The Twilight Zone has many elements that made the show part of pop culture and that became synonymous with the show, but one of them, directly tied to Rod Serling, wasn't used as much as I thought. Back in 1959, The Twilight Zone arrived to give viewers a good dose of horror, fantasy, sci-fi, and drama. Created and hosted by Rod Serling, The Twilight Zone is an anthology series, meaning that each episode is a standalone story, each with elements of horror, sci-fi, or both, though some episodes leaned more towards a more lighthearted, even comedic tone.

Many one of the most famous elements of The Twilight Zone, and, more specifically, Serling’s introductions, was only used three times, but it became unbelievably iconic.

Rod Serling's Iconic "Submitted For Your Approval" Line Is Only Said In 3 Episodes

Surprisingly, The Iconic Line Wasn’t Used Much

During its initial run from 1959 to 1964, The Twilight Zone was hosted by Rod Serling, who provided the opening narration of each episode and later appeared during these introductions. The show’s title is always used in these introductions, but perhaps the most iconic part of these was the line “submitted for your approval.” The line became so iconic that it became linked to Serling and his style of presenting these stories, but the line wasn’t used as often as many might think.

The Twilight Zone didn’t use the line “submitted for your approval” until its third season, with the first episode that carried it being “Cavender Is Coming.” This is one of the weirdest, not-very-popular episodes of The Twilight Zone due to its comedic approach, but it’s part of The Twilight Zone’s history as the first episode to use the “submitted for your approval” line (and for being a failed backdoor pilot).

The line wasn’t used again until season 5, in its premiere episode. Titled “In Praise of Pip”, the episode follows Max Phillips (Jack Klugman), a crooked bookie who, after learning of his son being critically injured in the war, encounters a childhood version of his son. “Submitted for your approval” is the first line spoken in “In Praise of Pip”, and it was used again three episodes later. Season 5’s fourth episode, “A Kind of a Stopwatch”, also opens with this line, and it follows a man who gets his hands on a stopwatch, with which he can stop time whenever he wants.

In season 2’s episode “The Trouble with Templeton”, Serling’s opening line is “pleased to present for your consideration.”

Although these are the only times Serling said the line “submitted for your approval” in the original run of The Twilight Zone, there was a similar line earlier. In season 2’s episode “The Trouble with Templeton”, Serling’s opening line is “pleased to present for your consideration”, but the line as everyone now knows it didn’t arrive until season 3.

Why "Submitted For Your Approval" Became Such A Popular Catchphrase From The Twilight Zone

The Twilight Zone Has Some Elements That Became Part Of Pop Culture

As simple as the line is, and even though it was used only three times, “submitted for your approval” is one of the most popular elements associated with The Twilight Zone. The tone in which Serling delivered the line every time was serious without being aggressive, adding to the mystery of what the audience was about to watch. The line also makes the audience part of the story, bringing them in and inviting them to enter the twilight zone and open their minds to what they are about to see.

The simplicity of it, along with Serling’s delivery, was key to making “submitted for your approval” so iconic and easy to , which is also why it’s easy to see why the line is widely believed to have been used a lot more often than it actually was. The Twilight Zone wouldn’t be the same without Rod Serling’s iconic line, which adds to the show’s legacy.