13 Ways ‘The Twilight Zone’ Transformed Sci-Fi TV

7. You Can’t Cheap Out On Quality

In season two, the network brass at CBS attempted to cut the costs of The Twilight Zone by requiring that some of the season’s episodes be shot on videotape. Unfortunately, the limitations of the format — which necessitated on-set shooting, thus limiting the potential for big stories — saw Serling force the abandonment of videotape shooting after just six episodes.

8. The First Revival

From 1985 to 1989, CBS rebooted The Twilight Zone after a 22-year hiatus. While bits and pieces of the show were critically acclaimed, the new series failed to gain a very large following. What’s more, the first revival was actually the third pitch to the series. The first came from Serling himself, and the second came from Francis Ford Coppola. To think of what might have been.

9. The Spielberg Element

Iconic film director Steven Spielberg was a huge fan of the show. It was not only one of his favorites growing up, but he even took the time to direct one segment of Twilight Zone: the Movie. His part was a remake of “Kick the Can,” a light-hearted bit of magic about some retirement home locals who learn to be young at heart. Sort of.