“There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call The Twilight Zone.”

With this narrative introduction given by Rod Serling, a pop culture phenomenon was born. Debuting on October 2, 1959, The Twilight Zone was produced in an anthology format, each episode featuring its cast in strange and unusual situations, the ending of the episode revealing a moral, oftentimes well hidden within the show’s plot. To revisit the show’s iconic introduction, click here.

During the show’s run, 156 landmark episodes were broadcast. Among them, notable episodes include “Time Enough At Last”, “The Invaders”, “It’s A Good Life”, “To Serve Man”, “A Kind Of A Stopwatch”, and the now classic “Nightmare At 20,000 Feet”, starring William Shatner. Despite the show’s success, it was not heavily merchandised during its broadcast days. Aside from a few comic books, the only other item produced was The Twilight Zone board game by Ideal.