Ranking the Original ‘Twilight Zone’ Seasons, From Worst to Best
In any anthology series, even one as accomplished as The Twilight Zone, there is an inherent level of inconsistency throughout its run.
Rod Serling‘s masterpiece is brimming with iconic episodes and twist endings, yet not every season in this stellar series maintains the same level of quality. Seasons 1-3 exhibit remarkably excellent consistency, especially considering the constraints and demands of the medium.
The introduction of The Twilight Zone as an hour-long show in Season 4 proved to be a flawed concept, and Serling was notably more burnt out by the time Season 5 arrived, even though the series returned to its initial half-hour format.
But which season of the CBS show reigns supreme?
Explore our ranking of all five seasons of the original The Twilight Zone.
5. Season 4
Season 4 earns the “worst” label primarily due to the regrettable format change of extending episodes to an hour. Nevertheless, there are a few episodes in this season that we genuinely adore—specifically, “In His Image,” “Valley of the Shadow,” “Miniature,” and “On Thursday We Leave For Home.” In my opinion, these episodes, particularly “Miniature” (starring Robert DuVall), stand out as top-tier. However, the inclusion of the lackluster “Incredible World of Horace Ford” episode, the uninspired stories, and the unfortunate choice of an hour-long format within a single episode creates a detrimental combination, solidifying this season as the least impressive in an otherwise masterful series.
Favorite episode: “Printer’s Devil”
4. Season 5
Season 5 improves upon Season 4 but falls slightly short of the first three seasons. The latter half has underrated gems like “The Long Morrow,” “The Jeopardy Room,” and “I Am The Night Color Me Black.” Highlights include “Number 12 Looks Just Like You” and “The Masks.” However, Season 5 shows signs of fatigue, possibly due to Season 4 issues. Writer Charles Beaumont’s absence, owing to illness, is notable. “Number 12 Looks Just Like You” stands out, adapted from Beaumont’s story by someone else. More contributions from Beaumont and Richard Matheson would have benefited the season, especially considering Rod Serling’s weariness.
Favorite episode: “Living Doll”
3. Season 3
The third season of The Twilight Zone is chock-full of bangers and features most of the series’ darker tales. Although it is the series’ longest season, it has some high highs that only greatly emphasize the season’s lowest lows and are evident in the stale stories we would see permeate Season 4. Rod Serling, overseeing and scripting the majority of episodes, was a writing machine for The Twilight Zone. However, by the latter end of the season, burnout becomes apparent. While Season 3 remains excellent television with many great and 10 out of 10 episodes, there’s a noticeable drop in consistency compared to Seasons 1 and 2.
Favorite episode: “A Game of Pool”
2. Season 2
The Twilight Zone‘s second season mostly maintains the momentum of the first; it contains some of the franchise’s most iconic stories, including “The Eye of the Beholder” and “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?”. Cost-cutting measures led to a dip in video quality for a brief run of episodes, but while the picture suffers, the quality of storytelling remains consistent. The season also features the classic episode “The Obsolete Man,” a dystopian tale that remains relevant today.
Favorite episode: “The Howling Man”
1. Season 1
In the first season of The Twilight Zone, episodes exuded freshness and delivered a continuous stream of some of the best episodes the franchise has ever seen. It felt as though Serling and the writers were brimming with concepts, struggling to capture them all in just thirty-six episodes. Season 1 boasts perhaps the highest number of iconic episodes. If one had to showcase a season as the epitome of The Twilight Zone at its best, Season 1 would be the prime choice. Seasons 2 and 3 carry on this greatness, each featuring a solid collection of absolute classics as they strive to match the creative abundance established in the beginning. But the consistency of the first season is unmatched, as that’s when ideas were at their freshest.
Favorite episode: “Walking Distance”
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