The Twilight Zone FAQ

All That's Left to Know About the Fifth Dimension and Beyond

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by Dave Thompson

Type: Encyclopedias
Subject: One Film > The Twilight Zone (TV Series)
Keywords: TV Series, paranormal
Publishing date: 2015
Publisher: Applause Books
Collection: FAQ
Language: English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 392 pages
6 x 9 inches (15.5 x 23 cm)

ISBN

978-1-4803-9618-0

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Book Presentation:
The Twilight Zone is among the most beloved shows in American television history, a pioneering fantasy behemoth that bridged the cultural gap between the 1950s and 1960s with thought-provoking mystery, mind-boggling theorems, and occasionally outright horror.

The Twilight Zone FAQ takes the reader back to that halcyon era, looking back on the show and its impact as a force for societal change, via reflections on the manifold topics and controversies that the show took on – from the space race to the Red Menace, from paranoia to madness and beyond. Dave Thompson traces the history of the show – from its earliest flowering in the mind of then-unknown Rod Serling through its slow birth, shaky beginning, and breathless five-season run – and he shows how it became the blueprint for so much of the fantasy television that has followed.

Chapters deal with the comic books, novels, and many other spin-offs, including the movie, the TV revamps, and even the amusement park ride. In addition, this FAQ offers a full guide to every episode, providing details on the cast and music and pinpointing both the best and the worst of the series, all adding up to a brightly opinionated time machine that catapults the reader back to the true golden age of American television.

About the Author:
Dave Thompson (Newark, DE) is the author of over 100 books on television, music, and pop culture, including titles on South Park, Doctor Who, Sherlock Holmes, Rocky Horror, and many more. His writing has appeared in Rolling Stone, Spin, Goldmine, MOJO, Melody Maker, and other outlets.

Press Reviews:
''Rod Serling called The Twilight Zone the dimension of imagination, but he couldn't have imagined the impact the show would continue to have decades beyond its 1959 debut. This classic TV show is a cornerstone of pop culture, widely parodied and reverently imitated. The show captured the zeitgeist of its time but in a way that is still relevant today. In this latest look at the landmark series, Thompson (Haunted America FAQ) interweaves episode synopses with behind-the-scenes stories, details about casts and crews, analysis of the time period in which it aired, and, of course, information about Serling (1924-75), the show's driving force and narrator. Thompson's main focus is on the original run, which ended in 1964, and he takes a different approach by grouping similar episodes instead of plowing through them chronologically. The author also touches on merchandise; attempted reboots; and the show's success in books, comics, and other iterations, including a theme park ride. Appendixes provide an episode guide for the show's incarnations; a detailed index helps readers jump to their favorite stories.
Verdict Thompson is a prolific author, and his experience shows here, with both a well-researched volume for television scholars and an extremely readable overview for Zone's many fans. - Terry Bosky'' --Library Journal Online

''The Twilight Zone FAQ: All That's Left to Know about the Fifth Dimension and Beyond is an in-depth guide to the pop culture phenomenon of ''The Twilight Zone''. A fantastic television series of distinguished by elements of mystery, science fiction (sometimes), and occasionally even outright horror, The Twilight Zone captivated the public's imagination in the late 1950's and early 1960's. Its five-season run had a monumental, legacy impact on the fantasy television series that followed. The Twilight Zone FAQ examines the individual episodes with thoughtful synopses, and is also packed with information about associated comic books, novels, other spinoffs, the movie, the later TV revamps, and even the Twilight Zone amusement park ride. Meticulously researched, and illustrated with occasional black-and-white photographs, The Twilight Zone FAQ is a superb companion reference and highly recommended to connoissuers of the series.'' --Midwest Book Review

"The Twilight Zone FAQ is an outstanding effort that pays proper tribute to a legendary and influential television series and its peerless creator whose talent continues to amaze, some four decades after his passing. -Pop Culture Guy Don"

''The Twilight Zone FAQ not only gives us the history of Rod Serling, but the creation, rise, and fall of the show, taking us behind the scenes of the creative struggles, accusations of plagiarism, moments of TV magic, and indelible stories that impacted an entire generation of writers. This is a terrific introduction to the show for the uninitiated, and a wonderful walk down memory lane for long-time fans. Find yourself ''time enough at last'' to check it out.'' --San Francisco Book Review

See the publisher website: Applause Books

See The Twilight Zone (TV Series) (1959–1964) on IMDB ...

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