Seminal sci-fi horror anthology series The Twilight Zone, which airs regularly on SYFY, drew inspiration from various sources, including famous short stories, original ideas, and even an Oscar-winning short film. However, there is only one Twilight Zone episode that originated on the radio.
Although remembered as a pioneering figure in American television, Twilight Zone creator Rod Serling was born before television became popular. His exposure to genre stories came from books, movie theaters, and radio plays, which were a key platform for genre storytelling in the United States. Therefore, it’s not surprising that when looking for ideas for the show’s first season, Serling revisited a radio drama he had heard nearly two decades earlier, resulting in a classic television episode.
The radio origins of The Twilight Zone episode “The Hitch-Hiker”
In “The Hitch-Hiker,” a woman named Nan (Inger Stevens) becomes entangled in a familiar horror story. During a road trip, she repeatedly encounters the same mysterious hitchhiker (Leonard Strong) and becomes increasingly paranoid as she believes he is not just targeting her but haunting her. The episode’s ability to create tension and its twist ending make it one of the greatest episodes of The Twilight Zone, haunting viewers for nearly 65 years.
Although Serling wrote the teleplay for the episode, “The Hitch-Hiker” was not an original idea. It was an adaptation of a radio play by Lucille Fletcher of the same name. Serling first heard the story in 1941 when Orson Welles produced and starred in a production of Fletcher’s play. Serling reached out to Fletcher for the rights to adapt the story, making some changes like changing the main character from a man to a woman, inspired by his daughter Anne, nicknamed “Nan.” Despite Fletcher’s reservations about the changes, “The Hitch-Hiker” remains a beloved episode of The Twilight Zone.
The Twilight Zone continues to air regularly on SYFY. Check out the schedule for more information.
