2.5 stars
Wednesdays, 9-10 p.m., UPN
The players: Hosted by Forest Whitaker. Directors include Jonathan Frakes, Allan Kroeker and Peter O’Fallon
What it’s about: The original Twilight Zone was telecast from 1959-64 on CBS. A CBS sequel then aired from 1985-87. Now UPN enters its take on Rod Serling‘s seminal anthology series, taking viewers on a journey to another dimension, beyond sight and sound and mind.
What can I say: The tried-and-true Twilight Zone formula’s all there–the signature music, the mysterious narrator who suddenly appears and offers some sense to otherwise bizarre circumstances, and the irony (oh, the irony). Personally, I find Forest Whitaker to be on the cuddly side, which makes him an odd choice of host. But, of course, the show isn’t about the host, it’s about the “Ah-ha!” factor.
The pilot episode doesn’t disappoint on that formulaic level, but it’s lacking much beyond it. First there is the tale of a rebellious teenager (Amber Tamblyn) whose family moves to an Ashcroftian-secure gated community in hopes of quelling her antisocial behavior. Let’s just say the final scene involves the planting of a tree, fertilizer, and the line, “There’s something good in each and every one of us.”
The second segment is a bit more thought provoking, pondering what the world would be like if Death (Jason Alexander) truly decided to take a holiday. The consequences (i.e., suffering without relief) are much different than Death’s doctor (Tyler Christopher) hoped. So as certain as taxes, Death goes back to work–which is unfortunate for some .
Bottom line: Is it a case of too many cooks in the kitchen? Those involved with the series need to add their own ingredients to the show’s classic recipe, not simply copy it. In other words, The Twilight Zone needs to cut back a bit on carb-loaded irony and stick to meatier high concepts.
