History Franchise / TheTwilightZone

* ''VideoGame/TheTwilightZoneVR''

''The Twilight Zone'' maintains a prominent place in pop culture. The original series is the TropeCodifier for the GenreAnthology. Its title and theme music underwent MemeticMutation long before the term existed. Rod Serling's distinctive delivery as TheNarrator, and his on-screen hosting, have been spoofed and homaged countless times. The better-known {{Twist Ending}}s ("[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S1E8TimeEnoughAtLast Time Enough at Last]]", "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S2E6TheEyeOfTheBeholder The Eye of the Beholder]]", "[[Recap/TheTwilightZone1959S3E24ToServeMan To Serve Man]]") have reached ItWasHisSled status. The stories and themes presented by Serling and his fellow creators have proven strong enough to support three revivals of the TV series, a movie, a radio adaptation, a pinball game, [[TheMerch merchandise]] such as action figures and prop reproductions, even a Disney theme park ride. It's been a huge influence on pretty much every anthology series that followed it, including its SpiritualSuccessor ''Series/NightGallery'', which was also hosted and largely written (but not creatively controlled) by Serling, though that series focused primarily on supernatural and horror tales, rather than the fantasy and science fiction featured in ''Twilight Zone''.

''The Twilight Zone'' maintains a prominent place in pop culture. The original series is the TropeCodifier for the GenreAnthology. Its title and theme music underwent MemeticMutation long before the term existed. Rod Serling's distinctive delivery as TheNarrator, and his on-screen hosting, have been spoofed and homaged countless times. The better-known {{Twist Ending}}s ("[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS1E8TimeEnoughAtLast Time Enough at Last]]", "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS2E42TheEyeOfTheBeholder The Eye of the Beholder]]", "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E89ToServeMan To Serve Man]]") have reached ItWasHisSled status. The stories and themes presented by Serling and his fellow creators have proven strong enough to support three revivals of the TV series, a movie, a radio adaptation, a pinball game, [[TheMerch merchandise]] such as action figures and prop reproductions, even a Disney theme park ride. It's been a huge influence on pretty much every anthology series that followed it, including its SpiritualSuccessor ''Series/NightGallery'', which was also hosted and largely written (but not creatively controlled) by Serling, though that series focused primarily on supernatural and horror tales, rather than the fantasy and science fiction featured in ''Twilight Zone''.

* "Literature/ItsAGoodLife". Made into one of the original series' [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E73ItsAGoodLife best-remembered episodes]], then remade for TheMovie. The UPN revival produced a sequel episode, "It's Still a Good Life", with Bill Mumy [[RoleReprise reprising his role]] as the protagonist Anthony Fremont.

* Creator/RayBradbury. A major influence on Serling, who gave him a ShoutOut in both "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS1E5WalkingDistance Walking Distance]]" and "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS1E30AStopAtWilloughby A Stop at Willoughby]]". He adapted his own story "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E100ISingTheBodyElectric I Sing the Body Electric]]" for the original series, and the 1980s series adapted his stories "The Burning Man" and "The Elevator".

* ''The Twilight Zone VR'', a Playstation 4 and Oculus Quest three-episodes-long, Virtual Reality adventure game developed by Pocket Money Games Ltd., and released in 2022.

* ''Pinball/TheTwilightZone''. An acclaimed game that features plenty of {{Mythology Gag}}s based on the original series.

->You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound and mind but of tropes. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Up ahead is a signpost that will lead you into your next destination -- your next stop, Wiki/TVTropes' official entry on ''"The Twilight Zone!"''

!!Works and creators associated with ''The Twilight Zone'' franchise (with Wiki/TVTropes articles):

Here's a list of ''The Twilight Zone'''s various iterations, including the versions that have pages on Wiki/ThisVeryWiki.

* Creator/RayBradbury. A major influence on Serling, who gave him a ShoutOut in both "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS1E5WalkingDistance Walking Distance]]" and "[[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS1E30AStopAtWilloughby A Stop at Willoughby]]". He adapted his own story "I Sing the Body Electric" for the original series, and the 1980s series adapted his stories "The Burning Man" and "The Elevator".

[[/index]]

->You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound and mind but of tropes. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Up ahead is a signpost that will lead you into your next destination - your next stop, Wiki/TVTropes' official entry on ''"The Twilight Zone!"''

When Creator/RodSerling came up with ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'', he couldn't have known that he was creating not only a masterpiece that would define his career, but a multi-media franchise that would endure for decades after his untimely death.

* ''[[ComicBook/TheTwilightZoneNOW The Twilight Zone (NOW)]]'' (1991-1992)

''The Twilight Zone'' has had {{Comic Book Adaptation}}s from four different publishers (including Creator/GoldKeyComics and Creator/DynamiteComics) through the years. The Gold Key version, which began when the original series was still on the air and continued into the early 1980s, was by far the longest running. An artistic rendition of Rod Serling introduced each story as he did on TV, becoming technically a PosthumousCharacter after Serling died in 1975, but the drawn Serling continued to "host" the comic book.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone2019''. A 2019 revival aired on Creator/CBSAllAccess, executive produced and hosted by Creator/JordanPeele. Cancelled after its second season in 2020.

When Creator/RodSerling came up with ''Series/TheTwilightZone1959'', he couldn't have known that he was creating not only his masterpiece, but a multi-media franchise that would endure for decades after his untimely death.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone2019''. A 2019 revival aired on Creator/CBSAllAccess. It is executive produced and hosted by the current master of cinematic horror, Creator/JordanPeele.

* "Literature/LittleGirlLost". Made into one of the original series episodes and an inspiration for ''Film/{{Poltergeist}}''.

''The Twilight Zone'' has been the subject of many books. Some of the episodes have been adapted as short stories and novels by various authors (including Rod Serling himself). Anthologies of short stories adapted for the series have been published. ''The Twilight Zone Companion'', Marc Scott Zicree's 1982 history of the series, became a best seller and is still in print. A second history, Martin Grams, Jr.'s ''The Twilight Zone: Unlocking the Door to a Television Classic'', appeared in 2008.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone2019''. A 2019 revival aired on Creator/{{CBS}} All Access. It is executive produced and hosted by the current master of cinematic horror, Creator/JordanPeele.

Since 2002, ''The Twilight Zone'' has been a RadioDrama series. It's adapted all of the original episodes, as well as unfilmed premises for the original series. It's even created several original stories.

* ''Series/TheTwilightZone2019''. A 2019 revival aired on Creator/{{CBS}} All Access.

* Creator/RichardMatheson. Veteran sci-fi/horror writer who scripted many original episodes.

* "Literature/ItsAGoodLife". Made into one of the original series' [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E73ItsAGoodLife best-remembered episodes]], then remade for TheMovie. The UPN revival produced a sequel episode, "It's Still a Good Life", with Bill Mumy [[RoleReprisal reprising his role]] as the protagonist Anthony Fremont.

* Creator/TheodoreSturgeon. The 1980s series adapted his story "A Saucer of Loneliness".

* Creator/RayBradbury. A major influence on Serling, who gave him a ShoutOut in "Walking Distance". He adapted his own story "I Sing the Body Electric" for the original series, and the 1980s series adapted his stories "The Burning Man" and "The Elevator".

* "Literature/AnOccurrenceAtOwlCreekBridge"
* "Literature/TheHowlingMan"
* "Literature/ItsAGoodLife". Made into one of the original series' [[Recap/TheTwilightZoneS3E73ItsAGoodLife best-remembered episodes]], then remade for TheMovie. The UPN revival produced a sequel episode, "It's Still a Good Life", with Bill Mumy [[RoleReprisal reprising his role]] as the protagonist Anthony Fremont.
* "Literature/LittleGirlLost". Made into one of the original series episodes and an inspiration on ''Film/{{Poltergeist}}''.

* "Literature/ItsAGoodLife". Made into one of the original series' best-remembered episodes, then remade for TheMovie. The UPN revival produced a sequel episode, "It's Still a Good Life", with Bill Mumy [[RoleReprisal reprising his role]] as the protagonist.

->''"You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound and mind but of tropes. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. Up ahead is a signpost that will lead you into your next destination - your next stop, Wiki/TVTropes' official entry on ''"The Twilight Zone!"''