I only got to the original _Twilight Zone_ pilot last night. (1 Viewer)

Last year I purchased all five of Image's boxsets of The Twilight Zone. And even though I've seen the first episode, "Where Is Everybody?" (starring Earl Holliman), gosh-I-don't-know-how-many-times, only last night did I get around to the original pilot version that's included on Volume 40.

I especially loved the series-introduction special film featuring Rod Serling, made for the benefit of potential sponsors.

And what a hoot to see the pilot version of "Where Is Everybody?" itself. Different title credits (in a different font, plus the earliest version of the Twilight Zone logo), different narrator, and so on.

Funny how something so ingrained into our popular culture as is The Twilight Zone can be viewed in so different a way when one views this version of the first episode.

Behind-the-scenes stuff is fascinating, and I'm glad that "sales film" for sponsors survived.

I did see the "pilot cut" of "Where Is Everybody" once before its release on disc - Serling's own 16mm print when I was the student archivist for his collection at Ithaca College.

It was fascinating to see the shows *as broadcast* on CBS, too: many (not all) of the episodes were represented with CBS Reference Prints - fine-grain copies of the shows with original commercials, bumpers, trailers. The half hour (or hour) as actually aired.

"Rod Serling, the creator of Twilight Zone, will tell you about next week's show after this word from our alternate sponsor...."

I loved Rod Serling's pitch to the sponsors. Tremendous stuff to be unearthed after all these years. The lengthy interview with Mike Wallace/Rod Serling is also a truly fascinating inclusion in the box sets.

I'll bet we'll be seeing a lot more stuff of this caliber once Image unveils its season sets of the original series, which will hopefully (and FINALLY!) be the last incarnation we'll have to buy on DVD. I'm looking forward to the possibility of Marc Scott Zicree commentaries as well as any commentaries from surviving cast/crew they might be able to muster up. And, in my wildest dreams, perhaps most of -- if not all -- the bumpers at the end that gave us a preview of next week's show. I don't know if all have survived the ravages of old age.

I sure wish Image had already released these episodes in chronological season boxsets when I purchased them last year. Not double-dipping, though. I otherwise am very happy with the current discs, despite the grouped-together-by-theme presentation. Excellent transfers. Image clearly has respect for this work.

Because I have been collecting all the Star Trek sets, I put off TZ. I am very curious what the season box sets will contain, I hope it will have this pilot episode and it looks like this is the set to pull the trigger on.

Though there is this new Star Trek TOS season set coming, gosh darn it!

Well, I am already committed to getting the existing boxed sets having purchased Box 3 today and needing now just 4 and 5. And no way will I double dip on this no matter what comes out because I just want the luxury of watching an uncut TZ episode when I want to which these sets already give me.

I will double dip, but only because I got back nearly what I paid for these when I recently sold them on e-bay, plus I was able to enjoy them for a year. Basically a free year-long rental of every TZ episode uncut.

I will love having these in order, plus any extra bonus material will thrill me. I'm a diehard.