Second Thoughts…

As the title suggests, I'm having some second thoughts. It concerns a commitment I made a few months ago. I made this commitment with the best of intentions, with a strong and fervent desire to see it through. The thing is, I didn't think it would be this hard. Truth be told, I'm having a helluva time sticking to my guns. I'm seriously considering throwing in the towel and calling it a day.

What the hell am I talking about, you ask?

As The Twilight Zone's 50^th anniversary approached, I made the rather ambitious decision to put myself on an "anniversary celebration schedule," in which I would watch all 156 episodes on their respective anniversaries. I would only watch one episode per week, perfectly mimicking the original broadcast schedule (including repeats), for five years. I actually avoided the series entirely for well over a year in anticipation of this undertaking, leaving my glorious Definitive Edition DVD sets to gather dust on the shelf. October 2^nd, the glorious 50^th anniversary of the series' debut on CBS, couldn't come fast enough and, once it did, I was in heaven… and have continued to be, for half an hour each week, for the past 11 weeks.

Until now. You see, there's no episode to celebrate this week. On 12/18/1959, the show was pre-empted by "Iran: Brittle Ally" with Edward R. Murrow (the show was pre-empted a number of times throughout its run… the next one happened on 4/22/1960).

Perhaps it's no coincidence that I'm questioning my commitment to this viewing schedule in the same week that there's no episode to watch. What's the problem, you (impatiently) ask? Why, I'm Zone-dependent, an anxiety-ridden addict, and this one-episode-per-week thing is leaving me seriously Zone-deprived. I crave more. I need more. The thought of not seeing "Shadow Play" for a year and a half just kills me. Worse, "Death Ship" is over THREE YEARS away!

What to do? Well, perhaps I can have the best of both worlds. I could still watch each episode on its 50^th anniversary, but I could also give myself permission to watch as many other episodes as I want from week to week. But... wouldn't that dilute the experience? As I stated in an earlier entry, I committed to this schedule for the express purpose of experiencing the show just as it was originally presented, and hopefully gaining new insight into the show as a result. At first, I enjoyed the resultant anticipation, excitedly counting down the days until the next episode… but lately it's been more frustrating than anything else. Chalk it up to my immediate-gratification-oriented generation, or perhaps my individual lack of patience; either way, the dearth of Zone in my life is starting to drive me crazy. Those beautiful DVD sets just sit there, crying out for attention, and I must turn a perpetually deaf ear to their pleas. And yet, to cave in and give up only 11 weeks in…. well, that would make me pretty weak, wouldn't it?

*Sigh* I dunno. What to do, what to do?

Perhaps a compromise is in order here. Perhaps I could "gift" myself a free episode whenever there's a hole in the schedule (like this week, for example). And since it's almost Christmas, this would allow me to watch "The Night of the Meek," which I usually watch every holiday season (along with A Christmas Story, It's a Wonderful Life, A Charlie Brown Christmas, etc) but was planning to skip because of this so-called "anniversary celebration schedule."

Funny… it's feeling less like a celebration and more like a form of masochism. The Twilight Zone is by far my favorite TV series of all time (and frankly, I love it even more than my favorite movie of all time, Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo), and maybe this experiment, or endeavor, or whatever the hell it is… well, maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all. All this self-denial can't be good for the soul. Bottom line --- if I'm not enjoying it, then there's something seriously wrong.

Hence… second thoughts.

TZ Promo: "Where Is Everybody?" (10/02/59)

"Hey! Where is everybody???"

Here's where it all started. The very first Twilight Zone episode, first broadcast exactly 50 years ago today.

TV guide listing, 10/02/1959 (thanks to Bill Huelbig for the scan).

Actor Earl Holliman, Producer William Self, Writer/Creator Rod Serling.

I had the flu when I was about 12 (or thereabouts). I had a tiny little black and white TV in my room, positioned near the head of my bed. As it happened, local channel KPTV-12 ran "Where Is Everybody?" that night, and of course I watched it. For the rest of the night, I faded in and out of consciousness in a kind of delusional fever dream, in which I wandered around in a town without people. It was surreal, let me tell ya. I've only been sick enough to cause hallucinations two other times in my life, and both of them happened in the last five years.... stories for another time.

Tonight at 7:00. I can't wait.

Profile in Newsprint

So tomorrow is the big day: The Twilight Zone turns 50. I was thrilled to see that my local paper, The Oregonian, ran a story on the event, complete with a really cool background swirl design:


Sadly, the idiot at The Associated Press who wrote the article didn't do his homework. He (or she) lists the final episode as "The Passersby." Everybody (okay, maybe not everybody) knows that "The Passersby" was a third season episode which aired in 1961, not 1964 as the article claims. The final episode to air was "The Bewitchin' Pool" in 1964.

Aside from that glaring error, it's not a bad little piece, if a bit cursory and, well, fluffy. But hey, when was the last time a picture of Rod Serling showed up in the local paper? Anything to draw attention to The Twilight Zone, anniversary or otherwise, is okay by me.

A far superior (and factually correct) article, which also sprung from the eager loins of The Associated Press, can be found here.

Further Consolation Prizes...

I spent most of yesterday morning (Sunday, 9/27) scouring eBay for more Twilight Zone Magazines, and was able to add several more issues to my collection for very little money. They were acquired from a couple of different sellers over multiple auctions, so I don't have a single picture handy (how would I?). I can report, however, that my total now stands at 35 out of 60 issues acquired. I'm more than halfway there! I've decided to take a break at this point. My wife's reaction was less than trusting (I believer her words were something along the lines of "Yeah, right. Uh-huh.").

My happiest Sunday acquisition was this particular issue:


February 1984. The first issue I ever bought (remembered in detail in a previous entry). I can't wait till it arrives... it'll be like going back in time.

In any case, most of the sting from my back-to-back eBay defeats (see previous entries) is gone. I think I'm sufficiently consoled at this point. Now I can get back to anxiously awaiting TZ's 50th anniversary (four days from now!)....

50th Anniversary Musings...

October 2 is less than three weeks away, and I’m getting excited. I’ve already scheduled the day off from work, and I’ll have the house to myself. My plan is to immerse myself in All Things Zone leading up to my viewing of the pilot episode (“Where Is Everybody?”) at exactly 10:00 pm, precisely 50 years after its original broadcast. This viewing will kick off a five-year marathon in which I’ll watch all 156 episodes on their respective 50th anniversaries (see previous entry for details).

So far, my daylong anniversary celebration will include a viewing of the excellent American Masters documentary on Rod Serling (titled, appropriately enough, Submitted for Your Approval), as well as The Time Element, an episode of Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse that was originally intended to launch The Twilight Zone but ultimately didn’t (long story; I won’t recount it here). I thought about doing a countdown of my ten favorite episodes, but then I’d be watching ten of the episodes early and out of sequence. I also thought about watching 1983’s Twilight Zone: The Movie, or maybe some episodes of the 80’s revival series, but the more I thought about it, the more convinced I became that the day should focus exclusively on classic Zone. I dunno, maybe I’ll re-read one of the Serling biographies for part of the day and listen to my extensive collection of TZ music to kill some time.

I really wish (and this is gonna sound pathetic) that I had someone to share this day with. My wife couldn’t care less (and honestly, why would she?). My good friend (and fellow Zone fanatic) Bill Huelbig lives across the country, and my local friends aren’t really fans of the show. There are celebrations happening, but as far as I know, nothing in my neck of the woods. So yeah, I’ll be celebrating this anniversary solo. Damn, I need to find myself some local TZ fans to hang with.

There are several cool items being released in the next few months, all commemorating the anniversary. Already available is a TZ postage stamp, released as part of a sheet of stamps commemorating several vintage TV shows (I Love Lucy, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, etc.; I bought two sheets).

Hallmark is releasing a Christmas ornament in the form of a miniature TV set that lights up and plays the theme music. It comes out in October, and yes, it will be hanging on my tree this year (I’ll likely buy a second one to keep displayed in my office year round).

Three episode-specific bobbleheads are coming in October/November from a company called Bif Bang Pow!, which look amazing.

I saw something online about an interactive DVD game (along the lines of the Scene It? DVD games, several of which we own and quite enjoy), but I haven’t been able to verify a release date.

A few new TZ t-shirts popping up for sale online, from a company called Trevco.

Lastly, some classy clothing items are being made available by The Rod Serling Memorial Foundation (baseball cap, polo shirt, etc).

So… lots of items to be acquired. I might need to sell a kidney on eBay to stay caught up.

What DOESN’T seem to be coming in time for the anniversary, however, is a blu-ray release of the series, which really bugs me. Don’t get me wrong, the existing Definitive Edition DVD sets are absolutely stellar, but the episodes will look even more spectacular in true high definition (for example, the original Star Trek series looks staggeringly pristine on blu-ray). And this is the FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY, for Rod’s sake. I wonder if the sluggish economy is to blame…? Oh well, maybe next year. I can wait. There’s time. Time, time, time enough at last. All the time I need, and all the time I want. *

And while I’m griping, why the hell isn’t there a Rod Serling action figure by now? Sheesh. Maybe a Serling bobblehead will show up, assuming this BifBangPow! company makes it beyond their first three. Fingers and toes are duly crossed.

*Yeah, another TZ pun, but less obscure than the last one.

A Plan Forms...

It’s seventeen months later, and I still haven’t watched my Definitive Edition DVDs beyond a few isolated episodes. But hear me out, torch-bearers! I have a good reason. Friday, October 2 of this year (2009) will be the precise 50th anniversary of the premiere of the series. My plan is this: I will watch one episode per week, matching the original airdates, for five years. Thanks to the invaluable Complete Twilight Zone Network Broadcast History (thoughtfully compiled by "Dan Hollis" over at The Twilight Zone Cafe), I can mirror the schedule exactly, repeats and all.

Obsessive compulsive? Absolutely. My good friend Bill Huelbig did it a few years back with The Outer Limits (for that series’ 40th anniversary), so why not me? To the cynical, this may sound like a spectacular excuse to procrastinate my way around an earlier commitment, but I disagree. Saving the series in order to more dramatically celebrate its golden anniversary…. well, it just feels right.

The Network Broadcast History mentioned above can be found here.