New 'Twilight Zone'

Nothing will ever top the genius of The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street...

...there's a certain timelessness that, ironically, can only stem from this very 50's-centric aesthetic of a deeply rooted 50's-era show. The time and place in which the show was created are as vital to the success as the Stanley Kramer-esque altruism and talent of Mr Serling. It was a more innocent time in the American psyche (if not i the political landscape) that was about to burst and no greater arena was this showcased in than the genre product of the time where allegory was rendered with subtlety and blatancy in equal measure...

...I'm sure Mssrs Whitehead, Rotten, Rivet, stamdridge et al can illuminate more lucidly than I on the subject...

...haen't seen the new series yet and am intrigued to do so.

Standridge. Beg pardon...

Damn, I missed the debut! I've been suffering a debilitating sinus infection, though, so I've been nearly comatose after coming home from work in the evenings. I probably wouldn't be able to appreciate it in my fevered state...or maybe I'd appreciate it more...?

But to respond to the questions about the charm of the original, I think in the 50s the TV medium was still like a magic lantern show, where anything fantastical and magical could happen, and SHOULD happen. You could tell broad morality tales and fairy stories and try to tap into the collective unconscious archetypes and people would go with it. Now, the networks don't want magic lantern shows. They want "reality" --Homicide: Life on the Streets, Law & Order and its spawn, and of course Cops and Big Brother and all that other crap. TV has got a lot LESS imaginative since the 50s, in my opinion.

As if people prefer looking into a dirty, simple mirror instead of a magic, bewitched scrying glass.

(Okay, that last was the antibiotics making me woozy...such bright colors!)

But the original TZ was able to mirror its society without showing an exact picture--allegory, morality tales, satire. Serling assumed his audience was smart enough to figure it out, and hoped to make them think as well as make them cringe. Nowadays that kind of ethic is generally lacking, methinks.

But I do want to see this new show. I'll tattoo it in reverse on my forehead to make sure every time I look in the mirror I'll remember when it's on...

Need...more...drugs....

The original Twilight Zone was very good. The 80's revamp was good (not very)and alot of fun. Weirdly enough when it came out. So did the explosion of other anhtology shows (Tales from the Darkside, Monsters, Tales from the Crypt, The Hitchhiker, etc.)

This new (twilight zone) show is interesting. These first two eps were promising. The second one was nice. With a bit of quirkiness and sorrow. The 1st eps however was a little too long. It should have been more frentic and tighter. A good 2-5 mins could have been chopped off. Course then it wouldn't be able to air.

It did however have a very nice twist. Hopefully this show will succedd and get better with each airing (and bring the explosion of a new set of anthology shows and good ones).

P.S. Alot of people have tried to bring anthology shows back. Sci-fi had that one which took place in a future city. It was pretty bland. Then there was the one on Fox (with the punk rock host). That was pretty promising but had more bad than good eps. HBO had two good ones. But they got cruely cancelled Perversion of Science and Spicy City.

PEACE OUT!