Often overlooked by the phenomenal success and pop culture landmark that Twilight Zone was and is, "Rod Serling's Night Gallery" was a much different show that never really lived up to it's potential. Viewed as three separate entities, i believe my thoughts will make more sense.
After the cancellation of "TZ" Serling wanted to get back into television with another show, but this time, he had a different idea. "Rod Serling's Wax Museum" was his idea, and it consisted of episodes introduced by Serling, who, as the curator of a wax museum, would introduce the evening's stories accompanied by a wax figure relating to the tale. While this concept was never realized, the idea was the starting point for Night Gallery. In 1969, Serling presented "Night Gallery", a made for TV movie that included three stories, each introduced by a different painting. "The Cemetery" , "Eyes" and "The Escape Route". Receiving high ratings and critical praise, the show was greenlighted by Universal as a rotating series for the 1970-1971 TV season.
The first season of "Rod Serling's Night Gallery", as it was now known, featured paintings revealed for each story, which now included several stories within the hour. As an anthology series, quality varied as different directors, and different script writers worked on different stories. However, "The Dead Man", "The House" "The Doll" and "They're Tearing Down Tim Reilley's Bar" which was nominated for a prime time emmy, stood out among the truncated first season.
Serling, who served as the on screen host of the show and it's public face, was back. However, it wouldn't last long. Producer Jack Laird, brought on board for the first season was the de facto boss. All script and editorial decisions were his. Serling, weary of the grind of weekly TV, had decided to take a smaller role in the day to day affairs of the show, assuming that as creator and host, he would be consulted on scripts, and other decisions, he was in for a rude awakening.
Beginning in the second, and best season, Night Gallery really got it's legs. The best of the series, in my opinion, are to be found here. Along with adaptations of great short fiction stories, such as "Cool Air", "Camera Obscura", "The Caterpillar", "Silent Snow Secret Snow", "A Death in the Family", "Pickman's Model", and many others, were excellent Serling originals, such as "Lindemann's Catch", "Deliveries in the Rear", and "Class of '99". One of the reasons is the great work of director Jeannot Szwarc, and cinematographer Lionel Lindon. However, strains were appearing between Serling and producer Laird, over the inclusion of short, comic viginettes, intended to round out the hour. Probably the most controversial aspect of this wonderful show.
For the third and final 1972-1973 season, short sighted executives at Universal mandated that NG be cut to 30 minute episodes, with more emphasis on American fiction, as they deemed adaptations of British fiction, over the head of the American audience. Despite several fine episodes, including the chilling "The Other Way Out", Rod Serling's Night Gallery was cancelled. In all 98 story segements, which ranged from 3-30 minutes a piece were filmed. In order to increase profits from the show, Universal butchered the series to fit into 30 minute segements for the syndication package, thereby gutting the souls of these wonderful stories. To add insult to injury, another series "The Sixth Sense", an ESP themed bomb, was grafted on to Night Gallery in the syndication package further destroying NG's reputation. Serling, contractually bound, introduced the Sixth Sense episodes, as if they were Night Gallery.
AFter the cancellation Serling stayed busy, but ultimately passed away in 1975, after surgery to correct a heart defect. He remained upset about the treatment he received by Universal and Laird until he passed away.
Years later, after viewing Night Gallery in it's original format, we can see that there were, for all of it's warts, flashes of brilliance from this series. Macabre, eerie, sometimes frighteneing, and even humorous stories were all to be found, with enough differences to make them very fresh, and enough similarities to make them classics. If you're a fan of well told stories, then Night Gallery is for you.
After the cancellation of "TZ" Serling wanted to get back into television with another show, but this time, he had a different idea. "Rod Serling's Wax Museum" was his idea, and it consisted of episodes introduced by Serling, who, as the curator of a wax museum, would introduce the evening's stories accompanied by a wax figure relating to the tale. While this concept was never realized, the idea was the starting point for Night Gallery. In 1969, Serling presented "Night Gallery", a made for TV movie that included three stories, each introduced by a different painting. "The Cemetery" , "Eyes" and "The Escape Route". Receiving high ratings and critical praise, the show was greenlighted by Universal as a rotating series for the 1970-1971 TV season.
The first season of "Rod Serling's Night Gallery", as it was now known, featured paintings revealed for each story, which now included several stories within the hour. As an anthology series, quality varied as different directors, and different script writers worked on different stories. However, "The Dead Man", "The House" "The Doll" and "They're Tearing Down Tim Reilley's Bar" which was nominated for a prime time emmy, stood out among the truncated first season.
Serling, who served as the on screen host of the show and it's public face, was back. However, it wouldn't last long. Producer Jack Laird, brought on board for the first season was the de facto boss. All script and editorial decisions were his. Serling, weary of the grind of weekly TV, had decided to take a smaller role in the day to day affairs of the show, assuming that as creator and host, he would be consulted on scripts, and other decisions, he was in for a rude awakening.
Beginning in the second, and best season, Night Gallery really got it's legs. The best of the series, in my opinion, are to be found here. Along with adaptations of great short fiction stories, such as "Cool Air", "Camera Obscura", "The Caterpillar", "Silent Snow Secret Snow", "A Death in the Family", "Pickman's Model", and many others, were excellent Serling originals, such as "Lindemann's Catch", "Deliveries in the Rear", and "Class of '99". One of the reasons is the great work of director Jeannot Szwarc, and cinematographer Lionel Lindon. However, strains were appearing between Serling and producer Laird, over the inclusion of short, comic viginettes, intended to round out the hour. Probably the most controversial aspect of this wonderful show.
For the third and final 1972-1973 season, short sighted executives at Universal mandated that NG be cut to 30 minute episodes, with more emphasis on American fiction, as they deemed adaptations of British fiction, over the head of the American audience. Despite several fine episodes, including the chilling "The Other Way Out", Rod Serling's Night Gallery was cancelled. In all 98 story segements, which ranged from 3-30 minutes a piece were filmed. In order to increase profits from the show, Universal butchered the series to fit into 30 minute segements for the syndication package, thereby gutting the souls of these wonderful stories. To add insult to injury, another series "The Sixth Sense", an ESP themed bomb, was grafted on to Night Gallery in the syndication package further destroying NG's reputation. Serling, contractually bound, introduced the Sixth Sense episodes, as if they were Night Gallery.
AFter the cancellation Serling stayed busy, but ultimately passed away in 1975, after surgery to correct a heart defect. He remained upset about the treatment he received by Universal and Laird until he passed away.
Years later, after viewing Night Gallery in it's original format, we can see that there were, for all of it's warts, flashes of brilliance from this series. Macabre, eerie, sometimes frighteneing, and even humorous stories were all to be found, with enough differences to make them very fresh, and enough similarities to make them classics. If you're a fan of well told stories, then Night Gallery is for you.