Skip to content
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • PodBean
  • Subscribe To The My Pal Sammy Newsletter
  • ABOUT
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms

My Summer Lair

Think NPR's Fresh Air meets Kevin Smith: My Summer Lair with host Sammy Younan: interviews & impressions on Pop Culture.

  • Home
  • Podcast
    • My Summer Lair
    • Space Station Oddity
  • Set The VCR
  • New Book Alert
  • True Sammy Stories
  • Toggle search form
Nicholas Parisi (Rod Serling: His Life, Work & Imagination)

130 | Nicholas Parisi (Rod Serling: His Life, Work & Imagination)

Posted on October 1, 2019March 6, 2023 By Sammy Younan No Comments on 130 | Nicholas Parisi (Rod Serling: His Life, Work & Imagination)

My Summer Lair Chapter #130: How Much Do We Know About The Fifth Dimension’s Narrator?

Rodman Edward Serling was born on December 25, 1924 and passed away on June 28, 1975. And in between those two dates is a wealth of work. For example: Rod Serling wrote 92 of The Twilight Zone scripts (70 originals and 22 adaptations).

I’m delighted to welcome to My Summer Lair writer Nicholas Parisi whose dense and delicious non-fiction book is Rod Serling: His Life, Work, and Imagination a massive undertaking that documents Serling’s impressive body of work.

In this interview Nicholas and I explore a fascinating aspect of Rod Serling’s work…and ultimately his legacy. People―our society―had to be taught to have a suspension of disbelief.

Like the idea of somebody time travelling was a surreal concept. Viewers in the 50s into the 60s couldn’t fully grasp the notion what viewers in say the 80s or 90s fully understood. Currently…for us: an individual who time travels is at the start of an adventure not the entire adventure. Back to the Future is a trilogy not a 30 minute Twilight Zone episode, right?

I mean check out these significant nerd/sci-fi Big Bangs…
Action Comics #1 April 18, 1938
The Twilight Zone October 2, 1959 – June 19, 1964
The Fantastic Four #1 August 8, 1961…the beginning of Stan Lee and his Amazing Friends’ Marvel run
The Outer Limits September 16, 1963 – January 16, 1965
Doctor Who November 23, 1963 (day after JFK’s assassination)
Batman 66 January 12, 1966 – March 14, 1968
Star Trek September 8, 1966 – June 3, 1969 (for the original series…it’s still going…)

That’s the (pop culture) foundation of our disbelief and our attraction to wonder and mischief. We are indebted to Rod and his work; his astonishing writing.

I’m deeply grateful Nicholas hung out with me so we can talk about Rod Serling. Anything and everything to keep his legacy alive: we don’t get quality like this often. Treasure it like a trip to the Fifth Dimension.

Nicholas Parisi @ W • T • F

Host & Photography Sammy Younan

Recorded: Wednesday August 28, 2019 at 6:30 pm

Stress free pop culture tastefully harvested for your divine delight. Once a week a carefully curated edition of My Pal Sammy goes directly to your inbox. Sign up for my newsletter so we can have some fun…in the friendship zone!

My Summer Lair, Podcast Tags:Books, New Book Alert, Nicholas Parisi, Rod Serling, Television, The Twilight Zone, TV Shows

Post navigation

Previous Post: 129 | Kat Rosenfield (Stan Lee’s Alliances: A Trick of Light)
Next Post: 131 | Benjamin Percy (Suicide Woods)

More Related Articles

My Pal Sammy (Season 2) | The Umbrella Academy Mariachi Band Podcast
Johnny Sweet (Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story) 115 | Johnny Sweet (Quiet Storm: The Ron Artest Story) My Summer Lair
235 | Kristian R. Hill (God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines) My Summer Lair
Michael Holley (The Big Three: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and the Rebirth of the Boston Celtics) 189 | Michael Holley (The Big Three: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and the Rebirth of the Boston Celtics) My Summer Lair
Dead Dicks & Majic (Blood In The Snow Film Festival) 135 | Dead Dicks & Majic (Blood In The Snow Film Festival) My Summer Lair
Charles Soule (Anyone) 136 | Charles Soule (Anyone) My Summer Lair

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • #SetTheVCR: November 27-December 3, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    More Doctor Who, more music docs, and a Thriller of a body-switch movie are your handy TV recommendations for this week. I mean what else can it be except #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: November 20-26, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Who is gonna watch TV this week? Who is gonna see new Doctor Who? Who is excited Who is back and so is #SetTheVCR with many outstanding TV recommendations for Whoever wants em.
  • #SetTheVCR: November 13-19, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    We got Foggy Mountain treasure, Godzilla, a Curse and JFK and MLK. What else could it be except #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: November 6-12, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Comics kill and so do killers. And so does #SetTheVCR: if enjoy killing then this'll be an outstanding TV week for you.
  • #SetTheVCR: October 30-November 5, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Time to wrap up the horror of Halloween and embrace the…horror of the holidays? Eh sure. It's #SetTheVCR.
  • #SetTheVCR: October 23-29, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Milli Vanilli, Bodies and Burning Girls…are you seeking fun Halloween TV recommendations? Then welcome #SetTheVCR into your life and behold fresh TV.
  • #SetTheVCR: October 16-22, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Old Dads have a Devil of a time dealing with a Wolf Pack. What else but #SetTheVCR. Shall we watch more TV?
  • #SetTheVCR: October 9-15, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    Halloween Horror: Netflix Ushers in fresh Mike Flanagan, Creepshow will make you Shudder and Goosebumps will give you…umm: Goosebumps. There's also a freshtastic Mr. Dressup if you wanna take a break from all the horror TV recommendations. Either way? #SetTheVCR especially in a TV week that features Friday the 13th!
  • #SetTheVCR: October 2-8, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    This week's TV recommendations pairs well with Rose Red wine especially if you a Loki evening with some Totally Killer TV. Welcome to #SetTheVCR and October where it's scary time!
  • #SetTheVCR: September 25-October 1, 2023
    by Sammy Younan
    It's my birthday week and the TV recommendations are…well mostly my taste. Some cake and candles to go with this week's #SetTheVCR.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: DCEU Is Pee-Ew | Batgirl vs HBO MaxAugust 5, 2022
    Sammy & Rob Gaudette discuss and review the status of the DCEU following the cancellation of Batgirl on HBO Max. Rob still has hope.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: Contact Photography Festival 2022 | Culture SnapMay 12, 2022
    Sammy is joined by photographer Henry VanderSpek aka Culture Snap to discuss and recommend a happy handful of Contact Photography Festival exhibitions.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: A Taylor Hawkins MemorialMarch 28, 2022
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss the shocking and sad passing of Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins on March 25, 2022.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: All The Batmans | Keaton To Nipples to BatfleckMarch 10, 2022
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss All The Batmans: from Michael Keaton to Ben Affleck.
  • MSL Space Station Oddity: 2021 Induction Ceremony | Rock & Roll Hall of FameNovember 25, 2021
    Sammy & Stephanie discuss their happy highlights from the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

  • Yaron Weitzman (Tanking to the Top) and Sammy Younan in My Summer Lair 148
    Under-Review: Tanking to the Top: The Philadelphia 76ers
    by Sammy Younan
    My Summer Lair host Sammy Younan reviews Yaron Weitzman's Tanking to the Top. Trust The Process of The Philadelphia 76ers?
  • New Book Alert: January 10-14, 2022
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.
  • New Book Alert: January 3-7, 2022
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.
  • New Book Alert: November 8-12, 2021
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.
  • New Book Alert: November 1-5, 2021
    by Sammy Younan
    My weekly collection of new and notable books for your pop culture pleasure and edification: #ReadMoreTweetLess.

Copyright © 2023 My Summer Lair.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme