Customer Reviews

The Twilight Zone - The Complete Series (Season One)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Be warned. This is the 2002 version of The Twilight Zone and is the third and least effective version of the show.
It is hosted by actor Forrest Whittaker,who for some unexplained reason walks around while introducing episodes. The clueless producers thought that this would be an effective way of introducing the episodes,it wasn't.A voiceover would have been better as the 1985 version used.
There is one particularly offensive episode on racism where a white man is portrayed as a racist because,while in the middle of the city in the darkness of night,he wouldn't let a black stranger into his car after the stranger banged on his window and yelled "let me in".
How many people would let any stranger into their car in the middle of the city at night,especially when the stranger is banging on the window and yelling at them?
That just shows how badly written and produced this series was. The complete unfairness of this premise somehow escaped the producers.
There are also many other episodes that meander on with weak stories and lame resolutions. So disorganised was the production of this show that they had to copy no less that three stories from the original Rod Serling version in just this one season.

The three versions of The Twilight Zone comprise-
1st version-The original Emmy award winning version hosted by writer Rod Serling that premiered in 1959 and ran for five seasons.
2nd version-The eccellent and under-rated 1985-87 version which had a third season padded on after it's cancellation to get enough episodes for syndication.This version had scripts by some of science fiction's best writers.
3rd version-This DVD set,which is the disappointing 2002 version that was cancelled after only one season.

I personally am going to wait for the 1985 version as it is much better than this 2002 Twilight Zone,which has some very poorly written episodes.
The publicity blurb of this 2002 version sums it up-"with today's hippest young stars"-the Twilight Zone is not supposed to be MTV. In fact,the Twilight Zones sites that cover the original version have boycotted it because they consider that it is not true Twilight Zone.
One of this series producers is Pen Densham,the appalling producer that was responsible for turning the new 1990's version of The Outer Limits into a soft-core porn show. Clearly,this man has no idea of what makes true science fiction.
All in all,this is a very disappointing version of the series and is very badly produced.Avoid it.

The 3rd Twilight Zone series only lasted for one season, this box set will include all of its episodes. This show aired for 22 weeks, with 2 episodes for every one-hour show, so there will be 44 episodes in this set.

This set will be presented in widescreen, and will have 5.1 Surrond Sound , DTS Surround, and Stereo Surround Sound.

Like the original show, this Twilight Zone series has a lot of big name guest stars: Shannon Elizabeth, Jason Alexander, Jessica Simpson, Jaime Presley, Jason Bateman, Usher, Lou Diamond Phillips, Cloris Leachman, Method Man, Molly Sims, Amber Tamblyn (of TV's Joan of Arcadia), Vivica A. Fox, Portia de Rossi, Dean Winters (of TV's Oz), Dylan Walsh, Patrick Warburton, Eriq La Salle, and comedian Paul Rodriquez.

This set also includes remakes of two classic Twilight Zone episodes -- "The Eye of the Beholder" (a plastic surgery story) and "The Monsters on Maple Street" (a lynch mob tale about aliens possibly in their area).

Also, in this set is a sequel to an old Twilight Zone episode called "It's Still a Good Life" (the original was about a kid with the power to make a person disappear, if you think negitive thoughts. The kid would say that he'd send you to "the cornfield") The sequel on this box set includes two of the actors from the original episode: Billy Mumy (who played the kid) and Cloris Leachman.

So let Forest Whitaker take you into a world of imagination. A dimension not only of sight and sound, but of mind. A wonderous world where the boundaries are only that of your imagination. The Twilight Zone.

I never saw this series when it aired on UPN, so the DVD collection was my first taste of the "new" TZ. It's very easy to see why it was cancelled after one season. First off, who in the world chose Forest Whitaker as the host? Sometimes he's calm and cool, others he seems almost hyper in his delivery of the taglines. No one could compare to Serling in delivery, but they could have found SOMEONE a little more "out there" for host. Second, the stories...wow. Most of them have a good premise, but they all seem to just limp away rather than hit you with the shocking impact the original series had. "Still a Good Life" is a perfect example. Based as a sequel to an original TZ episode (with two of the original actors still in the main roles), it had the potential to be the best show ever. The little girl (Billy Mumy's real daughter) acted one way throughout the entire episode, then at the end suddenly did a complete about-face that made absolutely no sense whatsoever. It was as if the writer just said, "Hey, that'd be cool" and jerked the story completely around. Unfortunately, this is not the only story like this in the series. Most have very uneven storylines, trying to make us care for one-dimensional characters. While the original (and even 80's version) TZ had us sympathetic for the characters involved (or at least hating the baddies), this one is more like watching a car wreck from the outside. There's some morbid curiousity, but you can walk away and not really care how it all turns out. There are some gems here ("The Pool Guy" and "Chosen" to name a couple), but most are just crash-and-burners.

All in all, I'm looking forward to seeing the 80's version come out later this year. UPN made a good try on this revival with some major talent, but even the best actor can only do so much with inferior stories. For the die-hard fan only, and then only good for one viewing.

If you do not compare this 2002 version with Rod Serling's original, it is entertaining enough. It works best if you try think of it as a separate series all on its own. Yes, the famous Twilight Zone twist ending is definitely here, and the writing really isn't all that bad. There are quite a few episodes that leave you thinking about the story lines long after you have watched them. If, however, you are looking to be entertained by actors of the 1950s/1960s caliber, you won't find them here. In this series there is no one comparable to the likes of Burgess Meredith, Lee Marvin, Agnes Moorehead, Jack Klugman, Gladys Cooper, Art Carney, Robert Redford or any number of other character actors from that period whom you used to see all the time on TV but never could put a name to. Except for Cloris Leachman, Jeffrey Combs, Lou Diamond Phillips and Jason Alexander, if the guest stars of the 2002 Twilight Zone series are the most inspired performers of today (as is advertised on the box) TV may in a whole lot of trouble! I'm not sure if this is an indictment against the actors and actresses in movies and TV today, but there just doesn't seem to be anyone here that you can imagine folks talking about 30-40 years from now. The actors and stories of the 50s/60s Twilight Zone are not only just talked about today, they are held up as the benchmark for everything that has followed. Forest Whitaker, however, does a very nice job as the Serling-like narrator, although as mentioned by others here, he lacks the air of mystery that Mr. Serling projected. Lastly, the music for this 2002 series really leaves much to be desired. At times it will loudly overpower what is said or done by the narrator or the actor, and never does it seem set the proper atmosphere or mood. The theme and background music sound as though they were meant to be jarring for the simple sake of being jarring. I hate to make another comparison here, but the music of Bernard Herrmann, Nathan Van Cleave and Jerry Goldsmith did as much for the storylines of the original 50s/60s series as did the writers, directors and actors. Those composers could literally send you through the ceiling by a striking a simple violin chord at a suspenseful moment! It was great! Again, even after all the negatives listed, I still can suggest you see this series -- just don't expect more than a nice bang for your buck. And above all, enjoy it for its own sake and merit.

Apparently I'm the outsider in this large group of reviewers because I actually liked the show and was disappointed, though not surprised, when the show was cancelled. My favorite episode was "The Monsters on Maple Street" with former 80s heart throb Andrew McCarthy. Someone pointed out the episode was about aliens, but in actuality it was about terrorists (an updated version of a classic episode). Most of the people who hated the show mention that they loved the 80's version. I'm 24, and I never saw a single episode of that version. This is the Twilight Zone for the younger generation, the actors alone prove that. If you like sci-fi then give this show a shot. I know that I loved it and I'm not alone, but a lot of people over 30 hated it.

It took some consideration before I purchased this DVD set, mainly because I was concerned about the quality of the episodes. I only managed to watch a few episodes during its original run, and I enjoyed every episode I caught. Nevertheless, the reviews here made me doubt my own memories. I am extremely glad I took my percieved risk and bought the set.
There were a few clunkers (Jessica Simpson's episode was horrible, mainly because of Jessica Simpson; while "The Gun" was ridiculous) but the majority were quite good.
Yes, the series depended on the names of its stars to sell different episodes in the previews, like many television shows do. The thing many reviewers seem to forget is that the original Twilight Zone used this trick as well. (Robert Redford, William Shatner, etc.)
And finally, yes, Forest Whitaker was an odd choice for a host; however, I actually liked his delivery. He could rush the lines a bit at times, but overall, he had a wry humour and mysterious quality that fit the show. But, like all things, this
is a matter of preference. The one thing everyone should realize is that Forest Whitaker is NOT Rod Serling. No one ever can be, no one will ever read a script like he could. However, the show needed a host, and Whitaker did fit the bill.
In summation, this was an excellent series when judged by itself. The problem, is that it was updated for today's youth. This update, well, it changed the show a great deal. I believe that many of the negative reviews for this product come from older individuals, fans of the original series...rabid fans of Rod Serling.

This DVD set is real bargan! Even if you prefer the original series, for this price you should defenatly buy this set for your collection. Me and my wife watched this whole set in just few days, and loved every little bit of it. Of cause there were hit and misses, but in overall, it was great! My all time favorite show is the X-Files, and I love the Outer Limits. I bought both, the Outer Limits 1sst season (the '90's series), & This Twilight set, at the same time. I've read some reviews of people hating it, saying that it can't compare with the original, and I don't agree. You can't really campare the two. First of all, they were made some 40 years apart, and people's tastes, as well as the technology of film making changed so much. The makers of this show weren't trying to copy the original, but reather kept the legacy of the Twilight Zone alive by making the show the way they saw it. And I'm glad that instead of just copying the style of the original creator, they used their own creativity & style. I think it came out great, and I hope to see the rest of seasons on DVD soon.
PS Once again, remember that at this price you can not lose, remeber there are 16 hours of shows in this set!!!
Goodluck!

I have been waiting for the episodes to be release since the show was canceled. I enjoyed the 2002 Twilight Zone episodes. I would reccomend this collection to anyone who has love for Sci- Fi. Although Forest Whitaker is not Rod Serling, I think he did a great job.

I was hesitant to buy the latest installation of The Twilight Zone after reading all of the extremely negative reviews, but I'm glad that I did. Before some internet browsing, I wasn't even aware of this most recent failed attempt.

Firstly, there will never be another Rod Serling, or any other Twilight Zone reenactment that fully captures the essence of the original. That said, I think there are quite a few episodes from the first installation that fall flat and are weak or nonsensical. It never was perfection, although it was close.

This series did what it could. Personally, I was intrigued to see how the aspects of current culture would play out. At times it is fairly interesting; at others, cheesy. Similarly, the music is horrible. Try to tune it out. Additionally, the 2002 version doesn't quite seem to "get" the essence of the original Twilight Zone, although it certainly tries. The Twilight Zone is mysterious, it is chilling, it is at the very core of each and every one of us. Here, the Twilight Zone is something to be played at, and fallen into briefly. What I liked about the original is that it made you think. The same applies here, but the answers seem to come more easily. Perhaps that is the adaption to modernity- ouch.

Also, what were they thinking in casting Forrest Whitaker as narrator? This man falls flat when it comes to conveying the chilling and perplexing conundrums found within the Twilight Zone. He is far too happy, peppy, and all over the place strange- which, for the most part, isn't what the Twilight Zone is about. I'm sure they could have found someone much more captivating. Maybe this new upbeat attempt at narration was another modern, "fresh" spin that just didn't work.

For serious Twilight Zone fans, I would probably recommend skipping the two remakes. "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street" is my all time favorite episode, and I literally cringed when watching it. The acting is so laughingly shameful and annoyingly grating. The new premise (terrorism) is thought-provoking, but far less inciting than the original. The usage of aliens just wasn't so obvious in what they represented politically. Also, the acting found in "Eye of the Beholder" by Molly Sims doesn't even begin to compare to Maxine Stuart or Donna Douglas. I appreciated the attempt, but I really don't feel it was needed.

I guess what is to be learned is that no one will ever be fully satisfied with the remakes. However, there are some good moments- it's not a total waste. It is still captivating, but in a smaller way. If another attempt is ever created, however, I can only hope that no episode is "revamped" and predictably slaughtered, and that Forrest Whitaker stays far, far away.

I'm in my young 20's but I'm pretty much old school. I love the original Twilight Zone and Rod Serling is my hereo. I love all of his works. I know others are going to view this version of the twilight zone as disgraceful to Rod Serling but I surely don't. I love it. Well, there are some stories that bore me to death and just aren't that great--just like the original. But with all the stars featured in this I think it would be great for the family to get together late at night and prepare to enter the twilight zone.