Streaming Sci Fi TV: Tracking down sci fi and fantasy shows of interest on the streaming services. Note that streaming availability can change with little to no notice.
What Is It?
Hosted by series creator Rod Serling, this classic anthology offered stories with sci fi, fantasy, and horror elements that often acted as cautionary tales commenting on the foibles of human nature. All of this is introduced by the infamous opening lines from the show:
There is a fifth dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone.
Aired: 1959-64, CBS, 5 Seasons Totaling 156 Episodes
Notable Guest Stars: William Shatner, Burt Reynolds, Jack Klugman, Leonard Nimoy, Bill Mumy, Bill Bixby, Carol Burnett
Created By: Rod Serling
Why Watch It?
While the original Twilight Zone series might seem dated to modern eyes, it still counts as essential sci fi/fantasy television and it is a must-watch genre entry. It is true that the special effects are quite cheesy and the productions can seem rather stilted and it can be overly preachy at times. But when at its best, which was more often than not, the show could deliver hard-hitting drama and some intriguing moral quandaries. It used its sci fi and fantasy elements to hide its social messages at a time when television networks were not too keen on addressing controversy in the Prime Time hours. And this show came right on the heels of the Golden Age of live television, so if some episodes seemed like stage productions, that’s not too far from the truth. And even if that means that they were somewhat raw and stiff, the bare-bones production values actually give many episodes a timeless appeal. And the show was very much ahead of its time in addressing a wide range of social issues through allegorical storytelling and speculative fiction such as racism, prejudice, class and inequality, war and its consequences, the nature of justice, and more. In fact, in our current political environment, you will find that this show can often be quite prescient. Of course, over five years and 156 episodes, the show did have its duds. But more often than not The Twilight Zone delivered excellent tales with a dose of creepiness and a bit of social commentary and this one certainly counts as one of the greatest sci fi TV shows of all time (more on that at this link).
Where Is It Streaming?
The entire series is available for streaming with a subscription to Paramount+. You can also stream it for free (with ads) on Prime Video, and you don’t need a subscription to that service (it’s what used to be FreeVee). Pluto TV has the series available for free with ads as well. And you can also purchase the show VOD through sellers like Amazon.com. As for the revival entries, the 2019 reboot headed up by Jordan Peele is available on Prime Video for free with ads, but the 1985 series and the 2002 revival are not currently streaming.
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Follow our Sci Fi TV Schedule for all the currently airing and upcoming sci fi and fantasy television shows, and you can see the premieres for all the upcoming genre entries at this link.
