The Twilight Zone

[Ben]

We knew this was coming, but an announcement is true confirmation.

At last!

[Randall]

FINALLY!!!!!

Good grief, there are a lot of sci-fi greats coming out in the fourth quarter... and all in HD!

[Daniel]

On the same page, they show two TV box sets of an 85 version. Have you ever seen it, Ben? How is it?

[Ben]

The 1985 Twilight Zone wasn't too bad, basically many if not all were remakes of the old stories, like the Alfred Hitchcock presents show.

Actually, watching late night runs of the '85 shows was my introduction to Rod Serling's world. It wasn't until later that I really got into the originals.

[Randall]

Definitely worth a look for TZ fans. Too bad the disc looks extras-less, according to the latest from TVSoDVD.com.

[Daniel]

Thanks, guys! I didn't know it mostly consisted of remakes. Sounds interesting.

[Daniel]

Hard to believe its been about 16 years since the last Twilight Zone reboot! Wow! Wasn't really a fan. Its hard not to compare it to the classic, but even on its own merit it wasn't really *memorable*. Not to say it was all bad, it did have a few interesting stories I vagually recall. One was about going back in time and killing Hitler. Topics like that are just fascinating to think about. My favorite eppy though would probably be the sequel to "It's A Good Life". They even got the original actors back. So neato. (Hated the ending, sadly)

Now in just 2 days the newest reboot will premier. Don't really have high hopes.

One of the reasons I'm not looking forward to this entity is I really won't be able to see it! It's not premieirng on the telly, instead its getting the CBS All Access treatment. Just ugh. I loathe all those streaming services. Bad enough to pay for cable without paying for multiple outlets, in this case for just one show. Wish instead they would show it eventually, maybe months down the line.

Not really sold on the Jordan Peele angle either. Saw Get Out and thought it was an alright flick for what it was.

Regardless, I would no doubt give the show a chance if I could. I mean come on, Twilighty! Curiosity and to see if it can surprise. Nostalgia too.

[EricJ]

The 1985 Twilight Zone wasn't too bad, basically many if not all were remakes of the old stories, like the Alfred Hitchcock presents show.

The first network version of the 80's had some good deliberately pro-good-things "Issues" allegory stories coming out of the Reagan era (oh, the current Trump-era frustration was nothing compared to the 80's Reagan era, once TZ thought it had a "social metaphor" agenda).
It was the second network season and later half-hour syndicated reboot that turned into lame tribute-remakes and retreads--Like the "Restored original ending!" remake of A Game of Pool, that made absolutely no sense...Now we know why they changed it.

Actually, watching late night runs of the '85 shows was my introduction to Rod Serling's world. It wasn't until later that I really got into the originals.

Mine was WPIX-11 NYC, and I was already glued to the series at the age of ten--First for the Neato Twist Endings, and then later for Serling's withering social commentary and Shakespearean monologues.
I'm guessing the new show bought "the Get Out guy" hoping for more Social Allegory, but he's got a long way to go before he can even tread on the post-McCarthyist shadow of The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street.

(Which even the 00's UPN Series You Never Watched tried to remake into a GWBush-era "Terrorist panic" metaphor....Nnno.)

[Randall]

Yeah, the first season of 1980s TZ was actually quite good, if uneven, adapting several great stories by celebrated speculative fiction authors including Arthur C Clarke. Harlan Ellison even worked on the show, and had a few stories adapted. The wheels began to fall off the cart in the second season, and the third (now syndicated) season was somewhat less memorable. So, like Eric said.

I've barely touched my DVD set of the last reboot. I think I've only watched one episode.

And Daniel, you could have two reasons to get CBS All-Access, because Star Trek Discovery is really good! (Though, I just waited for the Blu-ray first season set to come out.)

[Ben]

I seem to be the only person who thinks Get Out is a vastly overrated, poorly structured mess.

[ShyViolet]

Very cool, Daniel!! MAJOR 12-year-bump! . I like that you did that.

I’m actually a STAUNCH original TZ fan...might have seen a bit of the 80s one here and there throughout my life, but I just never took to it for some reason. Not trying to put it down or anything—I’m sure it was a great show—but I don’t know, maybe it’s just the lack of black and white, or Serling input. To me the originals always felt like mini-movies...or maybe even one-act plays. The 80s one just felt like a TV show...though not a bad one. Oh well, to each his own I guess.

[Ben]

Certainly you could have noticed a subliminal difference between the film-shot originals and the video-mastered 80s shows, which would have that shorts vs television feel. Especially in the way they mastered 80s TV shows!

The Hitchcock shows had the same thing...even the Hitch intros, which they reused, looked more ropey in the 80s!

[ShyViolet]

Yeah, I see what you’re saying, Ben. It is definitely a different experience with viewing film compared to video. (Although I think Serling did try out the video format with a few episodes: I know “Long Distance Call”, with the toy telephone, was one. It was ok, but I’m really glad they went back to film lol.)

But so many (though not all) of the TZ Serling episodes were UNBELIEVABLY well- written and directed, often with many different layers and themes. (Plus Lee Marvin and William Shatner both starred in two of their own episodes: what more could you want? ). It’s also astounding that a great many of the eps were quite talky, and yet somehow they survived the test of time, (even with the much slower pace and lack of color.)
“Eye of the beholder”, the one about beauty/ugliness, is WONDERFUL but it’s also about 95% dialogue combined with shadows of doctors and nurses pacing. And yet so many consider it their favorite episode ever.


Oh, on the 80s TZ, I couldn’t help but remember that one of the episodes, “Button, button” (based on Richard Matheson’s short story) was actually remade as the 2009 Richard Kelly-directed film The Box. The reason I thought of it probably has to do with the fact that it’s hands-down one of my favorite films of all time. I know it was panned by many critics, but the truth is that every time I watch it, I’m in awe. (Totally serious.). It’s never gotten more than a bare bones DVD release either. I hope one day that will be corrected.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Box_(2009_film)

[Daniel]

Because of the new reboot, SyFy aired an all day marathon this past Saturday! It was nice surprise. They gave the usual common ones like the Hitchhiker, It's Good Life etc. I just wish the quality on SyFy was better. It totally feels like the eppys are sped up which makes them feel fake. Very distracting. In a way, they all kinda look like those "video" episodes. Ick. The edits too, but that's to be expected. Still, after they gave the show the bum's rush last 4th of July (that's right, no marathon!) it's nice they acknowledged TZ.

[Daniel]

Something worth noting. CBS is going to start airing The Good Fight in a week. Why is that noteworthy and related to Twilight? Well, Fight is a CBS All-Access show and aside from the pilot preview it has only ever been part of their subscription service. Talk about a no brainer! That's how it should've been from the get go. Let subscribers get first viewings and eventually show it on broadcast telly. Pretty smart to be airing it in Summer. Aside from reality shows, there's nothing really interesting on.

Hopefully Fight does great and opens the floodgates. I would really like to view the new Twilight Zone proper. I've managed to catch two episodes and so far I'm not feeling it. Not very Twilighty. The cinematography just doesn't compare. And by being online, they really took advantage of what they can get away with. Think one I saw was rated TV-MA... I wouldn't say I'm a prude when it comes to language. Sometimes it's warranted. The one I'm referring to had no place. Can't really type it, but... you know that Bart Simpson quote "Eat my shorts"? Think that only more vulgar. That alone made me feel like I was watching a different show. Just tacky. The original would never stoop that low and always felt like a show the whole family could watch...