The Twilight Zone is known for its horror and sci-fi elements, and let’s not forget about the iconic theme music. Created back in 1959, the series was rebooted three times over the years, with the final being in 2019 for Paramount+. While some of the episodes had humorous elements, others leaned fully on the dark and creepy. If you enjoy a bit of good horror, check out these six creepiest Twilight Zone episodes now.
6. The Howling Man (S2, E5)
Starting our list of the creepiest Twilight Zone episodes is “The Howling Man.” Based on a short story by Charles Beaumont, a man and scholar named David Ellington gets lost in a storm and finds shelter in a castle. The castle is home to an ancient monastic order, which allows David to stay the night. However, David hears yelling and finds out that a man is being held prisoner by the monks, but the man is actually the Devil. A man of intellectual prowess, David releases the Devil, which sets off a hunt to finally recapture him after decades.
5. The Midnight Sun (S3 E10)
Fifth on our list of creepiest Twilight Zone episodes is “Midnight Sun.” What happens if our technology doesn’t have the power to combat an extra-terrestrial threat? This is exactly what happens in “Midnight Sun,” depicting a slow and inevitable extinction of the human race. The plot focuses on the remaining survivors as the planet slowly gets closer to the sun, but the twist at the end reveals the whole ordeal to be a fever dream, leaving the viewer stunned.
4. The Dummy (S3, E33)
Next on our list of the creepiest Twilight Zone episodes is “The Dummy.” With probably the creepiest character in the series, this episode will keep you up at night. In it, a ventriloquist named Jerry Etherson realized his dummy, Willie, was more than just a prop and was evil. Growing paranoid and trying to get as far away from Willie as possible, the evil finally wins as Jerry and Willie switch places, with Jerry becoming Willie’s dummy in an act.
3. The After Hours (S1, E34)
Rounding out the top three creepiest Twilight Zone episodes is “The After Hours.” A young woman visits a department store and is directed to the ninth floor, though it ends up being mostly empty. On her way out, the woman was told there was no ninth floor. Returning to the floor, she found the room filled with mannequins, and with their help, she remembered she was one of them. Between the uncanniness and paranoia, it’s one of Twilight Zone’s best episodes.
2. Living Doll (S5, E6)
Second on our list of creepiest Twilight Zone episodes is “Living Doll.” Creepy dolls have also had a spot in the horror genre, and this show is no different. Instead of Chucky, though, it’s a doll called Talking Tina. Bought for his stepdaughter, the man grows increasingly suspicious of the doll. Talky Tina begins to torment the man, ending in him tripping over the doll and falling down the stairs to his death. Never has “you’d better be nice to me” sounded so creepy before.
1. It’s a Good Life (S3, E8)
Last but not least on our list of creepiest Twilight Zone episodes is “It’s a Good Life.” Based on the short story of the same name by Jerome Bixby, this creepy episode was so good that the topic was revisited with a sequel titled “It’s Still a Good Life.” In the original, young Anthony lives with his family in an isolated small town and possesses telekinetic powers. This leaves his family terrified of him, as Anthony often used his powers to punish people when he didn’t get his way. Yikes.