The Twilight Zone / The Outer Limits

[KaerfNomekop]

Has anybody here seen either of the shows mentioned in the title? I realise that this thread appears to belong in the Entertainment Lounge, but what I'm really interested in are the stories that episodes of those shows tell. Wikipedia just doesn't compare to the real deal; some of their plotlines are interesting enough after condensation, and my interest has been greatly piqued from today's wiki-browsing.

Some sample quotes from The Outer Limits:

A weapon? No, only an instrument: neither good nor evil until men put it to use. And then like so many of man's inventions it can be used either to save lives or destroy them, to make men sane or to drive them mad, to increase human understanding or to betray it. But it will be men that make the choice. By itself the instrument is nothing until you add the human factor.

Two black crystalline rocks: unclassifiable. Objects on the border between the living and the nonliving. A reminder of the thin line that separates the animate from the inanimate. Something to ponder on. Something to stay the hand when it reaches out innocently for the whitened pebble, the veined stone, the dead unmoving rocks of our planet.

Deep beyond the kindest, gentlest soul may lurk violent thoughts, deadly wishes. Someday Man will learn to cope with the monsters of the mind. Then, and only then, when the human mind is truly in control of itself, can we begin to utilize the great and hidden powers of the universe.

Is this the day? Is this the beginning of the end? There is no time to wonder. No time to ask why is it happening, why is it finally happening. There is time only for fear, for the piercing pain of panic. Do we pray? Or do we merely run now and pray later? Will there be a later? Or is this the day?

 

[Ninva]

This kind of thread is a bit unprecedented. I have no say in the matter if this thread stays or goes, but since I have watched the Twilight Zone, and each story was like something out of a book. They were really good. But it's hard to talk about something without any source material. Could you provide a Youtube video to an old Twilight Zone show if available? I wouldn't be surprised if the old black and white version would be in the public domain now.

 

[KaerfNomekop]

Well, I found this channel, which I've been trying to make time to watch.

I came up with a few story ideas in my head recently, all of which have themes similar to Twilight Zone episodes. They're barely existent as of now, so I was looking for inspiration from whatever's already in existence. Thus the hunt for the ever-elusive Twilight Zone, and if possible full-text versions of the plots. The Outer Limits is part of my search as well because of it's similarities with the Twilight Zone.

 

[DM Cross]

This kind of thread is a bit unprecedented.

In response to this, I have recently been considering posting a thread about one of my favorite band's new albums because of the lyrics being quite amazing.

It's all writing. Albeit writing for musical or televised reasons, it's still writing. I see no issue.

Carry on.

 

[Fatmankev]

In response to this, I have recently been considering posting a thread about one of my favorite band's new albums because of the lyrics being quite amazing.

It's all writing. Albeit writing for musical or televised reasons, it's still writing. I see no issue.

Carry on.

I agree; putting restrictions on art goes against the entire concept, in my eyes. As long as people are posting and participating, and are being respectful of others, then there's no reason not to post any sort of written material.

Good place to watch Twilight Zone episodes is http://watchseries.eu/serie/the_twilight_zone . You choose your episode, pick a mirror site (most of which work, gorillavid and putlocker are two of the better ones), keep hitting continue and the play button in the middle of the screen, close out of the nasty pop-ups and you're good to go. Yeah, it may sound like a bit of work, but once you've done it it's easy and gives you free t.v.

The Twilight Zone has a lot of very well-crafted stories, almost every single one of which employs a twist or double-twist ending. Watching these can really help give you some solid plot twist ideas, and to help you understand how to create your own successfully. Dunno about finding entire written stories online, but I'd be willing to bet that they're out there somewhere.

Good luck with your writing, bud.