Thursday, March 24, 2011

Submitted For Your Approval


The Twilight Zone Vortex is an exploration of the television series created by Rod Serling and broadcast over the CBS Network for 156 episodes across five seasons from 1959-1964. The Vortex includes an ongoing episode guide consisting of cast and crew listings, Rod Serling's narrations, episode summaries, production history, connections to other media, and guideposts to further research. Use the Directory on the sidebar to jump to an episode or subject, or use the Archive links to read from the beginning. 

The Vortex also contains articles, lists, and other features unique in Twilight Zone fandom. The Vortex Library is a detailed listing of books, films, comic books, magazines, and audio books related to The Twilight Zone and Rod Serling's Night Gallery. The Vortex Library also lists every previously published story adapted on both series with information on first publications. The Vortex Art Gallery gathers dozens of The Twilight Zone and Night Gallery related artworks, including illustrations from books, magazines, school textbooks, and advertising. Readers can also find an ongoing, issue-by-issue guide to Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone Magazine. 

-Jordan Prejean & Brian Durant

A Note on Fair Use:
Images or textual extracts are used for research and archival purposes only. 

A Note on Source Material: 
Any published material consulted will be acknowledged within the text with which it pertains or at the end of an individual post. We make every effort to attribute information and quotes to the proper source and apologize in advance for any errors or omissions. 

A Note on Format:
Episodes are reviewed in order of original broadcast date.  Each episode listing includes title, original broadcast date, overall episode number, cast and crew listings, Rod Serling's preview (where applicable), opening, and closing narrations, an episode summary, a critical review, and notes on cross-referencing and other trivia. Each episode will have one or more labels for access from the sidebar. 
A Note on Grading:
Each episode is graded for overall quality in values of A+, A, B, C, D, and F.  Although it is impossible to grade the episodes in a completely unbiased manner, each episode will be graded on as objective a basis as possible. Fans of the show will notice that our preferences are unconventional in places, but we hope to provide a solid argument for recognizing underrated episodes and exposing shortcomings in other, more popular episodes. Here is how the grading breaks down:

A+ - The best the show has to offer. These episodes display the highest qualities of production, from originality of concept to technical execution. If we could recommend only a handful of episodes to represent The Twilight Zone, it would be the episodes bearing this grade. See label: "Top Rated Episodes."

A- High creative points for the show. These episodes represent all-around quality, possess a depth and complexity that warrants repeat viewings, and are important episodes in the show's wider cultural identity. See label: "Top Rated Episodes."

B- Very good episodes, well-written, skillfully performed, and can be watched multiple times with great enjoyment. These may lack overall strength in only one quality (writing, acting, directing, originality of concept, etc.) which prevents the episode from making a higher grade.

C- The average episodes, nothing great about them and nothing terrible, either. Solid, watchable episodes. 


D- The bad episodes. These episodes are very weak in one or more aspect(s) of conception and/or production. Many times a single poor quality (writing, acting, concept, etc.) is so profoundly poor that it will bring the entire episode down. These episodes rarely warrant a repeat viewing for any but very dedicated fans.

F- The worst episodes. These episodes fail in every respect to live up to the show's standard of quality. 


Complete List of The Twilight Zone Episodes:
The following is a complete alphabetical listing of The Twilight Zone episodes from all four incarnations of the show: original series, first revival, second revival, and third revival. 

+ = First revival (1985-1989)
* = Second revival (2002-2003)
# = Third revival (2019- )
^ = Other
Note: Original series episodes are not marked with a symbol.
Key: "Episode Title" (Season #; Overall Episode #) Original air date

A

"Act Break"+ (1;8a) 15 November 1985
"Acts of Terror"+ (3;46) 3 December 1988
"The After Hours" (1;34) 10 June 1960
"The After Hours"+ (2;28a) 18 October 1986
"Among the Untrodden"# (2;15) 25 June 2020
"And When the Sky Was Opened" (1;11) 11 December 1959
"Another Life"* (1;27) 18 December 2002
"Appointment On Route 17"+ (3;50) 31 December 1988
"Aqua Vita"+ (2;26b) 4 October 1986
"The Arrival" (3;67) 22 September 1961
"Azoth the Avenger is a Friend of Mine"* (1;10) 16 October 2002
B
"Back There" (2;49) 13 January 1961
"The Bard" (4;120) 23 May 1963
"The Beacon"+ (1;11a) 6 December 1985
"The Bewitchin' Pool" (5;156) 19 June 1964
"The Big Tall Wish" (1;27) 8 April 1960
"Black Leather Jackets" (5;138) 31 January 1964
"The Blue Scorpion"# (1;9) 23 May 2019
"Blurryman"# (1;10) 30 May 2019
"The Brain Center at Whipples" (5;153) 15 May 1964
"Burned"* (1;44) 1 April 2003
"The Burning Man"+ (1;8b) 15 November 1985
"But Can She Type?"+ (1;13b) 20 December 1985
"Button, Button"+ (1;20b) 7 March 1986
C
"Caesar and Me" (5;148) 10 April 1964
"The Call"+ (3;44) 19 November 1988
"The Card"+ (2;32a) 21 February 1987
"Cat and Mouse"+ (3;59) 4 March 1989
"Cavender is Coming" (3;101) 25 May 1962
"Chameleon"+ (1;2c) 4 October 1985
"The Changing of the Guard" (3;102) 1 June 1962
"The Chaser" (1;31) 13 May 1960
"Chosen"* (1;16) 6 November 2002
"Children's Zoo"+ (1;3b) 11 October 1985
"The Cold Equations"+ (3;51) 7 January 1989
"Cold Fusion"* (1;36) 4 March 2003
"Cold Reading"+ (1;18c) 14 February 1986
"The Collection"* (1;38) 11 March 2003
"Come Wander With Me" (5;154) 22 May 1964
"The Comedian"# (1;1) 1 April 2019
"The Convict's Piano"+ (2;30) 11 December 1986
"Cradle of Darkness"* (1;5) 2 October 2002
"Crazy as a Soup Sandwich"+ (3;63) 1 April 1989
"The Crossing"+ (3;38) 8 October 1988
"The Curious Case of Edgar Witherspoon"+ (3;36) 24 September 1988
D
"A Day in Beaumont"+ (1;24a) 11 April 1986
"Dead Man's Eyes"* (1;8) 9 October 2002
"Dead Man's Shoes" (3;83) 19 January 1962
"Dead Run"+ (1;19b) 21 February 1986
"Dead Woman's Shoes"+ (1;9a) 22 November 1985
"Dealer's Choice"+ (1;8c) 15 November 1985
"Deaths-Head Revisited" (3;74) 10 November 1961
"Death Ship" (4;108) 7 February 1963
"Developing"* (1;40) 18 March 2003
"Devil's Alphabet"+ (1;22b) 28 March 1986
"Downtime"# (2;12) 25 June 2020
"Dream Lover"* (1;4) 25 September 2002
"Dream Me a Life"+ (3;40) 22 October 1988
"Dreams for Sale"+ (1;2b) 4 October 1985
"The Dummy" (3;98) 4 May 1962
"Dust" (2;48) 6 January 1961
E
"8" (2;16) 25 June 2020
"Elegy" (1;20) 19 Feb 1960
"The Elevator"+ (1;16a) 31 January 1986
"The Encounter" (5;151) 1 May 1964
"Escape Clause" (1;6) 6 November 1959
"Evergreen"* (1;1) 18 September 2002
"Examination Day"+ (1;6a) 1 November 1985
"Execution" (1;26) 1 April 1960
"The Executions of Grady Finch"* (1;41) 7 May 2003
"Extra Innings"+ (3;37) 1 October 1988
"Eye of the Beholder" ["The Private World of Darkness"] (2;42) 11 November 1960
"Eye of the Beholder"* (1;39) 30 April 2003
F
"Fair Warning"* (1;26) 8 January 2003
"Father and Son Game"+ (3;65) 15 April 1989
"The Fear" (5;155) 29 May 1964
"The Fever" (1;17) 29 January 1960
"Five Characters In Search of an Exit" (3;79) 22 December 1961
"Found and Lost"* (1;22) 27 November 2002
"Four O'Clock" (3;94) 6 April 1962
"The Four of Us Are Dying" (1;13) 1 January 1960
"From Agnes-With Love" (5;140) 14 February 1964
"The Fugitive" (3;90) 9 March 1962
"Future Trade"* (1;21) 27 November 2002
G
"Gabe's Story"* (1;23) 11 December 2002
"A Game of Pool" (3;70) 13 October 1961
"A Game of Pool" (3;55) ? 1989
"The Gift" (3;97) 27 April 1962
"The Girl I Married"+ (2;35b) 17 July 1987
"Grace Note"+ (1;23b) 4 April 1986
"Gramma"+ (1;18a) 14 February 1986
"The Grave" (3;72) 27 October 1961
H
"Harsh Mistress"* (1;13) 30 October 2002
"Healer"+ (1;3a) 11 October 1985
"The Hellgrammite Method"+ (3;42) 5 November 1988
"He's Alive" (4;106) 24 January 1963
"Her Pilgrim Soul"+ (1;12a) 13 December 1985
"The Hitch-Hiker" (1;16) 22 January 1960
"Hocus Pocus and Frisby" (3;95) 13 April 1962
"Homecoming"* (1;42) 7 May 2003
"The Howling Man" (2;41) 4 November 1960
"How Much Do You Love Your Kid?"* (1;34) 26 February 2003
"A Human Face"# (2;17) 25 June 2020
"A Hundred Yards Over the Rim" (2;59) 7 April 1961
"The Hunt" (3;84) 26 January 1962
"Hunted"* (1;18) 13 November 2002
"The Hunters"+ (3;39) 15 October 1988
I
"I Am the Night. . .Color Me Black" (5;146) 27 March 1964
"I Dream of Genie" (4;114) 21 March 1963
"If She Dies"+ (1;5a) 25 October 1985
"The Incredible World of Horace Ford" (4;117) 18 April 1963
"In His Image" (4;103) 3 January 1963
"In Praise of Pip" (5;121) 27 September 1963
"Into the Light"* (1;29) 12 February 2003
"The Invaders" (2;51) 27 January 1961
"I of Newton"+ (1;12b) 13 December 1985
"I Shot an Arrow Into the Air" (1;15) 15 January 1960
"I Sing the Body Electric" (3;100) 18 May 1962
"It's a Good Life" (3;73) 3 November 1961
"It's Still a Good Life"* (1;31) 19 February 2003
J
"The Jeopardy Room" (5;149) 17 April 1964
"Jess-Belle" (4;109) 14 February 1963
"Joy Ride"+ (2;33a) 21 May 1987
"Judgment Night" (1;10) 4 December 1959
"The Junction"+ (2;32b) 21 February 1987
"The Jungle" (3;77) 1 December 1961
K
"Kentucky Rye"+ (1;3c) 11 October 1985
"Kick the Can" (3;86) 9 February 1962
"A Kind of a Stopwatch" (5;124) 18 October 1963
"King Nine Will Not Return" (2;37) 30 September 1960
L
"The Last Defender of Camelot"+ (1;24b) 11 April 1986
"The Last Flight" (1;18) 5 February 1960
"The Last Lap"* (1;24) 11 December 2002
"The Last Night of a Jockey" (5;125) 25 October 1963
"The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank" (3;88) 23 February 1962
"The Lateness of the Hour" (2;44) 2 December 1960
"The Leprechaun-Artist"+ (1;19a) 21 February 1986
"The Library"+ (1;22c) 28 March 1986
"The Lineman"* (1;11 & 12) 23 October 2002
"Little Boy Lost"+ (1;4a) 18 October 1985
"Little Girl Lost" (3;91) 16 March 1962
"A Little Peace and Quiet"+ (1;1b) 27 September 1985
"The Little People" (3;93) 30 March 1962
"The Little People of Kellany Woods"+ (1;14b) 3 January 1986
"Living Doll" (5;126) 1 November 1962
"The Lonely" (1;7) 13 November 1959
"Long Distance Call" (2;58) 31 March 1960
"Long Live Walter Jameson" (1;24) 18 March 1960
"The Long Morrow" (5;135) 10 January 1964
"Lost and Found"+ (2;28b) 18 October 1986
"Love Is Blind"+ (3;62) 25 March 1989
M
"The Man In the Bottle" (2;38) 7 October 1960
"Many, Many Monkeys"+ (3;61) 18 March 1989
"The Masks" (5;145) 20 March 1964
"A Matter of Minutes"+ (1;15c) 24 January 1986
"Meet in the Middle"# (2;11) 25 June 2020
"Memories"+ (3;41) 29 October 1988
"Memphis"* (1;33) 26 February 2003
"A Message From Charity"+ (1;6b) 1 November 1985
"The Midnight Sun" (3;75) 17 November 1961
"The Mighty Casey" (1;35) 17 June 1960
"The Mind and the Matter" (3;63) 12 May 1961
"The Mind of Simon Foster"+ (3;57) 18 February 1989
"Miniature" (4;110) 21 February 1963
"The Mirror" (3;71) 20 October 1961
"Mirror Image" (1;21) 26 February 1960
"The Misfortune Cookie"+ (1;14c) 3 January 1986
"Monsters"+ (1;15a) 24 January 1986
"The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street" (1;22) 4 March 1960
"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street"* (1;32) 19 Febuary 2003
"A Most Unusual Camera" (2;46) 16 December 1960
"Mr. Bevis" (1;33) 3 June 1960
"Mr. Denton on Doomsday" (1;3) 16 October 1959
"Mr. Dingle, the Strong" (2;55) 3 March 1961
"Mr. Garrity and the Graves" (5;152) 8 May 1964
"Mr. Motivation"* (1;19) 20 November 2002
Mute" (4;107) 21 January 1963
N
"Need to Know"+ (1;21a) 21 March 1986
"Nervous Man In a Four Dollar Room" (2;39) 14 October 1960
"The New Exhibit" (4;115) 4 April 1963
"A Nice Place to Visit" (1;28) 15 April 1960
"Nick of Time" (2;43) 18 November 1960
"Night Call" (5;139) 7 February 1964
"The Night of the Meek"(2;47) 23 December 1960
"The Night of the Meek"+ (1;13a) 20 December 1985
"The Night Route"* (1;6) 2 October 2002
"Nightcrawlers"+ (1;4c) 18 October 1985
"Nightmare As a Child" (1;29) 29 April 1960
"Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (5;123) 11 October 1963
"Nightmare at 30,000 Feet"# (1;2) 1 April 2019
"Nightsong"+ (2;27b) 11 October 1986
"Ninety Years Without Slumbering" (5;132) 20 December 1963
"Not All Men"# (1;7) 9 May 2019
"Nothing In the Dark" (3;81) 5 January 1962
"No Time Like the Past" (4;112) 7 March 1963
"Number 12 Looks Just Like You" (5;137) 24 January 1964
O
"The Obsolete Man" (2;65) 2 June 1961
"An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge" (5;142) 28 February 1964
"The Odyssey of Flight 33" (2;54) 24 February 1961
"Of Late I Think Of Cliffordville" (4;116) 11 April 1963
"The Old Man In the Cave" (5;127) 8 November 1963
"The Once and Future King"+ (2;25a) 27 September 1986
"Once Upon a Time" (3;78) 15 December 1961
"One For the Angels" (1;2) 9 October 1959
"One Life, Furnished In Early Poverty"+ (1;11b) 6 December 1985
"One More Pallbearer" (3;82) 12 January 1962
"One Night At Mercy"* (1;2) 18 September 2002
"On Thursday We Leave For Home" (4;118) 2 May 1963
"Opening Day"+ (1;10c) 29 November 1985
"Our Selena Is Dying"+ (3;43) 12 November 1988
"Ovation"# (2;14) 25 June 2020
P
"Paladin of the Lost Hour"+ (1;7b) 8 November 1985
"The Parallel" (4;113) 14 March 1963
"A Passage For Trumpet" (1;32) 20 May 1960
"Passage On the Lady Anne" (4;119) 9 May 1963
"The Passersby" (3;69) 6 October 1961
"The Path"* (1;25) 8 January 2003
"A Penny For Your Thoughts" (2;52) 3 February 1961
"People Are Alike All Over" (1;25) 25 March 1960
"Perchance to Dream" (1;9) 27 November 1959
"Personal Demons"+ (1;18b) 14 February 1986
"Person Or Persons Unknown" (3;92) 23 March 1962
"Pharoah's Curse"* (1;37) 23 April 2003
"A Piano In the House" (3;87) 16 February 1962
"Placebo Effect"* (1;35) 2 April 2003
"Point of Origin"# (1;8) 16 May 2019
"The Pool Guy"* (1;9) 16 October 2002
"The Prime Mover" (2;57) 24 March 1961
"Printer's Devil" (4;111) 28 February 1963
"Private Channel"+ (2;33c) 21 May 1987
"Probe 7, Over and Out" (5;129) 29 November 1963
"Profile In Silver"+ (1;20a) 7 March 1986
"The Purple Testament" (1;19) 12 February 1960
Q
"A Quality of Mercy" (3;80) 29 December 1961
"Quarantine"+ (1;17b) 7 February 1986
"Queen Of the Nile" (5;143) 6 March 1964
R
"Red Snow"+ (1;21b) 21 March 1986
"Rendezvous In a Dark Place"+ (3;60) 12 March 1989
"Replay"# (1;3) 11 April 2019
"Rewind"* (1;28) 5 February 2003
"Ring-A-Ding Girl" (5;133) 27 December 1963
"The Rip Van Winkle Caper" (2;60) 21 April 1961
"The Road Less Travelled"+ (2;31) 18 December 1986
"Room 2426"+ (3;56) 11 February 1989
S
"Sanctuary"* (1;20) 20 November 2002
"A Saucer of Loneliness"+ (2;25b) 27 September 1986
"The Self Improvement of Salvadore Ross" (5;136) 17 January 1964
"Sensuous Cindy"* (1;17) 13 November 2002
"The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms" (5;130) 6 December 1963
"Shades Of Guilt"* (1;3) 25 September 2002
"Shadow Man"+ (1;10a) 29 November 1985
"Shadow Play" (2;62) 5 May 1961
"Shadow Play"+ (1;23a) 4 April 1986
"Shatterday"+ (1;1a) 27 September 1985
"The Shelter" (3;68) 29 September 1961
"Shelter Skelter"+ (2;33b) 21 May 1987
"A Short Drink From a Certain Fountain" (5;131) 13 December 1963
"Showdown With Rance McGrew" (3;85) 2 February 1962
"The Silence" (2;61) 28 April 1961
"Six Degrees of Freedom"# (1;6) 2 May 2019
"The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine" (1;4) 23 October 1959
"Small Talent For War"+(1;15b) 24 January 1986
"A Small Town"# (2;18) 25 June 2020
"Something In the Walls"+ (3;54) 28 January 1989
"Song Of the Younger World"+ (2;35a) 17 July 1987
"Sounds and Silences" (5;147) 3 April 1964
"Special Service"+ (3;64) 8 April 1989
"Spur Of the Moment" (5;141) 21 February 1964
"The Star"+ (1;13c) 20 December 1985
"Static" (2;56) 10 March 1961
"Steel" (5;122) 4 October 1963
"Still Life"+ (1;14a) 2 January 1986
"Still Valley" (3;76) 24 November 1961
"A Stop At Willoughby" (1;30) 6 May 1960
"Stopover In a Quiet Town" (5;150) 24 April 1964
"The Storyteller"+ (2;27a) 11 October 1986
"Stranger In Possum Meadow"+ (3;52) 14 January 1989
"Street Of Shadows"+ (3;53) 21 January 1989
"Sunrise"* (1;43) 21 May 2003
T
"Tagged"* (1;30) 12 February 2003
"Take My Life. . .Please!"+ (1;22a) 28 March 1986
"Teacher's Aid"+ (1;7a) 8 November 1985
"There Was An Old Woman"+ (3;48) 17 December 1988
"A Thing About Machines" (2;40) 28 October 1960
"Third From the Sun" (1;14) 8 January 1960
"The Thirty-Fathom Grave" (4;104) 10 January 1963
"Time and Teresea Golowitz"+ (2;34a) 10 July 1987
"The Time Element"^ 24 November 1958
"Time Enought At Last" (1;8) 20 November 1959
"Time Lapse"* (1;7) 9 October 2002
"Tooth Or Consequences"+ (1;16c) 31 January 1986
"To Protect and Serve"* (1;15) 6 November 2002
"To See the Invisible Man"+ (1;16b) 31 January 1986
"To Serve Man" (3;89) 2 March 1962
"The Toys Of Caliban"+ (2;29) 4 December 1986
"The Trade-Ins" (3;96) 20 April 1962
"The Trance"+ (3;45) 26 November 1988
"A Traveler"# (1;4) 18 April 2019
"The Trouble With Templeton" (2;45) 9 December 1960
"The Trunk"+ (3;49) 24 December 1988
"Try, Try"# (2;19) 25 June 2020
"20/20 Vision"+ (3;47) 10 December 1988
"Twenty-Two" (2;53) 10 February 1961
"Two" (3;66) 15 September 1961
U
"The Uncle Devil Show"+ (1;10b) 29 November 1985
"Uncle Simon" (5;128) 15 November 1963
"Upgrade"* (1;14) 30 October 2002
V
"Valley Of the Shadow" (4;105) 17 January 1963
"Voices In the Earth"+ (2;34b) 10 July 1987
W
"Walking Distance" (1;5) 30 October 1959
"The Wall"+ (3;58) 25 February 1989
"Welcome to Winfield"+ (1;17a) 7 February 1986
"What Are Friends For?"+ (2;26a) 4 October 1986
"What's In the Box?" (5;144) 13 March 1964
"What You Need" (1;12) 25 December 1959
"Where Is Everybody?" (1;1) 2 October 1959
"The Who of You"# (2;13) 25 June 2020
"The Whole Truth" (2;50) 20 January 1961
"Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" (2;64) 26 May 1961
"Wish Bank"+ (1;4b) 18 October 1985
"Wong's Lost and Found Emporium"+ (1;9b) 22 November 1985
"Word Play"+ (1;2a) 4 October 1985
"The World Next Door"+ (2;28c) 18 October 1986
"A World Of Difference" (1;23) 11 March 1960
"A World Of His Own" (1;36) 1 July 1960
"The Wunderkind"# (1;5) 25 April 2019
X
None
Y
"Ye Gods"+ (1;5b) 25 October 1985
"You Drive" (5;134) 3 January 1964
"You Might Also Like"# (2;20) 25 June 2020
"Young Man's Fancy" (3;99) 11 May 1962
Z
None

--Be sure to also visit the Vortex Library