The Twilight Zone Companion    by Marc Scott Zicree Order:  USA  Can Silman-James, 1999 (1983) Softcover, Paperback Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Marian Powell 'When The Twilight Zone debuted in 1959, it was a flower blooming in a television desert ...' Those words from Marc Zicree's Introduction begin a fascinating story. How did this unique series come into being in the early days of television? It is difficult today to realize how new the medium still was in 1959, and that there had been no serious science fiction series at all before this one burst on the scene. The book begins with a brief chapter on Rod Serling's background. It explains how he became a famous television writer, and then decided to create The Twilight Zone. This part is a drama in itself, showing the writer's development and also revealing how difficult it was to get the show on the air. Once on television screens, it became an immediate hit that lasted five years. Out of its 156 episodes, 92 were written by Rod Serling himself. After that introduction, Marc Zicree takes us through each episode, giving a brief plot summary and then telling anecdotes. He spent over four years doing research for the book and interviewed every person he could find, who had been connected to the show. The result is simply incredible. If you have fond memories of the series or if you are simply curious about it, this is the ideal book to have at hand as you watch - and if the series is new to you, The Twilight Zone is still shown in reruns and is well-worth a visit. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more SF books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews