Episode 1- Where is Everybody
Twilight Zone has always been to me a conduit for the exploration of human psychology amplified and extrapolated to its deepest extremity, which certainly suits the visceral, claustrophobic fear and freneticism of the abject solitude, loneliness, and abandonment associated with seemingly becoming the last person alive. These latent fears are greatly resonant within us, and the Twilight Zone is the perfect construct through which the very human responses and reactions to preternatural situations with such harrowing, realistic emotional stimuli can be showcased.
Concerning the quality of the acting and the verisimilitude of the monologues performed, I noticed a somewhat prevalent tendency in the acting towards the theatrical, especially during character monologues, which compromised the believability of said character’s tribulations. This sort of dramatic style of acting was rather concomitant with this time period of cinema and television. Still, for the most part, the performances were sufficiently grounded and realistic to properly convey the complex narratives, themes, and emotions that Rod Serling intended.
Lastly, as themes appertaining to space travel and its possible physical or psychological threats are somewhat commonly explored throughout the series, it seems that the era of the late nineteen-fifties was rife with fears and speculations concerning the advancement of space technology and the potential for human travel, which would eventually become relevant in Rod’s work as a reflection of conversations pervading his societal zeitgeist.
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Episode 4- The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine
The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine explicates the unfortunate prevalence of discriminatory practices against middle-aged actresses, who find their careers in leading roles prematurely truncated by the injudicious and cruel determination that their beauty has irrevocably faded and their worth as people and performers has been consequently revoked.
Rod Serling’s introductory analogy was particularly poignant in its eloquent depiction of Barbara as someone who time has struck and left behind and whose dreams lie in the perpetually unalterable reality of film. I’ve so far found it a rather frequent theme in Rod’s writing to explore the unremittent ineluctability of the passage of time and the impermanence of fame, youth, and life. It’s extremely evocative of the existentialist fears of irrelevancy, the withering of age, and inevitable death, which many desperately seek to delay or avoid, both inside and outside the Twilight Zone. There also exists conversations appertaining to the mental and emotional torment of being vociferously denied the sole or predominant source of self-worth and personal identity simply due to age or physical appearance. For someone such as Barbara, who is defined by her success and the roles she once played, an existence beyond this lifestyle is wholly unfathomable and unpalatable.
In a sense, I think the ending for Barbara at least is felicitous, as she can now reside amongst the reawakened memories of the past in affront to the natural and degrading caprices of time. The bittersweet tone is invoked upon the realization that such wishes to stay the hands of time can only exist… within The Twilight Zone.
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Episode 5- Walking Distance
The evident pathos of a man reliving the simplicity of experiencing the world of his youth through the eyes of an adult was rather emotional to behold, particularly in the context of a current reality beset with difficulties and prone to eliciting a sense of longing and wistful reminiscences of a quieter past. The discussions this episode invokes appertaining to the mundanities and tribulations of adulthood are truly of exceptional resonance with a generation finding the imposition of modern stressors and responsibilities to be overwhelming. It’s therefore incredibly important to heed the eloquent advice of Mr. Serling, and while the past can be regarded with the fondness of a transient memory, the present must take precedence and life must move forward. However, as the elder Mr. Sloan implies, focus on the future isn’t synonymous with resignation and solemn admission of the joyless monotony of adult life, rather, seeking stability and the security of having made a new “home” with ones we love is a life worth working and hoping for.
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Episode 7- The Lonely
Throughout its duration, there were demonstrable psychological intricacies and complexities that elevate this particular episode of The Twilight Zone. Conceptually, the imposition of protracted, unabated deprivation of company would be torturous for any individual to contend with, which is typically why such solitary punishment is relegated to only the most violently obstreperous of inmates. Even then, from my understanding, this form of retribution is still limited in duration for the sake of the criminal’s sanity, an appeasement that Mr. Corry is curiously denied. In a sense, such inhumane treatment of purported criminality, regardless of the temperament or behavior of the inmate, precipitates interesting discussions in itself, appertaining to the fairness of punishment and the extent of psychological torment that a government should be allowed to inflict upon its deviant populace.
The more evident of the elicited thematic conversations is centralized on the now popular quandary exploring the tenuity of the line between code emulating human behavior and humanity itself. The true constituent elements comprising a person remain nebulous and undefined, and this inability to definitively state what makes an autonomous human has since inspired deep, contemplative depictions in all forms of fictional media. Whether Alicia is capable of learning and developing legitimate feelings for her sole companion or is merely replicating the actions and opinions she witnesses is cleverly left open-ended, though, in a way, it’s also arguable in the end whether or not this question even matters at all. Alicia, regardless of what she was, human or machine, provided Corry with salvation from his loneliness and gave him the company and love that serviced him through his time of desperation and abject solitude.
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Episode 8- Time Enough at Last
Given that Time Enough At Last is commonly seen as the quintessence of Twilight Zone episodes, it is difficult to dexterously and comprehensively anatomize the facets of its constituent writing, performances, and overall execution which solidified this episode in the collective conscious as one of the series’ most iconic. Mr. Bemis, despite the somewhat obsessive and interruptive nature of his introversion and fixation on literature, was portrayed as a sympathetic individual who found solace and companionship within the fictitious worlds of the books he read. He prefers the quiet company and solitude found apart from the emotionally corrosive relationships he has formed with the other significant people in his life, and yearns for the time and tranquility necessary to indulge his true desires without the intrusive knell of callous and demanding voices constantly stopping him. Thematically, pleasurable and truly loving relationships are a rarity within The Twilight Zone, with Mr. Bemis finding his idiosyncratic devotion to reading, which is a foundational characteristic of his personality, to be incompatible with the expectations of his listless and impatient wife. His joyous assent to read poetry to his wife is sincere and romantic, indicating the unfortunate reality that Mr. Bemis has not found a partner who deeply shares his values nor reciprocates his love of the written word. I can’t be certain whether the frequency of fundamentally dissonant personalities existent in Twilight Zone marriages can be interpreted as commentary on perhaps the archaic perceptions and approaches to marriage dominant in the nineteen-fifties, or whether these characterizations are simply necessary set-ups for the subsequent narrative to be effectively told. Regardless, poor Mr. Bemis is never more alone than with company, and never more fulfilled than in unremittent solitude with his books.
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Episode 11- And When the Sky Was Opened
The speculative complexity inherent to a narrative about the gradual erasure of a person’s identity is certainly fascinating to discuss, and I particularly enjoy theorizing on the nebulous circumstances which define this episode and its finale. Personally, though I’ve never been much interested in the sanguinary, violent physicality often concomitant with the horror genre, the abject terror cultivated from deeply psychological constructs typically precipitates profoundly humanistic and thematic conversations which are always intriguing to anatomize. In this case, the malleability of reality and the abrogation of identity are represented through the slow recognition that Forbes appears to be the only individual left who remembers Harrington. The agonizing frustration and instinctual fear of social ostracization become unbearably tangible and real for Forbes, who embodies the paranoia of being completely alone in his remembrance of Harrington and the reality in which they were friends. This experience of isolation in memory facing the constancy of denial and questioning from others is understandably maddening for anyone to endure, especially when the lucidity and assurance of your own sanity lies incongruous to the collective truth everyone else is equally certain of. Given the ardency of their dismissal of Harrington’s existence and the warping of their surroundings to accompany this conceptualization of events, it does appear as if some intersection of realities has occurred, in which the three astronauts have returned to a world where none of them have ever existed. To compensate for this dissonance, this new reality must erase every bit of evidence marking the arrival and presence of these men. Regardless, I do appreciate the speculative nature of this ending allowing for the possibility of theorization and discussion, as well as the harrowing mystery born from this haunting inconclusiveness.
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Episode 12- What You Need
Poignant melancholy and a discussion on intricate human realities comprise this deceptively simple tale of a man with prognosticative abilities. Pedott is generally characterized as a rather unobtrusive individual leading a prosaic existence dedicated towards providing others with the seemingly meretricious trinkets that he predicts will provide some minor though positive change to the beneficiary’s life. Renard entertains the prospect of abusing Pedott’s predictive capabilities for more expansive and significantly lucrative reasons, yet the old man ardently refuses, preferring to influence lives through his smaller, intimate gestures. As Pedott himself implies in the clip you showcased, his powers are confined to tangible attributes of life such as acquiring wealth or looking presentable for a photograph, which are sufficient to satisfy the needs of his chosen subjects. Renard represents a man dissatisfied with his existence, desperately in need of all that he perceives will suffice to ameliorate his status as a lonely and bitter man, yet, his true need is for the intangible, the happiness and tranquility born from within, which can never be assuaged by all the trinkets and money in the world. Despite this selfish and callous nature to his personality, Renard’s characterization still elicits some sympathy for the unlucky and misguided trajectory that his life has always assumed. The pitiable solemnity of the ending arises from the recognition of the veracity of Pedott’s words; sometimes, what we need most cannot be simply gifted by another. Sometimes, significant change to our lives and perspectives must be wrought from within.
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Episode 14- Third from the Sun
Minor indications in the set design, lighting, shot composition, angles, and other cinematographic elements contribute to the aberrant, other-worldly setting and the constant, incipient tension underlying this episode. These subtle inclusions retrospectively establish and embolden the strangeness of this unnamed planet without prematurely revealing the alien nature of these people and their doomed home. The effectiveness and potency of this final twist is augmented through the analogous construct of having two countries on the brink of atomic war, considering the societal zeitgeist that permeated the collective consciousness at the time this episode was produced. Despite never explicitly stating the names of the countries involved in this atomic arms race, the audience assumes and projects their current reality onto the delineated skeleton of this episode’s narrative arc, which allows for the final realization to feel sudden and significant. Therefore, this ending can be interpreted as cautionary, imparting upon the audience that persistence in the continuation of Cold War fervor will ultimately lead to destruction, with the prospect of escape solely confined to fictitious realms of The Twilight Zone.
In addition to the more evident discussions on the possibility for reciprocity in nuclear confrontation, there are also elicited conversations in this episode appertaining to the application and ambiguity of human ingenuity. The ending itself demonstrates a beautiful juxtaposition between the ability of human invention to provide salvation and protection from harm and its capacity to indiscriminately destroy all life. During a time of great discovery and the elevation of humanity to space travel and beyond, the dark, morbid side of technology shadows the light of promise for the betterment of society and the glory of invention. Living in a time of such contradictory simultaneity is perfectly captured in the final moments of this episode, as it warns of earth following the same trajectory of allowing the purpose of eventual interplanetary travel to be escape from what humanity has wrought upon itself.
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Episode 18- The Last Flight
With regards to the narrative arc constituting The Last Flight, I think it would be appropriate to specifically expound upon the significance of the intimate character relations and gradual personal development that elevate the depth and overall quality of this particular episode. Additionally, within the construct of the Twilight Zone, there appears to be a propensity to explore the ineluctability of fate, whereby characters find that their circuitous trajectories of avoidance or denial will always be ineffectual at escaping some predetermined culmination of their life’s journey. Running from death seems to be the most common manifestation of this concept, with characters able to prognosticate their own imminent decline and consequently confront this looming death with trepidation, pleading, or vociferous bargaining. In the instance presented by this episode, Decker encapsulates the cowardice which defined his characterization by abandoning his comrade, Mackaye, amidst the fray with German planes and somehow emerging decades later, assuming Mackaye to be dead. The performance employed for Decker beautifully encompasses the fervid and frenetic guilt which has accompanied the timidity of his actions and contributes to the ferocity with which Decker insists that Mackaye must have died because of his betrayal. Learning of Mackaye’s unlikely survival, and determining the sole cause had to be attributable to his own subsequent behaviors, solidifies Decker’s will and translates the intensity of his anguish into a profound assurance in what he must do to secure this reality of events. Thus, the cyclic loop of time is closed and the inevitable fate of death has retrieved Decker at last.
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Episode 20-Elegy
Thematically, the poignancy and gravity of this work predominantly lies in the deceptive simplicity of Wickwire’s instilled programming that defines humanity as intrinsically incompatible with peace. Within the context of the episode itself, this insuperable mentality towards men that Wickwire has adopted implies his awareness of the almost constant state of war and the threat of nuclear annihilation which pervaded the era of the mid-twentieth century. From the perspective of an artificial observer, the prevalence of grotesque morbidity wrought from war and the excoriation of civilian lands must disturb even the tranquility of the dead as the number of their mutilated companions rapidly amasses. Therefore, it seems that Wickwire has certain veracity to his sentiments concerning humanity and the necessity of ensuring that his graveyard is absent of all men and the consequential prospect of incipient conflict. As Wickwire is the murderous villain of this episode, however, the righteousness of his mentality is demonstrably flawed and perniciously generalized as it pertains to humanity as a whole. After all, true peace is not necessarily the absence of all conflict, but rather the ability to find peaceable resolutions in spite of it. The beauty of humanity is derived from the expansive diversity in experiences and perspectives which comprise it, which, in its heterogeneity, will undoubtedly breed disagreements and debate. The vast majority of such instances need not end in violence, and though an intrinsic part of humanity, all forms and scales of conflict are not necessarily negative attributes. In a sense, Wickwire’s beliefs and desires are incongruous with the astronauts’, causing a conflict to arise between them, which potentially could have been solved peaceably by helping the men to quietly leave Happy Glades as they intended. Instead, Wickwire ironically found peace through violence and killed to achieve resolution, himself perpetuating the very same negative presumptions he imparted upon humanity.
Undoubtedly, this episode inspires quite interesting discussions pertaining to what constitutes true peace and whether or not humanity is compatible with this ideation.
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Episode 22- The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street
As one of my favorite episodes of all time, The Monsters are Due on Maple Street definitely represents a poignant synthesis of the quintessential elements attributed to The Twilight Zone as a series, notably the reliance on science fiction as a conduit to anatomize human sociology under unique, inciting parameters, and the consequential, overarching commentary on the behaviors and psychology intrinsic to humanity as a whole. There are both strengths and fallibilities in this particular episode, and I can assess that the motivational instigator for the devolvement of this microcosm of society was not necessarily believable enough at its inception to have caused the rapid emergence of this violent mob-mentality. The foundational absurdity of an idea does appear to hamper its initial adoption and acceptance by a group of people, and in this context, the narrative proceeds at a steady pace even without the existence of some base suspicions or fears surrounding the infiltration of their neighborhood by aliens to give veracity to the boy’s imaginative assertions. Still, as Rod’s potent and reverberant words state, a simple thought can ensnare the mind, feeding off existent prejudices and queries, emboldened by latent anger, amplified by its mirrored reflection in the opinions of others, and given externalization by assuredness in the righteous fervor it instills. In the case of the people of Maple Street, there are instances where “evidence” is manifested from these extant suspicions, which, in actuality, betray the judgmental perceptions harbored for the idiosyncrasies or behaviors deemed to be a notable departure from the acceptable norm. It’s a lesson on tolerance, in a way, where stressful situations precipitate old grudges and disdain, inclining people to adopt a viewpoint or belief on the subconscious basis of what they want to be true, rather than what actually is.
The unfortunate reality surrounding the poignancy of this episode is its continued relevancy, which demonstrates the cyclic nature of human mentality whereby scapegoating, blame, hatred, and fear without evidentiary foundation lead to the needless oppression of innocent people. If anything, conspiratorial thinking has only been further entertained and augmented by the advent of the internet, which can allow for the heightened promulgation of pernicious ideas to a receptive audience of like-minded individuals. The power wielded by a single thought can be more frightening and destructive than any outside threat, a reality which exists both inside and outside of… The Twilight Zone.
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Episode 23- A World of Difference
It appears from the paucity of definitive evidence and general ambiguity surrounding the events of the inextricably entwined lives of Arthur Curtis and Gerald Raigan that multiple prospective interpretations exist which each have the possibility for defensibility and veracity depending on the audience’s perspective. Personally, I would like to believe that A World of Difference can be seen as an exploration into the tenuity of the dividing line between fiction and reality, and how the constructed worlds of a fictionalized narrative can seem real and tangible from the strength and intimacy of the detail used to describe them. Arthur Curtis is a true identity, as is the universe he and his family populate, though to the reality of Raigan, his existence is merely relegated to the pages of a script. Arthur’s world has warped amidst his prosaic existence, the walls of his reality literally fading before him, and he finds himself suddenly immersed in a dimension in which his life was never real, like a character escaped from the printed text of a novel. His reality is immersed or inset within Raigan’s, just as fictionalized narratives exist within our own, and Arthur, due to a momentary intersection of realities or other preternatural workings of The Twilight Zone, is free to explore his alternate, simultaneous existence as Gerald Raigan. Assuming Arthur has crossed worlds and adopted Raigan’s identity, the question then becomes what happened to Raigan during this time, given that when Arthur escapes Raigan cannot be found in either world. It’s therefore possible to postulate that Raigan’s body and identity were overridden by Arthur, and that Raigan essentially no longer exists. It’s a rather dark perspective to harbor concerning this episode, yet I suppose the erasure or denial of self are rather prominent and would suffice as an overarching theme, in addition to a moralistic lesson pertaining to extinguishing or punishment of Raigan for the dismal life he has led. After all, Arthur learns to further appreciate the normality of his own existence and elects to live an improved life post his experiences as Raigan.
Regardless, the prospect of theorizing numerous possibilities to explain the events of this episode is a true testament to quality of its writing and ability to create effective nebulousness in its ending.
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Episode 24- Long Live Walter Jameson
While the concept of explicating the potential detriments associated with immorality has been conveyed through various forms of narrative media, Long Live Walter Jameson is an effectively executed and poignant representation of this rather philosophical preternatural phenomenon. The inevitability of death and the concomitant fear it often instills is a theme frequently explored on The Twilight Zone, which, as a realm of supernatural possibility, allows for the theoretical avoidance of death and its emergent effects to be entertained and evaluated sociologically. Sam Kittridge encapsulates the aged weariness and physical decay which accompany the passage of time, and, consequently, harbors a solemn longing for the youthfulness and vitality that Walter enjoys in perpetuity. The older gentleman yearns for longevity, yet soon learns from Walter that the negative and mentally corrosive attributes of immorality are far more painful and devastating to endure than suffering the degradation of age. The experience of loss is compounded, as every friend, lover, and child succumbs to the inescapability of death that imbues their short lives with purpose and meaning. Walter has felt more love and heartache than any person ever should during the course of his two-thousand years, though, despite this emotional trauma, he is never deterred from repeating this cyclic pattern and accepting the affections of a woman once again. Kittridge affirms from Walter’s behaviors that wisdom is not necessarily accrued from age, which is demonstrated by Walter’s personal and selfish failure to avoid subjecting women to his repetitious proclivity to abandon them, no matter their decades of devotion, promises, and love, once their beauty and vivaciousness has faded. In a sense, Walter’s predicament is not only born from the fear of death, but the fear of being alone, as he cannot stand the prospect of living without love, even if this love will eventually prove pernicious and an unrepentant source of anguish for the two of them. Love, to Walter, is transient, an unfortunate victim to the immorality he refuses to relinquish. But to him, it’s better than never having love at all.
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Episode 26- Execution
I can certainly profess that the affable timidity of the bartender and some narrative decisions render Execution a bit tepid in comparison to the multitude of profound and memorable episodes of The Twilight Zone. However, in addition to the general performances and established grim, frantic atmosphere, there are some intriguing conversations pertaining to the dispensation and definition of justice that can be precipitated from the events and overall construction of this episode. Caswell is portrayed as an indubitable villain with a propensity for violence and murder, yet, his confrontation with the professor yields some recognition as to the situational contributors to his behaviors, namely the necessity of employing recklessness and brutality in order to survive in a time when lawlessness, theft, and murder were pervasive. He rails against the judgement that the professor imparts upon him, vociferously arguing that standards of justice in a period of comparable peace, affluence, and stability are inapplicable to the era of the west when a paucity of resources and safety beget violence. Though Caswell vehemently kills the innocent professor, thus solidifying his characterization as a truculent, impulsive individual and compromising the defensibility of his claims of circumstances or “nurture” being the sole attributors of his actions, the potency of his statements appertaining to the nature of justice and the complex source of criminality remain.
With regards to the seemingly random introduction of the modern-day thief, I do think it’s possible to derive some thematic reasons for his existence within the narrative. Paul Johnson kills a murderer by strangulation about the neck, which is precisely the intention and method of obtaining justice that the law of 1880 was about to dispense. Therefore, his actions could be considered fate, or some strange vigilantism ridding the world of an unstable killer, which results in him receiving the execution intended for Caswell. In a sense, Johnson obfuscates the delineation between murder and lawful execution, inspiring a discussion about the righteousness and justice of killing for the purpose of eliminating a destructive person. Still, from a pacing perspective, Johnson’s appearance was interruptive to the flow of the narrative and removes focus from Caswell’s experiences in the “present” day.
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Episode 27- The Big Tall Wish
It is difficult to properly convey the poignant sentimentality and themes which comprise The Big Tall Wish. I adored the exploration into the ideological juxtaposition between the youthful optimistic vitality and fantastical perspective of life and its possibilities that contrast with the wearied realism concomitant with experiences of time and age. Bolie tenderly represents a man literally fighting against life’s constant fustigations, cognizant of the futility of wishes and the falsity in believing that simple thoughts can significantly alter the status of one’s situation. Young Henry encapsulates the idealistic and altruistic belief in the efficacy of desire, that the want and desperation for a reality is enough to manifest it as true. The intersection and confrontation of these differing perspectives in that single, touching scene between the Bolie and Henry demonstrates the simultaneity of belief and denial which oft reside in all of us who dare to dream, yet realize the improbability of such wistful thoughts without some intervention or unlikely miracle in circumstance. In the finale of this episode, Bolie and Henry harbor an understanding of the other’s views, Henry acknowledging the puerile emptiness of grandiose wishes, and Bolie learning that the staunch absence of belief renders a life despondent and pessimistic. It is the proper convergence of these ideals which a constitute true sense of hope and light in life, the belief in the possibility for betterment that translates into sustained motivation to take personal action and make those dreams a reality for yourself. There is universality to the need for dreams and wishes in order to persist and see the prospect of what can be beyond what currently is. Something all of us could use more of, outside of The Twilight Zone.
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Episode 28- A Nice Place to Visit
I certainly attest to the profound quality of A Nice Place to Visit and the deceptive simplicity which compounds this somewhat predicable tale of a man suffering the torment of perfection in Hell. The more evident discussion is centralized around the unique method of inducing torture in Hell that entails employing the monotony of stability and generosity offered by Pip. Just as light cannot exist without shadow, life is naturally concomitant with uncertainty, risk, fear, loss, and pain which serve to amplify the recognition of any experiences of hope and joy that transpire throughout life. Without change, there can be no growth, and the stagnancy of existence becomes torturous to constantly and predictably endure. The concept of Hell manifesting as a realization of all desires instead of fears is intriguing, and inspires conversations pertaining to the constituents of Heaven if Hell already allows for perfection to be achievable. The simple acquisition of all wants appears to never bring true happiness, and the journey, with all its associated pitfalls and oscillatory highs and lows, is what imbues life with its real meaning in the end. Additionally, there seems to be an ethical discussion on the derivation of criminality and the appropriate retribution modulated for the specific contraventions one has committed throughout their life. “Rocky” himself demonstrates an interesting amalgamation of nature and nurture, as his propensity from youth appears to have been violence towards the innocent, yet, the constancy of his unlucky circumstances and impecuniosity have also contributed to the necessity of his thievery and other crimes. Perhaps some of this ambiguity is why “Rocky” must suffer boredom for eternity rather than other more sanguinary or mentally torturous situations. Conversely, as the thrill of his illegal activities appears to be a significant contributor of why he partakes in them to begin with, it is also possible that monotony and security is the most pernicious and harsh punishment someone like “Rocky” could receive. Regardless, the complexity of what comprises fair punishment for a life of degeneracy is instilled and wonderfully explored within this episode.
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Episode 30- A Stop at Willoughby
The subtle directorial and cinematographic elements implemented in A Stop at Willoughby amplify the tension, pathos, and wistfulness experienced by the unfortunate Gart Williams. The last few days of Mr. Williams’ life commentate upon the rigidity of the corporate environment in the nineteen-fifties, which necessitated constant formality and extensive personal investment in the pecuniary success of the company. Devotion at the expense of stress and degradation of individualism was prioritized, corroding the mental and physical health of the employees without sufficient compensation or recompense for what they endured. In the context of this cultural climate, Gart finds his desperate longing for tranquility and simplicity incompatible with the elevated competitiveness of working within the thankless corporate structure and incongruous with society’s conceptualization of what constitutes the epitome of a successful, idealized man. Gart’s wife corroborates this mentality, venomously vituperating her husband for his deviance against this image of the perfect family man who willingly subjects himself to the whims of the company for the sake of being an effective provider. The innate traditionalism of these societal roles also seems to also have negatively impacted Gart’s wife herself, as she appears frustrated in her own impotence to become an ambitious corporate individual and tormented by her forced reliance on her reluctant husband to adopt this position in her stead.
The convergence of these unyielding expectations without reprieve results in the ideation of a different life for Gart to embody, an unending summer of liberation and relaxation in contrast to the turbid skies and bitter winds of his current reality. Willoughby is peace, a place of rest for the wearied where the hardships of life are impenetrable and dissipate in the summer heat. Willoughby is the comforting embrace of death, and the promises of an idyllic afterlife to follow. Traditionally, trains are metaphorical for the passage of life where death is the final destination, just as Willoughby is the final stop for Gart on his journey through life. In Walking Distance, the synthesis of Martin’s experiences in his idealized past emerge with the recognition that adult responsibilities need not be concomitant with joylessness and monotony in life, leading him to embrace his future with contentment. Conversely, Gart reflects upon Willoughby as an unobtainable reality, a life simply divergent with his own, with the satisfaction and happiness he will always be deprived of in his current existence. Willoughby strips Gart of hope instead of imbuing him with it, consequently leading him to choose Willoughby, and death, over life.
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Episode 31- The Chaser
Conceptually, the audience’s perception of The Chaser is highly dependent on their personal attitudes, backgrounds, and the tone or seriousness with which this episode is viewed. It appears to have been the original intention to cultivate a narrative imbued with an odd sense of levity in its cautionary tale about the impetuousness and danger of unsubstantiated infatuation. I suppose in the nineteen-fifties, lack of reciprocity was not a deterrent to the ardent pursuit of a woman’s affections and, conversely, was interpreted as an endearing attribute demonstrating the devotion the young man harbored. Perhaps the desire was to derive humor from representing the initial obsequiousness which is oft concomitant with the pangs of young “love” in comparison to the perpetual “trapped” sensation someone might endure once bound to another in marriage. It’s a rather traditionalist and antiquated perspective on marriage to even find levity in the expression of disappointment or “being tied down” if the relationship is truly founded on mutual respect, equality, friendship, and a deeper emotional and intellectual connection. Still, marriages within The Twilight Zone are fraught with resentment and ideological incompatibilities that serve to create discord in the male protagonists’ existence, and in this particular episode, it is the unbearable constancy of affection that incites him to consider the glove cleaner after only six months with Leila.
From a more modern, serious, and feminine perspective on The Chaser, the concept of a love potion to begin with is extremely disquieting, considering it necessitates a duplicitous person to spike another’s drink in order to make them more amenable to romantic and sexual interactions. Not only does Roger persist beyond Leila’s articulated rejection, but he manipulates her mind and never technically receives consent for any of his subsequent actions with Leila. In this context, Leila was a woman cognizant of her own desires who was chemically induced to love a man she didn’t want, become pregnant with his baby, then almost die at his hands. It’s an exceedingly dark story that I’m not sure was intended to be analyzed or perceived of in such a grave manner at the time period in which it was originally written.