected them!
Completely agree! The engagement from the community has been far more beneficial than I could’ve imagined!
It’s very satisfying at my age and in our current global situation to see a young man enjoy something I’ve loved for over 60 years. Some of your lower ranked episodes you had to quickly review I actually had a hard time even remembering. I understand why you ranked “To Serve Man” so low but I still love it. I also just a few days ago saw an interview of Richard Kiel who revealed something I’d never known. He was involved in another project as this was being produced and he had a very long drive back & forth. The makeup also took a long time. Due to this he never knew his lines which ended up being done by another actor from another episode. The actor who played Satan in the pawn shop with the older couple you liked. A bit of trivia you might not know. Anyway I appreciate your eye for excellence in all the Twilight Zone stands for !! God Bless you !! 🙏🏻❤️
I loved learning that, thank you Joel! And this comment means so much! I love that the Twilight Zone brings so many fans of all ages together!
Ashame to see Come Wander With Me so low on the ranking. That one was my all time favorite and scared me the most since I first watched TTZ. Not to mention that song has wormed its way so far into my brain, I’ve still been humming it years later
I went 40 years, knowing I had seen a, "Twilight Zone", episode about a guy being hung, and the rope breaks. Then he swims and runs to get home. The scene of the snake swimming in the river stuck with me. Then a girl I was working with heard me talking about it. Her boyfriend ran an old record and DVD store. She brought me the entire series on DVD. I can't describe my excitement as I plugged in the tape, and wound it to, "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge". Always watched the, "Twilight Zone", marathons, and was always disappointed that it was never shown. I found out that that episode and, "The Encounter", weren't allowed to be shown for some forty years. I saw them as a child and they stuck with me, all those years. Some episodes aren't just my favorite episodes, but some of my favorite memories.
@@jameswinners2001 that is so neat!! Both great episodes you mentioned too. I love hearing other’s experiences with this show. Thanks for sharing.
I remember seeing "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" in class at school.
You could make an updated version with all the 80’s episodes and modern episodes in there too
It feels like you’re not taking into account when this was made when judging it.
Great video! Glad I found your content!
Rod said about a third of the episodes were excellent, a third were okay, and a third stank. I think he was a bit harsh on himself, because certainly nowhere near 52 episodes were stinkers.
I agree!!
This is a brilliant undertaking !!!!I am loving this video
Thank you so much!
Ok so i havent seen this show but my goodness your a baller for ranking 156 episodes!!!
Thanks Trevor!! Well hey if you’re looking for recommendations 👀😂
I’ll have to disagree with the incredible world of Horace ford even if I haven’t seen it I actually think it’s a great episode.
From Agnes with love is a good one too clearly this dumb narrator doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Walking Distance is my number one episode. It's themes of aging, regret, nostalgia for the past, wanting to return to a simpler time, getting a second chance not to make mistakes, etc make it not only my favorite Twilight Zone, but one of my favorite tv episodes of any series. As well Bernard Herrmann's heart breaking atmospheric score and Gig Youngs performance make it a masterpiece.
My all-time favorite as well.
this is my favorite tv show of all time. thank you so much i’ve been looking for this vid forever
Thank you!!
The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank is a chilling episode. It plays upon our most innate fear of the dead.
It manages to unsettle the viewer without startling, eerie shock scenes, talking dummies, scary masks, or makeup. Watch it closely, listen intently to the dialogue, and the ending twist will tie it all together, making it one of the more believable episodes in the series.
You did a fantastic job guiding us along - and your opinions/critiques were very, very good. This is suitable for a college class!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!
Great list - I mostly agree with your rankings - but gosh don't we always fondly recall the first episode we ever saw? For me, it was, believe it or not, "A Piano in the House", aired on a NY TV station as a fill-in when my dad's Yankees game was cancelled due to rain.
I have always wondered why, on “Time Enough at Last”, when the bomb hit the crystal on his pocket watch broke, but his glasses didn’t break at that particular time. Guess it would have been a short episode.
Brilliant! Loved your commentary on this masterpiece of a series! Your numbers 1 and three were my one and two, with Obsolete man coming in second! Burgess Meredith, what a legend!
Thank you for watching! Those are incredible choices!
Dang! Good on you to rank all TZ episodes! That’s impressive! Solid list! I wonder how mine would differ 🤔
You should watch everything in my top 25!! I know you’ve seen most of them, so you really only have to watch like 5 😂
An Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge was an original 1890 short story by Ambrose Bierce. I had to read it in high school.
It was made into a short black-and-white film as well, which our English teacher had us watch after reading the story. It was very impactful - I was shaken. I had no idea until this video that The Twilight Zone had bought the rights to it.
You did a very good job at an impossible task! Your ranking is very good. Of course, everyone will end up with a different one. Twilight Zone was a great show. Some episodes are real marvels. Beyond pure entertainment, there is often a spiritual, or philosophical message, this is what I like.
Thank you Paul! Completely agree with your take on the show!
Superb video and I agree (with most of your rankings). I must say, I thoroughly enjoy your channel content as I'm a lifelong Hitchcock, classic film/tv and Twilight Zone fan as well. While TZ is undoubtedly my all-time favorite show, I would love to see a similar ranking video for the series "Night Gallery". I'm not sure if you've seen each episode of that series, but I enjoy the show and the actors who participated in the series almost as much as The Twilight Zone. Looking forward to more great content, keep up the good work!
Means so much, truly! Glad to find another fan of the classics! I have started Night Gallery, but have only seen a few episodes. I would love to someday have a complete ranking for that series as well!
Night Gallery is an amazing series! I was just thinking the same thing!
You don't like Charles Bronson? Okay we're done here.
I hardly even notice Bronson. Too busy looking at Liz Montgomery. 😍
@@steveeddy9686she was stunning 😍
😁
He wasn't a likable person in real life dude so I can understand him.
Well that’s creepy.
the first video i saw from u was ur harry potter book ranking and its really interesting and cool seeing ur editing and camera presence now
Thank you! I’ve come a long way since then 😂
@@maplestreetmovies indeed u have! keep it up!
Steel and Spur of the Moment deserve much higher. I know Nightmare at 20,000 ft is a classic but it's pretty dumb. "One for the Angels" should be somewhere around 130. Nick of Time is one of the most underrated episodes. It's actually quite poignant.
Thanks for sharing your opinion!
Great job with this post! My all time favorite show and I really like your countdown and your insights. A Stop At Willoughby is my #1 but so many classics! A timeless show!
Thank you so much for watching and sharing your #1!
That one really is awesome. I love Misrel's "Push, push, push, all the way, all the time, right on down the line" speech, especially as they close up on his mouth.
The key scene in this is just before he steps off the train. He DELIBERATELY leaves his briefcase (and, thereby, his old life) behind.
The obsolete man is also my favorite. With only a few differences, I concur with this list, and I have been watching for over 30 years, including the 80's episodes (of which a few were reboots of the OS). The absolute devotion to faith will always demonstrate power over the state.
It comes across as really dull, anti-Soviet propaganda to me.
7:58 TWO: How can you not like Charles Bronson? Just curious, have you ever heard the song "The Twilight Zone" by Rush? It's from their "2112" album (whole album is awesome, especially the title track) and the album is dedicated to Rod Serling.
Also, nit-picking but it's Billy Moo-Mee not mummy. Great video and thank you.
@@TheGlssr60 this has been the most frequent comment I’ve gotten. Along with ranking To Serve Man so low. Needless to say, I learned my lesson 😂
I don’t dislike Charles Bronson! I dislike his character, the man, in this episode.
The Lonely, The Hitch-Hiker, The Purple Testament, After Hours, Eye of the Beholder, the Passersby, Five Characters In Search of An Exit, To Serve Man, Ring-A-Ding Girl, The Masks.
I always watch Night of the Meek and Changing of the Guard around Christmas time.
As you should!!
Excellent list! I think "The Self Improvement of Salvadore Ross" was underrated, but just my opinion. Also, "Number 12 looks just like you" is also excellent and under appreciated.
"And the best part is Val, I look just like you."
No actor could play a "hard luck" character better than Don Gordon.
I loved Piano in the House.
Such an interesting little story on how music plays on our subconscious. It’s exaggerated, but some truth to how music can flip emotions.
Definitely one of my favorites!
I'm not laughing at you Mr Fortune, you're not funny anymore.
Can I get a little help here? I remember a twilight zone episode where this guy loves zither music and wierd things, but isn't very liked by his coworkers. Then he gets a guardian angel who tries to get him to stand up for himself, so he asks the angel to make him liked by his coworkers, but that takes away all the things he likes, like zither music, so he asks the angel to take it back, and at the end, he has a new appreciation for who he is. I re-watched this list multiple times, and I can't find it. Anyone remember the name of it? The angel's name is Mr. Hempstead if that helps.
Sounds like Season 1 Episode 33: Mr. Bevis
@@maplestreetmovies thanks, found it.
Pleasantly surprised to see this one remembered! Mr. Bevis is a top 10-20 episode for me, but it tends to be one of them that folks completely forget about. Comedy isn’t one of Serling’s strong suits, but it’s just nice to see such a wholesome trip into the twilight zone.
WE JUST DISCOVERED YOUR CHANNEL ❤❤❤❤ WE LOVE IT😊
So glad to hear it! Hope you enjoy your stay!
Good list overall. However... You're no doubt sick of hearing arguments about your ranking of "To Serve Man", but I felt the need to try. "Twist" endings are a signature element of what made The Twilight Zone so beloved, and the alien cookbook may be the show's most iconic twist of all. Your main gripe appears to be the "special effects" of the aliens, which is a bit... petty. Lots of shows of the time had crappy special effects - including The Mask - yet that didn't seem to affect your ranking. The original Star Trek series had a lot of awful special effects, but some excellent stories - so critics made allowances. I would therefore challenge you to re-consider your ranking without "special effects", which is something the Twilight Zone had little control over and does not diminish the quality of the story.
My favorites: The Obsolete Man, Nothing in the Dark, Nick of Time, The Shelter, Deaths Head Revisited, The Night of the Meek, Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up, Once Upon a Time, Two, The Invaders (love how the entire story is told with little or no dialogue).
some very good ones there
Good work with this list! I really enjoy most if not all the TZ episodes but To Serve Man will always be THE episode with the cleverest twist ending. BTW the concept for the movie Jacobs Ladder always struck me to have been borrowed from Death Ship.
Well done !
Thank you!
This is the first time I’ve watched your channel. Well done young man! I’m old enough to have seen the show when it first aired. I’ve watched them over the years on tv and a few years ago purchased the entire series on dvd. Here’s my top 10: 1)Walking Distance 2)Miniature 3)Living Doll 4)The New Exhibit 5)The Hitchhiker 6)Nightmare 20,000’ 7)Willoughby 8)The After Hours 9)The Dummy 10)Little Girl Lost / Honorable Mention: The Lonely, Mirror Image, Nick of Time. As a kid, “Living Doll” and “The Hitchhiker” scared me the most!!
Thank you so much Dwight!! Great top 10! The Hitchhiker scared me too as a kid!
You are awesome for ranking all these. Thank you Nathan for doing this. I have some serious TZ episode watching to do.
@@BM_Holdings really appreciate that! Lemme know your favorites!
As prolific as a show this is, I'm surprised there's not more TZ content on youtube (maybe some copyright bs I'm not aware of). Awesome video and keep up the great work!
I agree, and hope to make more videos on it! Thank you!
Jack Klugman and Billy Mumy realy bonded during shooting In Praise of Pip and remained good friends up until Klugman's death in 2012. It was Mumy who delivered eulogy at Klugman's funeral, which was Jack's specific wish.
Mumy's father very rarely visited the set and, unlike so many child actors parents of the time, never interfered in his son's productions. One day when he did visit as it was shot on pier that he and Billy visited regularly, he was introduced to Jack Klugman, who approached him and introduced himself, and gave him a speech on how father son relationship is extremely important. Mumy's father claimed for many years that he was very moved and impressed by the encounter with Klugman.
Interesting trivia is that 32 years later Klugman appeared in movie Dear God, which co-starred Bill's son Seth.
@@miroslavtomic7038 wow!! That’s so fascinating!! Thank you for sharing!
I kept thinking Billy Mummy was a young Ron Howard…
Ron Howard did appear in The Twilight Zone episode "Walking Distance" as Martin's childhood neighbor.
Quite a feat, taking on this amount of material. Well done!
Thank you James!
I can't watch the whole video now, so I know I'll be really excited about it by the end of the day.
Yay!!
Rod Serling delivered all the warnings and yet, here we are.
Love this series. The closest feeling I've gotten to this is Black Mirror
Great list, I'd personally rank 'The New Exhibit' much higher, I think it's one of the most underrated episodes
Billy Mumy and Cloris Leechman reprised their roles in 2002 TZ series episode It's Still a Good Life. However, John Larch, who played the father in the original episode, did not return in 2002, even though he was also still alive at the time.
I know I stumbled across this episode a few weeks ago. Didn't know it existed still I didn't watch much of the new twilight zone episodes. Absolutely brilliant & that ending with the girl I didn't see coming so much like her father though the misdirection was good thinking she was going to defy her father & use her powers for good & return the world back to normal. Cloris was great & what a speech just wish she had acted on it sooner when antony was a boy like that man said that turned in to a jack in the box why didn't someone kill him wouldn't have been hard.
5 Chareters searching for an exit is my faviroute
Nice job. Several are among my "favorite episode." My favorite show of all time as well.
"Mirror Image" was the first TZ that actually scared me. I was 10 in 1979 and a little local station showed one episode every Friday night at 10. I waited breathlessly for that time each week. And the shot of Alicia's blown-off face at the end of "The Lonely" just shocked me. To this day, when I watch it, I can feel my rising anxiety as that moment approaches. "A Stop At Willoughby" was the very first TZ I saw, Christmas Eve 1978. I had heard of the show but knew nothing about it...I was enormously surprised by the reveal at the end, and when that little local station started showing TZ the next year I was hooked.
Amazing story! Glad you love it so much!
I have no idea when I first saw TZ. Probably when I emigrated here from England in the 60s. Anyway, around 80-82, they had this Twilight Zone Magazine. I grabbed every copy of that. There was a lot of Stephen King in there, but also Dennis Etchison, and others. Wonderful magazine.
I remember that magazine, even the font used on the cover!
@@EricStanway-ky9ys
got here because I was watching channel awesome's discussion about each episode - but excited to watch your ranking as well! esp all in a row .. let's go!
Thanks for visiting! I love channel awesome’s series!
@@maplestreetmovies yeah its super addictive to hear his take and research on each ep! I'm 1/2 way through this list and yeah feeling the same on a lot of your picks!
To me, Eligy and Death Ship take place in the same world, and they are two of my favorites. Kick the Can is a great story, written by George Clayton Johnson, who later would co-write Logan's Run. I agree with nearly all your picks for the "near perfect" category. I got to hang with Bill Mumy for a few days at Comic Con and he was awesome. Very generous and kind. It's Good Life is in my top 5. Also I love Walking Distance, Midnight Sun, and A Stop at Willoughby.
Great selection!!
Thanks for sharing I really appreciate your content!
Thank you! Means a lot.
Easy to rank your top 20 but to do the whole lot is a bit wild. When you began with the average or bad episodes yes I agreed with most of them in fact I've been reluctant to watch them more than once. You had 2 episodes execution & uncle Simon come in at around the 120 mark well I put these in my top 20. Execution not only had a great twist but the whole episode moved at a very fast pace never a dull moment & as for uncle Simon not only was the twist one of the best but great drama to witness the psychological effects it had on the neice when Simon was alive & now that he's dead the torture will continue. Agreed with most of your top 20. The masks for me is number one.
Great choice for a number 1!! Thank you for commenting and checking out my ranking!
This was an amazing video! You must have put a ton of effort into this. One of my favorite series ever, but I have to admit I haven’t seen every episode. A Stop at Willoughby is my number 1
Thank you so much Anthony! If I may say, it’s still the video I’m most proud of on my channel. Happy it’s still getting shared and even happier I’ve connected with so many fans!
I got very excited about #5 lol. Deaths Head Revisited is one of my all time favorite episodes and I feel like no one ever talks about it. I was very happy to see it ranked so high on your list.
I agree that it’s barely talked about! I’m not sure why either. It tackles such large issues and is so mature!
Yes, it is amazing! You have to remember that the first time the public saw the concentration camp films was in the 1961 movie Judgement at Nuremberg, so it was still fresh.
Remarkable job Sir!
Thank you.... and I am so glad you could kept breathing as you went thru your list...I almost thought you were going to pass out! LOL. Well done!!! I have them all on DVD. The Obsolete Man is probable my favorite as well...close second...The Changing of the guard. Such diverse stories thru the whole series...the best of TV. Thank you for taking the time to do this!
Judging by your taste, I would like to suggest an old movie you might not have seen. PARK ROW 1952. Wonderful on all levels.
Thank you for the kind words!! And for the movie recommendation! I’ll add it to the watchlist!
I love twilight zone. I watched them all too. Obsolete man I thought was good too, but my favorite is Walking distance
Wow! You ranked 'The Man In The Bottle' high!
Great job putting this together! What one sees in these episodes is in the eye of the beholder, of course. I'm old enough to have seen some of the episodes when they originally aired. I was around nine or ten years old at the time and back then the more fantasy-themed episodes with special effects like ‘Stopover in a Quiet Town’ were my favorites. As an old man now, I like the ones that deal with old age, longing to go back in time, etc. As a ten-year-old, “Static” would have been around the bottom of my list; now it's near the top.
Thank you so much for your comment! What an insightful thing to say, the episode is in the eye of the beholder, that’s so true! Thank you for watching, and I’m glad to speak with a life-long fan! It’s funny how I also discovered it at the same age, but in a completely different era.
Thank you for the list. Now I know where to start my binge watching. I have seen a few episodes but certainly not most.
@@darrellludlow so excited for you!
I'm glad you rated "On Thursday we leave for home" as your favorite season 4 episode, cause it's mine too. I personally think it's a top 10 episode. 👍
Yeah my fav too from season 4 & couldn't be told during the usual 25 min period. Top 20 for me along with the parallel
I’m so glad you did this! I’ve wanted this for literally years!
Yay!! Glad you enjoyed 😁
To Serve Man is my #1 pick
SO GOOD! Thanks again!
Thank you!!
It was many years ago that I watched it, but there was a pretty stewardess in the episode "Nightmare at 20 000 feet" that I fell madly in love with. We all have our reasons, I guess, but that makes it my favourite episode for now, even though I have not even seen all the other episodes... yet. 😊
so did you watch them all again...great job on the video...i will pay way more attention next year and watch your video again before the marathon begins. Happy New Year.
I watch it every year during the marathon :) thank you for watching!!
This is very impressive. The Twilight Zone is my favorite show too, and I started watching it when I was 13. I stumbled across it on Netflix, and asked my mom it I could watch it, and thought she was going to say no. She seemed a little surprised, but said yes, and here I am now, and the show has had a significant impact on me. While I have each season ranked, I don't have the entire series ranked. However, there are my bottom three and top fifteen. Also, I do collect signed trading cards, and have ones signed by Jack Klugman, Dean Stockwell, and Martin Landua, so I appreciate you showing yours.
Bottom Three
3. The Monsters are Due on Maple Street (I'm sorry, I have tried to like it, but have never been able to understand what makes it so great.)
2. The Mighty Casey
1. The Incredible World of Horace Ford
Top Fifteen
15. Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
14. Valley of the Shadow
13. The Hunt
12. Jess-Belle
11. Spur of the Moment
10. The Old Man in the Cave
9. The Shelter
8. The After Hours
7. Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
6. Miniature
5. The Masks (Had a birthday cake based off this episode)
4. A Game of Pool
3. The Obsolete Man (In terms of quality, I would consider this the best episode of the series)
2. In Praise of Pip
1. Walking Distance (Martin's Speech to his younger self after accidentally causing him to fall off the merry-go-round is such a beautiful shot. I also had a birthday cake based off this episode, and a custom made shirt dedicated to it. That's how much I love it.)
So glad to meet another TZ fan! Loved hearing your thoughts. Definitely shocked with Maple Street’s placement, but I’m sure you usually get that response 🤣 I just love how good it is at showing true human nature in such a short runtime.
Damn I definitely didn't expect To serve Man to not even make "good" status in your book!
Shocking to most! 😭
Room 22.Room for one more honey is my favorite. It still scares me.
Outstanding documentary. Thank you sir !
I think everyone has their own particular favorites, and this may change as one grows older and watches the episodes over again. For example, I don't believe that when the series debuted and I was about eight or nine years old, that the same episodes which I love today, I had loved or even liked at that young age. How could I have appreciated such gems as The Trouble with Templeton or Young Man's Fancy when I was child. Yet today, these two are among my favorites. On the other hand, Nightmare at 20,000 Feet must have been impressive to a young child, but certainly is less so to a man in his seventies.
You can appreciate something like "Young Man's Fancy" as a 9 year old, it may make you melancholy and sad for the character you don't need to relate but you may be able to as you might miss things you don't do anymore which you did when younger or may experience a sadness knowing you might be in his position someday, it reminds you your youth is limited and a young person can feel bad being reminded of that.
This is a phenomenal video. Thank you for making it. I gained exposure to a bunch of episodes that I have not seen!
Thank you so much Scott! Means a lot!
@@maplestreetmovies I loved your description of how your family developed a New Years weekend tradition around watching the Twilight Zone marathon. My family did the same.
small criticism.. I feel like you should have at least doubled the length of the video.. still great content
Appreciate the feedback! I could talk TZ all day, so I agree 😂
Wonderfully done!
Thank you! :)
I disagree with you on "Queen Of The Nile." That one gave me the creeps, but in a twisted "Twilight Zone" way. The twist was pretty neat!
I'm reminded of that episode when I watched a biopic about Charlie Chaplin. The Twilight Zone moment was when I realized that Charlie Chaplin's mother Hannah was played by his daughter Geraldine!
I've shown this one to my students and they love it! The fact that Ann Blyth is still alive today makes this one extra creepy.
It's kinda trite today, so many interactions of the same theme. Maybe it wasn't back then. Still, a great episode.
And, Ann Blythe was smokin' in that episode.
Great work!
Thank you!
The After Hours only at 58?
I definitely think it's a great episode, which shows how amazing all the other ones are!
@@maplestreetmovies Really enjoyed this. You did a great job.
Top 20 (in no particular order)
Where is Everybody?
Walking Distance
The Lonely
And When The Sky Was Opened
The Hitch Hiker
The Last Flight
A World of Difference
The After Hours
The Eye of the Beholder
Nick of Time
Shadow Play
The Midnight Sun
Nothing in the Dark
Five Characters In Search Of An Exit
The Dummy
In His Image
Miniature
Number 12 Looks Just Like You
@@gregorytyson995 awesome list. Thank you so much for watching!!
I didn't really love it either.
This is great as a directory, whether or not we agree with the rankings. Thanks for all your initiative in compiling this.
Appreciate it!
The Midnight Sun is one personal favorites. It's like an existential Mississippi seasons.
Mine too.
'TO SERVE MANKIND', ranked #74th ??!??? Really?!
YOU sir, must be the real alien, lol.
I love Come Wander with Me.
awesome video, one of my all time favourite series.
Thank you! Completely agree!
Thank you for this. I'm with you all of the way, except regarding "The Mute". It's about traumatized people (in this case a child) finding their voice. We play it in PTSD groups. It's not for everyone, but very moving for some.
That’s really cool!!
Great video. I would love to hear your rankings of the 80s and 90s Twilight Zone episodes.
Thank you! Crazy enough, I actually haven’t seen the newer series yet, but definitely a goal for someday!
@@maplestreetmovies Look forward to your list. Lots of the old ones have been redone, and tons of new ones. I'd love to hear your opinion about the classics that were redone, for example, "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street". Modern day twist to an old classic.
They’re not Martians, they’re Kanamits.
Fair enough
Plus the aliens weren’t cheesy that’s what they actually look like.
Really enjoyed this! Just Subscribed!
Thank you! Hope you enjoy your stay on Maple Street!
your best video
Well made
Appreciate that, thank you!
Walking Distance. In the top 5, in my opinion.