I bought the 5 box set of Twilight Zone recently (yes, I know the seasons are going to start coming out) and am amazed at how many episodes I have NOT seen.

I'm watching one a day while exercising - a great way to keep my attention for 25 minutes as I sweat.

I'm up to disk 5 of the first box - and I don't really detect a stinker yet, even though I know that there are some.

Did they front load the 45 disks with only good ones and the stinkers come later?

So, two questions (one post!):

1) On the 45 disk set, are all the "good episodes" up front and the bad ones on box set 5?

2) What are your favorite episodes, and why? (And what are your stinkers?)

The box sets are just a repacking of the original individual disc releases - while the episodes on some of the discs seemed to be vaguely linked in theme, most seem to just be chosen at random. So, I don't really think the "stinkers" are loaded on the later discs, but are probably just mixed throughout.

Having said that - I don't really think there are any bad Twilight Zone episodes. I have enjoyed them all and, while some are more interesting than others, overall there hasn't been one where I thought "wow, that sucked" after watching it. There are the "famous" episodes that are well known ("Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" for example), but to me some of the lesser known episodes are just as good.

A few of my personal favorites are "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street", "The Midnight Sun" and "The Thirty-Fathom Grave" - mostly because these are episodes I remember seeing as a kid, so they have a certain Nostalgia.

Roy

believe it or not, The Monsters Are Do On Maple Street was reproduced in script form in our English textbooks in either the 5th or 6th grades (back in the late 70s).
that was my first exposure to TZ, so that ep will always hold a special place.

there are very few out and out dogs for this show, but there are definitely a few where the 'message' is driven home with little subelty or a ham fist, or where the comedy is like-wise heavy handed and graceless.

in addition, a lot of people (myself included), felt that many of the hour long eps suffered from feeling padded out- and could have worked better as 1/2 stories.

generally my favorite eps are from the first thru the third seasons- though i do like some others here and there.

the one with Carol Burnett as an angel was a stinker.

Carol Burnett wasn't the angel . She was helped by the angel who was played by Jessie White. This was I believe a failed pilot
for a show about the angel helping different people each week.
I agree it was a stinker as were others where they tried comedy
on the Twilight Zone.

Except the one with Buster Keaton that starts out as a silent film until he obtains a time machine helmet that hurls him into the then present day. Very clever and funny episode.

My favorites are Monsters Are Due on Maple St, Night of the Meek, The Arrival, and Kick the Can.

I agree there aren't really any bad eps. I haven't picked up the fifth set yet, i have the first three so far.

And sure enough, at least 3 of those are on the first 3 disks of box set one.

That's why I'm wondering if they are front loaded (I've been watching them, and I'm up to disk 6 of box set one - all great episodes so far.)

Seeing that I've seen every episode numerous times and know all the episodes by heart I did break down and buy one "Twilight Zone" DVD.

It was called "Treasures of the Twilight Zone" and contained the only episode that I had never seen..."The Encounter."

Released on 5/1/64 and never syndicated, it has never aired since it originally did.

The other 2 episodes on it were the premiere episode "Where is Everybody?" and "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge," Academy Award winner for Best Short Film!