The Outer Limits Versus the Twilight Zone

3-2-06

[Indy Pendance]

The Outer Limits Versus the Twilight Zone, which is better?

[darkwing104]

Night Gallery

[Dog Gone]

Dang, close call. Both were terrific.

Rod Serling gives the edge to Twilight Zone, I guess, but Outer Limits had some awesome episodes.

Puts American Idol to shame.

[VastRWCon]

A freeper, a post, and a cold winter night, only you can find the answer in "The Twilight Zone".

[weegee]

Both original series are far superior to the modern versions.

[MinorityRepublican]

Both are damned good. Too bad there aren't new shows like this anymore.

[indcons]

Agreed 100%

[Dominic Harr]

Twilight Zone.

Then Night Gallery.

*Then* the Outter Limits.

IMHO. :-D

[andysandmikesmom]

Well, I have always enjoyed both, but my favorite particular episodes come from the TwilightZone...My all time favorite episode of all time, in this type of TV program, was the episode entitled, 'To Serve Man'...

This is the episode where giant visitors from outer space visit earth, and bring along a book, that needs to be translated...the translation of the title of the book, is 'To Serve Man', and all the worlds leaders and people believe this is a statement made by the aliens, that the aliens believe themselves to be in service to help man...

People swarm to the aliens ships, hoping to visit the alien home planet...few return, and its supposed they love it so much...some of the translators are left behind, and continue on, in translating the text of the book...

One of the male translators is now in line, to board a ship to go to the aliens home planet...his female translator pal, runs to the airport, screaming something to the effect, of "Dont Board the Ship"...'To Serve Man', is a cookbook....

YIKES....loved that episode, as did my boys...

[Snoopers-868th]

How about Lights Out, remember that one?

[Indy Pendance]

"Puts American Idol to shame."

Scared the bejebbers out of me.

[Indy Pendance]

The outer limits had better graphics.

[jazusamo]

The Twilight Zone but I was partial to The Alfred Hitchcock show.

[Dominic Harr]

How about Lights Out, remember that one?

I'm sorry, I don't know that by name -- which one was that?

[drjimmy]

One Step Beyond

[Indy Pendance]

Well, slap me silly, I didn't realize there were remakes. I'm not surprised. Hollywood can't think of anything original lately.

[usmcobra]

I used to hide under my bed when the Outer Limits first came on.

I'm still p*$$ed that my Dad used to watch it.

[FreeReign]

The Outer Limits Versus the Twilight Zone, which is better?

Which one better served man?

[HitmanLV]

The Outer Limits.

I am not a big fan of Rod and tend to think TZ is overrated. I find his writing style tedious and heavy-handed. People speak at each other in brief monologues, rather than speaking with each other. it's distracting. The best Zones are the ones he didn't write: usually Richard Matheson and others are penning the really great TZ episodes.

Rod isn't subtle, either. His original draft of 'Planet of the Apes' really sucks because he had ape society mirror our own almost exactly. It gets so clumsy and heavy after a while. The finished 'Planet of the Apes' handled it much better - the ape society was different than ours yet it reminded us of ours. Much more powerful and effective.

Also almost every Zone episode is a one trick pones that can be conveyed in about 30 seconds. It's a 30 second idea stretched into 30 minutes - UGH! To really see how bad it is, try watching some of the hour episodes - a 30 second idea stretched to 60 minutes. TZ is nowhere near as good as its reputation, and except for some memorable scenes or very good acting performances, replay value is very low.

The best Twilight Zones are up there with the best of tv in its era, and some in any era. That's only 10-15% of the episodes, though. Outer Limits had fewer episodes but about 75%+ are up there with the best tv in its era. Well crafted and well paced shows, with cool aliens. A much more satisfying series.

[NCC-1701]

I always was of the opinion that The Outer Limits was a lukewarm Twilight Zone. The Zone dominated. Still does. Morality plays with a twist. Rod Serling was great at that. Any opinions to the contrary and you'll be wished into the corn field.