The first season of the original The Twilight Zone produced 36 episodes.
Season 1 aired on CBS from October 2, 1959, through July 1, 1960, in a Friday-night half-hour time slot. Its 36-episode count includes “Where Is Everybody?”, the pilot and series premiere. The season established the anthology’s trademark blend of science fiction, fantasy, horror, satire, and twist endings.
The season was guided by creator and host Rod Serling, with major contributions from writers such as Charles Beaumont and Richard Matheson. It included enduring episodes including “Time Enough at Last,” “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” “Walking Distance,” and “The After Hours.”
A common mix-up comes from counting the show’s later seasons or confusing the pilot concept with a separate unaired production. The original series ultimately ran for five seasons and 156 episodes, but its first season alone contained 36. Bernard Herrmann wrote the season’s opening theme; the more familiar theme by Marius Constant began in season 2.