Syfy Twilight Zone Marathon**

Serling introduces the controversial The Encounter

***edited during the evening***
It was a pleasure on Twitter today following along with those watching the marathon. The fifth season filled up the afternoon and it was interesting gauging the reactions to episodes often not featured in a favorable spot during the New Year's lineup. "The Encounter", "Mr Garrity and the Graves", "The Fear" (which wasn't as prominently discussed as the topical The Encounter), "Come Wander with Me", and "Jeopardy Room" all received a fair amount of creative, insightful, reflective, existential, and opinionated critique by a wonderfully diverse group of folks throughout the country. And with automated machines replacing humans (Walmart, farming, factories) in "The Brain Center at Whipples" and how hate can darken anyone in "I am the Dark - Color Me Black", so incredibly relevant today--African-American characters have the most crucial monologues in both--seeing how Serling's show still connects to generation upon generation is impressive and astonishing. Sure, you can pick apart "The Rip Van Winkle Caper" for its story telling devices such as deciding to hide cryogenic chambers in a cavern or not selling your complex invention of the cryogenic chambers instead of stealing gold bullion, question the visual of Robby the Robot replacing Whipple, complete with swinging watch, but so much still remains inspiring and refuses to handcuff itself to just the 60s. Granted "Caesar and Me", What's in the Box?" and "Bewitchin Pool" leave a bad taste in my mouth, but so many others from the fifth season are serious gems, discovered just today by many fresh, young minds ready to contemplate whatever message or thought Serling and his brilliant writers had to say.

***Good humor regarding Hamilton as the mayor in Jaws and Mr. Death in "One for the Angels". There was a lot of love for the episode, especially Wynn.

***Someone on Twitter cleverly referred to "A World of Difference" as an actor's nightmare. Imagine getting so lost in a role that the story becomes so real to you it is preferred over the current life outside the part.

***There was a tweet or two that cracked me up about "To Serve Man" in regards to landing at Newark, Nj: should have been the first sign right there.