Horror and science fiction have always been a part of the television canvas, and constant attempts have been made over the years to produce classic entertainment. Some have fallen by the wayside, while others became mainstream phenomena. With “TV Terrors,” we take a look back at the many genre efforts from the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s, exploring some shows that became cult classics, and others that sank in to obscurity.

• Aired from 2002 – 2003
• Aired on UPN Network

Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone” has had a long and storied history on television with an iconic 1959 original run, and an acclaimed and highly regarded iteration from 1985. After the death of the anthology series in the early aughts, producers still hoped to mine some gold from the property with the 2002 iteration that aired primarily on the UPN Network. To say that last iteration is not well regarded is something of an understatement. In the breath of the first two “The Twilight Zone” runs, the 2002 version is often ignored, or jokingly dismissed as the failed launch for the new generation.

The show originally ran for forty four episodes on a prime time slot, so its chances of taking off were pretty slim, but the series itself garnered a line up of episodes that ranged from painfully mediocre to downright abysmal. Even the best episodes of the series will leave you shrugging with indifference and struggling to cherry pick the finer qualities. It’s a shame since Forest Whitaker does a pretty solid job as the narrator; he’s just a good actor stuck in a bad adaptation. 2002’s “The Twilight Zone” featured a slew of thirty minute episodes, all of which were either original works, or modernized remakes of a few of the classic episodes.

Among some of the notable episodes, there’s the ridiculous “Cradle of Darkness.” Answering the age old question “What if you could go back in time and kill Hitler as a baby?” we meet covert agents with the ability to travel through time. The female agent, as played by Katherine Heigl, is tasked with murdering baby Hitler, but soon finds it impossible to mix in, especially as she grows fond of the baby, and begins getting seduced by his father. The episode is goofy, and the plot twist is more of a groaner than anything else.

“Azoth the Avenger is a Friend of Mine” is one of the more comedic episodes, saved only by Patrick Warburton, who plays a Conan-like warrior whose been torn from the comics of young Craig who is being bullied and abused by his father. Rory Culkin stars in this considerably campy turn, looking as if he’s half asleep the entire time.

“Night Route” is one of the standout best episodes of the iteration but is bogged down by its muddy message about life or fate or… accepting fate? I don’t know. Ione Skye is a young girl with a great life who is nearly hit by a car while walking her dog. Soon she begins to notice a large black bus driving down her street every night that stops wherever she is. As she begins to figure out what’s going on, she realizes there’s another bit of horseplay afoot. The character figures out what’s going on halfway through the episode, but it’s a fine enough installment if you can forgive the confused moral of the story.

There’s also “The Monsters Are on Maple Street.” The original episode is one of my all time favorites, a wonderful play on McCarthyism and the lunacy of humanity. This new version is pretty much about post 9/11 hysteria and is about as subtle as a brick in the face. The better writer would have taken more ideas about xenophobia and the terrorist fright and ran with it to make it more about a society consuming itself, but here we’re presented with a slew of wholly unlikable characters and a new twist ending that’s both clunky and damn stupid.

There are also modern takes on “Eye of the Beholder,” “Nick of Time,” and “It’s a Good Life,” all of which are woefully misguided contemporary updates. You’d assume for a series that premiered on September 2002, this new series would be ripe for social commentary, but alas, it’s one big letdown. While the new iteration aimed for episodes about racial inequality, police corruption, and the like, it just seems to play with kid gloves the whole time, pulling its punches and failing to be remotely evocative or bold. Even when the series is at its best, it’s absolutely anemic in tone and the narration by Forest Whitaker is a reflection of it.

Whitaker is a brilliant actor when put in the right role, but as narrator he lacks the dread and wry sense of humor that Rod Serling (and even Charles Aldman or Robin Ward) held. After one season and stale critical reactions, UPN pulled the series down and with nary a backlash from audiences. Suffice it to say whatever they were trying to achieve with this version flat out failed from the starting gates, and I’d only recommend it for morbidly curious fans of the franchise. Even when *not* compared to the 1959 original, “The Twilight Zone” is a failure on all fronts.

Here’s hoping CBS All Access’s brand new Jordan Peele-hosted reboot fares much better.

Is It On DVD/Blu-Ray? The episodes are all available in complete form on various video sites and “TZ” 2002 was released on DVD, fetching a hefty price tag in online shops.