The original post: /r/television by /u/Sweet_Squirrel7027 on 2025-03-14 00:49:28.
I’ve seen every episode of The Twilight Zone from all its eras—the original 1959-1964 series, the 1980s revival, and even the 1990s version. The 2000s reboot? Not so much. But after watching it all, I’ve realized something as a huge fan of horror and sci-fi:
Almost nothing in horror movies post-Twilight Zone is truly original.
The vast majority—99% of them—owe their plots, twists, and core ideas to The Twilight Zone. Whether it’s classic horror, psychological thrillers, or even modern supernatural TV shows, so many of them are just repackaged versions of Twilight Zone episodes.
The most recent example I noticed? An episode of Supernatural that blatantly copies a Twilight Zone episode. Then there’s The Box, a movie that lifts its entire premise from Button, Button, a Twilight Zone episode from the 80s. And the list goes on.
Rod Serling and his team didn’t just influence horror and sci-fi—they practically built the foundation for everything that came after. The irony? Most people don’t even realize they’re watching recycled ideas that The Twilight Zone did first—and often, did better.