For many fans, the best The Twilight Zone episode is one that arrived early in the show’s run - and it overshadowed not only everything that came before, but after too. While Rod Serling’s groundbreaking anthology series delivered more than its fair share of unforgettable moments, one season 2 entry has quietly and consistently risen above the rest in both acclaim and relevance. It wasn’t just a clever twist or a chilling premise that earned its place in the upper echelon of television history - it was the way everything came together, from its storytelling and performances to its haunting production design.

Season 2, episode 6, “Eye of the Beholder,” stands as a masterclass in what made The Twilight Zone so revolutionary. It’s a story that uses mindbending sci-fi concepts to explore ideas like conformity, beauty, and identity - all themes that feel just as relevant now as they did in 1960. What’s even more remarkable is how well the episode’s visuals and emotional core have aged. While plenty of episodes from The Twilight Zone’s original run are still celebrated, “Eye of the Beholder” holds the rare distinction of being the single highest-rated The Twilight Zone episode of all time, and it absolutely deserves the honor.

“Eye Of The Beholder" Is The Twilight Zone's Highest-Rated Episode

The Haunting Season 2 Installment Ranks Higher Than Any Other In The Original Series

While episodes like “Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” and “Time Enough at Last” often steal the spotlight in fan discussions, it’s “Eye of the Beholder” that currently holds the top spot as the best The Twilight Zone episode according to IMDb. Airing on November 11, 1960, as part of Season 2, “Eye of the Beholder” is not only iconic - it’s a benchmark for what the series could achieve at its absolute best.

“Eye of the Beholder” flips society’s standards of beauty on their head.

“Eye of the Beholder” centers on Janet Tyler (Maxine Stuart), a woman undergoing her eleventh and final attempt at a surgical procedure designed to make her look “normal.” Her head is wrapped in bandages, her face kept hidden from the viewer as she anxiously awaits the results. Meanwhile, her doctors and nurses discuss her case in ominous tones, careful to avoid giving too much away. When the bandages are finally removed, the twist is revealed - along with one of the most unforgettable images in TV history.

“Eye of the Beholder” flips society’s standards of beauty on their head. It’s a deeply unsettling meditation on what it means to be different in a world that demands conformity. At a brisk 25 minutes, “Eye of the Beholder” wastes no time delivering a gut punch of a message, while simultaneously dazzling with its cinematography and ahead-of-their-time practical effects. For longtime fans, it’s no surprise that “Eye of the Beholder” is the highest-rated The Twilight Zone episode, and it only continues to earn that accolade as time goes on and its message becomes ever more poignant.

"Eye Of The Beholder's" Makeup And Practical Effects Are Still Impressive

The Episode’s Shocking Visuals Still Hold Up More Than 60 Years Later

One of the reasons “Eye of the Beholder” is widely considered the best and, for many, the scariest The Twilight Zone episode is because of how convincingly it sells its world through practical effects and clever cinematography. Directed by Douglas Heyes, the episode uses shadow, tight framing, and an almost claustrophobic visual style to obscure the characters’ appearances until the story demands a reveal. That deliberate choice not only heightens the suspense, it also ensures that the episode remains visually striking even today.

The makeup, designed by William J. Tuttle (who also worked on Singing in the Rain and The Wizard of Oz), plays a major role in the episode’s lasting impact. When the big reveal arrives, the audience is confronted with a jarring and unforgettable image of the “normal” citizens of this society - twisted, pig-nosed faces that contrast starkly with the “deformed” Janet, whose appearance aligns with traditional beauty standards. This visual inversion isn’t just clever, it’s emotionally devastating. The prosthetics, created without the benefit of CGI or modern digital enhancement, still look disturbingly effective and grotesquely stylized, serving the story’s themes in ways that newer effects might have overcomplicated.

Even over 60 years later, “Eye of the Beholder” remains a prime example of how minimalism and practical craftsmanship can yield better results than flashy, overproduced visuals. Its restraint, both in how it reveals its world and in how it frames its message, allows the makeup and set design to hit harder than any jump scare or digital effect ever could. It’s no wonder this remains the best The Twilight Zone episode - it was shocking in the 1960s and still is in the 2020s.

"Eye Of The Beholder" Was Remade In 2003

The 2000s Revival Couldn’t Quite Capture The Same Magic

Given that “Eye of the Beholder” is considered by many to be the best The Twilight Zone episode, it’s no surprise that it was selected for a remake during the short-lived 2002–2003 revival of the series. This updated version starred Molly Sims as Janet Tyler and aimed to bring the story’s themes to a modern audience. The general structure remained the same, including the core twist, but the execution leaned more heavily into stylized visuals and a slicker, more contemporary aesthetic.

While the”Eye of the Beholder” remake was a respectful homage, it didn’t quite reach the same emotional depth or visual impact as the original. The newer version was polished, but it lacked the raw tension and slow-burn suspense that made the 1960 version so effective. That said, it was still one of the more memorable entries in the 2000s Twilight Zone run and a testament to the power of the original story.

Interestingly, when Jordan Peele rebooted The Twilight Zone in 2019, “Eye of the Beholder” wasn’t among the classic episodes he chose to reimagine - perhaps a sign that the original remains untouchable. It’s hard to improve upon perfection, and in the case of the best The Twilight Zone episode, no one has come close.