The content of this website usually consists of reviews for new release feature films, modern television shows, and semi-obscure horror films. Thus, I rarely get to review a true classic. I'm not talking about a cult classic, I'm talking about a true classic project which has stood the test of time and is truly revered. Well, I'm finally getting that chance with The Twilight Zone: Season 1.

The Twilight Zone premiered on October 2, 1959. The show wasn't the first to do what it did, but it quickly became the best. The series was an anthology show, in which each episode featured a different, unique, independent story. The show was created by Rod Serling, and he served as on-screen host and narrator of the series. The storylines often contained a science-fiction slant, but to truly call the show sci-fi would be a mistake. In essence, most of the shows featured what, on the surface, would be considered drama. However, the plot would soon reveal something fantastic and supernatural which would take it in a different direction. While some episodes were unsettling, it would be inaccurate to label the show as horror. The series quickly became known for its use of twist endings. The stories would lead the viewer in one direction, and suddenly, usually in the last minute of the show, a shocking ending would be revealed. It could be argued that Serling lifted this story-telling device from something like EC Comics, but it became the show's trademark, and we still call a twist ending a "Twilight Zone Ending".

As noted above, when The Twilight Zone premiered, it wasn't exactly original, as there had already been science-fiction anthology shows on TV. However, the quality of the series was unsurpassed. I don't think that most people today realize what a talented writer Rod Serling was or that he actually wrote 19 episodes in the first season. The others were written by the likes of Charles Beaumont or Richard Matheson, or adapted by Serling from their stories. (This trio would be responsible for writing the bulk of the episodes as the series continued.) This writing power certainly gave the show an edge. Serling was also able to attract talented actors for the show, some of whom were famous at the time and some of whom are familiar today. The show also included some (moderately) good production values.

Unlike some television series, The Twilight Zone was good from the outset, and Season 1 contains some classics, some of which I'd seen and some of which were new. This is obviously debatable, but the best known episode included here is most likely "Time Enough at Last", in which Burgess Meredith plays a man who loves reading more than anything else. Other well-known shows are; "Mirror Image", in which a woman is convinced that she's seen her twin; "The Hitch-Hiker", which was clearly a huge influence on Creepshow 2; and "The After Hours", which could simply be called "that mannequin episode". The episodes included here contain a nice mix of outer-space sci-fi, modern tales, and a few set in the past.

Again, the writing in The Twilight Zone has really stood the test of time. Of course, many of the stories seem very familiar, even cliched today, as we've seen them copied over and over again throughout the years. This new release should be a great way for younger viewers to discover the legacy of the show. My one fear is that the aged look of The Twilight Zone that it may scare some of them off. The show's sets aren't convincing in some episodes, and, at times, the pacing is incredibly slack. (I couldn't believe how slow "Time Enough at Last" was -- it squeezed about 8 minutes of story into 25 minutes.) But, in the end, the quality of the writing should win out.

The Twilight Zone: Season 1 loves some twist endings on Blu-ray Disc courtesy of Image Entertainment. The five-disc set contains all 36 episodes from the show's first season. The episodes have been letterboxed at 1.33:1 and the Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD transfer which runs at an average 20 Mbps. The image is sharp and clear, with most episodes showing slight to mild grain. Some shows display some very mild defects from the source material, most black or white specs. The black and white photography looks grand. The dark tones are rich and true and the image is never overly dark. The level of detail is good, although the depth is somewhat lacking. The Disc features a Linear PCM 2-channel track which runs at 48 kHz and a constant 1.5 Mbps. (The viewer gets the option of the original audio or a remastered track. Both have the same specs and there really isn't much difference between the two.) The track provides clear dialogue and sound effects. The audio is crisp and displays no overt hissing or pops. It's not very detailed, but it certainly does the job.

The Twilight Zone: Season 1 Blu-ray Disc set should be the ultimate edition for fans of the series. I can't say this for sure, but this set appears to have every extra from previous releases, along with some new ones. In short, every episode has at least one special feature, while most have multiple extras. These include AUDIO COMMENTARIES by actors involved in various shows, as well as new COMMENTARIES by historian Marc Scott Zicree and a host of others. A 1975 lecture by Serling from Sherwood Oaks College accompanies some episodes, and this sort of serves as a commentary. 18 episodes have "Radio Drama" companion pieces in which we hear an audio dramatization of the show performed by some familiar names. 34 of the episodes have isolated music scores. Video and audio interviews with the actors involved in some shows are included. The episode "What You Need" was originally done on an earlier show entitled Tales of Tomorrow and that presentation is included here. Each episode ends with Rod Serling's tease of the next week's show. The original unaired pilot of "Where is Everybody?", which has been on previous releases, is on the Disc. We get footage of Emmy broadcasts where the show won. Finally, the most important new extra is the never-before-released pilot (pre-pilot?), which is an episode called "The Time Element". While this is very similar to the other shows, this one is hosted by Desi Arnaz. This is a must-see for fans.