I am 36 at the time I post this and for some reason I decided to watch again this series. Then I realized almost all protagonists of the first season are 36 aged men which I thought is kinda creepy. Why is that? I dont think Serling was 36 by the time he made this so whats the reason for this?
I have seen that topic mentioned before. Back in that time, 36 was actually considered "middle-aged." If a person wasn't successful by that point, chances are they'd never be.
When you consider that poor Rod Serling died when was only 50 year old, this particular number has an eerie added resonance.
___________________________________
Never say never...
Yep, just checked my Encyclopedia Britannica and you're right, if you weren't successful in life by the age of 36 you would be marked a creepy life loser, end of story. Good thing people have evolved since then and in 2017 you're not a complete loser until you've hit your mid-40's. Or is 50 the new 40? Or is orange the new black? You nutty kids have me scratching the old noggin' again. There once was a time where making it to 36 you'd be considered wise. Hmm, now I'm starting to rethink this whole evolution 2017 thing.
shareAnd "Middle aged" used to be even younger than 36. Think of The Great Gatsby, which takes place in the 1920's. Nick Caraway has his 30th birthday. That was considered middle aged back then.
___________________________________
Never say never...
Gggggrrrrrrrrrrrr........characters that happen to be the same approximate age as the creator and narrator of the series is CREEPY?
Did you know Ed Wynn was in the second (ALMOST first!) episode of season 1, and KEENAN Wynn was in the LAST episode of season 1? CREEPY!!
AAANNNNDDD, it turns out, Keenan Wynn is Ed Wynn's SON!! Ohohhh, CREEEPPPPYYYYY!!
Look at what Princess Leia had achieved by 19!
shareIt's not just the Twilight Zone. Look at most any movie, TV show, or book from most of the last century. Captain Kirk was in his mid-thirties. James Bond was in his mid-thirties. Most of the heroes of the classic war movies were in their mid-thirties. The protagonist is quite frequently in his mid-thirties.
I think it has long been considered an ideal age because it's been considered the best balance between youth and maturity. A man in his mid-thirties is young enough to still be in his physical prime and at the peak of his good looks; yet he's also mature enough to be successful, established in his career path, and (if he's going to have one) well on the way to being a family man.