Discuss: Night Gallery

Karen: This was a show that really creeped me out as a kid. In fact, even today I get a little freaked out by it. The scary paintings, weird music, and genuinely frightening stories were almost too much to take. What do you think?

Face Off: Outer Limits or Twilight Zone

Karen: The two best science fiction anthology shows of all time: The Outer Limits and the Twilight Zone. Which is your favorite? Both have their own special flavor. TZ and Rod Serling specialized in tales with the ironic twist, while OL seemed more melancholic. TZ had a cool-cat host in Serling, while OL had the omniscient Control Voice (the late Vic Perrin) -and of course, a fantastic menagerie of monsters created by Wah Chang and others. Both featured some terrific actors and memorable theme music.

Karen: Personally, my vote goes to Outer Limits. It just captured my imagination in a way Twilight Zone didn't, and I'm sure that as a child all of those terrifically weird monsters were a big part of that. But when I go back and watch episodes now, as an adult, I get a lot out of them, beyond the monsters. My favorite episode is "The Architects of Fear," featuring Robert Culp. This is a story that manages to take two of mankind's strongest emotions -love and fear - and show what each of them can compel men to do. The alien suit, worn by Janos Prohaska, is still utterly inhuman and disturbing.

Karen: But Twilight Zone must get its due, as one of the most influential science fiction programs of all time. The show was well-written and every aspect of the production was solid. There are many memorable episodes, but one of my favorites, "Time Enough at Last," featured Burgess Meredith in a position all of us readers can appreciate.

Karen: So, if you have to choose, which show is it for you?