 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
The Twilight Zone
- Syfy, Syndicated
- Genre: Science Fiction
Common Sense Media says
Classic morality tales still make you think.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that it might be hard to get kids to sit through episodes of this classic TV show. The complex, thoughtful scripts require viewers to pay attention, the pacing is much slower than just about anything on the air today (even some adults who enjoyed the show when it originally aired say that it sometimes seems sluggish by current standards), and there are rarely any big action sequences. To top it off, the show was shot in black and white. But if you can convince your kids to follow an entire episode (and you usually have to watch the whole thing to really get the point), they should find themselves pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed it. Bottom line? It's a classic for a reason.
What's the story?
Anything can happen in THE TWILIGHT ZONE: People may actually be aliens, and the characters you thought were aliens may turn out to be human; beautiful people turn out to be ugly; and the characters you're sure are crazy turn out to be the only ones who actually know what's going on. The creation of legendary writer Rod Serling, who also introduced every episode, The Twilight Zone was designed to tweak viewers' notions of reality and present issues from a new, and usually unexpected, perspective. Because each episode was entirely self-contained, these 30-minute morality plays covered an amazing amount of ground. Some were set in the past, some in the future, some in space, some in the then-contemporary era of the late 1950s and early 1960s, but all of them ended with a surprising twist that always managed to shed some light on the human condition. An added bonus are the guest appearances by many young actors who later became major stars, including Robert Redford, William Shatner, and Martin Landau.
Is it any good?
Despite passing the five-decade mark, these stories have aged surprisingly well. That said, today's kids may be put off by the show's black-and-white images, outdated clothes, and rather straitlaced moral conventions. And anyone used to the fast-paced editing of modern action shows or music videos may find The Twilight Zone's pacing overly slow. But don't mistake any of these quibbles for flaws; this show is a true classic, and it deserves to be appreciated by each new generation of viewers. Once your kids watch a few episodes (it should only take a few), they'll be hooked.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about ... just about anything. This series is famous for its unexpected twists, which are ready-made for discussions about who saw it coming, who was completely surprised, and how the story made viewers see things from a totally different perspective. The episodes are all different, but many center on common themes, such as selfish people finally getting what they deserve, or the unexpected rewards of doing the right thing. Did the characters merit their punishments? Why or why not? What might you have done in a similar situation? What point is the show trying to make?
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- Teens & kids
Kid, 11 years old
July 3, 2010
AGE
My favorite episode is living doll
in living doll theres violence because tina kills the guy at the end,but theres no blood.
This is OK for ages 10 and up and mature kids.
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Kid, 12 years old
July 3, 2010
AGE
creepy
This show is great, but some episodes are really scary, like the one where the phone cords fell on the grave and the dead man started calling his wife, and the only noises were creepy dead voiced moans, spoooooooky. but most of the episodes are alright.
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AGE
My kids love to watch this show, because they know that I watched it as a kid.
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AGE
Love It!
I love this show!Although,I have to say its music is the best part!!!!Some of the episodes are a little scary and violent like the Future Camera one but they are alot of fun to watch.
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Kid, 11 years old
August 29, 2011
AGE
Creepy, but good!
I love it!
Not for kids under 10 though, too scary for them.
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AGE
perfect period
i love the twilight zone my familiy and i have all of the episodes on dvd little kids may find it a bit scary but otherwise every episode has an amazing story line that can even teach kids lessons
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AGE
"To top it off the show was shot in black and white"? are you kidding me? Thats part of the charm. If they made more but shot them in color I wouldn't watch them. It gives the world a kind of neutral effect that fits perfectly for this show.
Also, My favorite episode has to be The Rip Van Winkle Caper.
"Why is this guy carrying around paver bricks?" LOL
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AGE
Cool, but Creepy
A very thought-provoking, interesting, and cool show. However, it's too scary for young kids.
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AGE
Perfect for all ages!
I have ALWAYS loved the Twilight Zone!
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AGE
Perfect for the low budget film-maker.
A lot of kids , probably most, have video cameras. These shows have a lot of great techniques for the low budget film-maker to try out.
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Networks: | Syfy, Syndicated |
| Cast: | Rod Serling |
| Genre: | Science Fiction |
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