One Step Beyond

One Step Beyond was an anthology television series that dramatized stories involving purportedly real paranormal events, including premonitions, ghosts, reincarnation, and unexplained coincidences. Unlike purely fictional horror shows, it claimed each episode was based on documented or researched paranormal occurrences.

One Step Beyond aired on ABC from 1959 to 1961, spanning three seasons and over 90 episodes. The series premiered in January 1959, approximately ten months before The Twilight Zone, with which it is frequently compared.

While both shows dealt with unusual subject matter and aired in the same era, One Step Beyond focused on stories claimed to be based on real paranormal events, while The Twilight Zone, created by Rod Serling, was explicitly fictional and often used science fiction for social commentary. One Step Beyond presented itself more as a docudrama than a work of speculative fiction.

One Step Beyond was hosted by John Newland, who also directed many episodes of the series. Newland's on-screen introductions emphasized the supposedly factual basis of each story, a stylistic contrast to Rod Serling's literary introductions on The Twilight Zone.