Beauty standards and social control: 10 Twilight Zone episodes ahead of their time | TVLine

A series built for big questions

CBS aired 156 episodes of The Twilight Zone over five seasons, beginning in 1959. Rod Serling’s narration framed the stories, many of which delivered memorable reveals. For this selection, a twist alone was not enough: each episode also had to anticipate a debate relevant today. “Time Enough at Last” was left out despite its standing as one of the show’s best episodes.

A robot companion on an asteroid

In the Season 1 episode “The Lonely,” convicted murderer James A. Corry, played by Jack Warden, has more than four decades left on an asteroid. A supply ship leaves him a lifelike female robot, Alicia, played by Jean Marsh. Though Corry initially suspects a cruel joke, he comes to love her.

When Corry is pardoned, the ship’s 15-pound belongings limit means he cannot take Alicia. Captain Allenby, played by John Dehner, resolves the dilemma by shooting her. The story raises questions about whether artificial companionship can meet human emotional needs—and whether it may discourage people from seeking human connection.

Beauty as a form of compliance

“Eye of the Beholder” follows Janet Tyler, whose face is bandaged after 10 unsuccessful treatments intended to make her look “normal.” The State allows no more than 11 treatments; if the final one fails, she will be sent to a separate community. When the bandages come off, the doctors and nurses recoil. The camera reveals their pig-like snouts, while Janet’s face would fit a 1960s magazine cover. The episode first played as Cold War satire; it also speaks to today’s pressure to conform to beauty standards, including cosmetic procedures treated as routine upkeep.

More stories on the list

“The Obsolete Man” features a librarian who turns his execution into live television. “Long Distance Call” centers on five-year-old Billy, who begins speaking to a mysterious voice through a toy phone after his grandmother dies.