The Twilight Zone: The Complete Series
(Episodes Only Collection)
From RLJ:
All 156 episodes of Rod Serling's
classic television series in one special boxset! Travel to another
dimension of sight and sound again and again. The series cast
includes Rod Serling, Art Carney, Bugess Meredith, Cliff Robertson,
Dennis Hopper, Bill Bixby, Leonard Nimoy, Burt Reynolds, Don Rickles,
Jack Klugman, Robert Redford, Lee Marvin, Martin Landau, Telly
Savalas, William Shatner and many more!
My Thoughts:
I originally wanted to do a Twilight
Zone essential episode list for this release, but once I got into the
first disc of season 1, I realized that there simply wasn't enough
time for that. One disc in and there's already at least five solid
episodes. It would be a massive article, much more time consuming
than the time I had before release date. I've barely been able to
scratch the surface of this boxset, quite honestly. So, later on down
the road I would like to do an essential list, but not right now.
So, as a review, what can be said about
The Twilight Zone that hasn't been said numerous times before? Not a
whole lot. The show is most definitely a ground-breaker. I'd like to
believe that 100 years from now people will still be watching The
Twilight Zone. I don't feel like that's all too hard to imagine. It's
a show that probably won't ever lose its importance or notoriety. Of
course, Horror and Sci-Fi fans hold it in the utmost regard, but it's
kind of a show that works for everyone, on some level. I don't know
many people, genre fans or not, that don't like at least one episode
of The Twilight Zone. It's usually an easy conversation to get going.
Bring up the show next time you are with a group, or even just one
friend, and next thing you know, you'll be like Dan Aykroyd and
Albert Brooks in the movie- driving down a long country road, jamming
CCR, and talking up favorite Twilight Zone episodes. Just hope that
your buddy doesn't want to show you something REALLY scary.
So, what's different about this boxset?
Well, it's episodes only. No special features, just the meat. A
simple menu on each disc (with cool music and key dialogue) and the episodes are
listed on the right side of your screen. Perhaps it's a hard sell
for special feature fanatics. I happen to be one of you. But at the
end of the day, having every single episode of The Twilight Zone, in
any format really, is pretty awesome. Far be it from me to dissuade you from
purchasing any other version, though. Hell, I'd love to have the DefinitiveEdition myself, or the Complete Series Blu-ray. But, this bare bones
release totally works for me. I have any episode I want to watch at
my disposal any time I want to. I can't tell you how many times I've
flipped through channels only to find nothing, and just wish there
was a Twilight Zone marathon on. Marathons happen from time to time, but
with a boxset they can happen whenever you want them to! I'm personally
always down for a TZ marathon, especially around the holidays. So, if your main interest is purely the episodes, this set is awesome. If you
want a little more, go for the Blu-ray set or the Definitive Box. I'd
do it soon, though. I'm not sure the Definitive set will be around too much
longer, or if the price will jump up or whatnot.
Menu Screen
As far as picture quality goes, the
episodes looks awesome. Naturally, they don't have the beautiful
clarity as a Blu-ray, but that doesn't spell out “ugly”. Here's a
few screens to give you an idea-
Episode- Where Is Everybody?
Episode- Walking Distance
Episode- Time Enough At Last
So, again, I'd like to have the Blu-ray collection (which I will probably get at some point), or even the Definitive set, but I'm more than happy with this Episodes Only edition. As much as I love special features, they aren't something I'd think about when deciding a Twilight Zone Marathon. This works. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must take a journey into a land of wondrous imagination! May I never return.
Oh, P.S.- RLJ/Image's The Twilight Zone: The
Complete Series Episodes Only Collection hits store on November 19th,
just in time for the holidays. Order HERE.
- Eric (Brobocop)
- Eric (Brobocop)
