OPINION BY EMILY BRANDYBERRY
The Twilight Zone
The Twilight Zone finds a way to mix drama, horror, science-fiction, and superstition perfectly to make a fun quirky TV show. Released between 1959 and 1964 in all black and white, each episode has a very different plot that typically ends with a shocking ending.
This show is perfect for someone who enjoys sitting down for one or two episodes and does not want to worry about cliffhangers. Viewers can also start anywhere in the series and not be confused because none of the episodes are connected.
Narrator Rod Sterling has the perfect voice for this psychological thriller with the perfect blend of spooky and suspenseful. His voice has become a staple of science-fiction along with the show itself, helping to form modern sci-fi.
The Twilight Zone is a real brain buster that forces the viewer to pause and think about what is going on, but that is what makes the show so fun. Trying to solve the mystery of each episode before it is finished is the best part.
The series was so popular that it has been rebooted three times with the most recent being in 2019. All four seasons of the original show can be streamed on Netflix.
Back to the Future
Kicking off the 3 part series, Back to the Future follows a high school student, Marty McFly as he accidentally gets sent back to 1955 by Doc Brown’s DeLorean turned time machine. After unintentionally running into the teenage versions of his parents, McFly has to ensure that they fall in love or he and his siblings will be erased from existence.
McFly is given the opportunity that every kid dreams of: learning what their parents were really like as teenagers, however, along the way he learns the realities of their past. He learns that the struggles they have endured are not that different from his own and he takes this opportunity to improve their future lives.
As a viewer it is interesting to see how the 1950s compare to the 1980s and how many things are played out the same way, yet McFly has to adjust to the 50s lifestyle such as the clothes he wears. First released in 1985, Back to the Future is a timeless classic that never gets old. It is a family friendly movie that is sure to make you laugh. All three parts of the trilogy can be found on Netflix.
The Brady Bunch
Life gets turned upside down for the three Brady boys when their dad, Mike Brady, marries Carol who has three daughters. With eight people living in a four-bedroom house it can get kind of crazy, especially when Alice, their nutty housemaid is thrown into the mix.
The Brady Bunch spanned a total of 5 seasons while mainly focusing on the triumphs and tribulations of the six children, Greg, Marcia, Peter, Jan, Bobby and Cindy, who range from grade school to teenagers. This show was a staple of American television and although it was filmed in the 60s and 70s, they stayed away from political and controversial topics.
Focusing on the most important family values, the show gives a warm comforting feeling to the viewer. It was one of the first shows to implement and discuss the dynamics of a blended family which was important for its time period and although it is over 40 years old many of its lessons about family are relevant today.
The Brady Bunch was even given five spin offs and actor Barry Williams who played Greg wrote a book about what it was like filming the show. All five seasons of the show can be viewed on Hulu.
