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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 7m

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 4: Burgess Meredith wants “Time Enough At Last” to read his books.

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Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 4. ”Time Enough at Last”

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 57m

In Top Gun: Maverick, Jon Hamm has one of the most thankless roles in the history of blockbuster filmed entertainment. Yet every now and then he figures out how to play a moment perfectly, like this one where Cyclone is the first person to articulate who's flying a vintage F-14 Tomcat towards them.

Cyclone, stunned and impressed, says, "Maverick."

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 20h

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 5: A former Nazi concentration camp commandant returns to the scene of his many crimes in “Deaths-Head Revisited.”

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Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 5. “Deaths-Head Revisited”

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 21h

My old friends at Rolling Stone ran an excerpt from Serling, where famous fans like JJ Abrams, Vince Gilligan, and Rian Johnson talk about The Twilight Zone's genius and its influence on their work:

rollingstone.com

How 'The Twilight Zone' Influenced Some of Modern TV's Greatest Creators

In an excerpt from 'Serling,' a new Rod Serling biography by Alan Sepinwall, J.J. Abrams, Vince Gilligan and more discuss the 'Twilight Zone' creator.

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Alan Stamm @alanstamm.bsky.social · 16h

"'The Twilight Zone' still seems so incredibly — and at times, depressingly — relevant. [Rod] Serling and his collaborators repeatedly and stealthily tackled such subjects as prejudice, creeping authoritarianism, . . ." -@sepinwall.bsky.social, TV critic & author of upcoming book about Serling [1/2]

nytimes.com

Opinion | ‘The Twilight Zone’ Was a Warning America Ignored (Gift Article)

With “The Twilight Zone,” Rod Serling created a durable blueprint for understanding our surreal reality.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 16h

Time for the two of you to bulk up for such an assignment!

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 16h

Aww, man, then does the Guillermo focus of it mean no Blade Trinity down the road?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 21h

In today's free Friday Check-In newsletter, a recent illness has wreaked some havoc with my schedule, plus lots of Serling stuff, and condensed versions of the Slow Horses and Ted Lasso recaps I couldn't write this week:

whatsalanwatching.com

Friday Check-In: The illness zone

A poorly-timed health issue in the days leading up to the 'Serling' pub day, plus the 'Ted Lasso' finale, 'Slow Horses,' and more

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 20h

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 5: A former Nazi concentration camp commandant returns to the scene of his many crimes in “Deaths-Head Revisited.”

youtube.com

Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 5. “Deaths-Head Revisited”

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 21h

James Dolan's gift for, and committment to, killing even the best of vibes is remarkable.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 21h

My old friends at Rolling Stone ran an excerpt from Serling, where famous fans like JJ Abrams, Vince Gilligan, and Rian Johnson talk about The Twilight Zone's genius and its influence on their work:

rollingstone.com

How 'The Twilight Zone' Influenced Some of Modern TV's Greatest Creators

In an excerpt from 'Serling,' a new Rod Serling biography by Alan Sepinwall, J.J. Abrams, Vince Gilligan and more discuss the 'Twilight Zone' creator.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 21h

whatsalanwatching.com

Friday Check-In: The illness zone

A poorly-timed health issue in the days leading up to the 'Serling' pub day, plus the 'Ted Lasso' finale, 'Slow Horses,' and more

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Your Rod Serling book sounds suspiciously like *my* Rod Serling book, Josh. You'll be hearing from my attorneys!

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

I just got a CT scan this evening from a tech who told me about his brother Maurice. I kept myself from asking if anyone calls him the space cowboy.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

This was a lot of fun. Serling's career was about so much more than Twilight Zone — TZ was basically his second act after he first became famous as Sorkin-before-Sorkin — and I appreciated the chance to talk about the less famous but still great ones like Seven Days in May.

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Peter Gould @petergould.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

A nice teaser — can’t wait to read @sepinwall.bsky.social’s book

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

If the article made you want to learn more about Serling and Twilight Zone, boy are you in luck! www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/alan-...

hachettebookgroup.com

Serling

New York Times bestselling author and esteemed TV critic Alan Sepinwall delivers the definitive biography of Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone. Serli...

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Have had to push back some book launch events back while I get myself healthy. But we’ll still do them!

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 6: My favorite relative deep cut, as a low-level wiseguy turns out to be a “Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room” youtube.com/shorts/_6j4y...

youtube.com

Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 6. “Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room”

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

For The New York Times, I wrote about how Rod Serling create The Twilight Zone in part because it was the only way in the 1950 and 60s for him to comment on the subjects he cared about most, and how that's a good blueprint for contemporary media to deal with our surreal current moment:

nytimes.com

Opinion | ‘The Twilight Zone’ Created a Blueprint for Surviving Our Surreal Moment (Gift Article)

With “The Twilight Zone,” Rod Serling created a durable blueprint for understanding our surreal reality.

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Reposted by Alan Sepinwall

Jason Lynch @jasonlynch.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

If you can't wait until next week to read Alan's incredible Rod Serling biography, this is a lovely appetizer.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

nytimes.com

Opinion | ‘The Twilight Zone’ Created a Blueprint for Surviving Our Surreal Moment (Gift Article)

With “The Twilight Zone,” Rod Serling created a durable blueprint for understanding our surreal reality.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Of the six remaining eps on my countdown, several are substantially less famous than "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet." But the great thing about Twilight Zone is how many absolute bangers it has, to the point where some of the best are almost at risk of getting lost in the shuffle.

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Jen Johans @filmintuition.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

#Podcast: #WatchWithJen - S7: E27 - Rod Serling's The Twilight Zone with Alan Sepinwall (@sepinwall.bsky.social). The NY Times bestselling author & influential television critic returns to discuss his brand-new bio, Serling + 3 classic episodes. Available everywhere. www.patreon.com/FilmIntuitio...

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 7:William Shatner has a memorable flight in “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ5r...

youtube.com

Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 7: “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet”

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to Comic-Con on Thursday, either for the Brooklyn 99 panel or to sign copies of Serling. You can nonetheless buy early copies at the Hachette booth (#3445) days ahead of its official release on October 13!

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 8: The planet’s heating up rapidly in “The Midnight Sun” youtu.be/HOXRsM7GNW4

youtu.be

Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 8. "The Midnight Sun"

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Experiencing a very poorly-timed illness that may keep me from writing about the Ted Lasso season finale, Cupertino, and other things I had planned for this week.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

In a new Ask Alan mailbag for What Else Is Alan Watching? bonus tier subscribers, looking back on The Many Saints of Newark, whether more shows would be better off as one-and-done, and who are recaps for? www.whatsalanwatching.com/ask-alan-do-...

whatsalanwatching.com

Ask Alan: Do you remember 'The Many Saints of Newark'?

Looking back at 'The Sopranos' prequel movie five years later. Plus, is it better for shows to be one-and-done? And who are recaps for?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Whoops, missed yesterday's link. Number 8: A little boy holds a town under his control in "It's a Good Life" youtu.be/FrJuj1QZI8k

youtu.be

Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 9. "It's a Good Life"

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 8: The planet’s heating up rapidly in “The Midnight Sun” youtu.be/HOXRsM7GNW4

youtu.be

Best Twilight Zone Episodes Ever, Number 8. "The Midnight Sun"

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 10: A weary traveler meets “The Howling Man.” www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ezoi...

youtube.com

Best Twilight Zone episodes ever: number 10. “The Howling Man”

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

One of my favorite bits of trivia I discovered while researching the Serling biography: Frank Miller got his first professional credit for an issue of the twilight zone comic in 1978.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

You were doing him a favor as much as he was doing one for you.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

I took it and was soon confronted with the many, many, many gaps in my sports knowledge. I felt more confident with how I did the one time I took the regular Anytime Test.

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Imagine if Joe Brumm's first interview with you began with him saying, "You know, I always thought of this show as an 18 and a half hour movie."

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

The best Twilight Zone episodes countdown continues with Number 11: In a dystopian future, Burgess Meredith is “The Obsolete Man.”

youtube.com

Best Twilight ZoneEpisodes Ever, Number 11. “The Obsolete Man”

YouTube video by What's Alan Watching?

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Phil Pirrello @philpirrello.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

For FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS’ 20th Anniversary today, @sepinwall.bsky.social did a deep dive with Jason Katims on the making of the show and got some trivia about the “Mud Bowl” episode I’ve never heard before. This is a must-read: www.televisionacademy.com/features/onl...

televisionacademy.com

Friday Night Lights at 20: Jason Katims on How He Turned NBC’s Underdog Football Drama into a Modern Classic

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Alan Sepinwall @sepinwall.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

In today's free Friday Check-In newsletter: thoughts on HBO's new legal drama War, Friday Night Lights anniversary, movies, Rod Serling updates, and more:

whatsalanwatching.com

Friday Check-In: What is 'War' good for?

A new HBO legal drama, plus a great Matthew McConaughey movie, Rod Serling, 'High Fidelity,' and more

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