The Twilight Zone (2002 — 2003)

The Twilight Zone (2002–2003), a science fiction horror anthology show, was presented by Forest Whitaker. This version of the series aired for one season on UPN network and was the second of three revivals of Rod Serling’s original 1959-1964 show. Forest Whitaker served as both narrator and on-screen host, taking over Serling’s role. The series was a joint effort between Spirit Dance Entertainment, Trilogy Entertainment Group, Joshmax Productions Services, and New Line Television. It premiered on September 18, 2002 and concluded on May 21, 2003. Despite airing for only one season in an hour format with two half-hour stories, it continues to be syndicated and can be streamed on Tubi since fall of 2023. MyNetworkTV has also been airing reruns since summer of 2008.

The series boldly tackled contemporary issues such as terrorism, racism, gender roles, sexuality, and stalking. Notable episodes featured a wide range of guest stars including Jason Alexander as Death contemplating retirement, Lou Diamond Phillips as a pool cleaner experiencing recurring dreams of being shot, Susanna Thompson as a woman whose wish has unintended consequences for her family, Usher as a police officer plagued by eerie phone calls from the afterlife, Brian Austin Green as a businessman haunted by objects from his past, Jeffrey Combs as a hypochondriac whose fears manifest into real diseases, and Katherine Heigl in the role of a time-traveler on a dangerous mission to eliminate infant Adolf Hitler.