For collectors and fans of classic television, the “Amazing Stories Season 1 Complete Pack” is the Holy Grail. This is the version that aired on NBC from 1985 to 1987, and it represents a monumental achievement in television history. The first season alone consists of .
The season premiered with "Ghost Train" (09/29/85), a poignant story about a grandfather convinced a phantom train will crash through his home, featuring Lukas Haas and Amy Irving. This was followed by the sci-fi comedy "The Main Attraction" (10/06/85), where a magnetic meteorite turns a high-school bully into a human magnet.
— not just a box set. A time machine.
Unlike darker anthologies like Black Mirror , Amazing Stories leans into hope and imagination, making it suitable for a wider audience. Behind the Scenes Amazing Stories Season 1 Complete Pack
Whether you are revisiting the ghost trains of your childhood or discovering the time portals of the 2020 reboot, Amazing Stories continues to live up to its name by celebrating the power of wonder, imagination, and the magic of a story well told.
If you’re looking to dive into this collection, here is everything you need to know about the stories, the production, and why it’s a must-watch for sci-fi enthusiasts. What is Amazing Stories?
By 1985, Steven Spielberg was arguably the most powerful director in Hollywood, fresh off a string of generational hits including Jaws , Raiders of the Lost Ark , and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial . NBC, desperate to climb the ratings ladder, granted Spielberg unprecedented creative control and a massive budget to develop a weekly anthology series. Named after the iconic 1920s sci-fi pulp magazine founded by Hugo Gernsback, Amazing Stories was designed to bring high-concept, cinematic storytelling into regular living rooms. For collectors and fans of classic television, the
The 2020 series maintained the anthology format but shifted to a more cinematic, serialized-feel for each of its hour-long episodes. While the original series was filmed on a television budget, the Apple TV+ version had the financial backing to produce stunning visuals and attract major stars.
It is an emotionally charged exploration of grief, friendship, and unfinished business, leaning heavily into urban fantasy. "Dynoman and the Volt!"
One of the season's most celebrated episodes, (11/03/85), starred a young Kevin Costner as a WWII gunner trapped in the belly of a damaged B-17, using his imagination to survive. The award-winning "The Amazing Falsworth" (11/05/85), starring Gregory Hines, told the gripping tale of a nightclub mentalist who senses the presence of a serial killer. The season premiered with "Ghost Train" (09/29/85), a
The first season of the original "Amazing Stories" is a wonderfully inconsistent yet creatively rich experience. The acting is consistently praised as "absolutely amazing," with top-tier performers elevating even the weaker scripts. The Guardian described the original series as offering "solid, satisfying, fully braced tales that left you with a deep sense of contentment". However, some critics note that the series lacks the punchy, memorable twists of The Twilight Zone , with stories that are "cute" or "predictable" but rarely truly shocking.
The series is often described as a more family-friendly, optimistic alternative to darker anthologies like The Twilight Zone .
"Amazing Stories" is a science fiction anthology series that originally aired from 1985 to 1987. The show was created by Steven Spielberg and consisted of two seasons with a total of 45 episodes. The series was known for its mix of science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories, often with a twist ending.
| Feature | 2020 Revival | 1985 Original | |---------|--------------|----------------| | Episodes | 5 | 45+ | | Tone | More sentimental, slower | More varied (darker, comedic, experimental) | | Notable directors | Mark Buckland, Michael Dinner | Spielberg, Clint Eastwood, Martin Scorsese | | Availability | Apple TV+ / digital purchase | Peacock, DVD, some streaming |