Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- 'Blurryman' (2019)

At last, the final Episode...of this Season.  We're already getting Season 2, so yea.

In the meantime, enjoy this send-off...

A Writer- Seth Rogen- finally finishes his Story, only to find out about the dangerous truth outside...

...and this is a fake-out.  We've gone META, as things go down on the Set while shooting.

It had to happen eventually.

The Writer- Zazie Beetz- begins to see a weird, shadowy figure.  It is documented throughout different shots from different Episodes.

When she starts to look into it, she finds herself alone in the Studio and things go badly fast!

Can she deal with the shadow?  What secret will it reveal to her/about her?

To find out, stream the Show.  It will keep you warm until Picard.

A weird, but respectful Episode.  I can't exactly go into the latter part without SPOILERS- so I won't.  Outside of that, the Episode plays with the conventions in a fun way.  You see Actors playing themselves, which they always like.  At this point, Seth Rogen has played himself nearly half as much as he's played someone else (don't check my Math)!  Peele has a fun time going from The Narrator to a version of himself, which was neat to see.  The actual Story of the Episode kind of telegraphs where it is going early on, but it's fun to get to the Ending.  It is neat how they tie it all to previous Episodes, even going so far as to reuse the Sets for locations.  I do wonder why they are all still there, but I always overthink things.  The Episode pays tribute in a different way to the original Series and plays with its own conventions.  Now I just have to wait until the Show returns...

Next time, there's...oh right, nothing.  Time to take a break for a while to talk about 23 other Shows.

Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- 'The Blue Scorpion'

A late entry, but time is kind of relative in this place.  Speaking of relative, how do we determine what is alive or not?

A man- Chris O'Dowd- comes home to find his father dead.  How and why would an old hippie kill himself with a gun?

Said gun- the titular one- is apparently rare, mysterious and worth some money.

As strange coincidences start to surround the man (how many 'Jeff's can there be?), will he give in to the insanity?

Or will he find a way to work himself out of this odd situation?  Is the gun alive?

To find out, stream the Episode.

The semi-final Episode is a strong one.  It's definitely a more subdued, character-driven Episode.  People tend to associate this Show- in its many iterations- as more of a broad Sci-Fi Show.  Granted- some of the most famous ones are like that.  That said, the Character-driven ones are nice too.  Without Aliens or anything cosmic, you can really delve into stuff like this.  This one is all about fate and Animism.  Why do we think of objects as alive?  Why do we pick certain ones to do that?  What do you if life itself seems to be trying to tell you something?  How many hints does it take?  O'Dowd manages the good balance between being skeptical and being open-minded.  He certainly doubts things, but fate eventually seems to wear him down.  Everyone does a nice job here, but this is a good showcase for him.  Given how hit-and-miss stuff with him in the States tends to be, I'm glad to see him shine.  If you're a fan of his, definitely check this out.  The actual Story is a bit odd (and not my favorite).  I still had a good time trying to figure stuff out, which Twilight Zone is known for.  If nothing else, check it out to see the guy from The I.T. Crowd really act...  

Next time, the final Episode of this Season gets META.  Also Seth Rogen is here, apparently.  See you then...

Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- 'Point of Origin'

Another week and another trip to a strange land of allegory.  This week, are you really from where you think you are?

This WASP is nice and kind- just not as much as she thinks.  Her life is simple and perfect.

...but it's the Twilight Zone, so it is time for that all to change!

She's arrested for reasons they won't explain and processed with a bunch of other people that seem innocent enough.  What gives?

Will she find out the truth?  If she does, can she accept it?

To find out, stream the Show.

A solid, if more experimental Episode.  This one is a big change for the 'so obvious that it almost hurts' allegory of last week.  When you see what they are going for it, things appear more obvious.  That said, the trip to get there is pretty nice.  It starts out as a simple 'slice of life' and escalates into so much more.  They are clearly address a bigger issue, just in a Sci-Fi sort of way.  They don't beat you over the head with the message- nice.  You could definitely be less subtle with this one.  In this case, they get pretty creative with the whole thing.  That said, it is hard not to see some inspiration for stuff like The Handmaid's Tale, at least with the visuals.  You can't put WASP-y women in uniforms without me seeing that- to be fair.  Given how surreal they play this one, it isn't my favorite Episode so far, but I think it has staying power.  Plus, it has this neat little Easter Egg...

Next time, a tragic death leads to a strange mystery.  What is it all about?  See you then...

Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- 'Not All Men'

This one is going to be fun to discuss without pissing some people off.  Let's do this...

A young woman is just trying to live her life, do her job and be happy.  What could go wrong?

On a date with a coworker, some meteors strike the small town and the rocks intrigue everyone- including her date.

When he starts to get more aggressive and she rejects his ministrations, he freaks out after she leaves.

She tries to move on, but men in the town start to get more erratic, more crazy and more violent.

Can they escape or is the town doomed?

To find out, watch this slightly-charged Episode that I'm sure was a hit on 8Chan.

This is going to bother some people.  To be fair, what doesn't these days.  Ha ha ha- social commentary.  In all seriousness, this is another 'gonna make people mad' Episode.  Jordan Peele does not shy away from this and his work is better for it.  You don't make Get Out if you're afraid of offending some people.  In this case, he's not the 'main man' behind this Episode, but he is putting name and face on the whole series.  This Episode taps into an issue that has really picked up in the last few years (although it's certainly not a new one).  I don't have to explain what this one is related to, do I?  I'd rather not address the elephant in the room- there's no need.  If this Episode bothers you, big whoop.  Outside of any commentary, this is a strong example of how you center an Episode around someone just trying to avoid the insanity around them.  How do you make them not too passive?  How do you make them not too assertive?  It's tricky, but they do it right here.  If you think its insulting, super-insightful or just a normal Episode, it's still good and interesting.  It also gives me a sneak peek at what my Birthday may look like...

Next time, a story about identity and intrigue.  What else is new though, right?

Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- 'Six Degrees of Freedom'

Another week and another trip to that famous place.  This time, we're going into Space and experiencing...

A planned trip to Mars is a big deal for these Astronauts.  It gets bigger, since...

A Twilight Zone twist means that the Earth is seemingly-devastated by nuclear war.  As that approaches, they choose to go escape and remake civilization.

The trip is long- about 9 months- so they had better get used to those weird, round doors and each other.

As the trip goes on, tensions mount, but they are professionals.  They can and must hold it together...right?

Things get worse as one of them forms a theory that will derail all sense of structure to this mission.  Is he right?  Is he wrong?  Does it matter?

To find out, watch the Episode.  You get a Picard Show coming soon, so look forward to that.

A fairly-subtle, slow burn of an Episode.  They are really good at being restrained when necessary on this Show, which I like.  As a series of self-contained stories, it is good to have variety.  It seems like next Episode is going to be pretty intense, so this placement seems intentional.  Episode Order doesn't matter as far as story, but you imagine that someone must be in charge of deciding the Airing Order for reasons like this.  The Story is good.  You don't see stuff as much as you are told stuff happens, which is a little disappointing.  In terms of this being an Episode of TV, I get it.  In the grand scheme of things, it also makes sense- no SPOILERS.  With limited F/X and a tight Setting, it all comes down to the Actors.  All in all, they do a good job here.  The way the Episode plays out isn't exactly how I was hoping, but that's not a big deal.  Six Degrees is a slow-burning tease of an Episode with some interesting pay-off.  It also sends a good lesson- weirdoes with beards look weird the more ragged they get.

Next time, an Episode about people going crazy in America.  In the Age of Trump and acting like Nazis 'aren't all bad,' is this even Sci-Fi?  See you then...

Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- 'The Wunderkind' (2019)

Another week and another morality play courtesy of CBS' version of Hulu.  This time, it *might* be topical...

Our Lead is a 'Kingmaker'- a Campaign Manager who can't lose...until he does.

Sadly, this is the only time we see John Laroquette.  Why cast him for just this one bit?

He discovers an 11 year old kid who made a YouTube Video about wanting to be President.  This could be his way back in!

During this, we constantly cut back to him strapped to some sort of operating table.  Clearly something goes wrong here!

Will his campaign work?  More importantly, what will happen to him if it does?

To find out, watch the Episode on CBS All Access.  They have other stuff too...I guess.

A dark Episode designed to touch close to home.  If you didn't figure it out, this is *kind of, sort of* about Trump.  I really hope that nobody missed that.  Putting aside the politics (at least for now), the Episode is quite good.  Peele continues to give Actors that don't normally get to be Leads the chance to do so.  Yet again, it pays off.  John Cho has really stood out on his own in recent years and this is no exception.  It's also funny to see the lady from Castle Rock- I probably should finish that Season some day.  Unsurprisingly, Jacob Tremblay is also good here.  The Plot is sort of a riff on one of the more famous ones- the one where the kid has reality-warping powers.  They take the literal magic out here and just make it all about 'making connections' and just plain being convincing.  The kid manages to leave an impression on people just through his looks and words.  He can make you do what he wants in a more subtle way and you rarely question it.  The framing device of Cho on the Hospital Bed works well enough and keeps you reminded of the fact that something bad is going to happen.  You could probably do the Episode without it too.  It's not like you *don't* suspect a bad ending for a TWILIGHT ZONE EPISODE (especially a modern one).  Regardless of where you stand politically, this is a very good Episode.  As a bonus, we can see that even in the age of Prestige Television, the practice of Casting a Kid Actor's Sibling as his/her Sibling is still in effect...

Next time, trouble in Space.  Are visions of danger to be ignored or acted upon?  See you then...

Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- 'A Traveler'

In a week where I feel like I'll always be stuck between Holidays, why not jump ahead?  In The Twilight Zone, who needs Calendars...

This is Sergeant Yuka.  She's a Police Officer in a tiny Alaska Town.  She's not happy, even though it is Christmas Eve.

You see, her Boss (Greg Kinnear) is kind of a dick.  He doesn't respect the Native Population- of which she is a part of- and all kinds of smug.

He holds a show on Christmas Eve where he pardons a non-violent offender.  When they go to retrieve one, they find...a Traveler, who mysteriously appeared in a locked Cell.

The Sergeant doesn't trust any of what he says, while Kinnear does after he kisses up to him.

Will they regret letting him out?  What is his secret?  What plans are he privy to?

To find out, stream this Episode.

A strong Episode that worked by being subtle.  They could have definitely gone bigger on this.  This is all about subtle, underlying issues.  It is made clear why the Sergeant is unhappy, but they never dwell on it.  It is for you to take note of all of the instances of transgressions.  When dark truths come out, they are not big ones that would truly destroy the lives of those involved.  They are smaller, more subtle transgressions that create unrest and strife.  There are plenty of interesting Themes here.  There's the subtle one dealing with Colonialism.  We have the larger Theme of Trust vs. Mistrust.  They also cover the idea of how we treat strangers and, how, perhaps, we should treat some.  The big draw here is the Acting.  Kinnear manages to nail the smarmy persona of a Small Town Cop who thinks that he's a Big Time Hero.  Yeun does a great job of being menacing in a pretty subtle way.  It's all about looks.  Marika Sila as the Sergeant was a big surprise as she only has a few Credits (so far).  There is a point where playing stoic can be seen as boring.  Thankfully, she fills the Role with enough intensity (especially in her eyes) to keep you interested.  The pay-off is pretty interesting, as the Plot could have easily gone several ways.  All in all, a good Episode that plays it subtle to big results.  As a bonus, we get multiple Easter Eggs (on Christmas Eve?!?) like this one...

Next time, what happens when a passionate kid runs for Office?  Can we do worse than most of the people we have now?  See you then...

Zoned Out: The Twilight Zone- Replay (2019)

Another week and another Episode in the latest TV Revival.  Will the quality stay high?

A Mother is driving her Son to College and wants to document the day.

When he asks her to rewind the tape, she does and...time itself rewinds!  Say what?!?

Things keep going badly, no matter what she does.  All of the bad endings seem to revolve around this one Cop.

Can she do anything to break the seemingly-inevitable chain of events?

To find out, watch the Show.  They have other Shows too- no lie!

So this is the one that made a bunch of people mad, huh?  This one is not exactly subtle.  If you somehow didn't figure out what this one was about, I...well, I don't know what to say.  This is the Sky- it's Blue.  The Sun is bright and Donald Trump has weird, fake hair.  If we can talk about something besides the obvious, the Acting and Direction are both quite good.  Everyone feels 'real' here, which is always appreciated.  The gimmick of rewinding time is nothing, but it is used well here.  They make it connect to a number of Themes that are important too, so bonus there.  This is definitely a Social Commentary Episode.  If that bothers you, watch the next Episode instead.  The original was chock full of them, including an hour long Episode about how Nazis are bad.  Besides, consider the face behind this revival.  Is that really a surprise to you?  I mean, really?!?

Next time, a tale of a stranger in a small Town.  I'm sure he's just there to see the World's Biggest Ball of Twine.  See you then...