Best Twilight Zone Episodes

"Five Characters in Search of an Exit" is episode 79 of the television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on December 22, 1961. A uniformed U.S. Army major wakes up to find himself trapped inside in a large metal cylinder, where he meets a hobo, a ballet dancer, a bagpiper, and a clown. None of them have any memory of who they are or how they became trapped. The major, being the newest arrival, is the most determined to escape. He is told there is no way of either breaking through or climbing up the cylinder. The major's questioning reveals that the characters have no need for food or water.

"The Invaders" is episode 15 of season 2 (and episode 51 overall) of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. The episode, which originally aired January 27, 1961, starred Agnes Moorehead. It was written by Richard Matheson, directed by Douglas Heyes, and scored by Jerry Goldsmith. Distinctive features of this episode include a near-solo performance by one character (interacting with miniature puppet "characters"), and an almost complete lack of dialogue. The protagonist portrayed by Moorehead often cries out in pain, terror, etc., but never speaks.

"Living Doll" is the 126th episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. Annabelle buys her daughter, Christie, a wind-up doll named "Talky Tina" which says "My name is Talky Tina and I love you" in order to comfort Christie. Annabelle has recently remarried to an infertile man named Erich Streator. Frustrated at his inability to have his own children with Annabelle, Erich is hostile toward Christie. Annabelle tries to persuade him that if he gives himself the chance, he will be able to love Christie. When Erich winds up with the doll, it repeats its usual phrase but substitutes antagonisms such as "I don't like you" for "I love you". At first, Erich blames the manufacturers. However, when the doll later begins engaging him in more elaborate conversation, he comes to the conclusion that Annabelle is playing a trick to get back at him for his treatment of Christie. He places the doll in a trash can in the garage, but then receives a phone call and hears the doll's voice threatening to kill him. Checking the trash can, he finds it empty. He confronts Annabelle, but she pleads innocence and it occurs to Erich that since she was upstairs putting Christie to bed, she could not possibly have made the phone ring.

"Time Enough at Last" is the eighth episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. The episode was adapted from a short story written by Lynn Venable (pen name of Marilyn Venable). The short story appeared in the January 1953 edition of the science fiction magazine If: Worlds of Science Fiction about seven years before the television episode first aired. "Time Enough at Last" became one of the most famous episodes of the original Twilight Zone and has been frequently parodied since. It is "the story of a man who seeks salvation in the rubble of a ruined world" and tells of Henry Bemis /ˈbiːmɪs/, played by Burgess Meredith, who loves books, yet is surrounded by those who would prevent him from reading them. The episode follows Bemis through the post apocalyptic world, touching on such social issues as anti-intellectualism, the dangers of reliance upon technology, and the difference between aloneness (solitude) and loneliness.

"It's a Good Life" is episode 73 of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It is based on the 1953 short story "It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby and is considered by many, such as Time Magazine and TV Guide, to be one of the best episodes of the series. It originally aired on November 3, 1961.

"To Serve Man" is episode 89 of the anthology series The Twilight Zone.[1][2][3][excessive citations] It originally aired on March 2, 1962 on CBS. The story is based on the 1950 short story "To Serve Man", written by Damon Knight.[4] The title is a play on the verb serve, which has a dual meaning of "to assist" and "to provide as a meal". The episode is one of the few instances in the series wherein an actor breaks the fourth wall and addresses the viewing audience at the episode's end. The episode, along with the line "It's a cookbook!" have become elements in pop culture.