Editing Rod Serling (section)

====Gaining fame====
In 1955, the nationwide ''[[Kraft Television Theatre]]'' televised a program based on Serling's 72nd script. To Serling, it was just another script, and he missed the first live broadcast. He and his wife hired a babysitter for the night and told her, "no one would call because we had just moved to town. And the phone just started ringing and didn't stop for years!"<ref name=Rosenbaum/> The title of this episode was "[[Patterns (Kraft Television Theatre)|Patterns]]", and it soon changed his life.
[[File:Patterns01.jpg|left|thumb|[[Ed Begley]], [[Everett Sloane]] and [[Richard Kiley]] in ''Patterns'' (1955)]]

"Patterns" dramatized the power struggle between a veteran corporate boss running out of ideas and energy and the bright, young executive being groomed to take his place. Instead of firing the loyal employee and risk tarnishing his own reputation, the boss enlists him into a campaign to push aside his competition.<ref name=Gould1955a>{{cite news| last=Gould | first=Jack | author-link=Jack Gould | title=Television in Review; 'Patterns' Is Hailed as a Notable Triumph |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=January 17, 1955| page= 32 |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1955/01/17/83347480.html?pageNumber=32 }}</ref> Serling modeled the character of the boss on his former commander, Colonel Orin Haugen.<ref name=Sander1992/>{{rp|37}}

''[[The New York Times]]'' critic [[Jack Gould]] called the show "one of the high points in the TV medium's evolution" and said, "[f]or sheer power of narrative, forcefulness of characterization and brilliant climax, Mr. Serling's work is a creative triumph."<ref name=Gould1955a/> [[Robert Lewis Shayon]] stated in ''Saturday Review'', "in the years I have been watching television I do not recall being so engaged by a drama, nor so stimulated to challenge the haunting conclusions of an hour's entertainment."<ref name=CAO/> The episode was a hit with the audience as well, and a second live show was staged by popular demand one month later.<ref name=Notes>{{Citation |last=Shanley |first= J. P. |title= Notes on 'Patterns' And A Familiar Voice |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1955/02/06/83351530.html?pageNumber=296 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 6, 1955 |page= X15 }}</ref> During the time between the two shows, Kraft executives negotiated with people from Hollywood over the rights to "Patterns". Kraft said they were considering rebroadcasting "Patterns", unless the play or motion picture rights were sold first.<ref name=Gould1955b>{{Citation |last=Gould |first= Jack |title=Television: A Saint and a Sinner; Portion of 'Bleecker Street' on C. B. S. 'Naughty Marietta' Has Revival on N. B. C. |url= https://www.nytimes.com/1955/01/19/archives/television-a-saint-and-a-sinner-portion-of-bleecker-street-on-c-b-s.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date= January 19, 1955 |page= 35 }}</ref>

Immediately following the original broadcast of "Patterns", Serling was inundated with offers of permanent jobs, congratulations, and requests for novels, plays, and television or radio scripts.<ref name=Notes/> He quickly sold many of his earlier, lower-quality works and watched in dismay as they were published. Critics expressed concern that he was not living up to his promise and began to doubt he was able to recreate the quality of writing that "Patterns" had shown.<ref name=CAO/>

Serling then wrote "[[Requiem for a Heavyweight]]" for the television series ''[[Playhouse 90]]'' in 1956, again gaining praise from critics.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gould |first1=Jack |title=TV: "Requiem for a Heavyweight"|newspaper= [[The New York Times]] |date= October 12, 1956 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1956/10/12/archives/tv-requiem-for-a-heavyweight-rod-serlings-drama-scores-a-knockout.html| quote= ... a play of overwhelming force and tenderness. It was an artistic triumph that featured a performance of indescribable poignancy by Jack Palance...}} (abstract at subscription site)</ref>

In the autumn of 1957, the Serling family moved to California. When television was new, shows aired live from New York, but as studios began to tape their shows, the business moved from the East Coast to the West Coast.<ref name=Rosenbaum/> The Serlings would live in California for much of his life, but they kept property in Binghamton and Cayuga Lake as retreats for when he needed time alone.<ref name=Rosenbaum/>