Debuting in 1959, The Twilight Zone thrived in large part because of recirculation. The science fiction / horror anthology series spent decades in syndication, winning over new generations of fans with each viewing. However, not every episode in its five-year run reappeared after its original airing. A handful were pulled from circulation for different reasons and remained unavailable for long periods of time. This included one banned Twilight Zone episode titled “The Encounter”, which didn’t return to television for more than 50 years.In many cases, a pull from circulation involved intellectual-property rights, like Season 5, Episode 22, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Originally produced by a French company, The Twilight Zone lacked permission to air it after the initial run. “The Encounter,” however, was taken off the air due to its highly questionable racial content. That’s a surprise, considering The Twilight Zone’s largely progressive politics and willingness to tackle controversial issues in a forward-thinking manner. In this case, good intentions led to a major misstep.”The Encounter” focuses on Fenton, an American veteran of World War II who finds a Japanese katana in his attic. It’s later revealed that he took it from its original owner, whom he killed after the man had surrendered to him. It contains an inscription reading “the sword will avenge me.” The weapon keeps finding its way back to him, no matter how many times he tries to get rid of it.RELATED: The ’80s Twilight Zone Series Deserves More Credit Than It Gets
Debuting in 1959, The Twilight Zone thrived in large part because of recirculation. The science fiction / horror anthology series spent decades in syndication, winning over new generations of fans with each viewing. However, not every episode in its five-year run reappeared after its original airing. A handful were pulled from circulation for different reasons and remained unavailable for long periods of time. This included one banned Twilight Zone episode titled “The Encounter”, which didn’t return to television for more than 50 years.
In many cases, a pull from circulation involved intellectual-property rights, like Season 5, Episode 22, “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.” Originally produced by a French company, The Twilight Zone lacked permission to air it after the initial run. “The Encounter,” however, was taken off the air due to its highly questionable racial content. That’s a surprise, considering The Twilight Zone’s largely progressive politics and willingness to tackle controversial issues in a forward-thinking manner. In this case, good intentions led to a major misstep.
“The Encounter” focuses on Fenton, an American veteran of World War II who finds a Japanese katana in his attic. It’s later revealed that he took it from its original owner, whom he killed after the man had surrendered to him. It contains an inscription reading “the sword will avenge me.” The weapon keeps finding its way back to him, no matter how many times he tries to get rid of it.
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