GroggyBot: The Twilight Zone Marathon New Year's Eve 2013

Happy New Year Twilight Zone Fans!

This year's Twilight Zone marathon will start at 8am EST on December 31st with One For The Angels. It will conclude with Nothing In The Dark on December 2nd at 8:30am. Below is a link to the TWZ Marathon's schedule on the SyFy Channel.

The Twilight Zone New Year's Eve 2013 Marathon schedule on SyFy:

syfy.com schedule December 31, 2013

syfy.com schedule January 1, 2014

syfy.com schedule January 2, 2014

The SyFy.com site still has those annoying auto-play ads. I am in no way promoting the SyFy Channel but, it's nice to have a Twilight Zone marathon broadcasted on TV. SyFy will air the marathon with many commercial breaks and some scenes will be cut out. So, if you have another way to marathon The Twilight Zone, I suggest the alternative. I highly recommend getting the Definitive Set on DVD or blu-ray. Netflix still have the first two seasons on instant. Still! It's been a year Netflix! Let's have the entire series on streaming next year!

Now, for approval, I submitted a bit of trivia on one of my favorite TWZ episode after the "JUMP!"
Rod Serling's The Changing of the Guard

The Changing of the Guard

Original air date June 1, 1962
Season 3
Episode 102
Directed by Robert Ellis Miller
Written by Rod Serling
Music by Stock

Actors:

Donald Pleasence - Professor Ellis Fowler
Liam Sullivan - Headmaster
Phillipa Bevans - Mrs. Landers
Bob Biheller - Graham
Kevin O'Neal - Butler

Rod Serling had a fascination with growing old. Season 3 of the Twilight Zone was proof of that with the Trade-Ins and the Changing of the Guard (both written by Rod Serling). The latter is about a professor being forced to retire and suffering from a doubt of self worth. He planned on taking his own life on Christmas Eve until, a curious school bell breaks him out of the act and into a visitation of phantom students.

The Changing of the Guard is preachy and a bit heavy handed but, it's done well. I'm not sure if the credit should go to Rod Serling's screenplay or, Robert Ellis Miller's direction or, Donald Pleasence's acting. Or maybe the credit goes to the entire production of this episode. Pleasence was 42 at time but he was made up to be a lot older. This was his first TV appearance and probably his first acting job in the United States. If Donald Pleasence's name sounds familiar, you might remember him fighting Michael Myers as Dr. Sam Loomis in Halloween.

The Changing of the Guard struck a personal cord with me and it was the episode of the Twilight Zone that got me to realize that the show is more than just shock and twists. The Changing of the Guard is about self worth and full of great quotes; a reminder of the indomitable human spirit. Another great Rod Serling screenplay. My favorite quote from the episode is:

I would be true, for there are those who trust me;
I would be pure, for there are those who care;
I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare;
- Howard A. Walter

The Changing of the Guard is not on Syfy's schedule for the Twilight Zone marathon. You can find it on youtube:

The Twilight Zone S03 E37 The Changing Of The Guard