The Twilight Zone: 10 of the creepiest episodes

The Twilight Zone ran on CBS from October 2, 1959, until June 19, 1964. Fans have their personal choices for their favorite episodes for various reasons. Here is a list of 10 of the creepiest "Twilight Zone" episodes that offer psychological horror, supernatural suspense, and dystopian fear — all hallmarks of Rod Serling's legendary anthology.

1. "Living Doll" (Season 5, Episode 6)

Creepy Element: Possessed talking doll

Erich, a bitter stepfather, is annoyed when his wife buys a talking doll named Talky Tina for his stepdaughter, Christy. Tina is programmed to say, "My name is talking Tina and I love you very much." She begins to say threatening things only to Erich, because he is indifferent to her. First, she tells him, "My name is talking Tina and I don't like you very much." He tries to dismantle her and set her on fire unsuccessfully, and she tells him, “My name is Talky Tina, and I’m going to kill you.” The doll seems indestructible and ultimately causes Erich’s death by tripping him on the stairs.

The idea of a sentient, malicious doll in the 1960s was scary and predates Chucky or Annabelle. The calm, girlish voice spouting deadly threats still unnerves viewers.

2. "The Dummy" (Season 3, Episode 33)

Creepy Element: Ventriloquist dummy with a life of its own

Ventriloquist Jerry Etherson struggles with alcoholism and a growing belief that his dummy, Willie, is alive and malicious. Despite attempts to replace him, Willie proves he’s not just a puppet — and in a twisted ending, the roles are reversed: Jerry becomes the dummy and Willie is in control. The moment on stage when they turn their heads and you can see they have switched identities is startling.

3. "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" (Season 5, Episode 3)

Creepy Element: Monster on the wing of a plane

Recently released from a mental institution, William Shatner’s character sees a gremlin tampering with the airplane wing mid-flight. No one else sees it, and they don't believe him. He ends up trying to shoot the creature, and is sedated — only for the final shot to show the wing severely damaged. Paranoia and fear of not being believed are the main focus. Just because this man has been institutionalized does not mean he is hallucinating, as everyone believes.

4. "The Howling Man" (Season 2, Episode 5)

Creepy Element: The Devil in disguise

An American traveler takes shelter in a monastery and is told a man they’re holding captive is the Devil himself. Ignoring their warnings, he frees the prisoner — who transforms into Satan and vanishes. The scenes where the man is walking and his face is slowly changing from human to a demonic-looking devil are suspenseful.

5. "Mirror Image" (Season 1, Episode 21)

Creepy Element: Doppelgängers and alternate dimensions

Millicent Barnes, waiting in a bus station, begins to believe her double is trying to replace her. People think she’s insane — but when she sees her doppelganger already seated on the bus she was going to board, she freaks out. The man who calls the authorities for her later sees someone who looks just like him running and he tries to catch him. He ralizes Millicent was telling the truth.

6. "Twenty Two" (Season 2, Episode 17)

Creepy Element: Premonition of death

A woman recovering in a hospital has recurring nightmares about a nurse beckoning her to morgue room 22 saying “Room for one more, honey.” When she later is released she is about to board a flight numbered 22, hen swhe notices the flight attendant looks like the woman in her dreams. When she says in a creepy voice "Room for one more honey"she goes back into th airport and watches as the plane explodes just after take off.

Why it’s creepy:

Shot on videotape with stark lighting, the dream sequences are deeply unsettling. The repetition and phrase “Room for one more” became iconic.

7. "It's a Good Life" (Season 3, Episode 8)

Creepy Element: Child with god-like powers

Summary:

In a small Ohio town, a 6-year-old boy named Anthony Fremont controls reality with his mind. The townspeople must constantly please him or risk being “wished away” into a surreal cornfield — or turned into grotesque forms. Anthony's innocent face contrasts with his absolute power. The fear and tension in the adults’ fake cheerfulness is chilling. No one dares challenge him and he evetually controls everything.

8. "The Masks" (Season 5, Episode 25)

Creepy element fantasy joins reality

On Mardi Gras night, a dying man forces his greedy, vain relatives to wear grotesque masks symbolizing their true personalities. After his death, his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren take off the masks to discover their faces have permanently changed to match the masks. The poetic justice is satisfying but eerie. It warns of inner ugliness surfacing on the outside in a literal way.

9. "Perchance to Dream" (Season 1, Episode 9)

Creepy element fear, fear, fear

A man fears falling asleep because he’s convinced he’ll die in a recurring dream where a seductive woman lures him to his death. He goes to a psychiatrists office where he shares his story. When he finally succumbs to sleep, he dies of a heart attack. This eposide is Surreal and disorienting. The carnival scenes are pretty frightening and you are kept on the edge of your seat.

10. "Deaths-Head Revisited" (Season 3, Episode 9)

The remnants from the Holocaust

A former Nazi officer visits the Dachau concentration camp, now abandoned. But he begins to see and hear the ghosts of the Holocaust ictims he tortured. Ultimately, he's judged and sentenced by the spirits. A stark and morally heavy episode, it forces viewers to confront real-world evil and injustice. The ghosts act as agents of vengeance, making this both powerful and haunting.

What makes each of these episodes so special is that they rely on the imagination to fill in the blanks. No blood, gore or extreme special effects. Serling knew how to entertain and frighten with simple black and white episodes.