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The Worst Episodes of The Twilight Zone

Every episode of The Twilight Zone ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Twilight Zone!

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An anthology series containing drama, psychological thriller, fantasy, science fiction, suspense, and/or horror, often concluding with a macabre or unexpected twist.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    The Twilight Zone Season 4 Episode 18 - The Bard
    5.6/10(1872 votes)

    #1 - The Bard

    S4:E18

    An untalented would-be writer's career takes off when the ghost of William Shakespeare writes his script.

    Director:David Butler
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  2. The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 27 - Sounds and Silences
    5.6/10(1916 votes)

    #2 - Sounds and Silences

    S5:E27

    A man's wish to listen to loud noise backfires.

    Director:Richard Donner
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  3. The Twilight Zone Season 3 Episode 36 - Cavender is Coming
    5.9/10(2541 votes)

    #3 - Cavender is Coming

    S3:E36

    Cavender, an angel trying to win his wings, tries to help down-on-her-luck Agnes, who has just been fired.

    Director:Christian Nyby
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  4. The Twilight Zone Season 1 Episode 35 - The Mighty Casey
    6.1/10(3517 votes)

    #4 - The Mighty Casey

    S1:E35

    A baseball manager takes his team to the championships thanks to a robot pitcher.

    Directors:Robert Parrish, Alvin Ganzer
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  5. The Twilight Zone Season 4 Episode 15 - The Incredible World of Horace Ford
    6.1/10(1921 votes)

    #5 - The Incredible World of Horace Ford

    S4:E15

    Toy designer Horace Ford spends most of his time reminiscing about his idyllic childhood. But when he gets a chance to go back to those years he gets a bitter taste of reality.

    Director:Abner Biberman
    Writer:Reginald Rose

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  6. The Twilight Zone Season 3 Episode 20 - Showdown with Rance McGrew
    6.2/10(2531 votes)

    #6 - Showdown with Rance McGrew

    S3:E20

    The star of a Western TV series suddenly finds himself transported back in time to the real Wild West, and face-to-face with the real Jesse James.

    Director:Christian Nyby
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  7. The Twilight Zone Season 4 Episode 12 - I Dream of Genie
    6.2/10(1869 votes)

    #7 - I Dream of Genie

    S4:E12

    A man considers several possibilities when offered one wish by a genie.

    Director:Robert Gist
    Writers:John Furia, Jr.

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  8. The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 34 - Come Wander with Me
    6.2/10(2107 votes)

    #8 - Come Wander with Me

    S5:E34

    A singer searches for an authentic folk song.

    Director:Richard Donner
    Writer:Anthony Wilson

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  9. The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 5 - The Last Night of a Jockey
    6.3/10(2144 votes)

    #9 - The Last Night of a Jockey

    S5:E5

    Barred from the track for life, crooked jockey Grady boozily expresses the wish to escape his sordid surroundings and become a truly "big man." His wish is granted by his lookalike alter ego, but there's a heavy price to be paid at fadeout time.

    Director:Joseph M. Newman
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  10. The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 20 - From Agnes – With Love
    6.3/10(2124 votes)

    #10 - From Agnes – With Love

    S5:E20

    A computer technician must deal with the queen of all femme fatales: a computer named Agnes who wreaks havoc on his love life.

    Director:Richard Donner
    Writer:Bernard C. Schoenfeld

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  11. The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 4 - A Thing About Machines
    6.4/10(3254 votes)

    #11 - A Thing About Machines

    S2:E4

    A writer feels that the machines in his house are conspiring against him.

    Director:David Orrick McDearmon
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  12. The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 14 - The Whole Truth
    6.4/10(2974 votes)

    #12 - The Whole Truth

    S2:E14

    A peculiar Model A automobile compels a used car dealer to tell only the truth.

    Director:James Sheldon
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  13. The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 27 - The Mind and the Matter
    6.4/10(2745 votes)

    #13 - The Mind and the Matter

    S2:E27

    A book on the power of thought enables an irritable worker to re-create the world exactly as he wants it. But what he wants and what he gets are two different things!

    Director:Buzz Kulik
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  14. The Twilight Zone Season 3 Episode 29 - Four O'Clock
    6.4/10(2517 votes)

    #14 - Four O'Clock

    S3:E29

    Oliver Crangle is a bitter, prejudiced man. Through unknown means he intends to shrink every evil person in the world at four o'clock.

    Director:Lamont Johnson
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  15. The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 18 - Black Leather Jackets
    6.4/10(2270 votes)

    #15 - Black Leather Jackets

    S5:E18

    Three tough-looking men on motorcycles disrupt a peaceful suburb when they move in. Yet the neighbors could never imagine just how dangerous these men really are.

    Director:Joseph M. Newman
    Writers:Earl Hamner, Jr.

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  16. The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 1 - King Nine Will Not Return
    6.5/10(3487 votes)

    #16 - King Nine Will Not Return

    S2:E1

    A WWII captain finds himself in the desert, next to his crashed plane, and desperately tries to find out what happened to the rest of his crew.

    Director:Buzz Kulik
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  17. The Twilight Zone Season 2 Episode 19 - Mr. Dingle, the Strong
    6.5/10(3107 votes)

    #17 - Mr. Dingle, the Strong

    S2:E19

    Martians give Luther Dingle the strength of 300 men.

    Director:John Brahm
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  18. The Twilight Zone Season 3 Episode 6 - The Mirror
    6.5/10(2855 votes)

    #18 - The Mirror

    S3:E6

    After a poor but ambitious Central American farm worker overthrows his country's tyrannical leader, he believes he sees assassins everywhere. A look in the mirror reveals his most dangerous enemy.

    Director:Don Medford
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  19. The Twilight Zone Season 3 Episode 11 - Still Valley
    6.5/10(2548 votes)

    #19 - Still Valley

    S3:E11

    Confederacy scout Sgt. Joseph Paradine finds a town full of Union soldiers, and an old man who claims he used witchcraft to paralyze them.

    Director:James Sheldon
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  20. The Twilight Zone Season 3 Episode 34 - Young Man's Fancy
    6.5/10(2305 votes)

    #20 - Young Man's Fancy

    S3:E34

    When a newlywed couple briefly return to the groom's childhood home, the ties of the past prove too strong to resist.

    Director:John Brahm
    Writer:Richard Matheson

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  21. The Twilight Zone Season 4 Episode 5 - Mute
    6.5/10(2055 votes)

    #21 - Mute

    S4:E5

    A 12-year-old girl who lost her parents in a fire doesn't speak because she has grown up in a secret telepathic community. The couple who take her in, and her teacher, are determined to help her adapt to their society, no matter the cost.

    Director:Stuart Rosenberg
    Writer:Richard Matheson

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  22. The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 28 - Caesar and Me
    6.5/10(2099 votes)

    #22 - Caesar and Me

    S5:E28

    A ventriloquist's dummy goads him into committing burglaries.

    Director:Robert Butler
    Writer:Adele T. Strassfield

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  23. The Twilight Zone Season 5 Episode 36 - The Bewitchin' Pool
    6.5/10(2641 votes)

    #23 - The Bewitchin' Pool

    S5:E36

    Two unhappy children find a happy escape in a swimming pool.

    Director:Joseph M. Newman
    Writers:Earl Hamner, Jr.

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  24. The Twilight Zone Season 1 Episode 17 - The Fever
    6.6/10(4473 votes)

    #24 - The Fever

    S1:E17

    Tight fisted Franklin Gibbs is not pleased when his wife wins a trip for two to Las Vegas. But things change when he falls under the spell of a slot machine that calls his name.

    Director:Robert Florey
    Writer:Rod Serling

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  25. The Twilight Zone Season 1 Episode 27 - The Big Tall Wish
    6.6/10(3804 votes)

    #25 - The Big Tall Wish

    S1:E27

    Washed-up boxer Bolie Jackson, with the help of a special wish from his young friend Henry, miraculously switches places with his opponent during a comeback fight, turning the tide in his favor.

    Director:Ron Winston
    Writer:Rod Serling

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Worst Episodes Summary

"The Bard" is the worst rated episode of "The Twilight Zone". It scored 5.6/10 based on 1872 votes. Directed by David Butler and written by Rod Serling, it aired on 5/23/1963. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Sounds and Silences".