hen The Twilight Zone debuted on Oct. 2, 1959, few television
viewers could have predicted that it would ultimately be revered as one of
the most intelligent and influential shows in broadcast history. Yet, over
the past four decades, the program has become not only a media milestone, but
also part of American pop culture. In 1982, author Marc Scott Zicree
published The Twilight Zone Companion, an authoritative guide to the
series. An updated edition of the book was subsequently released 10 years
later, and now, in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the show, that
revised volume has been reissued.
The 466-page trade paperback covers the complete chronology of The
Twilight Zone, from creator Rod Serling's initial inspiration for the
program through its cancellation in 1964. A biographical chapter explores
Serling's background as a successful TV writer, with another short segment
tracing the show's early development. However, the bulk of the book is
devoted to a detailed study of the series' 156 episodes. Each of Serling's
memorable introductions is reprinted, along with succinct synopses of every
plot, appropriate credits and, where available, recollections from the
producer, director or a key actor. At least one black-and-white photo from
each story is also featured.
Zicree briefly touches upon Serling's later efforts too, including the
made-for-TV movie The Doomsday Flight and such programs as The
Loner and Night Gallery. A concise addendum explores the revival
of interest in The Twilight Zone during the mid-1980s, with
examinations of both Twilight Zone - The Movie and the revamped TV
show briefly aired by CBS and later rerun (with a few fresh episodes) in
syndication.
An imaginative SF oasis
In 1961, FCC chairman Newton Minow observed that television was "a vast
wasteland." The Twilight Zone Companion helps contemporary SF fans
understand precisely why The Twilight Zone was such an imaginative
oasis in that relatively barren broadcast desert.
Through in-depth conversations with the people involved in the show's
creation, Zicree infuses the book with a marvelous sense of excitement and
drama. The numerous hurdles encountered in getting the program on the air are
fully documented, including the appraisal of a proposed pilot episode titled
"The Happy Place" as being too "downbeat and depressing" and a contractual
stipulation requiring Serling to write 80 percent of the scripts for the
debut year. The author also provides candid assessments of each story,
accurately deriding the forced humor in the first season's "Mr. Bevis" and
singling out the haunting "Nothing in the Dark" (from the series'
third season) as "a thoughtful and moving statement on old age and the fear
of death."
Unfortunately, the book isn't completely perfect. A few evaluations are
overly curt, and the section devoted to the 1980s version of the series
supplies interesting behind-the-scenes information but lacks the extensive
detail lavished on the show's initial incarnation. The volume also fails to
analyze the program in terms of SF television history, completely ignoring
such early anthologies as Tales of Tomorrow and Out There, both
of which helped pave the way for the ultimate acceptance and success of
The Twilight Zone. Nevertheless, even with these flaws, The
Twilight Zone Companion is an insightful and invaluable resource,
presenting modern-day audiences with a rare opportunity to truly appreciate
the significance of this incredibly important science fiction series.
