Why I’m Taking a Break from the New Twilight Zone

Why am I writing this? I’m not delusional; I don’t expect that my 14 followers (at the time I write this) really care all that much if I continue reviewing this series or not. I’m also not trying to make a political point, though I’m sure some who have seen this series would want to. I’m just trying to describe my frustrations with this series into a coherent little essay (I guess that’s the genre).

While it’s gotten some good reviews, CBS All Access’s new Twilight Zone reboot has largely been viewed as a major disappointment. Having only seen the first three episodes, I’m certainly not the best to speak towards this, though I would say that yes, I was disappointed.

“The Comedian” was an interesting story that didn’t quite amount to anything. I wanted to like it more than I actually did like it. It didn’t quite feel like the classic Twilight Zone, but that’s not the only reason why it was a disappointment.

“Nightmare at 30,000 Feet” actually seems better the more I think of it.

It is a solid effort at replicating the feel of the original series, all while being an interesting twist on a story that not only was covered in the original series, but in the 1983 film as well. I’m glad it wasn’t more of what we had seen before, and the twist ending was filled with some delicious dark humor. This was the only one of the first three episodes that had Jordan Peele with any kind of writing credit (just a story credit), and that’s somewhat of the problem.

Jordan Peele is the fucking man. I can’t stress this enough. I was late to the party, of course. I’m still basically not at all familiar with him as a comedian, and I got around to seeing Get Out way too late, but I liked it just about as much as everyone else. And I thought Us was another triumph.

He’s a remarkably talented filmmaker and screenwriter, and when I heard he was the main guy attached to the new series, I was optimistic as hell. I think things would have turned out differently if he had a bigger role.

Peele has the ability to include biting social commentary in genre films without sacrificing any entertainment value. His films aren’t just social commentary. In fact, if you were to view Get Out as just a solid horror movie that has a tiny bit more going on than most, I wouldn’t think you were crazy. Us was certainly that. It’s a really effective horror movie that has something to say beneath the surface.

It was to be expected with Peele being attached, but would be incredibly obvious with “Replay” that the series was taking a social commentary angle. I don’t have a problem with that at all. Adapting or rebooting The Twilight Zone with only an eye for the ironic twist endings is what has led previous attempts at doings such to seem only halfhearted. Serling was a master in allegory. But you’d also be wrong to say that’s all he was a master at.

“Replay”’s message wasn’t a bad one, but the ending was also pretty disingenuous to the bigger issue it tried to tackle. It wasn’t subtle, but worse, it wasn’t that good.

I was already a few weeks behind on these other episodes, so by the time I saw “Replay,” I heard there was an episode basically with a child Trump in the White House. I was…I don’t know the word. Stunned, maybe.

Politically, I agree with virtually every criticism that’s ever been levied against the 45th President of the United States. But I’m also not one of those people that will applaud whenever anyone criticizes him, because he is quite simply the easiest person on earth to criticize. Saying he’s a bad person or incompetent doesn’t make you clever; you’re pointing out what is readily apparent to anyone paying attention.

And yes, I haven’t yet seen the episode (I will, eventually), so maybe I’m off base here. But from what I’ve heard, I just really don’t have that much interest.

And here’s where the other major problem is: CBS All Access.

It’s clear CBS All Access put a ton of money into the series. It looks incredibly cinematic, of course. But in an age when we have cinematic looking television on cable networks such as AMC and FX, I’m not sure why I should shelve out more money for this kind of thing. Like obviously I have Netflix; everyone does. I don’t even think of that as an additional expense anymore, because I’ve had it for so long. Even Shudder at this point, which is very affordable, and a streaming service I’ve really come to like, even while it occasionally frustrates.

How many streaming services should I subscribe to? I’m not made of money. I’m a graduate student who’s actually just recently picked up a job for only $11/hr just to hold me over until I move to Oxford. When Netflix came out, it was great. When they started making original programming, it was also great. But now if everyone is going to do it (Disney apparently is making strides in its streaming service), I’m going to have to be selective.

Why couldn’t this series just be on CBS? That’s what’s so frustrating here. This is a streaming service, sure, but it has ties to an actual television network, unlike Netflix or Shudder. Those have excuses. CBS doesn’t.