An Analytical Guide to Television's One Step Beyond, 1959-1961

Book excerpt: Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond made its television debut in 1959, nine months before Rod Serling's classic The Twilight Zone, and paved the way for a generation of television programs devoted to paranormal topics such as the occult, ESP, and ghost stories. One Step Beyond was also where some of Hollywood's most famous leading men, including Warren Beatty, William Shatner, and Charles Bronson, got their starts in television. This complete reference work to the 96 half-hour episodes that ran for three seasons on ABC also offers a detailed history, extensive commentary and summaries of the critical reception of One Step Beyond as well as coverage of the sequel series produced in 1978 entitled The Next Step Beyond. Complete credits for both series are provided.