Irony in The Twilight Zone: How the Series Critiqued Postwar American Culture (Science Fiction Television)

Rod Serling’s pioneering series TheTwilight Zone (1959 to 1964) is remembered for its surprise twist endings and pervading sense of irony.While other American television series of the time also experimented with ironic surprises, none depended on these as much as Serling’s. However, irony was not used merely as a structural device—Serling and his writers used it as a provocative means by which to comment on the cultural landscape of the time. Irony in The Twilight Zone: How the Series Critiqued Postwar American Culture explores the multiple types of irony—such as technological, invasive, martial, sociopolitical, and domestic—that Serling, Richard Matheson, Charles Beaumont, and other contributors employed in the show. David Melbye explains how each kind of irony critiqued of a specific aspect of American culture and how all of them informed one another, creating a larger social commentary. This book also places the show’s use of irony in historical and philosophical contexts, connecting it to a rich cultural tradition reaching back to ancient Greece. The Twilight Zone endures because it uses irony to negotiate its definitively modernist moment of “high” social consciousness and “low” cultural escapism. With its richly detailed, frequently unexpected readings of episodes, Irony in The Twilight Zone offers scholars and fans a fresh and unique lens through which to view the classic series. Acknowledgments Introduction Chapter 1: Twilight Zone Harbingers Golden Age Television Serling as Auteur Anthology Films Anthology Television Series Chapter 2: Irony’s Philosophical Legacy Socratic Irony Modernist Irony Postmodernist Irony Rorty’s Ironist Utopia Chapter 3: Technological Irony Robotic Irony Other Future Technologies Haunted Technologies Chapter 4: Invasive Irony Space Invaders as Malevolent Space Invaders as Benevolent Space Invaders as Astronauts Chapter 5: Martial Irony Irony in WWII Irony in Older Wars Martial Irony in Civilian Contexts Irony in Future Wars Chapter 6: Sociopolitical Irony Irony in American Politics Irony in Socialization Chapter 7: Domestic Irony Irony in Courtship Irony in Marriage Irony in Family Conclusion Videography Bibliography This book explores the multiple types of irony-technological, invasive, martial, sociopolitical, and domestic-that were employed by the classic television show The Twilight Zone. Each of these uses of irony acts as a critique of a specific aspect of American culture, but all inform each other, creating a larger sense of social critique. Introduction -- Twilight Zone Harbingers -- Irony's Philosophical Legacy -- Technological Irony -- Invasive Irony -- Martial Irony -- Sociopolitical Irony -- Domestic Irony -- Conclusion. David Melbye. Includes Filmography And Videography. Includes Bibliographical References And Index.