Twilight Zone recommendation? (1 Viewer)

[David Grove]

Which box set would TZ afficionados recommend as a first purchase to someone not very familiar with the show?

Thank you.

DG

 

[JeffT.]

In my opinion THE TWILIGHT ZONE (CBS 1959-64) is one of those (classic) genre tv series where one can't really go wrong no matter where someone starts watching as there was always something of interest in evidence every season (unlike a cult tv series like STAR TREK that steadily spiraled downward in quality and exhibiting a decreasingly lack of imagination after its first season).

In this unique instance it's most definitely like the olde odage says that bad TWILIGHT ZONE is better than good most anything else on television.

However I'd recommend that you'd start from the very beginning with the first season (1959-60) DVD collection as the show's freshman year probably stands out in my mind as the series' best (winning an Emmy Award for Outstanding Dramatic Series) starting with a great opening title composed by the late Bernard Herrmann and consisting of many of the finest episodes to be produced backed up by a great ensemble guest cast of performers, superlative scripting (by Rod Serling, Richard Matheson and Charles Beaumont), Emmy Award winning cinematography by George T. Clemens and solid, innovative direction.

With most (if not all) of the episodes pretty much restored in the manner in which they were originally presented during their CBS Television Network primetime broadcasts they are now even more enjoyable than ever before.

Enjoy your viewing. You're certainly in for a real treat!

Jeff T.

 

[TravisR]

Yeah, in my opinion the first season is the best season so it would seem to be the best place to start.

If you're referring to the 'old' 9 disc collections that Image put out, I would say it doesn't really matter which one you watch first. They just have a random selection of episodes so you could pick up any of them.

 

[Craig Beam]

Another vote for Season 1: The Definitive Edition. The first 3 seasons are brilliant, but nothing beats that first set.

 

[Dane Marvin]

The first season. And try to find a copy of it somewhere that still includes the TZ Companion book. You'll be hooked after the first disc, by the way.

 

[David Grove]

Thank you.

First season Definitive edition it is (for starters).

By the way, of the very, very few episodes I have seen, one sticks in my mind. It involved a strange wager of someone's little finger on whether a cigarette lighter would light a specified number of times in a row. Peter Lorre was in it. That's about all I remember. Any idea what season that one's from?

Thanks again.

DG

 

[JeffT.]

That's definitely not an episode of THE TWILIGHT ZONE (CBS 1959-60) but most probably a segment of ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS (CBS 1955-60, NBC 1960-62) due out in a first season (1955-56) DVD collection on October 04th, 2005.

However the late Peter Lorre (June 26th, 1904 - March 23rd, 1964) didn't make a guest appearance on this classic suspense anthology tv series until its third season (1957-58).

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (Click Here).

Jeff T.

 

[David Grove]

My Bad.

You are absolutely, 100% correct. It was Hitchcock, not TZ.

Too much time has passed!

DG

 

[Tom.W]

David, the episode you described is actually from Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It's called Man from the South, and co-starred Steve McQueen. You may recall it involved McQueen betting his little finger for a convertible on the terms you described. You won't see this episode for a while in the Hitchcock release, as it aired in 1960.

I'll go along with a first season recommendation for TZ Definitive Edition. You may as well start from the beginning of a series with many outstanding episodes. But depending on your preferences for genre of storytelling, you may like the third season just as well. There are several third season eps in which Serling and Charles Beaumont really hit the pinnacle of combining frightening plotlines with realistic settings. For example, Little Girl Lost, Midnight Sun (appropriate for much of the country this summer), The Arrival. I for one am also looking forward to the 4th season with effective chillers like 30 Fathom Grave and The Parallel. It'll be fascinating to hear William Windom's commmentary on Miniature.

 

[obscurelabel]

Yet still more information on "Man from the South". this is a Roald Dahl short (very short) story and was also adapted for "Tales of the Unexpected" which was hosted by Dahl. I know some if not all of that show has been released on DVD but I don't know if this episode has been released yet.

http://www.roalddahlfans.com/shortstories/manf.php

"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (Episode 168) - Aired January 3, 1960

"Tales of the Unexpected" (Episode 1.1) - Aired March 24, 1979

 

[Kenny Neal]

Just FYI, "The Man From The South" was also adapted (as "The Man From Hollywood") for better or worse by Quentin Tarantino as one part of the film Four Rooms in 1995.

 

[JeffT.]

Since this message post has generated (some) interest be sure to let us know just which season DVD you do ultimately decide upon getting first and (of course) sharing your impressions of it (being a first time TWILIGHT ZONE viewer).

Jeff T.

 

[David Grove]

Sure.

I am going to get the first Definitive Collection of TZ.

However, to provide additional incentive to get the HT finished, I have forbidden myself from opening any new acquisitions until the build out is complete. It will be several weeks until it is finished.

In the mean time, my unopened stack is growing.

DG