With a show like The Twilight Zone, full of numerous classic stories, there are a few episodes I feel receive far more credit than they deserve. I want to stress that these episodes are NOT necessarily bad--they simply aren't as good as critics and fans make them out to be. You can check out my full review for each episode if you feel so inclined. Also, I think it goes without saying, but this list is my personal opinion. If you don't agree, well, feel free to cry about it on Tumblr. Now, without further ado, I present the most overrated episodes of The Twilight Zone!
Honorable Mention: Deaths-Head Revisted (Season 3, Episode 9) - A poignant episode that has had its greatness greatly exaggerated. It just narrowly misses the list.
10: Long Distance Call (Season 2, Episode 22)
This episode simply wasted its potential. The entire premise is surprisingly scary, but they chose not to capitalize on it--either because they were holding back or didn't want to go in that direction. Other parts of the story are bizarre and cliched so there's that too. I will add the caveat that, this and one other episode, I debated their "classic" status. In the end, I figure this episode is aired frequently enough and appears to be essential TZ viewing. Better episodes could easily fill those marathon positions though.
9: The After Hours (Season 1, Episode 34)
Again, this was another episode that was seemingly built up to be creepy but falls to pieces by the end. What was going on here?! Nothing is ever explained, and the twist is so nonsensical it needs elaboration. The idea of living mannequins is a cool concept in theory, as well as the hidden floor, but no character notices this...why? This is certainly an episode where the twist was written first and the story created around it.
8: Nothing in the Dark (Season 3, Episode 16)
This is the other episode I debated how classic it truly would be considered; due to this ambiguity, it's lower on the list. Anyway, this just isn't a good episode in general. The use of Death and the weird implications about the old lady do not help anything. I kind of understand what they were going for, but it doesn't work.
7: Kick the Can (Season 3, Episode 21)
Okay, now we're getting into the meat of this list! I actually think this episode is great, but the story was retreading material TZ already covered. The overrated aspect comes into play especially when this is the episode remembered over the better ones like "Walking Distance." I do blame the TZ movie for cementing this story line into the public's consciousness, but that doesn't mean it gets a pass.
6: Third from the Sun (Season 1, Episode 14)
In a word: shenanigans. The basis for this story is pure shenanigans. We are shown an exact replica of American life on Earth in 1960 yet the twist is that they are aliens coming to Earth? Yeaaahhh...no. They were even sipping lemonade for fuck's sake! The message and themes are fine, but the presentation is utterly preposterous.
5: The Midnight Sun (Season 3, Episode 10)
This is probably my favorite episode on this list, but it is overrated nonetheless. Sure, the imagery is great and the themes tackled are interesting, but the story somehow fails to deliver. You have this apocalyptic situation yet the scope of the story never matches those epic proportions. Top 25 worthy? Sure. Top 10 or 5 worthy? Not even close.
4: The Silence (Season 2, Episode 25)
Did I miss the point when this became a classic? I remember reading critic reviews saying how freaky this was. Freaky?! Are you retarded? There are respectable ideas presented here, but, overall, it's nothing special and the twist is weak. I don't know what else to add since this is merely a mediocre tale--completely forgettable.
3: The Odyssey of Flight 33 (Season 2, Episode 18)
Ehhh, some plane is lost in time...what is there to lose your shit over? I think what really rubs me the wrong way is the nonchalant reactions from the characters. If I was time traveling, you'd get quite the reaction out of me to say the least. The ending is also dumb since they end up in 1939, and aren't willing to settle. That would have only been, what, 20 years earlier? Just live that life!
2: The Invaders (Season 2, Episode 15)
Let's be real, this episode receives its recognition for not having dialogue. A novel idea, but the story itself is nonsensically stupid. A giant, 1800s-looking alien woman is tormented by little human astronauts? Uhh...no thanks. Why would humans even pick this fight to begin with? Come on, TZ has so much more to offer than the likes of this episode.
And the most overrated episode in the entire series is...(Drumroll!)
1: Time Enough at Last (Season 1, Episode 8)
Multiple sources have cited this as the best episode ever. Amusing. Don't get me wrong, this story deserves its legendary status, but it's not worthy of being called the best--an extremely bold claim. The story doesn't even have a deeper message or insight compared to other classics. Am I biased? You betcha. There are a ton of underrated episodes that have flown under the radar for decades while this episode is endlessly praised. That doesn't sit right with me so I'm calling this one out.
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