I am constantly tweaking and re-tweaking this list but, as of this moment, here is my Season 2 Top 10 Ranking –
10) The Night of the Meek
Yes, the quality of the episode suffered because of the fact that it was shot on video and Serling was quite vocal about his disappointment in how it turned out, but I really loved the holiday theme and Art Carney delivers a wonderful performance. The ending was perfectly Twilight Zone yet perfectly Christmas as well.
9) The Obsolete Man
This one will no doubt rank higher on pretty much everyone else’s lists and while I really loved the near future authoritarian setting, I felt it, at times, a little too speechy, a little on-the-nose. But overall, still a great episode.
8) The Silence
This one reminded me of something Roald Dahl would write, a story without supernatural, fantasy or sci-fi elements that, nevertheless delivers a great high concept story with a terrific if not wholly surprising final twist.
7) Nick of Time
Similar to The Silence, this one stands out for me as an effective and provocative commentary on who we can allow ourselves to be influenced by superstition. The ending offers a neat little parallel of the two ways things can go but it reminds us that we have the power to forge our own destinies.
6) A Penny For Your Thoughts
I’m usually not a fan of the comic episodes but this one was really, really, REALLY well done. A nice character-driven piece that doesn’t rely on over-the-top gags but, instead, offers a heartfelt and surprisingly (for the Twilight Zone) restrained story.
5) Long Distance Call
I love the spooky stories and, really, it doesn’t get much spookier than this. I would have preferred a darker ending but still thought this episode delightfullly eerie.
4) The Invaders
No surprise that this one would end up in my Top 10. Agnes Mooreheads is fantastic here, delivering a standout performance. The little invaders may look a little silly by today’s television standards, but the unique storytelling conceit and delicious final reveal puts those smaller issues to rest.
3) The Howling Man
I went back and forth with The Invaders on which would land in the 3 spot but finally settled on The Howling Man for its full-on embrace of the horror genre and eerily ominous ending.
2) Eye of the Beholder
An oft cited class, and for good reason. It’s the direction that really stands out here, a master class in clever visuals. And the ending is without a doubt one of the show’s most shocking. Any other season, this episode would have probably taken the 1 spot, but season 2 had an episode I enjoyed just a litle more…
1) Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
I love a good whodunit and this episode gives us an intriguing mystery wrapped in a weird sci-fi shell topped with a triple twist – the revelation of the bridge collapse, the reveal, and the counter-reveal. Serling at his very best.
So, I’m curious to check out your rankings. What made the cut and what didn’t?
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