10 Great Horror Anthologies You Need To Watch – Page 10

It’s hard to comprehend how ahead of its time The Twilight Zone was. During the 1950s, TV writers struggled to tackle social issues due to censor-heavy networks. 

Fortunately, The Twilight Zone’s creator, Rod Serling, got around this problem by using science fiction and fantasy elements to analyse controversial topics.

Though episodes involving the Cold War and atomic age anxiety are a product of their time, many storylines are more relevant now than ever, especially the ones centred around social conformity, mob mentalities, and humanity’s reliance on technology.

Certain premises are so riveting, they could’ve worked as pure escapism. Instead, Serling ensured every episode was infused with enough thought-provoking content to leave a lasting impression. The Twilight Zone also does a superb job of highlighting the dangers of humanity without coming across as preachy or ham-fisted.

Also, the last-minute revelations are so jaw-dropping, they often make viewers reevaluate twists from iconic movies. Everybody who lost their minds at the ending of Planet of the Apes, The Prestige, Shutter Island, and The Sixth Sense probably weren’t aware that The Twilight Zone executed these twists years earlier.

Although Serling’s masterful drama has been repeatedly remade and imitated, few horror anthologies if any can top the original Twilight Zone.