10 Most Rewatchable Horror TV Shows
9. The Twilight Zone
The problem with a horror TV series is that it is incredibly difficulty to sustain those levels of terror and suspense over multiple episodes across several seasons. As such, one of the most successful formats for horror on TV is the anthology series – each episode being its own mini-movie. This brings all sorts of benefits as the viewer can essentially watch the episodes in any order and rewatch their favourites without having to sit through the whole show again.
The Twilight Zone is the mac daddy of all of these shows that have come since; originally premiering in 1959, much of the original show has become iconic from the regular twist endings, the chilling high notes of the opening theme to the silken-yet-sinister tones of Rod Serling’s voice as he introduces each new story.
The Twilight Zone took the traditional format of short horror fiction and adapted it to the TV medium, telling stories often riddled with suspense with a huge payoff in the twist. It’s no coincidence that most of the greatest episodes of the show are ones with the best twist endings. Frequently listed amongst these are stories like; “To Serve Man”, “Eye of the Beholder”, “Five Characters In Search of An Exit” and “The Masks.”
Proving ever impactful, The Twilight Zone has gone on to be revived multiple times; for a movie in 1983, another series from 1985-1986, a third series from 2002-2003 and most recently by modern horror maestro Jordan Peele in 2019. All at varying degrees of quality; none of them have proven as haunting, iconic and endlessly rewatchable as Rod Serling’s original.