'Analyzing The Twilight Zone: Walking Distance (S1, E5)' Webinar

Tickets: $18.88 ( incl. $3.88 fees ) (includes access to the full replay for one week)

Click the link below to officially register for this experience:

https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/1980868569214

To best appreciate this webinar, we encourage you to first watch the full episode of "Walking Distance" on Pluto TV!
A carousel in motion. A man out of time. A town that may no longer exist — or never changed at all. When The Twilight Zone aired “Walking Distance” on October 30, 1959, it delivered one of the most poignant time-travel stories ever told on television. What does this haunting tale of nostalgia, regret, and unreachable youth reveal about the human condition and the psychological scars of adulthood? Step beyond the veil of memory as we revisit what may be The Twilight Zone’s most personal and profound episode.

Join New York Adventure Club for a retrospective and analysis of The Twilight Zone’s Season 1 episode “Walking Distance” (1959), a melancholy meditation on time, identity, and the impossible yearning to return home — often cited as one of Rod Serling’s most autobiographical works.

Led by esteemed Twilight Zone scholar and author Arlen Schumer, this in-depth episode critique of the TV series he considers "The Father of American Popular Culture" will include:

• An in-depth analysis of “Walking Distance” — how its emotional tone, structure, and visuals elevate it into one of the most celebrated half-hours in television history
• A look at the parallels between this episode and the nightmare sequence in Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, and how both deal with altered realities and personal reckoning
• Why “Walking Distance” is considered a sister episode to Serling’s own favorite, “A Stop at Willoughby,” and how both explore themes of escapism and dissatisfaction with modern life
• The controversy surrounding Ray Bradbury’s claim that the episode plagiarized one of his own short stories
• An exploration of the episode’s deeply autobiographical roots, reflecting Serling’s personal struggles with success, fame, and the loss of childhood innocence

Afterward, we'll have a Q&A with Arlen — any and all questions about The Twilight Zone are welcomed and encouraged!
Can't make it live? Don't worry, you'll have access to the full replay for one week.
See you there, virtually!

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***A full replay of the experience will be available to all registered guests for up to a week
****If the event has already passed, but it's been less than a week, you can still register for it on our website's active replay section!

About Arlen
Arlen Schumer, MFA is one of the foremost historians of comic book art, named by Comic Book Artist magazine in 1998 as "one of the more articulate and enthusiastic advocates of comic book art in America." His coffee table book, The Silver Age of Comic Book Art, won the Independent Publishers Book Award for best Popular Culture book.
Schumer is also one of comic book art’s most idiosyncratic practitioners, creating award-winning illustrations for the advertising and editorial markets.
Arlen Schumer is also an esteemed Twilight Zone scholar, and an author/designer of the only coffee table art book about the series, Visions from The Twilight Zone.
“One of the country’s pre-eminent authorities on comics and culture.” —Jon Meyerson, Producer, ABC News’ 20/20
“Nobody speaks about comics with more authority, understanding and love than Arlen does. He is to comics what Pauline Kael was to movies.” —Clem Robins, letterer for DC and Marvel Comics

Testimonials From Past Analyzing The Twilight Zone Webinars
"The speaker is wonderful and his insights are fantastic. Liked the isolation theme.... so relevant to now." -Sheryl
"Timely topic. Arlen linked TZ series episodes to events/art/people in the past and had interesting connections to later series and films (and, the past influences on the episodes as well)." -Brent
"I loved all the rich visuals and Arlen's obvious passion for the material. Very informative." -Emily
"Great synthesis of today's events and the messages of the TZ from almost 60 years ago, tied into art and culture of the time. Excellent thesis." -Ron
"The presenter spoke very clearly. Great summaries of the episodes before he showed excerpts. Great interaction through the chat while videos played. Amazing curation of relevant episodes." -Rosalie
"Arlen was an excellent presenter. Very enthusiastic and knowledgable!" -Michael
"As always, Arlen's knowledge and insight. How he seamlessly connected the Twilight Zone episodes highlighted with the themes of loneliness, monotony, isolation, paranoia, fear, which on some level we're feeling or have felt at some point during this quarantine." -Hope
"The examples and videos were really well thought out. Excellent presentation style. His passion for the topic was very evident and contagious." -Len
"Really interesting subject and presented in a very organized way...I thought it was well done and the presenter was excellent" -Janice
"Well organized and very interesting!!" -Eileen
"Topic was interesting, presenter clearly put a lot of time into preparing it" -MK
"Lots of detailed content; interesting connections between episodes; interesting perspective to compare with current lockdown situation" -Alan
"Describing episodes in context of the times. Clarity around Serling being prescient." -Maureen
"EVERYTHING! The hos/presenter Arlen was fantastic--so knowledgeable nd engaging. There was also goo interaction among the attendees, within the chat feature. So glad I caught it! First time particpating." -Althea
"Enthusiasm from host, well thought out content and choice of clips." -Michael
"The speaker’s enthusiasm and love of the subject matter was evident from the start and continued throughout. Well done!" -Samantha
"The presenter was well prepared and very informative. It's clear he liked what he was doing. Looking forward to more in the future" -Jonathan
"Arlen Schumer's vast knowledge and presentation skills to help make a great overview of the subject matter." -Charles
"The presenter had a deep depth of knowledge about TZ and was clearly well versed in the subject matter (and enthusiastic about it)." -Guest
"Presenter's impressive knowledge & insights about pop culture & media history." -Steven
"Excellent graphics quality and knowledgeable presenter" -F
"Fabulous deconstruction of a favorite Twilight Zone episode, lots of clips, aspects of the story I never considered, amazing webinar" -Susan

Disclaimer
By attending a New York Adventure Club experience, you accept our terms of service.
This event is an educational presentation organized by New York Adventure Club and is not affiliated with Rod Serling, his estate, CBS Studios, Paramount Global, or any other associated entities, institutions, or rights holders. Our event is a fan-inspired experience that celebrates the legacy, artistry, and cultural impact of The Twilight Zone. Any references to The Twilight Zone, its episodes, characters, images, or related materials are made solely for educational and commentary purposes, and no official endorsement or sponsorship is implied. The Twilight Zone and all related trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Photo Credit: The Twilight Zone
Categories: Virtual, Art & Entertainment