The Scariest Twilight Zone Episodes
I am ready for Halloween but I'll settle for a Summerween. So today, let's take a look at some of the spookiest episodes of the iconic Twilight Zone series.
1. Howling Man
Plot twist he's actually the devil. The episode was based on the short story by Charles Beaumont published in the November 1959 issue of Rogue magazine. Beaumont had originally envisioned that the monks would keep the devil imprisoned by putting a cross in front of his cell door. Fearful of a backlash in the religious community, the producers substituted the "staff of truth" over Beaumont's objections.
2. Living Doll
Her name is Talky Tina and you better be nice to her! The doll was modeled after Chatty Cathy, a popular talking doll manufactured by Mattel at the time "Living Doll" aired and the doll used in the episode was produced by the Vogue Doll Company between 1959 and 1961 and marketed under the name "Brikette", however Brikette was a non-talker.
Fun fact: the 1988 horror film "Child's Play", which introduced us to Chucky, was partially inspired by this episode.
3. The Dummy
Starring my main man Cliff Robertson AKA the Big Kahuna. The dummy used in this episode to portray "Willy" was originally created in the 1940s by puppetmaker Revello Petee and was used later, in the 1964 Twilight Zone episode "Caesar and Me". The original dummy used in both episodes now resides in David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts in Las Vegas, along with the Cliff Robertson dummy that appears at the end of this episode.
4. Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
This episode's starrs William Shatner and Christine White each appeared in one earlier episode of the original series. The episode is based on the short story appearing in "Alone by Night" and differs from the TV episode. Directed by Richard Donner went on to direct films The Omen, Superman and The Goonies.
It was remade in the 1983 movie version of the Twilight Zone starring John Lithgow and in the 2019 series starring Adam Scott and has been parodied in pop culture numerous times.
5. Nick of Time
Now I ain't superstitious and I don't get suspicious, but William Shatner on the other hand...
Writer Richard Matheson, said that he wished that Pat Breslin (who played Pat Carter) had been available again to play the wife of Shatner's character in the season five episode "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet".
6. Twenty Two
Room for one more, honey. This episode is based on a 1906 story "The Bus Conductor" by E.F. Benson but instead of a young female star, it features a large, middle-aged male protagonist named Hugh Grainger from the English country visiting a friend in London.
7. The Rip Van Winkle Caper
Fun fact: The futuristic car carrying the couple who find the dying Farwell is a leftover prop, somewhat modified, from MGM's 1956 film Forbidden Planet.
8. The Invaders
The only dialogue in the entire episode aside from Rod Serling's usual narration came from Douglas Hayes, the episode's director. The protagonist portrayed by Agnes Moorehead often cries out in pain and terror, but never speaks.
9. The Hitch-Hiker
This episode is based on Lucille Fletcher's radio play The Hitch-Hiker.
10. The Masks
"The Masks" was directed by Ida Lupino, who had starred in the first-season episode "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine"; she was the only woman to direct an original episode of The Twilight Zone.
11. The Monsters are Due on Maple Street
The aliens are wearing uniforms left over from the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet. The episode served as a major influence on science fiction in the decades that followed. Many films drew inspiration from this episode including The Mist, directed by Frank Darabont
12. It's A Good Life
This episode is based on the 1953 short story "It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby. The opening narration of this episode is sampled in "Threatened" by Michael Jackson in his 2001 album, Invincible.
13. Night Call
Starring Gladys Cooper (who appeared in two other episodes, one famously co-starring Robert Redford) this episode is based on Richard Matheson's short story "Sorry, Right Number" which appeared in the November 1953 issue of Beyond Fantasy Fiction. This one is sure to give you goosebumps on a quiet evening home alone.
14. Stopover in a Quiet Town
Don't drink and drive...
15. The New Exhibit
Starring the iconic Martin Balsam, this episode takes advantage of the hour long format, giving us a chilling tale perfect for an October night.
You knew it was coming! Arguably the greatest Twilight Zone episode of all time. Based on Damon Knight's 1950 short story of the same title, the episode was written by Rod Serling and directed by Richard L. Bare. The 2019 Twilight Zone episode "You Might Also Like" serves as a sequel to the episode and To Serve Man has been referenced in pop culture numerous times.