Being the huge Twilight Zone fan I am, this is sad news to hear the most recent reboot courtesy of Jordan Peele has not been renewed for a third season. Strangely, it sounds like the showrunners are the reason it’s not returning, not the network.
While the first episode of the reboot drove up CBS All Access’ level of unique viewers to an all-time high, per the streamer, it will not come back when CBS All Access is rebranded as Paramount Plus on March 4.
CBS All Access’ ‘The Twilight Zone’ Not Returning for Third Season – Variety
That makes a total of 20 episodes over two seasons. The previous reboot effort from 2002-2003, with host Forest Whitaker, ran one season on UPN with 43 total episodes. Prior to that the 1985-1989 reboot — the most successful of reboots — lasted three seasons with 65 total episodes.
The original series ran from 1959-1964 for five seasons with a total of 156 episode, most of which were written by Rod Serling and all hosted and narrated by him. True story that Serling wrote more Twilight Zone episodes himself than any of the other reboot efforts have lasted. A testament to the quality of his writing.
My guess is we’ll see another Twilight Zone TV show reboot, perhaps another 10-20 years from now. This show is too good not to keep trying to recapture the magic. Maybe the next one will go true old school and keep it black and white, shot on film like the original with stories from writes modeling what Serling did in the original, only brought up to date in 2021. Peele and his team tried to do this, even offering a black and white version, but I think the longer than 30 minute episodes hindered the quality. Twilight Zone is perfect for 30 minute or less episodes. Even the fourth season of the classic that tried longer episodes stumbled in ratings. The fifth season they went back to the 30 minute run time.
It’s also possible that somebody will take a shot at another Twilight Zone movie. The last one might seem to be cursed with Vic Morrow and two child actors tragically killed in a stunt gone wrong, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we see another TZ movie.
Hopefully, Paramount+ will offer every Twilight Zone reboot episode on their service. The original is everywhere and Jordan Peele’s version is available, but the other two versions aren’t widely available, except on DVD. Some of these episodes were very well done. Twilight Zone fans deserve to see the entire history of Twilight Zone on Paramount+.
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