18. Time Enough At Last (The Twilight Zone, Season 1)
It doesnt contain a single alien, monster, or anything supernatural but Time Enough at Last is one of the most bizarre episodes of The Twilight Zone. It tells the story of Henry Bemis (Burgess Meredith), an obsessive lover of reading. His wife all but bans him from reading in their home; his bank manager boss berates him as somehow less manly for reading. So Henry sneaks down into the bank vault to read in private and while there, a nuclear holocaust occurs. Finding himself the lone survivor, Henry is despondent, suicidal even, until he stumbles upon the ruins of the public library. Just as he is rejoicing at the realization he now has all the time in the world to read, Henry breaks his glasses, leaving him all but blind. It may seem comical in moments, but what this episode really serves as is a morality play, an allegory dealing with the inability of some to make any real connections to the people around them. The unanswered question is why cant Henry bond with those in his life? Why is it that books are his only solace? These questions become more compelling if one views the whole episode as happening in Henrys head. Its a fantasy of the world Henry wishes for. Its a dark, yet fascinating perspective on one of the best episodes of the series.