“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 in 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.” – Roger Sterling
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If you have ever seen The Twilight Zone and Black Mirror, there are undoubtedly a high number of correlations. Correlation does not imply causation, but in the thrilling world of the unnatural, I certainly abide that The Twilight Zone was a strong motivator for many episodes and plots of Black Mirror. Dare I say causation? I think Charlie Brooker would agree—mayyyybe baby—that The Twilight Zone was a large inspiration for the writing within their show. I imagine the thought process in the writing room paralleled this:
*Brooker sips Sprite Zero*
*Armstrong feverishly clicks Bic pen*
*Bridges looks at podcats memes*
“So the guy can relive every moment of his life?” – Armstrong
“Yeah” – Brooker
“That’s it?” – Armstrong
*….*
*ominous pause*
*Bridges sees sad pepe meme*
*….*
“What would Rod Serling do?” – Brooker
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While I enjoy both shows and watch them as my first choice for entertainment, there are some differences to each.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE
This show was written by Rod Serling, airing from 1959 to 1964. It has 156 stand-alone episodes across five seasons. A typical episode is 22 minutes long. Some episodes have more movement and change of setting, while others can revolve around a dilemma in a solitary living room. While characters and the actors portraying these fictional embodiments change each episode, all episodes follow a similar plot: introduction of the protagonist, dilemma, drawn-out 1950s dialogue, climax, protagonist’s signatory action, conclusion, Serling’s dope voice-over summating episode ending with the same phrase every time “….in the twilight zone.”
BLACK MIRROR
This show was written primarily by Charlie Brooker, William Bridges and Jesse Armstrong. The first ~disgusting~ episode was released in December 2011 and has since aired primarily on Netflix. It has 21 stand-alone episodes across five seasons. A typical episode is 45 minutes long. Characters and actors change each time, yet there are noticeable plot allusions. Call Brooker “bunny” because he drops Easter eggs like it’s his job. But it actually is his job. So, good job. All episodes follow a similar plot: introduction of setting, technology introduced, problem or opportunity surrounding technology, man’s interaction with technology, intriguing plot fact, cool soundtrack, climax, man versus technology, conclusion, cliffhanger, nah conclusion, well….
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Before you enter the twilight zone, be sure to exit game.