Part Seven: The Fifth Season 1963-1964, Part Eight: After The Twilight Zone Summary and Analysis

The transformation back to the half hour format cost "Twilight Zone" to lose some of its appeal. Serling claims that he lost the ability to be objective on what was good and the writing began to slip. Additionally, most of the show's greatest directors were gone. Regardless of the show's impending demise, Bert Granet was determined to put out the best show possible for the fifth and final season. Although the show no longer had the same impact as it did in the first three seasons, critics proclaimed that it was still one of the best shows on television.

In January 1964, CBS released its fall schedule and "Twilight Zone" was not included in the lineup. Serling's agent thought the...