Exactly. 'The Monsters are Due on Maple Street' for instance was a critique of McCarthyism and Red Scare hysteria prevalent at the time. A lot of episodes dealt with Cold War themes and had an anti nuclear weapons message.
New version of The Twilight Zone to be on CBS All Access
- Thread starter Shaka Zulu
- Start date
Exactly. 'The Monsters are Due on Maple Street' for instance was a critique of McCarthyism and Red Scare hysteria prevalent at the time. A lot of episodes dealt with Cold War themes and had an anti nuclear weapons message.
On the other hand, I'd love to watch The Liberal Zone, rather than the Millennial Zone. This revival has hardly been a tribute to that legendary liberal Rod Serling and his creation, the legendary liberal television show The Twilight Zone.
I've been thoroughly enjoying the new TZ.
The productions are lush. They've taken great time a care with the cinematography, costuming, scoring, and production design. The performances have been delightful across the board. I think they've done a great job utilizing classic s.f. sensibilities and scenarios to tell stories that are relevant to the current public discourse.
I've had quibbles here and there, and the odd episode that didn't work for me, but I find myself anticipating the show each week.
The productions are lush. They've taken great time a care with the cinematography, costuming, scoring, and production design. The performances have been delightful across the board. I think they've done a great job utilizing classic s.f. sensibilities and scenarios to tell stories that are relevant to the current public discourse.
I've had quibbles here and there, and the odd episode that didn't work for me, but I find myself anticipating the show each week.
Last edited:
Episode 8, "Point of Origin."
This one had a couple of familiar faces: Snow White from Once Upon A Time and Sarek from Discovery.
It certainly did an excellent job of capturing the feeling of classic Twilight Zone, recalling episodes such as Eye of the Beholder and The Obsolete Man and Third From The Sun and others, with an individual or small group under threat from an oppressive police state. The tension and paranoia were palpable. In this case, it was all in the service of a metaphor for immigration-- specifically the issue of immigrants who came here illegally at an age when it can't be considered their fault-- and a little amnesia was thrown in to add a little mystery.
It was actually pretty well done this time, although it's not exactly the most difficult aspect of the immigration problem to tackle. The agents of, presumably, the government were as stone faced and unforthcoming as one would expect in a TZ police state, as well as closed off to any extenuating circumstances. The mother was surprisingly presented in a sympathetic manner, willing to help her housekeeper's grandchildren without hesitation and trying to save her from the immigration officials-- although there was a strangely hostile confrontation in the detention center that was kind of forced. Aside from that, the script was well written with only a handful of cringe moments (the use of the word "caravan," the detention center orderly's "I don't look like you," and the closing narration are the only ones I can think of). The family's abandonment of the mother didn't really serve the metaphor, but it certainly served The Twilight Zone.
All in all, one of the two best of the series, along with the Mars Expedition episode. It conjured up the Twilight Zone very well, dealt with a prominent social issue in an engaging manner, even if they played softball with it, and made it personal with sympathetic characters and good actors. If this was the worst episode of the series instead of a standout, we'd have a really good show on our hands.
This one had a couple of familiar faces: Snow White from Once Upon A Time and Sarek from Discovery.
It certainly did an excellent job of capturing the feeling of classic Twilight Zone, recalling episodes such as Eye of the Beholder and The Obsolete Man and Third From The Sun and others, with an individual or small group under threat from an oppressive police state. The tension and paranoia were palpable. In this case, it was all in the service of a metaphor for immigration-- specifically the issue of immigrants who came here illegally at an age when it can't be considered their fault-- and a little amnesia was thrown in to add a little mystery.
It was actually pretty well done this time, although it's not exactly the most difficult aspect of the immigration problem to tackle. The agents of, presumably, the government were as stone faced and unforthcoming as one would expect in a TZ police state, as well as closed off to any extenuating circumstances. The mother was surprisingly presented in a sympathetic manner, willing to help her housekeeper's grandchildren without hesitation and trying to save her from the immigration officials-- although there was a strangely hostile confrontation in the detention center that was kind of forced. Aside from that, the script was well written with only a handful of cringe moments (the use of the word "caravan," the detention center orderly's "I don't look like you," and the closing narration are the only ones I can think of). The family's abandonment of the mother didn't really serve the metaphor, but it certainly served The Twilight Zone.
All in all, one of the two best of the series, along with the Mars Expedition episode. It conjured up the Twilight Zone very well, dealt with a prominent social issue in an engaging manner, even if they played softball with it, and made it personal with sympathetic characters and good actors. If this was the worst episode of the series instead of a standout, we'd have a really good show on our hands.
Yeah, I actually liked this episode. It was definitely super heavy-handed, but that was kind of needed for this issue, to try to get some viewers to wake up and see that the ridiculous actions taking place in the show are literally happening in precisely the same manner in the real world.
Usually I don't like this ultra heavy handed stuff, but it seemed to work just fine here.
Beyond that, a good TZ story of mystery and suspense.
The highlight was just sitting there watching the episode start off, and all of a sudden there's Michael Eklund playing a guitar!
Usually I don't like this ultra heavy handed stuff, but it seemed to work just fine here.
Beyond that, a good TZ story of mystery and suspense.
The highlight was just sitting there watching the episode start off, and all of a sudden there's Michael Eklund playing a guitar!
Once again, I loved everything about this episode except for the script. I keep coming back hoping I'm going to get a great episode. I'm pretty liberal, but I feel like I'm getting slapped in the face with morals every week. I will watch the finale, but I'm honestly not going to watch next season unless I've heard things have drastically improved.
Has “The Blue Scorpion” aired yet? How was it?
I would rate it as good. One of the better ones so far.
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD
Reading this will definitely negatively impact your enjoyment of the episode if you intend to do so in the future. It will straight up ruin it.
Okay, consider yourself warned. I've seen a number of complaints from people in this very thread (quite a few, it seems like) who were a little disappointed that The Twilight Zone frequently seemed to punish good people. (Or some variations on that complaint.) At least this iteration of the show. Well we certainly didn't get that tonight. We got a guy who was going through a very rough time of life, and the whole episode was set up to make it look like he was going to have a very predictable unhappy ending. But then in the end, he basically won the lottery. Surprise, a happy ending. Just for that twist alone, I'd rate this a good episode. But overall, it did a nice job setting things up too. Midway though the episode, it was very easy to find this guy pretty sympathetic. And at the point where his wife wanted to take his dead dad's guitar, we were all surely cheering for her to meet her demise instead of him. That was cold! The happy ending was a huge surprise, especially for this particular series. But it was even a good episode otherwise too. It was a creative backstory for the guy and especially his dad. They made the background part really interesting. (And even played a nice tune or two too.)
Also, our old friend 1015 was pretty prominent this time. The serial number was so blatant, but the 59 was tacked on pretty noticeably as well at the end, so I looked it up to see if an old episode of Twilight Zone aired on October 15, 1959. I figured that might have been a clue. But no such luck, missed it by one day. It's probably just Jordan Peele's daughter's birthday or something like that.
H
The difference is that the original show's messaging was clever and subtle. This show is anything but that. It's unfortunate, but also very true.
The difference is that the original show's messaging was clever and subtle. This show is anything but that. It's unfortunate, but also very true.
To some idiots FOX News is subtle.
The bar is set.
The bar is set.
Extreme positions like racism is bad, sexism is bad, nuking the whole planet is bad, and locking people from other places in cages is bad. Yeah, that's just real hardcore extreme beliefs, if you're to the right of Goebbels.
The original hated racism, bigotry, nuking the planet, and other liberal things too. Serling is pretty open about hating bigots, that's why they got punished in the Twilight Zone.
Last edited:
It really wasn't. Most of the episodes are pretty obvious if you're thinking about what's on screen and being told to you.
^^ The original series was subtle and adult-- this revival is awkward and naive.
Although this particular episode sounds to be a stinker much like this comic book (itself a ripoff of this movie which handled the concept better), and this television show, the thing that gets me is how people can stand and accept how Obama was treated during his presidency (with pictures like this) but as soon as Trump gets dealt with, it's 'not good enough' or 'it's too much like a sledgehammer' or some other bullshit. It seems to me that people like you support Trump more than you realize (and if you don't, please correct me, but it had better be a well-explained/good correction.)
Last edited:
You misunderstand my criticism. I am not criticizing the ep because I support Trump. I loathe Trump. He is a con man, childish, immature, uninformed, unintelligent, dishonest, narcissistic, egotistical, and a crook. I voted 3rd party (Evan McMullin) to avoid voting for Trump. My criticism of the episode is based on what I see as very poor writing. As I outlined in my post that you quote, I explain how the premise is impossible and how the episode was full of plot holes. So the writing was very poor IMO. I have no issue with a show making fun of Trump if the writing is good.
And I HATE how Obama was treated. the Joker pic you reference is disgusting and just one example of how many on the Right were vile in their attacks against Pres. Obama. And I hate Fox News and Conservative Talk Radio for the role they played in the vile attacks against Obama.
Last edited:
Wait, Locutus, it gets worse: the cops are shooting (and in some cases killing) disabled people (those with an intellectual disability and those who are on the spectrum); plus, they're killing mentally ill people as usual:
Down Syndrome Man Goes to Movies, Ends up in Morgue Over $12 Ticket
Worse Than Eric Garner: Cops Who Got Away With Killing Autistic Men and Little Girls
Cops have also been insulting people with Down's Syndrome as well:
2 Toronto policemen who mocked woman with Down syndrome plead guilty to misconduct
The death of Sammy Yatim (mentally ill man shot to death on a Toronto streetcar)
And oh yeah, about autism;
Mother still seeking justice for autistic son arrested by police for being 'drunk'
I apologize, Romulan Spy.
Last edited:
I think that Trump has been treated worse than Obama.
Although Trump has earned or deserved every slight and is still getting away with murder.
Although Trump has earned or deserved every slight and is still getting away with murder.
The old series just seems classy because it's in black and white.