Cafe Poll Averages - Based on 8/6/10 Results in Classic Twilight Zone Forum

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Cafe Poll Averages - Based on 8/6/10 Results

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James B W Bevis

Cafe Poll Averages - Based on 8/6/10 Results

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Posts: 15447

Aug 12 10 10:00 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

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Here, in descending order, are this Cafe's poll averages for all 156 original TZ episodes, as voted by Cafe members through the afternoon of August 6, 2010. (To be specific, all data here is based on results I copied down between 2:03 pm and 5:16 pm EDT on that date.)

Also included are the number of votes cast for each episode up to that point; the median of each episode's votes; and the most common vote(s) for each episode. Enjoy.

1. Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? - 9.34722 (72 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
2. The Obsolete Man - 9.26027 (73 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
3. The Midnight Sun - 9.25610 (82 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
4. To Serve Man - 9.23529 (85 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
5. Time Enough at Last - 9.22609 (115 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
6. A Stop at Willoughby - 9.14894 (94 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
7. Walking Distance - 9.05435 (92 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
8. It's a Good Life - 9.03529 (85 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
9. On Thursday We Leave for Home - 8.95946 (74 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
10. Shadow Play - 8.93939 (66 votes)
median of votes - 9.5; most common vote - 10
11. The After Hours - 8.93182 (88 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
12. And When the Sky Was Opened - 8.91250 (80 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
13. Eye of the Beholder - 8.90361 (83 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
14. The Masks - 8.85075 (67 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
15. The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street - 8.83673 (98 votes)
median of votes - 9.5; most common vote - 10
16. The Hitch Hiker - 8.82927 (82 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
17. Nick of Time - 8.82716 (81 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
18. Five Characters in Search of an Exit - 8.82022 (89 votes)
median of votes - 10; most common vote - 10
19. One Hundred Yards over the Rim - 8.81034 (58 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
20. Living Doll - 8.78409 (88 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
21. Nightmare at 20,000 Feet - 8.75000 (76 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
22. Third from the Sun - 8.73973 (73 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
23. A Game of Pool - 8.72857 (70 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
24. Long Live Walter Jameson - 8.71233 (73 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common votes - 9, 10 (tie)
25. The Silence - 8.67606 (71 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
26. Deaths-Head Revisited - 8.66102 (59 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
27. The Lonely - 8.60000 (95 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
28. The Dummy - 8.59155 (71 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
29. The Changing of the Guard - 8.55102 (49 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
30. The New Exhibit - 8.49254 (67 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
31. The Howling Man - 8.45556 (90 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
32. Mirror Image - 8.42254 (71 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
33. Miniature - 8.40351 (57 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
34. Nothing in the Dark - 8.38596 (57 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
35. Where Is Everybody? - 8.33721 (86 votes)
median of votes - 8.5; most common vote - 10
36. The Night of the Meek - 8.32836 (67 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
37. Person or Persons Unknown - 8.30189 (53 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 9
38. Death Ship - 8.26984 (63 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
39. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge - 8.26667 (60 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
40. Perchance to Dream - 8.26190 (84 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 9
41. The Shelter - 8.25000 (64 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
42. The Last Flight - 8.19672 (61 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
43. The Odyssey of Flight 33 - 8.19118 (68 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
44. Stopover in a Quiet Town - 8.18033 (61 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
45. Number 12 Looks Just Like You - 8.17808 (73 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
46. A Penny for Your Thoughts - 8.12903 (62 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
T47. Printer's Devil - 8.10909 (55 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 9
T47. The Purple Testament - 8.10909 (55 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 9
49. Night Call - 8.10169 (59 votes)
median of votes - 9; most common vote - 10
50. A World of His Own - 8.06349 (63 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
51. I Shot an Arrow into the Air - 8.05556 (72 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
52. What You Need - 8.02899 (69 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
53. The Rip Van Winkle Caper - 8.01852 (54 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
54. One for the Angels - 8.01587 (63 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
55. People Are Alike All Over - 8.00000 (61 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 7
56. The Grave - 7.98077 (52 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
T57. In His Image - 7.95000 (60 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
T57. Judgment Night - 7.95000 (60 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
59. Little Girl Lost - 7.91803 (61 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
60. A World of Difference - 7.91228 (57 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
61. In Praise of Pip - 7.88372 (43 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 9
62. The Trouble with Templeton - 7.87500 (48 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
63. The Hunt - 7.84375 (64 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
64. A Passage for Trumpet - 7.84314 (51 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
65. Long Distance Call - 7.81132 (53 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common votes - 8, 10 (tie)
66. Kick the Can - 7.71930 (57 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
67. The Invaders - 7.68750 (80 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
68. Valley of the Shadow - 7.62745 (51 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 7
69. The Jeopardy Room - 7.57143 (49 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
70. Mr. Garrity and the Graves - 7.55000 (40 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
71. A Piano in the House - 7.54386 (57 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
72. Two - 7.50000 (64 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
73. Twenty Two - 7.49333 (75 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
74. The Little People - 7.47059 (51 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
75. A Kind of a Stopwatch - 7.46939 (49 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
76. The Old Man in the Cave - 7.46809 (47 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
77. Ring-a-Ding Girl - 7.45902 (61 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
78. Hocus-Pocus and Frisby - 7.45161 (62 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
79. The Trade-Ins - 7.43750 (48 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
80. A Nice Place to Visit - 7.40323 (62 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
81. One More Pallbearer - 7.36538 (52 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
82. Escape Clause - 7.33824 (68 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
83. The Prime Mover - 7.33333 (45 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
84. The Man in the Bottle - 7.32609 (46 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
85. Nightmare as a Child - 7.29091 (55 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 7
86. The 7th Is Made Up of Phantoms - 7.27083 (48 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
87. Elegy - 7.24615 (65 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
88. The Arrival - 7.23529 (51 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
89. The Four Of Us Are Dying - 7.23188 (69 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
90. Back There - 7.19231 (52 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
91. Mr. Denton on Doomsday - 7.18519 (54 votes)
median of votes - 7.5; most common vote - 8
92. Nervous Man in a Four Dollar Room - 7.17308 (52 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 10
93. Dead Man's Shoes - 7.15909 (44 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 8
94. You Drive - 7.14815 (54 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
95. Jess-Belle - 7.13333 (60 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
96. Passage on the Lady Anne - 7.12000 (50 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
97. A Quality of Mercy - 7.10000 (50 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
98. The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank - 7.02128 (47 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common votes - 7, 9 (tie)
99. The Thirty Fathom Grave - 7.00000 (56 votes)
median of votes - 8; most common vote - 8
100. The Parallel - 6.98113 (53 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common votes - 7, 9, 10 (tie)
101. Static - 6.95556 (45 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common votes - 7, 8 (tie)
102. The Self-Improvement of Salvadore Ross - 6.95000 (40 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common votes - 6, 8 (tie)
103. King Nine Will Not Return - 6.84211 (57 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common votes - 7, 8, 9 (tie)
104. Queen of the Nile - 6.83673 (49 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
105. The Passersby - 6.83333 (48 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common votes - 7, 8 (tie)
106. The Fever - 6.81818 (66 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
107. Dust - 6.79070 (43 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
108. The Jungle - 6.78689 (61 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 8
109. No Time Like the Past - 6.78261 (46 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 9
110. The Fugitive - 6.77273 (44 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 6
111. He's Alive - 6.68852 (61 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
112. The Long Morrow - 6.64815 (54 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
113. Steel - 6.57447 (47 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 8
114. I Am the Night - Color Me Black - 6.56863 (51 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common votes - 8, 10 (tie)
115. The Sixteen Millimeter Shrine - 6.56452 (62 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
116. The Lateness of the Hour - 6.55556 (56 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 8
117. The Encounter - 6.46809 (47 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
118. Execution - 6.42857 (56 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
119. The Fear - 6.40426 (47 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 10
120. A Most Unusual Camera - 6.37500 (56 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
121. Probe 7, Over and Out - 6.34783 (69 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 10
122. Of Late I Think of Cliffordville - 6.34091 (44 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
123. The Mind and the Matter - 6.20930 (43 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 8
124. Spur of the Moment - 6.14515 (55 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 7
125. What's in the Box - 6.10714 (56 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 7
126. Still Valley - 6.09524 (42 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 7
127. A Short Drink from a Certain Fountain - 6.09302 (43 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 6
128. Four O'Clock - 6.06522 (46 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
129. The Chaser - 6.04918 (61 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 7
130. The Incredible World of Horace Ford - 6.03636 (55 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common votes - 5, 8 (tie)
131. The Mirror - 6.02174 (46 votes)
median of votes - 6.5; most common vote - 7
132. Mr. Dingle, the Strong - 6.02128 (47 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
133. Mr. Bevis - 5.97959 (49 votes)
median of votes - 7; most common vote - 7
134. The Big, Tall Wish - 5.96667 (60 votes)
median of votes - 6.5; most common votes - 7, 8 (tie)
135. A Thing About Machines - 5.90000 (50 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 5
136. Once upon a Time - 5.72340 (47 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 8
137. Mute - 5.70000 (50 votes)
median of votes - 6.5; most common vote - 8
138. The Brain Center at Whipple's - 5.33333 (39 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 5
139. Come Wander with Me - 5.31746 (63 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 1
140. The Bewitchin' Pool - 5.30986 (71 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 5
141. Young Man's Fancy - 5.29787 (47 votes)
median of votes - 6; most common vote - 7
142. The Last Night of a Jockey - 5.22449 (49 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 7
143. Caesar and Me - 5.13333 (45 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common votes - 5, 7 (tie)
144. I Sing the Body Electric - 5.07692 (65 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 1
T145. The Bard - 5.00000 (51 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common votes - 1, 6 (tie)
T145. Uncle Simon - 5.00000 (63 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 1
147. Showdown with Rance McGrew - 4.87805 (41 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common votes - 2, 7 (tie)
148. Ninety Years Without Slumbering - 4.87500 (40 votes)
median of votes - 4.5; most common votes - 2, 7 (tie)
149. The Gift - 4.80851 (47 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 1
150. I Dream of Genie - 4.73077 (41 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 6
151. The Mighty Casey - 4.58537 (52 votes)
median of votes - 5; most common vote - 6
152. Black Leather Jackets - 4.19231 (52 votes)
median of votes - 4; most common vote - 5
153. From Agnes - with Love - 4.17647 (51 votes)
median of votes - 4; most common vote - 1
154. The Whole Truth - 4.11628 (43 votes)
median of votes - 4; most common vote - 4
155. Sounds and Silences - 3.84753 (46 votes)
median of votes - 4; most common vote - 1
156. Cavender Is Coming - 2.92157 (51 votes)
median of votes - 2; most common vote - 1

After the 1961 Amazing Race is over, I'll use the order of these poll averages as the basis for two simultaneous games in our TZ Games, Etc. forum. Each of those games will last several rounds each.

Last but not least, thanks to Moonlapse Vertigo for compiling his own earlier poll averages list, which not only helped inspire this list, but made it immeasurably less time-consuming to put it in order.

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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Twilight Jeff

#1

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Zone Scientist

Posts: 268

Aug 13 10 5:03 AM

Thanks for the list Bevis!

There's always lots of interesting things that can be observed from these averages. Just a few things that stood out to me were:

The five "worst" episodes on this list that actually still had 10 as their most popular rating appear to be:

92. Nervous Man In A Four Dollar Room
100. The Parallel
114. I Am The Night - Color Me Black
119. The Fear
121. Probe 7 - Over And Out

These are the kind of odd things I like to uncover since this strikes me as a sort of paradox. The average seems to be saying these episodes are subpar to "lukewarm" yet their most popular rating is not just good but as high as you can get! Ironically, as usual, I feel "Probe 7 - Over And Out" (especially) and also "The Fear" are particularly great despite the bottom-end (average) ratings.

Also, knowing that I have a tendency to like a lot of mid to lower episodes, I went down the list and tried counting all my personal great to best episodes that were in the Top 50 here and then did the same for the bottom 50 of this averages list.

The result?

You guessed it, there were about 25 of my upper favorites in the BOTTOM 50 of this list and about 22-23 in the TOP 50!

Of course, that's nearly even so it isn't that odd I suppose. But, just by common default, you'd think your tastes would certainly fall more in favor of the episodes that are, by consensus, in the Top 50. But it appears I have just as many favorites in the bottom 50 as I do in the top!

Just for fun, I also went down the entire list to see where my own favorite "pockets" were within the average rankings. The two biggest (consecutive) pockets I really love fell between:

#40-47 The pocket from "Perchance To Dream" through "The Purple Testament".
#94-99 The pocket from "You Drive" through "The Thirty Fathom Grave".

"Up there, up there in the vastness of space, in the void that is sky, up there is an enemy known as isolation. It sits there in the stars waiting, waiting with the patience of eons. Forever waiting ... in the Twilight Zone"

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ringading

#2

[-]

Posts: 3601

Aug 13 10 5:58 AM

Like, uh... how come?

Fantastic list.

Interesting to see some episodes I thought would be at the very bottom, were actually pretty far up. (The Bewitchin' Pool)—but, it figures the comedies would be last.

I wonder how many people had the same top ten?

p.s. Ring-a-ding Girl made it into the top half—but just barely—by one episode.

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ht2

#3

[-]

Zone Master

Posts: 2826

Aug 13 10 7:04 AM

Thanks, Beev! That's a heck of a list, and as has already been pointed out, there are some unexpected anomalies, like "Young Man's Fancy"'s average putting it at #141.

Oh, wait, that was expected. And not an anomaly.

Curses!

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Moonlapse Vertigo

#4

[-]

Zone Scientist

Posts: 255

Aug 14 10 12:03 AM

Thanks for the hard work, as well as the nod, Beev! It's nice to see a fellow list buff in action. Looks like nine of my top twenty episodes made the top twenty average. The lowest rated episode in my twenty would be 'The Long Morrow', coming in at a chilly 112. I guess what I've learned here is that there's no accounting for taste!

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Twilight Jeff

#5

[-]

Zone Scientist

Posts: 268

Aug 14 10 4:38 AM

QUOTE (Moonlapse Vertigo @ August 14, 2010 12:03 am)

The lowest rated episode in my twenty would be 'The Long Morrow', coming in at a chilly 112. I guess what I've learned here is that there's no accounting for taste!

That's definitely true!

Heck, here are my current top ten favorites and the average rating of the consensus listed after them:

1. The Odyssey Of Flight 33 (#43)
2. Walking Distance (#7)
3. The Last Flight (#42)
4. The Mighty Casey (#151)
5. Passage On The Lady Anne (#96)
6. No Time Like The Past (#109)
7. Mr. Denton On Doomsday (#91)
8. Probe 7 - Over And Out (#121)
9. The Purple Testament (#47)
10. A Hundred Yards Over The Rim (#19)

Yikes!

"Up there, up there in the vastness of space, in the void that is sky, up there is an enemy known as isolation. It sits there in the stars waiting, waiting with the patience of eons. Forever waiting ... in the Twilight Zone"

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Reverend Anderson

#6

[-]

Posts: 329

Aug 15 10 10:28 AM

This is how my top 15 (as of right now, and ever changing) would rank then:

1. Elegy (#87)
2. The Hunt (#63)
3. Five Characters in Search of an Exit (#18)
4. Time Enough to Last (#5)
5. It's A Good Life (#8)
6. The Midnight Sun (#3)
7. I Show An Arrow Into the Air (#51)
8. A Game of Pool (#23)
9. The Silence (#25)
10. Death Ship (#38)

11. The New Exhibit (#30)
12. Probe 7, Over and Out (#121)
13. Passage on the Lady Ann (#96)
14. Nothing In the Dark (#34)
15. An Occurrence At Owl Creek Bridge (#39)

I make music, and it's up for free! You may like it...?

http://web.me.com/gomezaddams

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James B W Bevis

#7

[-]

Posts: 15447

Aug 17 10 2:25 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

I'm glad people enjoy this list. I enjoyed putting it together. Thanks to everyone who has shared their opinions in Cafe polls over the years.

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ August 12, 2010 11:00 pm)

After the 1961 Amazing Race is over, I'll use the order of these poll averages as the basis for two simultaneous games in our TZ Games, Etc. forum.

Here they are:
Astounding Race #1 (Stage 1)
Astounding Race #1A (Stage 1)

If you like, think of Astounding Races #1 and #1A as taking place along the same road in parallel worlds, but played by different rules. Race #1 is much more like an Amazing Race, and Race #1A is much simpler to play. (For detailed rules, please click on the links.)

Both Races start with episodes 121 through 156 on the list above, 36 episodes total. In each Race, the 12 of those 36 episodes that get the best support will move on to the next stage of the game. They won't necessarily be the same 12 episodes in both games.

Eventually, each Race will have one episode as its winner. Will the same episode win both Races? Only time will tell!

Members are welcome to participate in both Astounding Races, neither Race, or either Race by itself. I hope that some members who've never joined in an Amazing Race will find at least one of these Races to their liking.

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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James B W Bevis

#8

[-]

Posts: 15447

Aug 17 10 2:46 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

QUOTE (Twilight Jeff @ August 13, 2010 06:03 am)

The five "worst" episodes on this list that actually still had 10 as their most popular rating appear to be:

92. Nervous Man In A Four Dollar Room
100. The Parallel
114. I Am The Night - Color Me Black
119. The Fear
121. Probe 7 - Over And Out

These are the kind of odd things I like to uncover since this strikes me as a sort of paradox. The average seems to be saying these episodes are subpar to "lukewarm" yet their most popular rating is not just good but as high as you can get!

I'd agree that the "most common votes" are a lot flukier than either the averages or the medians. It seems clear that the averages and medians are connected with each other more strongly than either measurement is with the most common vote.

My fourth grade teacher taught us that modes (another word for the most common score in a statistical sample) are less worthwhile than either means (averages) or medians. And she is still right.

I'd discuss in detail how my own Top 10 episodes finished, but it would just make me look like a terrible conformist, and who wants that? Suffice it to say that they all finished at #66 ("Kick the Can") or higher. Word of honor, I voted only once!

Last but not least, if anyone would like detailed voting totals of all episodes as of the afternoon of August 6, let me know and I'll be happy to e-mail you a copy.

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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Dan Hollis

#9

[-]

Posts: 15678

Aug 17 10 5:36 PM

Gilbert and Sullivan State Trooper

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ August 17, 2010 03:46 pm)

it would just make me look like a terrible conformist, and who wants that?

Leader does.

Thanks to Dr. Moreau for surprising me with this signature. It beats peach brandy!
user posted image

"We're sober men and true!" -- "You had to go have him!"

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James B W Bevis

#10

[-]

Posts: 15447

Aug 17 10 6:07 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

QUOTE (Dan Hollis @ August 17, 2010 06:36 pm)

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ August 17, 2010 03:46 pm)

it would just make me look like a terrible conformist, and who wants that?

Leader does.

Ah yes, glorrrrrious conformity! Differences weaken us! Variations destroy us!

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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Gart Williams

#11

[-]

Zone Scientist

Posts: 412

Aug 17 10 10:13 PM

What a list! I'm surprised by some of the top of the list. I pretty much agree with the bottom 20.

In the Cafe's Top 20, but not in mine:

1. Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? - 9.34722 (72 votes)

2. The Obsolete Man - 9.26027 (73 votes)

9. On Thursday We Leave for Home - 8.95946 (74 votes)

10. Shadow Play - 8.93939 (66 votes)

12. And When the Sky Was Opened - 8.91250 (80 votes)

14. The Masks - 8.85075 (67 votes)

17. Nick of Time - 8.82716 (81 votes)

19. One Hundred Yards over the Rim - 8.81034 (58 votes)

Don't get me wrong, these are all in my top 50 (getting a rank of 3.5 stars or above out of 5, in my own system); I'm just surprised that some (especially #1 and 2) rated so highly. I was especially surprised at how many got a 9 or 10 as the median or most common score.

Anyhow, thanks a lot for posting the list. Maybe it will inspire me to give some of the "middle" episodes another chance.

What is this? Some kind of gag?

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Twilight Jeff

#12

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Zone Scientist

Posts: 268

Aug 18 10 12:01 AM

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ August 17, 2010 02:46 pm)

QUOTE (Twilight Jeff @ August 13, 2010 06:03 am)

The five "worst" episodes on this list that actually still had 10 as their most popular rating appear to be:

92. Nervous Man In A Four Dollar Room
100. The Parallel
114. I Am The Night - Color Me Black
119. The Fear
121. Probe 7 - Over And Out

These are the kind of odd things I like to uncover since this strikes me as a sort of paradox. The average seems to be saying these episodes are subpar to "lukewarm" yet their most popular rating is not just good but as high as you can get!

I'd agree that the "most common votes" are a lot flukier than either the averages or the medians. It seems clear that the averages and medians are connected with each other more strongly than either measurement is with the most common vote.

My fourth grade teacher taught us that modes (another word for the most common score in a statistical sample) are less worthwhile than either means (averages) or medians. And she is still right.

I'd discuss in detail how my own Top 10 episodes finished, but it would just make me look like a terrible conformist, and who wants that? Suffice it to say that they all finished at #66 ("Kick the Can") or higher. Word of honor, I voted only once!

Last but not least, if anyone would like detailed voting totals of all episodes as of the afternoon of August 6, let me know and I'll be happy to e-mail you a copy.

Perhaps it's somewhat synonomous to the Electoral College vs the popular vote.

The popular vote (or an average) is, by definition, more accurate. Yet, sometimes extreme or passionate pockets of isolated popularity can reward a state.

I wonder how we could set up an electoral map for Twilight Zone episodes?

"Up there, up there in the vastness of space, in the void that is sky, up there is an enemy known as isolation. It sits there in the stars waiting, waiting with the patience of eons. Forever waiting ... in the Twilight Zone"

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James B W Bevis

#13

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Posts: 15447

Nov 11 10 3:25 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ August 17, 2010 02:25 pm)

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ August 12, 2010 11:00 pm)

After the 1961 Amazing Race is over, I'll use the order of these poll averages as the basis for two simultaneous games in our TZ Games, Etc. forum.

Here they are:
Astounding Race #1 (Stage 1)
Astounding Race #1A (Stage 1)

The way things are going, Stage 1 of Race #1 will halt maybe a week from now. That means the Race #1A deadline is getting close, too. So this is a great, great time to get involved in either or both Races - particularly #1A, which is very quick and easy and could really use your support. (Pleeease? twilightzonewor/banana.gif

)

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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James B W Bevis

#14

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Posts: 15447

Nov 13 10 1:58 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ August 17, 2010 02:25 pm)

I'm glad people enjoy this list. I enjoyed putting it together.

Of course, it was a considerable amount of work, too. But it was worth it.

In another thread, I hoped this tabulation (and my basing of two games on the results) wouldn't encourage "hinky voting." I went on to say:

Here's what I mean by non-hinky voting:

1. Each member votes a maximum of once in each poll.
2. Each member votes their honest opinion and nothing else.

I strongly hope everyone will respect the polls, their fellow members, and themselves enough to abide by this, and I don't really anticipate any problems.

We all share a common interest in having the polls represent what the opinions of Cafe members really are - I think that's obvious. It's also obvious that people will sometimes put their selfish interest over the common interest. Tabulations like the one in this thread probably encourage people to vote even more hinkily than they would already (some quite openly, I'm sorry to say).

Don't get me wrong - obviously there are positives of having updates to a tabulation like this, as well as negatives. I'd be happy to see someone do an update sometime, if that someone really wanted to do it. But I personally won't be doing another. I needed one for my games, and that was it.

One more thing, and then I'm done with this. Nobody feels good when someone else seemingly goes out of their way to ignore something they write or say. But everyone has their own special pet peeves, and being ignored (especially repeatedly ignored, by the same person or people) seems to be one of mine. Frankly, it pisses me off no end. Thank you for letting me vent.

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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James B W Bevis

#15

[-]

Posts: 15447

Nov 15 10 7:29 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

QUOTE (James B. W. Bevis @ November 13, 2010 01:58 pm)

Nobody feels good when someone else seemingly goes out of their way to ignore something they write or say.... (etc.)

These sentiments had nothing (or, at the very most, almost nothing) to do with our Astounding Race #1A, by the way. I don't really want to get any more specific, at least on the board, but I did want to say that. Sorry for any confusion, and thanks again.

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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Paladin

#16

[-]

Zone Master

Posts: 3845

Nov 15 10 8:53 PM

#31 is an obvious typo. #13 is more appropriate. twilightzonewor/transform.gif

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James B W Bevis

#17

[-]

Posts: 15447

Nov 15 10 9:23 PM

a.k.a. "Beev"

QUOTE (Paladin @ November 15, 2010 08:53 pm)

#31 is an obvious typo. #13 is more appropriate. twilightzonewor/transform.gif

#13 is probably the exact rank "The Howling Man" has for me. (At least, that's how I ranked it the last time I really thought about it.)

MichaelBiehnObsession's rank for "The Howling Man" is also a multiple of 13. (156 = 2 x 2 x 3 x 13.) It's nice to have common ground with people.

If you post here, please read the new message board rules (effective July 4, 2009). Thanks.

BEWARE: Many Cafe posts reveal story endings or key plot twists without prior warning. There is no rule against this. But if you are courteous enough to post "spoiler warnings"--especially when you post in a thread unrelated to the story you are "spoiling"--many people will appreciate it.

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the chaser

#18

[-]

Zone Traveller

Posts: 118

Nov 18 10 4:55 AM

Overall, it seems like most episodes have relatively high ratings, 99 episodes have a 7 or higher as their average rating, which is pretty good on a 1-10 scale. Appears most people have a fondness for the majority of episodes (which I also do).