Flashback to ‘The Twilight Zone’s’ First Episode: ‘Where Is Everybody?’

Every great thing has to have a beginning, right? Have you ever thought about how the Twilight Zone began? Pretty well, as it turned out. “Where Is Everybody?” is the first Twilight Zone episode ever, but that’s not the only reason it’s a classic. Let’s look at some of the finer points of the episode, shall we?

Imagine you enter a diner and find nobody else there. It’s not necessarily alarming, but definitely unexpected. Now, imagine this trend continues everywhere you go, and no one can be found anywhere. Let’s also say you can’t remember where you are, or how you got there. That’s sort of an old premise, right? Still, I urge you not to dismiss this episode so quickly.

The problem with the whole “That’s a cliché” critique is that, quite simply, just about everything has been done before. At the very least, most things have been thought of before. In this case, a very simple and universally identifiable premise introduced one of the greatest sci-fi/horror series of all time: The Twilight Zone! There was almost no better scenario than a man’s alienation, both from himself and from others.

Oakwood Could Be Anywhere

Oakwood is a an abandoned, desolate looking place, and this is where a US Air Force veteran (Earl Holliman) seems to finds himself. Of course, it could be called Anywhere, USA, or maybe even Purgatory. The point isn’t quite where he is, but who the man is, and why he’s there in the first place. The reason such themes occur so often is that, in the arts, it’s important to get back to basics. Identity is the real crux of all creative output, as it examines who and what we are, why we live and where we are headed. Frankly, it’s impossible to expect fiction to completely avoid issues like isolation and abandonment, and Rod Serling addresses these themes wonderfully in this story.

Is it the greatest or even most memorable Twilight Zone episode? Probably not. However, the series could have started off a whole lot worse. Earl Holliman does a great job of setting the tone — not only for the episode but for Twilight Zone in general. His performance has a sense of melancholy, confusion and fear, as a man grasping for sanity and a connection with people. As an added bonus, the storyline ends up discussing the new age people were in by the late 1950s. It seems that, no matter how advanced we feel, we always seem to find ourselves struggling with our basic nature. That’s what makes this a great episode, and just as memorable as plenty of the future episodes.

What are your thoughts on this Twilight Zone episode? Let us know in the comments!