by Gideon Marcus
and
by Lorelei Marcus
[I'll let the Young Traveler lead this time. She's put her finger on what we enjoy and don't about The Twilight Zone]
Guess who's back with another The Twilight Zone review! Well, I personally prefer Rocky and Bullwinkle, but I'm afraid you came here for a The Twilight Zone review, so I suppose I'll have to comply. As usual, me and my father watched four episodes of Sterling's show over these past four weeks.
Kick the Can, by George Clayton Johnson
We seem to have found a common theme in all of the very highly rated episodes. Specifically, that we hate them! For example, we have the classic gem, Eye of the Beholder, where the episode can be summed up with: “Oh they're taking off the bandages… Oh, they're still taking off the bandages….. Oh, they're STILL taking off the bandages…… snore.”
This episode was no exception. It was about a group of old people at a retirement home who, through playing a children's game, are able to become young again. I wouldn't say we hated this episode, like we did many other popular ones, but it certainly wasn't groundbreaking like many make it out to be. There was no real twist, and the only mystery aspect was if they were actually going to turn into kids by the end of the episode. I'm sure it probably didn't help that I'm not very familiar with kick the can either. I prefer skipping rope, or, of course, watching television. All joking aside, I believe this episode wasn't exactly bad, but also didn't go anywhere. It sort of just dragged on without resolving itself. In my opinion, it certainly doesn't deserve the popularity it got. 1.5 stars.
by Gideon Marcus
Where some see sentimental genius, I see mawkishness. The setup could have been done in half the time, leaving plenty of room for some sort of poignant decision the part of the protagonist. I would have enjoyed the crusty old fellow making the deliberate choice to finish his years naturally. This would address fundamental questions of existence: Is it worth reliving the past when it is the sum of one's experiences that make a life? Is there, perhaps, more value in the arc of an existence fully enjoyed? 2 stars.
A Piano in the House, by Earl Hammer
by Lorelei Marcus
I would say this second episode was a great example of a simple concept done right. A bitter art critic gets a self-playing piano for his wife's birthday, but the peculiar thing is it causes the people hearing its music to reveal their true emotions, brought forth in the flavor of the particular song that is playing. The man, being a sadist, decides to cruelly use it on the house guests attending his wife's birthday party. In the end, the wife plays a specific song that causes the sadist to spill his darkest fears, humiliating himself. This episode really left a feeling of a mixture of bitterness and awe the way only The Twilight Zone can do. It was very simple, and yet entertaining all the same. I also very much liked the theme of, “Don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to yourself,” that was clearly displayed throughout the episode. 3.5 stars.
by Gideon Marcus
This piece might not have been nearly as interesting without the entertaining portrayal of the critic by skillful Barry Morse. His lines are genuinely funny, and he turns a mediocre script into a compelling performance. Three stars.
The Last Rites of Jeff Myrtlebank, by Montogomery Pittman
by Lorelei Marcus
For once me and my father's opinions on an episode differed, if only by a little bit. This third show was about a young man rising from the dead, and how the people around him react and adjust. The mystery of the episode is whether he's a demon, actually alive again, or something else. I won't tell you which one it is, because I don't entirely know myself! This episode left on a bit of a cliffhanger, though it is fairly easy to extrapolate and theorize from what they give you. I personally wasn't very fond of all the people hating and being suspicious, but I know my father enjoyed it, so I'm happy about that. 2 stars.
by Gideon Marcus
It's all right to disagree. Two travelers separated by thirty years shouldn't have altogether identical opinions, should we? It's the performances that sell this episode (as is often the case in this show), and there's no denying that the opening scene is an indisputable gotcha. That said, this episode tries to have it both ways – lambasting ignorance and prejudice while undermining said condemnation by showing the townspeople likely had the right to be suspicious of the erstwhile corpse. Three stars.
(Interesting tidbit: Ed Buchanan, who played the doctor who pronounces Myrtlebank dead, and then alive, showed up two weeks later on an episode of Thriller as…you guessed it – a doctor!)
To Serve Man, by Rod Serling (based on a story by Damon Kinght)
by Lorelei Marcus
Lastly, we have last week's episode! In the short time its been out, this episode has also gotten a high rating by many. I won't say much about the episode to avoid spoiling it, but I will say that I didn't catch the twist until the end. I have mixed feelings about this episode. It was light and dark at times, but seemed to just drag on throughout. I suppose you could say that this episode was thoroughly mediocre, and I probably will forget it in the future. 1.5 stars.
by Gideon Marcus
I didn't like this story when it was a jokey throwaway in the November 1950 Galaxy, and I like it even less played straight. Moreover, could they get someone dopier looking than Richard Kiel (who "played" the alien)? Lots of telling, not a lot of showing, and a punchline only Benedict Breadfruit could love. One star.
by Lorelei Marcus
Overall, we had a mix of really good, really bad, and just in between episodes this time around. They total up to an average of 2.125 out of 5 stars. Despite the below average score, I'm still somewhat excited to review the next batch of episodes. I'm hoping we'll have a more reliable batch of good episodes in the future, but you never know. I'm counting on you Serling! Until next time!
This is the Young Traveler, Signing off.
by Gideon Marcus
What she said…