The Twilight Zone is an iconic television series that took audiences to another dimension—a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. Created by Rod Serling, the original series aired from 1959 to 1964 and remains a cornerstone of science fiction and fantasy. Here we rank the 10 best episodes from its original run that have left an indelible mark on pop culture.

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

Airing in 1963 and starring William Shatner as a man recently recovered from a nervous breakdown, this episode follows his harrowing experience on an airplane where he is the only one to see a gremlin tearing at the wing.

2.”The Invaders” (Season 2, Episode 15)

Minimalist in dialogue and powerful in storytelling, this episode features Agnes Moorehead as a woman isolated in her farmhouse, battling tiny intruders from another world.

3.”To Serve Man” (Season 3, Episode 24)

This episode delivers one of the greatest plot twists in television history. An alien race arrives on Earth with seemingly good intentions, but their ultimate goal is revealed by decrypting their language.

4.”A Stop at Willoughby” (Season 1, Episode 30)

Facing immense pressure at work and at home, a man begins to long for the serene and simple life offered by the mysterious town of Willoughby that he visits in his dreams while napping on his train rides home.

5.”Eye of the Beholder” (Season 2, Episode 6)

In a world fixated on conformity and beauty standards, this episode stunningly uncovers societal norms when a woman undergoes surgery to look normal and the bandages come off to reveal what true beauty means.

6.”Time Enough at Last” (Season 1, Episode 8)

Burgess Meredith stars as Henry Bemis, a bookish man who craves nothing more than time to read. He gets his wish through catastrophic circumstances that leave him alone with books—all the time in the world but fate has other plans.

7.”The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” (Season 1, Episode 22)

Paranoia erupts on a suburban street when residents suspect one another of being aliens hiding among them following a power outage—unveiling how quickly civilized society can crumble under suspicion.

8.”Walking Distance” (Season 1, Episode 5)

One of Serling’s more touching scripts involves Martin Sloan’s journey back into his childhood where he learns that you can’t go home again—or force your way back into your past.

9.”Living Doll” (Season 5, Episode 6)

“Telly Savalas stars as a cruel stepfather who is harassed by his stepdaughter’s talking doll. With its creepy overtones and chilling catchphrase ‘My name is Talky Tina…and I’m going to kill you!’, it’s no wonder why this episode continues to haunt viewers.”

10.”It’s a Good Life” (Season 3, Episode 8)

Topping the list is an episode featuring Billy Mumy as Anthony Fremont—a boy with god-like powers terrorizing his small town that must think happy thoughts or face horrifying consequences.

Each of these episodes exemplifies The Twilight Zone’s enduring ability to explore human nature through extraordinary circumstances—and they continue to be just as compelling today as they were when they first aired over half a century ago.