Sunday, August 7, 2011

the golden age of sci-fi, a dimension of sight and sound.

Who's seen the Twilight zone? *raises hand*

It's one of my favorite shows, and since It's now on netflix, Ive been able to enjoy it much more easily. Something I've noticed is just how much modern science fiction owes to that show. Since I'm a geek ideas like parallel universes, time loops, and intangible 5th dimensions cross my mind fairly often. Still, I can watch an episode of that show and feel intrigued by the story being told, while the effects are dated, a lot of the concepts hold up quite well. The show ran from 1959-1963 and helped usher in a major Sci-fi boom, mainly due to it's most prominent contributors; Rod Serling, and Richard Matheson. If you poll people on the street, 90% of them well know what the twilight zone is, and most of them will be able to describe an episode of two. It's had a lasting effect on popular culture. From gremlins on the wing of a plane, to little boys who can literally DO ANYTHING with their mind, With shows like lost and fringe exploring time travel and alternate dimensions, it's clear to see the impact it's had.
Art has to get it's inspiration from something, and I'm sure all of the advancement made in the 1940's and 1950's help ignite the minds of future twilight writers. Television, nuclear energy, space travel, how can you not help but continue to think "what if" under those circumstances?

and for the record, my favorite episose is season one's long live Walter jameson!

1 comment:

  1. Great post, Jesse. Personally my favorite of season one is Escape Clause, but Long Live Walter Jameson is a favorite of mine.

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