George R.R. Martin explained why he and his fellow writers, who worked on the 1985 revival of The Twilight Zone, couldn’t beat the greatness of Rod Sterling’s 1959 television series. Even with his mastery of writing screenplays, the author admitted he couldn’t give his stories as many surprise endings as the original show.
While speaking at the Toronto International Film Festival (via @TIFF/YouTube), Martin recounted how he had trouble coming up with genuine twist endings for The Twilight Zone. He pointed out how the period and the evolution of the audience played a role in this challenge:
When we revived Twilight Zone in the mid-80s, the network was always on us. One of the things we had on that show is, “Why can’t you have more twist endings as the original show did?” and we tried man, but what worked in 1959 really did not work in 1986. I tell you, the audience had become so much more sophisticated, and they could see those twist endings coming a mile away.
Martin noted that the techniques used by Sterling in 1959 and the subsequent years had become so familiar to the viewers that they could not be reused anymore, thus requiring much newer twist endings.
George R. R. Martin Struggled Coming Up With New Twist Endings for 1985’s The Twilight Zone
George R.R. Martin during an interview | Credits: WTTW News/ YouTube
Growing up, George R.R. Martin hated familiarity when it came to watching films or reading books. He didn’t like it when he could predict or correctly guess the next scene, referencing his childhood experience where he and his family would be watching TV, and his mother would say out loud what would happen next.
Related: “It was a… dangerous concept”: Proving He’s Not a One-Trick Pony, George R.R. Martin Wrote One of the Best Episodes of ‘The Twilight Zone’
The only show Martin’s mother could not predict was the original The Twilight Zone, which aired in 1959. It was very famous for its twist endings, making it one of the most revolutionary shows of that time.
The Twilight Zone (1985) / Credits: CBS
As the author shared, the CBS network was unhappy that the writers couldn’t come up with more new twist endings just like Sterling’s version. It could be that the original show had exhausted all possible plot twists, leaving Martin and the rest of his team racking their brains for creative inspiration.
This experience, though, might have been beneficial for Martin’s writing career. He wrote a total of five episodes for The Twilight Zone, just enough for him to apply what he had learned to his future novel series.
How Martin’s Work on The Twilight Zone Influenced the Storylines in Game of Thrones
Sean Bean in Game of Thrones / Credits: HBO
Did someone say surprise endings? Well, Game of Thrones was never short of that. From the first season alone, fans were treated to an onslaught of twists and turns, starting with the killings of major characters like Ned Stark. This was followed by the infamous Red Wedding, as Martin already suspected fans would anticipate Robb’s revenge.
Related: ‘The Twilight Zone’ Cast: What Are They Doing in 2025?
The author earned a reputation for killing off characters, even the ones we thought were heroes. Martin admitted how hard it was to write those scenes, but he also reiterated that he liked his fiction to be unpredictable.
Whether his penchant for this technique stemmed from his experience writing The Twilight Zone or from that particular childhood memory, one thing is very clear—Martin has mastered the art of surprise endings.
The Twilight Zone is currently available to watch on Paramount+.
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