::THRILLING TV EPISODES::
by Schwenkstar | created - 26 Oct 2014 | updated - 21 Oct 2021 | PublicTHE GIST OF THE LIST: There are thousands of episodes on television, most of which are forgettable and not worth your time. However, every once in a while, there is a gem buried deeply in that vast world of entertainment. I have waded through the muck and mire of anthology, mystery, science fiction, and horror shows to present you a list of the most thrilling episodes in television history.
[LISTED IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER BY SHOW]
OTHER LISTS:
CAMMANDO (MEN-ON-A-MISSION) THRILLERS
CON THRILLERS
COURTROOM THRILLERS
CULT EUROPEAN SUPERHERO MOVIES
DARK COMEDIES WITH PESKY CORPSES, BOTCHED KIDNAPPINGS, MURDEROUS BLUNDERS & ACCIDENTAL DEATHS
DEALS WITH THE DEVIL
DINNER PARTIES FROM HELL
DON'T PERFORM THE AUTOPSY! I'M NOT DEAD!
GOTHIC HORROR
HEIST THRILLERS
HEROIC BLOODSHED + BULLET BALLET + GUN-FU
HOLLYWOOD GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
INNOCENT FUGITIVE ON-THE-RUN THRILLERS
ITALIAN GIALLO (+ ITS OTHERS)
LOCKED ROOM MYSTERIES + IMPOSSIBLE CRIMES
LO-FI SCI-FI
ONE ROOM THRILLERS
PARALLEL UNIVERSES, ALTERNATE REALITIES, FEVERISH DREAMS
POLICE PROCEDURALS
PRISON ESCAPE THRILLERS
RURAL-COUNTRY THRILLERS
THEOLOGICAL FILMS
THRILLING SHORT FILMS
THRILLING TV EPISODES
THRILLING TV MOVIES
UNKNOWN + UNAVAILABLE THRILLERS
VANISHED PERSON THRILLERS
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- Movies or TV
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- Keywords
1.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Breakdown
(1955)
TV-14 | 26 min | Drama, Mystery
William Callew is involved in a bad traffic accident on a rural road, that leaves him so paralyzed he appears lifeless, and when help arrives they think he's really dead.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Joseph Cotten, Raymond Bailey, Forrest Stanley
Votes: 1,979
MY TWO CENTS: My vote for the greatest episode of the entire series. Incredibly suspenseful, artfully executed, and emotionally draining. This is suspense done to perfection courtesy of the master himself (he directed it).
10
2.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Case of Mr. Pelham
(1955)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A series of troubling incidents lead Mr. Pelham to believe that he has a double who is deliberately impersonating him.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Tom Ewell, Raymond Bailey, Justice Watson
Votes: 1,426
MY TWO CENTS: A surrealistic nightmare directed by Hitchcock himself - one of the few episodes that leaves reality and enters a world more akin to The Twilight Zone. Probably the most disturbing of all the episodes.
10
3.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Creeper
(1956)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A frightened housewife is alone in her apartment when she begins to suspect just about anyone could be the unknown killer who has been strangling women.
Director: Herschel Daugherty | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Constance Ford, Steve Brodie, Harry Townes
Votes: 975
MY TWO CENTS: A serial killer is at large... who is it? The plot is relatively straightforward, but it's an excellent exercise in dread and paranoia as everyone is under suspicion. 8
4.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Help Wanted
(1956)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
To pay for his wife's operation, Mr. Crabtree takes a job working for the mysterious Mr. X, who asks him to manage a job involving a blackmailer.
Director: James Neilson | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, John Qualen, Lorne Greene, Madge Kennedy
Votes: 899
MY TWO CENTS: Based on a wonderful short story by Stanley Ellin, this is a solid adaptation with a mysterious set-up and slow revelations.
8
5.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Dangerous People
(1957)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
Two men wait at a train station. A wailing siren periodically reminds them that a maniac has escaped from the local mental hospital.
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Albert Salmi, Robert H. Harris, Ken Clark
Votes: 651
MY TWO CENTS: A psychologically intense episode between two characters - is one of them an escaped convict from the insane asylum? Artfully executed with almost all the dialogue being internal monologues. The ending is particularly effective, especially in its "message" concerning who are the "real" dangerous people. Wonderful.
10
6.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Enough Rope for Two
(1957)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
An ex-convict plans on killing his double-crossing partner and maybe his ex-girlfriend, after they help him recover the stolen money he hid.
Director: Paul Henreid | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Jean Hagen, Steven Hill, Steve Brodie
Votes: 648
MY TWO CENTS: Sun-bleached noir at its finest. The ironic twists at the end are some of the best examples of poetic justice you will see.
9
7.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Glass Eye
(1957)
TV-14 | 33 min | Drama, Mystery
Captivated by the actor's physical beauty, an aging spinster pulls up stakes to follow a ventriloquist and his dummy from performance to performance; finally, the man consents to a much-wanted meeting.
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Jessica Tandy, Tom Conway, Rosemary Harris
Votes: 1,102
MY TWO CENTS: A tragic love story with a hair-raising twist ending that sent chills down my spine as a child; easily one of the most memorable twists of the entire series. Stars Oscar winner Jessica Tandy as well as a young William Shatner.
9
8.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Heart of Gold
(1957)
TV-14 | Drama, Mystery
A convicted robber is released to the family of one of his cell mates, against the better judgment of his parole officer.
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Mildred Dunnock, Darryl Hickman, Nehemiah Persoff
Votes: 660
MY TWO CENTS: Emotionally intense crime drama with a tragic twist ending that is devastating. Highly recommended.
9
9.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Manacled
(1957)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
Shackled prisoner Stephen Fontaine tries to negotiate an escape from Sergeant Rockwell while en route to San Quentin.
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Gary Merrill, William Redfield, Rusty Lane
Votes: 745
MY TWO CENTS: Suspenseful two-hander concerning a cop transporting a prisoner - a psychological battle of wits ensues with a pitch-perfect ending. Once again, poetic justice at its finest.
9
10.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
One More Mile to Go
(1957)
TV-14 | 26 min | Drama, Mystery
Sam Jacoby has his wife's corpse in the trunk of his car, and is menaced by a motorcycle cop, who nags him about a taillight.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, David Wayne, Steve Brodie, Louise Larabee
Votes: 914
MY TWO CENTS: My vote for the second best of the entire lot (just behind Breakdown), Hitchcock directs this suspenseful tale of a man trying to dispose of his murdered wife. Artfully executed, with the first half played out almost in complete silence. Wonderful, simply wonderful!
10
11.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Young One
(1957)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A rebellious, pretty teenage girl uses any means, even murder, to get free of her overly protective aunt who is raising her.
Director: Robert Altman | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Carol Lynley, Vince Edwards, Stephen Joyce
Votes: 684
MY TWO CENTS: Directed by Robert Altman, this crime drama pushed the envelope (by 1950s standards) of a promiscuous young girl who seduces men in an effort to escape from her overbearing aunt. Emotionally intense with a tragic ending.
9
12.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Crooked Road
(1958)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A couple driving through a rural location discover that the police and judge of the town of Robertsville are more intent on extorting money from them than being honest servants of the people.
Director: Paul Henreid | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Richard Kiley, Walter Matthau, Patricia Breslin
Votes: 735
MY TWO CENTS: Plays out almost like a surrealistic nightmare where a couple drives through a small town and are unreasonably harassed the local law enforcement (played to slimy perfection by Walter Matthau). The ending, however, will put a big ol' grin across your face.
9
13.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Lamb to the Slaughter
(1958)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
After Mary Maloney's police chief husband is murdered, the police investigate but have a hard time figuring out the murder weapon.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Barbara Bel Geddes, Harold J. Stone, Allan Lane
Votes: 1,264
MY TWO CENTS: Another iconic episode based upon a story written by Roald Dahl. Black comedy at its finest, with a ending that will have you giggling with our leading lady.
9
14.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Man with a Problem
(1958)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
Karen Adams' infidelity drives her husband Carl to attempt suicide by jumping from a high window ledge at a hotel. Can police officer Barrett stop him?
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Gary Merrill, Peter Mark Richman, Elizabeth Montgomery
Votes: 735
MY TWO CENTS: At first glance, this seemed to be a routine crime drama about a man contemplating suicide by jumping off a building's ledge... but the ending had me bursting out in laughter for its sheer audacity! Stick with it, the final twist is hoot and will have you howling in delight!
9
15.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Poison
(1958)
TV-14 | 26 min | Drama, Mystery
Harry Pope is lying in bed and discovers that there is a sleeping snake on his stomach.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Wendell Corey, James Donald, Arnold Moss
Votes: 593
MY TWO CENTS: A man wakes up to find a poisonous snake on his stomach. Based on a story by Roald Dahl, the premise may be simple but it will have you sweating in suspense - and the hot, tropical ambiance with its broken fans don't help remedy the situation.
9
16.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Post Mortem
(1958)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A wife refuses to let her husband squander away the money from a 133,000-dollar sweepstakes ticket inherited from her first dead spouse, so he plans on killing her.
Director: Arthur Hiller | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Steve Forrest, Joanna Moore, James Gregory
Votes: 585
MY TWO CENTS: A twisty crime tale from a Cornell Woolrich short story that is wonderfully surprising (as are all of Woolrich's stories).
8
17.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
The Right Kind of House
(1958)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
Mr. Waterbury believes he can get a good deal on some real estate because a murder occurred in the home. But he hasn't dealt with Sadie Grimes the owner who refuses to lower the price because of an emotional attachment.
Director: Don Taylor | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Emhardt, Jeanette Nolan, James Drury
Votes: 894
MY TWO CENTS: Another crime drama that at first glance seems rather innocuous but the ending twist is clever enough that it had me wanting to re-watch it to catch the subtle details.
8
18.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Together
(1958)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A husband gets locked in a secure office with the body of his beautiful young mistress, whom he has just murdered.
Director: Robert Altman | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Joseph Cotten, Christine White, Sam Buffington
Votes: 623
MY TWO CENTS: Directed by Robert Altman, this episode has Joseph Cotton murdering his mistress in his office... and then he finds himself locked in there with her! How can he escape without being implicated? Rather straightforward but well performed with a palpable sense of claustrophobia.
8
19.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Road Hog
(1959)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A very rude traveling salesman forces a truck off the road, causing a delay in emergency care for an injured young man, who dies.
Director: Stuart Rosenberg | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Raymond Massey, Robert Emhardt, Ray Teal
Votes: 718
MY TWO CENTS: One of those poetic justice tales where the villain is just so slimy you can't wait for his timely demise.
8
20.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Specialty of the House
(1959)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
Mr. Laffler invites Mr. Costain to join him for dinner at a private club that he describes as a very special experience. To his disappointment, Laffler is informed that the house specialty,... See full summary »
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Robert Morley, Kenneth Haigh, George Keymas
Votes: 700
MY TWO CENTS: Solid adaptation of Stanely Ellin's iconic short story. Admittedly, it lacks the bite and sting of the short, but if one hasn't read the short then this serves as a good introduction to the tale.
8
21.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Escape to Sonoita
(1960)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
Two kidnappers think they have made their escape when they hijack a tanker in the dry desert, leaving the occupants and a female victim behind to die.
Director: Stuart Rosenberg | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Burt Reynolds, Murray Hamilton, Venetia Stevenson
Votes: 625
MY TWO CENTS: Plays out like Wages of Fear with a pair of criminals attempting to drive through the desert with a tanker truck while harassing its owners. The sun beating down the characters enhances the intensity of this thriller, complete with a twist of ending of beautiful poetic justice.
8
22.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Bang! You're Dead
(1961)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A 5-year-old boy finds his uncle's revolver, partially loads it with bullets, and plays with it in public, unaware of its deadly power.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen Dunne, Biff Elliot, Lucy Prentis
Votes: 793
MY TWO CENTS: One of the episodes directed by the master himself. Suspenseful episode concerning a boy who is playing with real - and loaded - gun.
9
23.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Incident in a Small Jail
(1961)
TV-14 | 30 min | Drama, Mystery
A suspected serial killer is put in a jail house with a salesman, while a lynch mob waits outside.
Director: Norman Lloyd | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, John Fiedler, Richard Jaeckel, Ronald Nicholas
Votes: 585
MY TWO CENTS: Gripping crime thriller from start to finish, with an ending that some may see coming but guessing it still doesn't diminish its shock factor. Truly thrilling.
10
24.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–1962)
Episode:
Man from the South
(1960)
TV-14 | 26 min | Drama, Mystery
In a Las Vegas casino, an unpleasant little man hopes to use a young man's wish to impress the young woman he has just met to pressure the young fellow into accepting a macabre bet.
Director: Norman Lloyd | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Steve McQueen, Peter Lorre, Neile Adams
Votes: 1,227
MY TWO CENTS: One of the iconic episodes from the series. I may prefer the version of the story featured in Tales Of The Unexpected but that is certainly not the majority's opinion. Regardless, this is top-notch with Steve McQueen and Peter Lorre are at their prime.
9
25.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
Return of Verge Likens
(1964)
TV-PG | 48 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
After his father is murdered by a politician who gets away with it, a young man becomes determined to get revenge.
Director: Arnold Laven | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Peter Fonda, Robert Emhardt, George Lindsey
Votes: 479
MY TWO CENTS: ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS switched to an hour-long format in its final three seasons, which mostly caused the stories to suffer with pacing issues. That said, there are exceptions including this great tale of revenge with a tense finale.
8
26.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
The Jar
(1964)
TV-PG | 48 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
Charlie Hill is mesmerized by a strange jar at a carnival sideshow. He buys it from the owner, but his wife Thedy Sue is frightened and wants it thrown out. The townspeople come from miles to see it and Charlie becomes a local celebrity.
Director: Norman Lloyd | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Pat Buttram, Collin Wilcox Paxton, William Marshall
Votes: 769
MY TWO CENTS: Fantastic adaptation of Ray Bradbury's The Jar. Admittedly the pacing is rather slow (as was the case for many of the hour-long episodes of Hitchcock's anthology series) but the performances and atmosphere is quite effective with an ending that is quite memorable.
8
27.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
Nothing Ever Happens in Linvale
(1963)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A sheriff investigates the disappearance of the wife of a man who has been acting suspiciously.
Director: Herschel Daugherty | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Gary Merrill, Phyllis Thaxter, Fess Parker
Votes: 555
MY TWO CENTS: A quintessential Hitchcockian tale of small town murder with likeable characters and deadpan humor. A pure delight. There are a few twists which may surprise you.
8
28.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
An Unlocked Window
(1965)
TV-PG | 49 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A serial killer is in the area where some private nurses have locked themselves in a large house, except for one basement window.
Director: Joseph M. Newman | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Dana Wynter, T.C. Jones, Louise Latham
Votes: 918
MY TWO CENTS: Easily the best episode from the "hour" edition of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, this probably has one of the greatest shock endings in television history; I am surprised it's not mentioned in the same breathe as some of the great surprises one may find in The Twilight Zone.
10
29.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
Lonely Place
(1964)
TV-PG | 48 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A poor, loving, farmer's wife discovers just how evil a hired drifter is, and how much of a coward her husband is too.
Director: Harvey Hart | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Teresa Wright, Pat Buttram, Bruce Dern
Votes: 515
MY TWO CENTS: A terrific three-hander with superb performances including a young Bruce Dern as a psycho drifter.. Credibility is occasionally strained, however, especially in the end.
8
30.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
Where the Woodbine Twineth
(1965)
TV-PG | 48 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
After Eva Snyder becomes an orphan, she comes to live with the elderly Mississippi riverboat Captain King Snyder and his old-maid daughter Nell. While the Captain is piloting his boat, Nell... See full summary »
Director: Alf Kjellin | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Margaret Leighton, Carl Benton Reid, Juanita Moore
Votes: 527
MY TWO CENTS: One of the few supernatural horror episodes from the series. Some genuinely creepy moments (is that TWO shapes moving under the blanket?) and a disturbing ending.
8
31.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
Final Escape
(1964)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A convict at a state prison work camp plans a clever escape with the help of the aging, alcoholic fellow prisoner who's in charge of making coffins and burying the camp's deceased.
Director: William Witney | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Stephen McNally, Robert Keith, Edd Byrnes
Votes: 525
MY TWO CENTS: A little long but the ending is a zinger. If only someone made a whole story out its tense final ten minutes... What's that? Someone has? It's a movie called Buried?
8
32.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
Consider Her Ways
(1964)
TV-PG | 48 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A woman awakens in a dystopian society formed after the extinction of all men where women are sorted at birth into one of four social castes - Workers, Mothers (incubators), Servitors and Doctors. She rebels against being just a mother.
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Barbara Barrie, Gladys Cooper, Robert H. Harris
Votes: 444
MY TWO CENTS: A strange, surreal tale that feels more like The Twilight Zone than Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Enter without any knowledge and let its bizarre nature sweep you away. A shame the final act is fairly tame in comparison to the crazy start.
8
33.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
The Magic Shop
(1964)
TV-PG | 60 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
After a little boy vanishes in a magic shop, he comes back later with supernatural powers and evil intentions.
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Leslie Nielsen, Peggy McCay, John Megna
Votes: 505
MY TWO CENTS: Another Twilight Zone-esque episode where a magic shop has a horrifying effect on a boy. Some disturbing and bizarre moments which are wisely never explained.
8
34.
The Alfred Hitchcock Hour (1962–1965)
Episode:
Bed of Roses
(1964)
TV-PG | 48 min | Crime, Drama, Horror
A married man finds his beautiful mistress murdered and flees without reporting it, only to become the victim of blackmail.
Director: Philip Leacock | Stars: Alfred Hitchcock, Patrick O'Neal, Kathie Browne, Torin Thatcher
Votes: 421
MY TWO CENTS: Another darkly comedic tale of murder. Humorous twists and turns. Delightful.
8
35.
Suspicion (1957–1958)
Episode:
Four O'Clock
(1957)
60 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Paul Steppe, a watch repairman, suspects his wife is cheating on him while he tends to his store every afternoon. Consumed with jealousy, he devises a time bomb set to go off at four o' ... See full summary »
Director: Alfred Hitchcock | Stars: Nancy Kelly, E.G. Marshall, Richard Long, Tom Pittman
Votes: 238
MY TWO CENTS: Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and based on a short story by Cornell Woolrich, this gem of a thriller is essentially a long lost Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode.
9
36.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Where Is Everybody?
(1959)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Mike Ferris finds himself alone in the small Oakwood town and without recollection about his name, where he is or who he is. Mike wanders through the town trying to find a living soul. The tension increases and Mike has a breakdown.
Director: Robert Stevens | Stars: Earl Holliman, James Gregory, Paul Langton, James McCallion
Votes: 7,135
MY TWO CENTS: The first episode of the series and one of the best; a surreal nightmare with a mind-bending twist.
10
37.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Time Enough at Last
(1959)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A henpecked book lover finds himself blissfully alone with his books after a nuclear war.
Director: John Brahm | Stars: Burgess Meredith, Vaughn Taylor, Jacqueline deWit, Lela Bliss
Votes: 7,771
MY TWO CENTS: One of the most iconic and memorable episodes; it is so utterly sad and tragic with its bitter sting of a twist ending.
9
38.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
And When the Sky Was Opened
(1959)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Three astronauts return to Earth after seemingly having made an encounter that dooms them and their craft to erasure from existence itself.
Director: Douglas Heyes | Stars: Rod Taylor, Jim Hutton, Charles Aidman, Maxine Cooper
Votes: 5,030
MY TWO CENTS: An existential nightmare - characters cease to exist for seemingly no explicable reason, which rightfully alarms those who are aware that this is happening.
9
39.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Third from the Sun
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Two families of Government employees plan to steal a spaceship and travel to another planet just prior to a nuclear war. They must also deal with a stooge who wants to stop them.
Director: Richard L. Bare | Stars: Fritz Weaver, Edward Andrews, Joe Maross, Denise Alexander
Votes: 4,489
MY TWO CENTS: Palm-sweating suspense as a group of four attempts to escape from an unnamed oppressive government. The direction makes this truly intense but its the wonderful surprise at its end which makes it memorable.
9
40.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
I Shot an Arrow into the Air
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Order breaks down between three surviving crewmen whose rocket ship crashes on an unknown world with limited water and supplies.
Director: Stuart Rosenberg | Stars: Dewey Martin, Edward Binns, Ted Otis, Harry Bartell
Votes: 4,009
MY TWO CENTS: You may see the twist coming but it's a rather great survival tale..
8
41.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
The Hitch-Hiker
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A young woman driving cross-country becomes frantic when she keeps passing the same man on the side of the road. No matter how fast she drives, the man is always up ahead, hitching her for a ride.
Director: Alvin Ganzer | Stars: Inger Stevens, Adam Williams, Lew Gallo, Leonard Strong
Votes: 5,225
MY TWO CENTS: A woman constantly sees the same hitch-hiker as she drives across the country. The ending may be conventional by today's standard, but its nightmarish atmosphere makes this thrilling.
8
42.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Elegy
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Three astronauts touch down on an asteroid, where they discover a world of people that appear to be frozen in time. Confused, they theorize as to why everyone is motionless, until a man springs to life and explains.
Director: Douglas Heyes | Stars: Cecil Kellaway, Jeff Morrow, Don Dubbins, Kevin Hagen
Votes: 3,636
MY TWO CENTS: An eerie and mysterious atmosphere truly draws you in but its ending, while unexpected and humorous, is also ridiculous.
8
43.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Mirror Image
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
While waiting in a bus station, Millicent Barnes has the strange feeling that her doppelganger is trying to take over her life.
Director: John Brahm | Stars: Rod Serling, Vera Miles, Martin Milner, Joseph Hamilton
Votes: 4,323
MY TWO CENTS: Surrealistic nightmare; wonderfully strange and disquieting. One of those rare occasions where the lack of answers improves the experience.
9
44.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
On a peaceful suburban street, strange occurrences and mysterious people stoke the residents' paranoia to a disastrous intensity.
Director: Ron Winston | Stars: Rod Serling, Claude Akins, Barry Atwater, Jack Weston
Votes: 6,141
MY TWO CENTS: Social commentary at its best.
9
45.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
A World of Difference
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A businessman sitting in his office inexplicably finds that he is on a production set and in a world where he is a movie star. Uninterested in the newfound fame, he fights to get back to his home and family.
Director: Ted Post | Stars: Howard Duff, David White, Frank Maxwell, Eileen Ryan
Votes: 3,627
MY TWO CENTS: The Truman Show but as an inescapable nightmare - the opening immediately grabs you.
9
46.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Long Live Walter Jameson
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A father forbids a history professor from marrying his daughter when he discovers that the captivating lecturer is actually an immortal who has lived for thousands of years.
Director: Anton Leader | Stars: Kevin McCarthy, Edgar Stehli, Estelle Winwood, Dodie Heath
Votes: 3,850
MY TWO CENTS: Delightful tale prefiguring Jerome Bixby's The Man From Earth to a certain extent.
9
47.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
People Are Alike All Over
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Fearing the worst, the lone survivor of a crash-landing on Mars finds the native inhabitants, to his relief, very hospitable indeed, but there's a catch.
Director: Mitchell Leisen | Stars: Roddy McDowall, Susan Oliver, Paul Comi, Byron Morrow
Votes: 3,962
MY TWO CENTS: The twist is the clincher in this tale; elevates it from interesting to iconic.
9
48.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
The After Hours
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A woman is treated badly by some odd salespeople on an otherwise empty department store floor.
Director: Douglas Heyes | Stars: Rod Serling, Anne Francis, Elizabeth Allen, James Millhollin
Votes: 4,518
MY TWO CENTS: Why is a woman drawn to an abandon floor in a department store? The answer has a twist!
8
49.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
The Howling Man
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Seeking refuge from a storm, a traveler comes upon a bizarre abbey of monks, who have imprisoned a man who begs for his help. When he confronts the head monk, he is told that the man is the Devil, and he must decide whom to believe.
Director: Douglas Heyes | Stars: John Carradine, H.M. Wynant, Robin Hughes, Friedrich von Ledebur
Votes: 4,076
MY TWO CENTS: Wonderful "is-he-or-isn't-he" premise - is the prisoner really the devil or a victim of some crazed religious fanatics - that features a dark, gloomy atmosphere and a deliciously hammy performance from John Carradine.
9
50.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Eye of the Beholder
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A young woman lying in a hospital bed, her head wrapped in bandages, awaits the outcome of a surgical procedure performed by the State in a last-ditch attempt to make her look "normal."
Director: Douglas Heyes | Stars: Maxine Stuart, William D. Gordon, Jennifer Howard, George Keymas
Votes: 6,240
MY TWO CENTS: One of the most iconic episode of the entire series. The social commentary, the artistic execution, and the twist makes this a knockout.
10
51.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Nick of Time
(1960)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A pair of newlyweds stopping in a small town are trapped by their own superstition when playing a fortune-telling machine in a local diner.
Director: Richard L. Bare | Stars: William Shatner, Patricia Breslin, Guy Wilkerson, Stafford Repp
Votes: 4,084
MY TWO CENTS: A young William Shatner and his wife seem to be under the psychological power of a fortune machine.
8
52.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
(1961)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Following a frantic phone call about a crashed spaceship, two policemen try to determine who among the bus passengers at a snowed-in roadside diner is from another world.
Director: Montgomery Pittman | Stars: John Hoyt, Jean Willes, Jack Elam, Barney Phillips
Votes: 4,317
MY TWO CENTS: Like a whodunit but the question subtlety changing to - which one is a martian? The snow-bound atmosphere and the sense of paranoia, coupled with a double-twist ending, makes this quite memorable indeed.
9
53.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
It's a Good Life
(1961)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
On an isolated family farm, a young boy with vast mental powers, but lacking emotional development, holds his terrified family in thrall to his every juvenile wish.
Director: James Sheldon | Stars: John Larch, Cloris Leachman, Don Keefer, Bill Mumy
Votes: 4,536
MY TWO CENTS: A true nightmare as adults are kept in total fear of a child with magic powers - don't give him a reason to wish you into the cornfield!
10
54.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
The Obsolete Man
(1961)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
In a future totalitarian society, a librarian is declared obsolete and sentenced to death.
Director: Elliot Silverstein | Stars: Burgess Meredith, Fritz Weaver, Josip Elic, Harry Fleer
Votes: 4,086
MY TWO CENTS: My vote for the best of The Twilight Zone episodes. The powerful message knocks your socks off and leaves you breathless.
10
55.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Five Characters in Search of an Exit
(1961)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
An Army major awakens in a small room with no idea of who he is or how he got there. He finds four other people in the same room, and they all begin to question how they each arrived there, and more importantly, how to escape.
Director: Lamont Johnson | Stars: Susan Harrison, William Windom, Murray Matheson, Kelton Garwood
Votes: 3,864
MY TWO CENTS: Another iconic episode. Surreal, artfully rendered; a classic through and through.
10
56.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
To Serve Man
(1962)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
An alien race comes to Earth, promising peace and sharing technology. A linguist and his team set out to translate the aliens' language, using a book whose title they deduce is "To Serve Man."
Director: Richard L. Bare | Stars: Lloyd Bochner, Susan Cummings, Richard Kiel, Hardie Albright
Votes: 5,217
MY TWO CENTS: One of the very best of the entire series. It's one of the few times where this rendition actually improves upon the original short story!
10
57.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Little Girl Lost
(1962)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Awakened in the middle of the night by the cries of his daughter, a father enters the girl's room to find that she has vanished - even though he can still hear her crying out for help.
Director: Paul Stewart | Stars: Sarah Marshall, Robert Sampson, Charles Aidman, Higgins
Votes: 2,966
MY TWO CENTS: In some ways it is a precursor to Poltergeist - a little girl in a suburban home slips into an alternate dimension and her parents try desperately to save her; the only difference here is there are no ghosts.
8
58.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Person or Persons Unknown
(1962)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Paying homage to It's a Wonderful Life (1946), David Gurney wakes up to another ordinary day. Except today, nobody knows who he is including his own wife Wilma.
Director: John Brahm | Stars: Richard Long, Frank Silvera, Shirley Ballard, Julie Van Zandt
Votes: 2,470
MY TWO CENTS: In some ways, this is a retread of A World Of Difference but much darker. The lack of answers may be frustrating, but at the same time makes it all the more frightening.
8
59.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
The Little People
(1962)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
On a desolate planet, two astronauts discover an entire society populated by incredibly small beings. One of the astronauts decides to rule the society as a god.
Director: William F. Claxton | Stars: Joe Maross, Claude Akins, Michael Ford, Robert Eaton
Votes: 2,670
MY TWO CENTS: Another wonderful social satire concerning an astronaut who finds a small civilization in which he tries to lord over it as a god. The final twist puts everything... into perspective.
9
60.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
On Thursday We Leave for Home
(1963)
TV-14 | 51 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
The first human space colony is about to be rescued from the forsaken planet they've been on for three decades. But their leader's having a hard time accepting that change will happen when they get back to Earth.
Director: Buzz Kulik | Stars: James Whitmore, Tim O'Connor, James Broderick, Paul Langton
Votes: 2,105
MY TWO CENTS: For one season The Twilight Zone extended the length of their episodes to an hour (against the wishes of Mr. Serling). As a result, most of the episodes suffered as they were needlessly drawn out. That said, this episode is a knockout and doesn't feel a minute too long; an emotionally intense yarn that gets its thrills from drama rather than terror.
10
61.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet
(1963)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A man, newly recovered from a nervous breakdown, becomes convinced that a monster only he sees is damaging the plane he's flying in.
Director: Richard Donner | Stars: William Shatner, Christine White, Ed Kemmer, Asa Maynor
Votes: 5,491
MY TWO CENTS: Another iconic episode that, admittedly, is hampered with ineffective costume and makeup effects for the gremlin on the plane. Still, William Shatner is a joy to watch and the story itself is memorable. The later adaptation buy The Twilight Zone: The Movie with John Lithgow as directed by George Miller actually improves upon the episode immensely.
8
62.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Number 12 Looks Just Like You
(1964)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
In a future society, everyone must undergo an operation at age 19 to become beautiful and conform to society. One young woman desperately wants to hold onto her own identity.
Director: Abner Biberman | Stars: Collin Wilcox Paxton, Richard Long, Pamela Austin, Suzy Parker
Votes: 2,699
MY TWO CENTS: Chilling social-satire that may draw from previous episodes (such as Eye Of The Beholder) but it's message is so frightening and disturbing that we forgive the familiarity; one of the show's most powerful episodes in terms of its meaning.
9
63.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
(1964)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
During the American Civil War in 1862, a condemned Confederate prisoner, Peyton Farquhar, is due to be hanged by Union troops.
Director: Robert Enrico | Stars: Roger Jacquet, Anne Cornaly, Anker-Spang Larsen, Stéphane Fey
Votes: 2,703
MY TWO CENTS: An Oscar-winning French short film shown as an episode of The Twilight Zone, this is a truly artful work executed without any dialogue. Masterful.
10
64.
The Twilight Zone (1959–1964)
Episode:
Stopover in a Quiet Town
(1964)
TV-PG | 25 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A hung-over couple awaken to find themselves not only in a strange house, but in a deserted town, where nothing is as it should be.
Director: Ron Winston | Stars: Barry Nelson, Nancy Malone, Denise Lynn, Karen Norris
Votes: 2,569
MY TWO CENTS: Admittedly this episode retreads over familiar ground from the series (namely Five Characters In Search Of An Exit) and while this episode isn't quite as effective, one still can't help get caught up in the utterly surreal situation the couple finds themselves.
8
65.
The Outer Limits (1963–1965)
Episode:
Demon with a Glass Hand
(1964)
TV-14 | 51 min | Fantasy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Continuance of the human race against alien invaders depends on a man with an incomplete glass computer hand and no memory of his past.
Director: Byron Haskin | Stars: Robert Culp, Arlene Martel, Abraham Sofaer, Rex Holman
Votes: 1,092
MY TWO CENTS: Probably the most iconic (and best) of The Outer Limits series, the tale is infamous for (allegedly) inspiring The Terminator. A little long at 51 minutes, but it features some wonderful twists.
9
66.
Omnibus (1967–2003)
Episode:
Whistle and I'll Come to You
(1968)
Not Rated | 42 min | Documentary, Biography, Music
Classic BBC adaptation of an equally classic ghost story about a skeptical professor on vacation in Norfolk who finds a cursed whistle. Unlike most other episodes of this documentary series about music, this one is live action folk horror.
Director: Jonathan Miller | Stars: Michael Hordern, Ambrose Coghill, George Woodbridge, Nora Gordon
Votes: 1,475
MY TWO CENTS: One of the greatest gems you will discover. A work of art in Gothic horror that should be mentioned in the same breath as The Innocents and The Haunting. Furthermore, it is a precursor to BBC's excellent series A Ghost Story For Christmas.
10
67.
Play for Today (1970–1984)
Episode:
Robin Redbreast
(1970)
76 min | Comedy, Drama
After a long-term relationship ends, Norah moves to a remote house in the country. The locals are friendly., if eccentric. She starts a flirtatious relationship with young gamekeeper, Rob. ... See full summary »
Director: James MacTaggart | Stars: Anna Cropper, Amanda Walker, Julian Holloway, Freda Bamford
Votes: 497
MY TWO CENTS: The Wicker Man - three years earlier. This disquieting tale of folk horror may be much more subdued and restrained in comparison to the aforementioned film but it still remains a rather chilling affair with a perpetual sense of dread throughout the proceedings. The black and white cinematography, the total lack of music, and its dream like atmosphere make this an artfully rendered slice of gothic horror.
9
68. The Stalls of Barchester (1971 TV Movie)
45 min | Horror
While cataloging the library of Barchester Cathedral, a scholar finds a diary detailing the events surrounding the mysterious death of an Archdeacon some 50 years earlier. The first of the BBC's famed 'A Ghost Story for Christmas'.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Robert Hardy, Clive Swift, Thelma Barlow, Will Leighton
Votes: 910
MY TWO CENTS: The first installment of BBC's A Ghost Story For Christmas series based upon a tale by MR James. The pacing may be slow with only one shock at the end (and it's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it one) but the atmospheric remains ominous and foreboding throughout.
7
69. A Warning to the Curious (1972 TV Movie)
50 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
An archaeologist goes treasure hunting along the English coast in search of a lost, fabled crown that supposedly helps protect Great Britain against invasion, but uncovers something much more sinister.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Peter Vaughan, Clive Swift, Julian Herington, John Kearney
Votes: 1,631
MY TWO CENTS: The second episode of BBC's A Ghost Story For Christmas and it's delightfully chilling, with artfully executed chills. Fantastic.
9
70. Lost Hearts (1973 TV Movie)
35 min | Horror, Mystery
A young orphan, Stephen, is sent to go and live with his strange, much older cousin at his remote country house. Once there, Stephen experiences terrible dreams in which he sees a young girl and boy who are missing their hearts.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Simon Gipps-Kent, Joseph O'Conor, James Mellor, Susan Richards
Votes: 949
MY TWO CENTS: The third of BBC's A Ghost Story For Christmas and this is a good one - a delicious concoction of pagan rituals, ghostly apparitions, and Gothic horror. Imagine CS Lewis meets HP Lovecraft and you will be getting an idea of story within.
8
71. The Treasure of Abbot Thomas (1974 TV Movie)
37 min | Horror, Mystery
The Reverend Justin Somerton, a scholar of Medieval history, and his protégé Lord Peter Dattering are visiting an Abbey library. Studying a stained glass window they uncover clues leading to a treasure hidden by a disgraced Abbot.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Sheila Dunn, Anne Blake, Frank Mills, Virginia Balfour
Votes: 711
MY TWO CENTS: Number four of BBC's A Ghost Story For Christmas and it's a fun Gothic puzzler concerning a priest who believes the old architects of his church may have left clues to a hidden treasure within the church... but one that comes at a price! Yet another wonderful installment!
8
72. The Signalman (1976 TV Movie)
38 min | Drama, Horror
A lonely Signalman is visited by a stranger.
Director: Lawrence Gordon Clark | Stars: Denholm Elliott, Bernard Lloyd, Reginald Jessup, Carina Wyeth
Votes: 1,750
MY TWO CENTS: Number six (number five wasn't too memorable) of BBC's A Ghost Story For Christmas. This one departs from MR James and focuses on a ghost story by Charles Dickens... and it is wonderfully ethereal with one of the creepiest images ever. Truly wonderful.
9
73.
Dead of Night (1972)
Episode:
The Exorcism
(1972)
50 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Four friends gather for Christmas dinner at an old cottage. Suddenly, there's a power failure and the phone goes dead. Then their wine turns to blood and the turkey makes them violently ill. Then things really get strange!
Director: Don Taylor | Stars: Anna Cropper, Sylvia Kay, Edward Petherbridge, Clive Swift
Votes: 213
MY TWO CENTS: Creepy episode from the British anthology show Dead Of Night. A group is trapped in a house around Christmas and can't seem to get out. Quite creepy.
8
74.
Circle of Fear (1972–1973)
Episode:
The New House
(1972)
60 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A young couple move into a home that is haunted by a girl who had been hanged there many years ago and vowed never to be evicted from the site.
Director: John Llewellyn Moxey | Stars: David Birney, Barbara Parkins, Sam Jaffe, Jeanette Nolan
Votes: 224
MY TWO CENTS: Admittedly the plot follows your typical haunting yarn, but its blending of haunted thrills with the terrors of being a new mother adds an interesting psychological element. In addition, the climax is surprisingly chilling.
7
75.
Thriller (1973–1976)
Episode:
The Eyes Have It
(1973)
Unrated | 78 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
A group of terrorists posing as plumbers set up base at a school for the blind. The students remain blissfully unaware, while the terrorists plan the assassination of a politician who will ... See full summary »
Director: Shaun O'Riordan | Stars: Peter Vaughan, Dennis Waterman, William Marlowe, Sinéad Cusack
Votes: 219
MY TWO CENTS: What if the classic noir thriller Suddenly took place in a school for blind children? Instead of a kidnapped cop, the blind would have to stop the assassination... but how? The setup seems rather contrived but this ultimately proves to be a rather gripping Hitchcockian tale with a unique viewpoint (pun intended).
8
76.
Thriller (1973–1976)
Episode:
File It Under Fear
(1973)
TV-14 | 67 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
A strangler is on the loose, killing young women, and there are several suspects. Liz Morris, the local librarian, is the only person who can provide clues.
Director: Bill Hays | Stars: Maureen Lipman, Richard O'Callaghan, James Grout, John Le Mesurier
Votes: 237
MY TWO CENTS: A cat-and-mouse thriller mixed with whodunit as a killer is stalking woman at night. Red herrings abound ala a good ol' giallo which makes this a fun one indeed, but it doesn't quite reach the level of suspense of the later episode I'm The Girl He Wants To Kill. Still, it maximizes the use of its library locale, turning it into a very scary place to be at night.
7
77.
Thriller (1973–1976)
Episode:
Someone at the Top of the Stairs
(1973)
TV-14 | 70 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
A young woman and her friend rent a room in an old dark mansion. Soon they become aware of the fact that the other "renters" are a very strange lot, and that there are some very odd ... See full summary »
Director: John Sichel | Stars: Donna Mills, Judy Carne, David de Keyser, Francis Wallis
Votes: 370
MY TWO CENTS: A thriller that has shades of Rosemary's Baby and The Tenant as a woman moves into a new apartment and all the other other tenants seem to be unhealthy interested in her... and who lives at the top of the stairs? Truly a strong sense of mystery and eerie dread with a revelation that (mostly) lives up to the build up.
8
78.
Thriller (1973–1976)
Episode:
Come Out, Come Out Wherever You Are
(1974)
TV-14 | 63 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
At breakfast in a country hotel, American tourist Cathy More inquires about the whereabouts of her cousin Jane, who has been traveling with her. The proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, insist ... See full summary »
Director: John Sichel | Stars: Lynda Day George, Peter Jeffrey, John Carson, Colette O'Neil
Votes: 197
MY TWO CENTS: Turns the "vanished person" thriller on its head with one of the best twist endings this sub-genre has to offer. Clever indeed.
8
79.
Thriller (1973–1976)
Episode:
I'm the Girl He Wants to Kill
(1974)
PG | 70 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Returning home to her flat, Ann Rogers passes a stranger leaving the building. A few moments later she discovers her neighbor lying dead in the hallway, the latest victim of a serial killer... See full summary »
Director: Shaun O'Riordan | Stars: Robert Lang, Julie Sommars, Tony Selby, Ken Jones
Votes: 264
MY TWO CENTS: Superior example of the cat-and-mouse thriller. It may be simple - a killer stalks a woman who witnessed his crime - but the tension is palpable, with a climatic suspense sequence in an office building that rivals anything in the moves.
8
80.
Thriller (1973–1976)
Episode:
The Double Kill
(1975)
TV-14 | 73 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Hugh's house is full of priceless treasures. So why is he advertising the fact that he has no burglar alarms?
Director: Ian Fordyce | Stars: Gary Collins, Penelope Horner, James Villiers, Peter Bowles
Votes: 174
MY TWO CENTS: Hitchcockian crime thriller with some wonderful twists sprinkled throughout its tale.
8
81.
Thriller (1973–1976)
Episode:
If It's a Man - Hang Up!
(1975)
TV-14 | 73 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy
Suzy Martin, a famous American model living in London, begins to receive harassing phone calls from a man who disguises his voice. These calls soon escalate to demands, and threats against her loved ones. Who is behind them?
Director: Shaun O'Riordan | Stars: Carol Lynley, Tom Conti, Gerald Harper, David Gwillim
Votes: 166
MY TWO CENTS: Giallo-esque in its overly complicated plotting with a red herring occurring every other second making the prediction of the killer nearly impossible... as a result, this episode is a blast, albeit implausible.
8
82.
Beasts (1976)
Episode:
During Barty's Party
(1976)
49 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A suburban couple are held under siege by a pack of frighteningly intelligent rats.
Director: Don Taylor | Stars: Elizabeth Sellars, Anthony Bate, Colin Bell, Norman Mitchell
Votes: 114
MY TWO CENTS: Psychological horror concerning a couple who are under-siege by a horde of rats - which we never see, a fact that somehow enhances the feeling of paranoia and dread. A slow start but it builds to a wonderfully feverish pitch.
8
83.
Ripping Yarns (1976–1979)
Episode:
Murder at Moorstones Manor
(1977)
TV-14 | 30 min | Adventure, Comedy
Sir Clive Chiddingfield invites his family to his birthday party at lonely Moorstones Manor but in the course of the evening half of those present are murdered one by one and the remaining ... See full summary »
Director: Terry Hughes | Stars: Michael Palin, Isabel Dean, Iain Cuthbertson, Frank Middlemass
Votes: 370
MY TWO CENTS: In the 1970s, Michael Palin and Terry Jones created a television show which spoofed a variety of genres from the golden age of British literature with varying results. This was the best of the lot - a send up of murder melodramas set in the mansion of an aristocratic family with an absurd amount of twists at the end which deliberately makes the plot incomprehensible before ending in a slapstick bloodbath. Glorious.
8
84.
Tales of the Unexpected (1979–1988)
Episode:
The Man from the South
(1979)
TV-14 | 24 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
A young American couple on holiday meet a mysterious old gentleman who makes them a macabre wager.
Director: Michael Tuchner | Stars: Roald Dahl, José Ferrer, Katy Jurado, Michael Ontkean
Votes: 575
MY TWO CENTS: Many prefer the Alfred Hitchcock Presents version of this Roald Dahl tale, but I am in the minority and think this is the superior version. Watch both and compare.
9
85.
Tales of the Unexpected (1979–1988)
Episode:
The Flypaper
(1980)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Drama, Horror
The police are dragging the marshes for a missing school-girl and a sinister man is approaching other young girls. Young Sylvia is on a bus on the way home from school when a friendly old man begins to talk to her.
Director: Graham Evans | Stars: Roald Dahl, Alfred Burke, Pat Keen, Lorna Yabsley
Votes: 497
MY TWO CENTS: Easily the best episode of Tales of the Unexpected, this rather tense tale is simple - a girl is walking home but thinks a man following her has bad intentions. The direction, the performances, and the atmospherics all combine to chilling effect.
9
86.
Hammer House of Horror (1980)
Episode:
Rude Awakening
(1980)
TV-14 | 52 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A real estate broker finds himself having dreams that seem to be incredibly real. They are so real, in fact, that he begins to wonder which is the dream and which is reality.
Director: Peter Sasdy | Stars: Denholm Elliott, James Laurenson, Pat Heywood, Lucy Gutteridge
Votes: 704
MY TWO CENTS: Probably my favorite of Hammer's 13 episodes. The constantly surreal atmosphere - and the frequent dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream-within-a-dream rug pulling - makes this a rather delirious and fun episode, even if in the end there wasn't much in way of plot.
8
87.
Hammer House of Horror (1980)
Episode:
The Silent Scream
(1980)
TV-14 | 52 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
The episode starring Hammer's most prolific actor, Peter Cushing, as a pet store owner doing scientific experiments on an ex-con and his wife (Brian Cox and Elaine Donnelly).
Director: Alan Gibson | Stars: Peter Cushing, Brian Cox, Elaine Donnelly, Antony Carrick
Votes: 769
MY TWO CENTS: Plot holes abound but the episode remains a rather thrilling tale of a thief (Brian Cox) held prisoner by a pet shop owner (Peter Cushing) who has a hobby of conditioning animals in cages... guess whose his newest test subject? A psychological game of cat and mouse ensues; if it wasn't for all those darn gaps in logic this would have been a fine episode.
7
88.
Hammer House of Horror (1980)
Episode:
The Thirteenth Reunion
(1980)
TV-14 | 52 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
Ruth, A reporter for the women's section of the newspaper, participates in a weight-loss course with a hidden secret behind it.
Director: Peter Sasdy | Stars: Julia Foster, Dinah Sheridan, Richard Pearson, Norman Bird
Votes: 707
MY TWO CENTS: People are mysteriously dying from a health clinic and a journalist starts to investigate. A strong sense of mystery permeates throughout the episode keeping you engaged and even though you will probably piece together mystery before the revelation (at least, the meat of it), the climatic scene is quite effective and deliciously macabre.
7
89.
Hammer House of Horror (1980)
Episode:
The Two Faces of Evil
(1980)
TV-14 | 52 min | Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A family on holiday stop to pick up a mysterious hitch-hiker.
Director: Alan Gibson | Stars: Anna Calder-Marshall, Gary Raymond, Paul Hawkins, Pauline Delaney
Votes: 659
MY TWO CENTS: Starts off with an incredibly frightening beginning which include strange occurrences and bizarre mysteries which immediately grab hold, generating a palpable sense of paranoia and confusion as to what could possibly be happening... you want answers and are hooked! Unfortunately, the writers clearly didn't have any idea where to take the story and instead delve into surrealistic horror with no rhyme or reason for anything which happens. A shame, as the first half is glorious insanity.
7
90.
Darkroom (1981–1982)
Episode:
The Bogeyman Will Get You
(1981)
Drama, Fantasy, Horror
A horror movie loving teenager convinces her sister that an old acquaintance is really a vampire.
Director: John McPherson | Stars: James Coburn, Helen Hunt, Randy Powell, Quinn Cummings
Votes: 59
MY TWO CENTS: A young Helen Hunt believes a neighbor is a vampire... is he? A simple premise but the story (by Robert Bloch) plays with the viewer's expectations and ends on a pleasant twist.
7
91.
Darkroom (1981–1982)
Episode:
Uncle George
(1981)
Drama, Fantasy, Horror
When their Uncle George dies, Bert and Margo Haskell convince a homeless man to pose as their late uncle in order to keep receiving his pension checks.
Director: Rick Rosenthal | Stars: James Coburn, Claude Akins, June Lockhart, Dub Taylor
Votes: 53
MY TWO CENTS: Slow, pondering tale that seems almost forgettable... until a shock ending has you howling in delight! It may take a while to get there, but boy is the punch line worth the wait!
7
92.
Fox Mystery Theater (1984)
Episode:
In Possession
(1984)
75 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A terrified couple becomes trapped in what seems to be a replay of a sinister event that happened in their apartment in the past.
Director: Val Guest | Stars: Carol Lynley, Christopher Cazenove, David Healy, Judy Loe
Votes: 251
MY TWO CENTS: Val Guest directs this dream-like tale of a possible haunting... or is it simply shared insanity... or something else? Past and present weave in and out of this nightmarish yarn that generates a strong sense of claustrophobia with no escape. Nicely ends on a pleasant twist. Probably the best episode of Hammer House Of Mystery And Suspense (aka Fox Mystery Theater here in the states).
8
93.
Fox Mystery Theater (1984)
Episode:
Child's Play
(1984)
70 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
A family awakens to find themselves trapped in their own home, all windows and doors sealed by impenetrable walls. They desperately try to escape but everything fails. Then the wife notices a bizarre pattern.
Director: Val Guest | Stars: Mary Crosby, Nicholas Clay, Debbie Chasan, Suzanne Church
Votes: 566
MY TWO CENTS: A family wakes up to find their entire house surrounded by an impenetrable wall. Furthermore, strange symbols seem to be appearing everywhere and time doesn't seem to move forward... and what is that green slime coming down the chimney? An intriguing Twilight Zone setup that would have been played out wonderfully as a 30 minute episode; unfortunately, it's stretched out to over an hour and can't quite sustain the unnecessary run-time. Regardless, the mystery is gripping enough to keep you watching, even if the revelation at the end is expected for savvy viewers of The Twilight Zone.
7
94.
Fox Mystery Theater (1984)
Episode:
A Distant Scream
(1984)
72 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Lying on his deathbed, an elderly man who has spent most of his life in prison for the murder of the woman he loved is granted a supernatural chance to go back to that fateful weekend and attempt to discover what really happened...
Director: John Hough | Stars: David Carradine, Stephanie Beacham, Stephen Greif, Stephan Chase
Votes: 155
MY TWO CENTS: Plays out like a murder-mystery variation of La Jetée. Nice atmospherics and well-defined characters makes this an involving yarn. Not much in way of twists and turns but it's still fascinating to watch it fold out.
7
95.
Fox Mystery Theater (1984)
Episode:
Black Carrion
(1984)
70 min | Drama, Horror, Mystery
Two journalists search for a rock band that was popular 20 years ago but just seemed to have vanished and was never heard from again. Their investigation leads them to discover more about the band than they bargained for.
Director: John Hough | Stars: Season Hubley, Leigh Lawson, Norman Bird, Allan Love
Votes: 171
MY TWO CENTS: A compelling setup - a popular musician duo mysteriously vanishes without a trace twenty years ago and two people investigate their fate - with an ominous dread that reminds one of The Wicker Man and other folk horror tales. The ending is utterly silly, however, which some may dig while others may not. Regardless, it's an interesting journey for the first hour.
7
96.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985–1989)
Episode:
Pilot
(1985)
TV-PG | 100 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Four classic Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955) episodes, "Incident in a Small Jail", "Man from the South", "Bang. You're Dead!" and "An Unlocked Window", have been remade for the new show's pilot.
Directors: Steve De Jarnatt, Randa Haines, Joel Oliansky, Fred Walton | Stars: Ned Beatty, Lee Ving, Tony Frank, John Shearin
Votes: 399
MY TWO CENTS: A remake of four stories from the original classical series. All of them are reasonably effective, though most ultimately pail in comparison; in fact, these renditions somehow feel more dated despite being produced 30 years later to their original counterparts. That said, the sole exception is their rendition of An Unlocked Window which is possibly just as effective, even improving upon it in some ways if only because it cuts the run-time in half - still, nothing can compare to a certain "performance" from the original.
8
97.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1985–1989)
Episode:
Breakdown
(1985)
TV-PG | 30 min | Crime, Drama, Mystery
After arranging the arrest of a drug and weapons trafficker, a corrupt businessman is paralyzed in a car accident and taken to the morgue while in South America.
Director: Richard Pearce | Stars: John Heard, Andy Garcia, Stefan Gierasch, Al Israel
Votes: 140
MY TWO CENTS: A remake of my favorite episode from the classic series, this one isn't quite as effective but it still remains a wonderful companion piece. John Herd's character is nowhere near as likeable as Joseph Cotten's character - in fact, he's downright slimy - but this character change paves way for a new twist ending that is quite disturbing. Of all the remakes from the new series, this one is easily the best if only because it tries something different.
8
98.
Tales from the Darkside (1983–1988)
Episode:
Inside the Closet
(1984)
TV-14 | 30 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
What is scurrying around inside the closet of the upstairs room that grad student Gail Aynsley rents from veterinary school dean Dr. Fenner? Gail doesn't know, but she is determined to find out and Dr Fenner isn't telling.
Director: Tom Savini | Stars: Fritz Weaver, Roberta Weiss, Paul Sparer, Patrick Macnee
Votes: 675
MY TWO CENTS: Written by Michael McDowell (Beetlejuice, Nightmare Before Christmas), this is a rather simplistic tale of a young woman who begins to think that something lives in the closet in her attic apartment and the landlord knows more than he's says. The mystery, the music, and the atmospheric direction from none-other than Tom Savini make this a superior episode.
8
99.
Tales from the Darkside (1983–1988)
Episode:
Halloween Candy
(1985)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
Nasty old Mr Killup uses Halloween to taunt kids. This year, he's in for a surprise, from which even his long-suffering son Michael cannot save him.
Director: Tom Savini | Stars: Roy Poole, Tim Choate, David K. Varney, John Edward Allen
Votes: 470
MY TWO CENTS: McDowell obsession with the holiday season emerges once again as he creates another tale that blends the fancy of Halloween with fright of the folk legends. A quaint tale of poetic justice with rich atmosphere, though admittedly simple.
7
100.
Tales from the Darkside (1983–1988)
Episode:
Seasons of Belief
(1986)
TV-14 | 22 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
On Christmas Eve, a father ends his two children's boredom by holding them spellbound with a scary story about a fearsome beast known as the Grither.
Director: Michael McDowell | Stars: E.G. Marshall, Margaret Klenck, Sky Berdahl, Jenna von Oÿ
Votes: 406
MY TWO CENTS: Michael McDowell always has the unique ability to stir together folk tales, holiday cheer, and frightful fear together in a frothy concoction that would remind one of Ray Bradbury. This is one McDowell's best examples as a father tells his children a frightening legend on Christmas Eve... one that may very well be true.
8
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