“Star Trek” and “The Twilight Zone” invite comparability. They’re each early science-fiction tv which might be nonetheless classics in the present day. They did not really air on the identical time (“The Twilight Zone” ran 5 seasons between 1959-1964, whereas “Star Trek” aired three seasons between 1966 to 1969) however retrospectively, they really feel like merchandise of the identical TV period. Each packages additionally mirrored the social consciences of their creators, Rod Serling and Gene Roddenberry respectively, through the use of sci-fi tales principally as allegory.
However whereas “Star Trek” might be sometimes scary, “The Twilight Zone” was typically a full-on horror present. One of many scariest episodes is “It is A Good Life.” (The episode, scripted by Serling himself, was based mostly on a brief story of the identical title by Jerome Bixby.) The episode’s monster is Anthony Fremont (Invoice Mumy), a bit boy however not an abnormal one. Anthony is a god in corporeal type, one who has all of the maturity and knowledge you’d count on a six-year-old to have. He is walled his hometown Peaksville off from the remainder of the world, controlling the townspeople’s lives, leisure, meals provide, and many others. They do not even have freedom in their very own heads as a result of Anthony can learn minds. If anybody a lot as thinks a foul thought, then Anthony sends them to the Cornfield. What’s that? It is most likely for the most effective we do not know.
“It is A Good Life” holds up as one of the well-known “Twilight Zone” episodes. It is also one of many many “Twilight Zone” episodes which were became “Treehouse of Horror” segments on “The Simpsons,” particularly “The Bart Zone” in “Treehouse of Horror II.” (Bart, naturally, is Anthony.)
The 2002 “Twilight Zone” revival additionally included a sequel to “It is A Good Life,” titled “It is A Nonetheless Good Life.” Written by Ira Steven Behr (a reputation Trekkies would possibly acknowledge from his work writing on “Star Trek: Deep Area 9”), the episode adopted a grown-up Anthony. Mumy, who was now nearly 50 and nonetheless a working actor, reprised his position, as did Cloris Leachman as Anthony’s mom. (Anthony’s father, performed by the then-retired John Larch, had since been despatched to the Cornfield.)
As a result of Anthony was by no means challenged, he by no means needed to develop up. He is nonetheless as self-centered and vindictive as a bit baby typically is. Worse, he additionally has a daughter named Audrey (Mumy’s actual daughter Liliana), who has inherited his powers.
“It is A Good Life” is such a well-known “Twilight Zone” episode that “Unusual New Worlds” can say the phrase “cornfield” and nonetheless belief its viewers will choose up its that means. In contrast to Anthony, Trelane no less than has dad and mom who’re capable of put him in his place.
“Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds” streams on Paramount+, and new season 3 episodes premiere on Thursdays.
