20 Years of Sci-Fi (SyFy) doing the "Twilight Zone" New Years Marathon!

[wonderfly]

I don't have cable anymore, but when I stopped by my parents house this evening, I couldn't help but flip over the channel to see if...Yep, there it is!

So much has changed in cable over the last few years, with several channels straying from what they were supposed to be about. I still feel that largely, cable has become irrelevant.

But the one thing, THE ONE THING I enjoy seeing every year that hasn't changed, is that the Sci-Fi Channel (or rather, "the SyFy Channel" *shudder*) still airs an annual "New Years Twilight Zone Marathon" each year! Usually 48 hours in length, for all of New Years Eve and New Years Day, the Twilight Zone marathon has become an annual tradition.

And when I did a quick google search tonight, because I wondered how long this has been going on...and it turns out this is the 20th Year that Sci-Fi has been doing this marathon!

From that article, it says the first time the marathon was broadcast was Dec. 31st, 1995 (a year I was highly into watching the Sci-Fi channel every waking hour)...

Anyone else enjoy tuning in to this yearly tradition?

EDIT: Here's another article on the history of Twilight Zone marathons, preceding even the Sci-Fi Channel's version of the marathon.

 

[Gold Guy]

Darn, I watch every single year, but I wasn't able to last night. It's a great show, so I'm glad that ScyFy still airs it.

 

[the greenman]

I don't have cable, and haven't in years. This used to air on syndicated network television, back when I was a kid and seen a majority of the famous eps. I already have the dvds/blurays and marathon them once a year. I now see some of the ones that were never aired for various reasons (specifically season 4), so I'm content with missing the marathon. BTW didn't they marathon them on July 4th too?

 

[wonderfly]

Darn, I watch every single year, but I wasn't able to last night. It's a great show, so I'm glad that ScyFy still airs it.

They do still air it weekdays, last I checked, though usually between midnight and 6 am...typically at 4 or 5 am, anymore...

BTW didn't they marathon them on July 4th too?

They still do.

I got to wondering how long the 4th of July marathon has been airing, and found someone's post on this subject here.

If they are to be believed (and it sounds plausible), here is the answer:

The Sci-Fi Channel (now Syfy) has been airing the marathons for almost 20 years. The first Sci-Fi Twilight Zone Marathon was December 31, 1994 - January 1, 1995, and they haven't missed a year since.

The Sci-Fi Channel's first July 4th Twilight Zone Marathon was in 1995. They have held them 1995-1996, 1998-2009 and 2011-2013.

The Sci-Fi Channel skipped the July 4th marathon in 1997 and in 2010 Syfy replaced it with a Greatest American Hero marathon, but returned to the TZ marathon the following year.

So 1st time was back in 1995 as well, but it has not been consistent every year. I didn't catch the July 4th marathon in 1995 - I got cable for the first time a few months later. Around October or November, I believe.

 

[JoeMabbon]

I started watching in 2004/2005 and I tend to watch it off and on. I missed it this year, though. I had no idea the marathon was so old. That's really impressive.

 

[the greenman]

Well, I do remember the syndicated networks tried to switch it up with either Star Trek (60's) or The Honeymooners. I don't remember if that was just on July 4th though.

 

[wonderfly]

Here's an old commercial for the New Years marathon on the Sci-Fi channel, from back in 2001...wish I could find one from the 90's.


Remember when they were calling every marathon a "Chain Reaction" back then?

 

[the greenman]

Question: Do you think TNT inspired Sci-Fi to do the TZ marathons? Cause I remember TNT's Monstervision w/ Joe Bob Briggs (best host since Elvira for other reasons) started slightly earlier maybe 92-93.

 

[Michael24]

Wow, twenty years! I've never seen the marathon, but that's impressive. (In fact, I think I've only ever seen just a handful of Twilight Zone episodes.)

Question: Do you think TNT inspired Sci-Fi to do the TZ marathons? Cause I remember TNT's Monstervision w/ Joe Bob Briggs (best host since Elvira for other reasons) started slightly earlier maybe 92-93.

MonsterVision started in 1993, but Penn & Teller were the original hosts. Joe Bob (oh boy, do I miss his MonsterVision) took over in 1995. I don't remember it having TZ marathons, though, unless they were in the early Penn & Teller days.

 

[the greenman]

Wow, twenty years! I've never seen the marathon, but that's impressive. (In fact, I think I've only ever seen just a handful of Twilight Zone episodes.)


MonsterVision started in 1993, but Penn & Teller were the original hosts. Joe Bob (oh boy, do I miss his MonsterVision) took over in 1995. I don't remember it having TZ marathons, though, unless they were in the early Penn & Teller days.

OMG, yes Penn & Teller were on there, but the marathons were Outer Limits. Researched this and found a blog on it:

The History of TNT’s MonsterVision | Cinemassacre Productions

 

[Lord Dalek]

Twilight Zone on blu-ray >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> those 40 year old dupes Syfy(lus) runs every NYD.

 

[wonderfly]

Twilight Zone on blu-ray >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> those 40 year old dupes Syfy(lus) runs every NYD.

Probably. I don't have Blu-Ray, but I've been watching Twilight Zone on Netflix the last couple of days, and the picture quality is pretty fantastic. And yes, there is the bonus that these are uncut (SyFy probably still cuts them for modern commercial time).

Still, just seeing old school marathons on TV is welcome, to me...

 

[Gatomon41]

I remembering seeing the first marathon back in the 90's as a young kid. First seeing them, the episodes were truly frighting and haunting.

But after all these years, the show does come off as a bit silly with the twists being so well known. Yeah, the writing and direction sometimes work. But often I keep on asking too many questions afterwards.

 

[Road to Gotham]

Donna Douglas famous for playing Ellie May on "The Beverly Hillbillies" died on New Year's Day.
She was 82.
Donna appeared in 2 Twilight Zone episodes.
"Eye of the Beholder"
"Cavender is Coming"

 

[the greenman]

We lost Mickey Rooney last year, and I really only remember him for his TZ ep "Last Night of the Jockey."

 

[Road to Gotham]

Rod Taylor died last week.
He was in the episode "When the was Open".

Rest In Peace!