Twilight Zone, The: Season 1 (1959)

Sure is a better title than "The Dusk Area"

Genre: Drama Fantasy Sci-Fi Mystery Thriller Series

Starring: Established as well as up-and-coming talent.

Created By: Rod Sterling

Overview: There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone. - Opening narration

Performance:

What I enjoyed most about this show isn't how great and wonderful the actors were (and even sometimes weren't), but that there were so many recognizable faces. It's a lot like watching Tales From The Crypt in that regard, even a young Ronny Howard before he was Opie in "The Andy Griffith Show"
Rating: 7

Cinematography:

Top-quality sets and perfect technical skill makes this quite enjoyable to watch. You won't find artful film-school techniques, but you will appreciate the foundation of television's storytelling look.
Rating: 8

Script:

Americans of the Post-War boom were stupid. They couldn't get things when they were implied, they didn't even understand things when they were said. Because of these days of small towns, big families and no Internet, women couldn't really do what we today call 'learning'. That's got to be the reason why everyone in this show, in every episode, has to clearly and concisely repeat at least once, why such things are happening to them. My alternate title to this show would be "Exposition City".
Rating: 5

Plot:

My favorite episode is "The Hitch-Hiker", a creepy little story about a woman on a road trip who keeps seeing the same man trying to hitch a ride from her. No matter how fast she drives, he's always there ahead of her hauntingly asking "Going my way?". What makes this better than any of the others is the mystery of it. I might even say that the reason all the other stories are predictable is due to the fact that everyone has ripped off "The Twilight Zone"'s immortally classic tales so often that it has sullied the original. I might say that but I won't. All too strong hinting and clichés, that's the real reason.
Rating: 6

Mood:

Ultimately, there are very few shows that give me a nostalgic air of an era I've never lived in like this one. Perhaps it's the crisp print or the inclusion of a commercial or P.S.A. at the end. Maybe it's the Brylcreem, the wet-look lipstick and the poodle dresses... alright I don't remember any poodle dresses, but still, to see a show that really made me feel like I was watching what was important prime-time television in the late 50s / early 60s, it's quite enjoyable, anthropologically.
Rating: 8

Not to be mistaken with the Adult Film star 'Sterling Rod'

Overall Rating: 68% (Sometimes Dim, Sometimes Bright)

Aftertaste:

I bought three seasons of this show from a good brotha-buddy who just so happens to own a record store, and I've slowly been watching an episode here and there to pass the time between other activities. Though from time to time there's a story that all too obvious, it's still interesting to watch Rod Sterling's sly little grin as he gives us a teaser of next week's episode.