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The General Environment of Childhood

Ts

(Romanian)

Besides Star Trek, as I stated in previous episodes, there were other “formators” of “science fiction taste”, of “new worlds”.

One of them, where we will develop too much, is the concept of „The Twilight Zone”.

An anthology of stories, rarely correlated with each other, “touching” countless “faces” of possible existence… Perhaps, therefore, it is difficult to attribute to a specific artistic or literary genre…

But, from the point of view of “Science Fiction”, it has the “official” possibilities of “Dystopia”, “time travel” and, possibly, “parallel universes”, otherwise having only the value of comprehensive manifestation, which can offer themes for the development of “plot” perceptions and projections, being cataloged by many authors as a possible easy “precursor” of many “lines” of “Science Fiction”.

But… In reality, through the diversity of themes it explores, it “touches” on a very wide range of sci-fi themes, offering a complex perspective on the genre, with “The Twilight Zone” series influencing generations of sci-fi creators popularizing many of the themes explored in the series.

Sci-fi references and themes present in “The Twilight Zone” are represented by:

• Time Travel (many episodes explore the concept of time travel, both to the past and the future, raising philosophical questions about causality and temporal paradoxes),
• Alien Contact (interaction with extraterrestrial beings is another frequent theme, exploring both the positive and negative aspects of encountering other civilizations),
• Alternate Reality (some episodes feature parallel worlds or alternate realities, exploring the concept of the multiverse and the nature of reality),
• Artificial Intelligence (the theme of artificial intelligence and machine consciousness is addressed in several episodes, raising questions about the nature of humanity and what it means to be alive),
• Advanced Technologies (the series explores a wide range of advanced technologies, from time machines and teleporters to mind-reading devices, offering a vision of a technological future),
• Paranormal phenomena (elements such as telekinesis, precognition, and ghosts are often present, exploring the boundaries between science and the paranormal),
• Social satire (many episodes use sci-fi elements to satirize society and criticize aspects of contemporary culture).

The “series” is initialized under the “leadership” of Rod Serling and Robert McCord who were the initiators of the series that was made between 1959 and 1964, but the main “heroes”, as actors and/or screenwriters, are:

• Rod Serling: Arguably the most famous and influential creator of “The Twilight Zone”, Serling was both the creator and the main writer and actor of the series, writing many iconic episodes and setting the tone for the entire anthology.
• Robert McCord: (a chameleon of “The Twilight Zone” universe), is an iconic, though often overlooked, figure, holding the record for the number of episodes he’s appeared in (he’s in all five seasons), second only to series creator and showrunner Rod Serling.
• Richard Matheson: Another big name in the sci-fi universe, Matheson wrote some of the most memorable episodes of “The Twilight Zone,” including “A Kind of a Stopwatch” and “Little Girl Lost.”
• Charles Beaumont: A prolific science fiction writer, Beaumont contributed several screenplays to “The Twilight Zone,” exploring themes such as human psychology and the consequences of technology.
• Sergel M. Lang: Wrote numerous episodes for “The Twilight Zone,” often dealing with social and political themes in an allegorical manner.
• Multiple collaborations: Many episodes were the result of collaboration between multiple writers, making it difficult to attribute “authorship”, especially since some writers used pseudonyms to publish their work, or many writers had minor contributions to the scripts, such as touch-ups or adaptations, which were not always credited.

As an interesting fact, over time, many documents related to the production of the series have been lost or damaged.

Then followed „The Twilight Zone: The Movie”, only in 1984, where alongside Rod Serling, John Landis, and George Clayton Johnson also participated, in an attempt to bring the “Twilight Zone” back to life for a new generation of viewers, using modern special effects and a more cinematic approach, it was also designed as an homage to the original series, adapting and updating some of the most famous episodes.

Return that materialized, starting in 1985 (until 1989), through the new series „The Twilight Zone” which tried to bring back the original spirit of the series, being an anthology of distinct episodes, as an attempt to revitalize a franchise iconically, but did so in a way that reflected the tastes and expectations of a different audience, trying to appeal to a younger, more action-oriented audience based on a more “visceral” atmosphere, whereas the original was more to an adult audience, the general atmosphere is more mysterious and intellectual.

In this sense, the new series had a “darker” character, tending to be bloodier and more violent than the original, exploring darker and more perverse themes, benefiting from modern technology, with more elaborate and spectacular special effects, the episodes being influenced by the horror and science fiction films of that period, such as those of John Carpenter.

He additionally took a more eclectic approach, experimenting with different subgenres, including elements of black comedy, cyberpunk, and surrealism.

A perception that was accentuated in the new „The Twilight Zone” from 2002–2003, becoming even more aggressive, but “benefiting” from less “memorable” stories, with all the presence of more famous actors who participated.

Accumulations that lead to „The Twilight Zone” from 2019–2020 being less nostalgic, no longer trying to reproduce the atmosphere of the original, preferring to reinterpret the concept for the contemporary audience of those times, being something more socially engaging, addressing current and pressing themes in an attempt to capture the attention of a young and engaged audience, sacrificing the more vague and allegorical nature of the original series.

It stands out for its special effects and production design, which were of high quality, offering a modern and immersive visual experience, which is why… It is considered to be the “weakest” series (that’s what the statistics say, but it’s all a “matter” of “taste”).

Overall, The Twilight Zone has always explored the human fear of the unknown, the future and what lies beyond reality, with each series digging deep into human psychology, exploring fears, desires, prejudices, and existential questions, in a mysterious and dark atmosphere, regardless of the era in which it was produced, creating a unique atmosphere full of suspense and mystery.

Additionally, the anthology format allowed each episode to be an independent story, thus offering a great deal of thematic and stylistic variety, with each series having its style (its thematic versatility), exploring a wide range of themes from science fiction and horror to psychological dramas and social satires, without forgetting subtle social criticism.

Yes, it stands out for something else… Final twists and surprising denouements have been a defining characteristic of all series, leaving viewers to ponder the meaning of the stories.

Din punct de vedere al „poveștilor scrise” (al romanelor corelate de universul „The Twilight Zone”)…

Yes, it left an indelible mark on literature, especially the horror and science fiction genres, with many of the series’ themes and atmosphere found in numerous novels, and its influence continues to be felt today.

But literary genres change and influence each other over time, which makes it difficult to draw a direct line of influence, and thus, especially due to the anthological character, it can only be attributed that this concept is only a source of inspiration for some authors… How would be:

• Richard Matheson: he is known for his horror short stories, many of which are inspired by themes such as vampirism, telekinesis, and alien encounters, themes that were also explored in The Twilight Zone.
• Horror anthologies: collections of short horror stories, such as those edited by Stephen King or Joe Hill, often containing stories that could have been episodes of the “Twilight Zone”, exploring themes such as survival, the paranormal, and encounters with supernatural creatures.

Or, by “extension”, perhaps, one can attribute a “harmony”, a “synchronism,” with the authors:

• Stephen King, the king of horror, has often acknowledged the influence of Rod Serling on his work. Novels such as “The Shining” or “11/22/63” share a dark atmosphere and an exploration of psychological themes with “Twilight Zone.”
• Ray Bradbury: The author of the novel “Fahrenheit 451” was one of the pioneers of science fiction and explored themes similar to those in “Twilight Zone”, such as the impact of technology on society and the danger of conformity.

So, let’s not forget:

“You are traveling through another dimension, not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are those of imagination. That is the dimension of television. That is the dimension of the Twilight Zone.”

Merticaru Dorin Nicolae

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