The Idiot Box
Thoughts on TV shows and my current viewing habits.
In August Elementary finally came to an end after seven years. The last season spanned a tighter than usual 13 episodes and introduced a new and very contemporary archnemesis; tech giant Odin Reichenbach (James Frain). Although it can be argued that the story arc was very formulaic, it also drew upon many elements of Conan Doyle’s original stories. Holmes realises that he may have to sacrifice himself to take down a foe and protect those nearest to him. Then there is the issues of his “death”. For many viewers such as myself, the final season wasn’t so much about a clever narrative but simply seeing what happened to all the major cast members. Broadly, it was all very satisfactory. Spoiler Alert. Captain Gregson retired and Marcus remained at the NYPD instead of taking his position with the US Marshal service. Joan finally adopted a child and Morland was killed while trying to broker one of his high-level deals. All story lines were brought to a neat and acceptable end. Furthermore the door was clearly left open for a future revival of the show if required.
Thoughts on TV shows and my current viewing habits.
In August Elementary finally came to an end after seven years. The last season spanned a tighter than usual 13 episodes and introduced a new and very contemporary archnemesis; tech giant Odin Reichenbach (James Frain). Although it can be argued that the story arc was very formulaic, it also drew upon many elements of Conan Doyle’s original stories. Holmes realises that he may have to sacrifice himself to take down a foe and protect those nearest to him. Then there is the issues of his “death”. For many viewers such as myself, the final season wasn’t so much about a clever narrative but simply seeing what happened to all the major cast members. Broadly, it was all very satisfactory. Spoiler Alert. Captain Gregson retired and Marcus remained at the NYPD instead of taking his position with the US Marshal service. Joan finally adopted a child and Morland was killed while trying to broker one of his high-level deals. All story lines were brought to a neat and acceptable end. Furthermore the door was clearly left open for a future revival of the show if required.
Mindhunter Season 2 has proved to be an improvement over the first series. The focus has moved away from FBI Special Agent Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and now Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and Professor Wendy Carr (Anna Torv) have been given more scope to develop. Bill’s young son was inadvertently involved in the killing of another child which has put his marriage under a lot of strain. Wendy continues to navigate the male dominated corridors of power and struggles with her own closeted sexuality. As with the first season the interviews with the various serial killers prove absolutely hair raising, with much of the dialogue coming from original FBI transcripts. Season 2 also benefitted from a continuous story arc exploring the Atlanta child murders. It was both harrowing and depressing to see countless children’s deaths ignored by the authorities due to entrenched racism and the way in which politics and business colluded to sweep matters under the carpet once a potential culprit was found.
Although there has been plenty to watch over the last four months since I last wrote an instalment of The Idiot Box, I am getting a little tired at the way that successful genres quickly become popular band wagons. After years of the fantasy genre being underrepresented, we now find a glut of such material. I was briefly interested in Carnival Row as I initially thought it was simply going to be a period set, police procedural like Ripper Street. But then it became clear that it was just another “fantasy” based drama with little originality. I’m also completely over anything about superheroes, so have given The Boys a wide berth, despite it getting good reviews. The basic premise is just so uninspiring. However, I am looking forward to Star Trek: Picard when it’s released in early 2020 because it is part of a long-established franchise. I’m curiously optimistic about The Witcher series which looks more promising than expected.
Here’s a summary of what else I’ve been watching:
Dead Pixels. A UK sitcom about a fictitious MMORPG called Kingdom Scrolls and an eclectic group of players. After years of perpetuating stereotypes about gamers, Dead Pixels is possibly the first major comedy that successfully captures some of the quirky foibles of the gaming community. It’s funny and honest as it’s not afraid to show some of the less positive attributes associated with gamers.
The Shining (1997). A two-part miniseries directed by Mick Garris, that follows Stephen Kings source text a lot more closely than the Kubrick movie. It is functional and adequate but suffers from a low budget and some poor CGI. The grandeur of the 1980 version is lost. There’s a nice performance from Steven Weber who has a far more measured decent into insanity than Jack Nicholson. I enjoyed the cameo from Melvin Van Peebles as Dick Hallorann.
Chernobyl. This is an utterly compelling docudrama that just reeks of authenticity. The science is chilling, as is the myopic nature of the Soviet authorities’ response to the unfolding crisis. The performances are measured and the tone is tragic. However, it’s a difficult watch as it quickly becomes apparent that many of the cast have doomed themselves to a singularly unpleasant demise.
The Twilight Zone Season 5. I started watching the first season of The Twilight Zone April 2018 and over recent months have slowly worked my way through the entire back catalogue. The first three seasons certainly have the best episodes. Season 4 moved from a 25-minute format to 50 minutes and some of the stories cannot sustain that running time and are ponderous. Season 5 saw a return to the original duration but the stories are not so strong. Still, I am glad that I’ve taken the time to fully acquaint myself with this iconic show. It may be a cliché but this was ahead of its time and although various other shows have tried to replicate its success, few have succeeded.
The Terror: Infamy. The first season of The Terror was the big television surprise of 2018. A curious blend of fact, historical conjecture and mysticism. It was a delightful slow burn drama and a solid analysis of mental disintegration in adverse conditions. Season 2 is a radically different beast but no less fascinating. Set during the internment of Japanese Americans citizens during World War II, this is another measured foray into horror. The ghost story being told is relatively straight forward but it is the cultural trappings that make it quite different and compelling. Plus its always a pleasure to see George Takei in anything.
Instinct. I was most surprised this show got a second season. It’s a curious hybrid of police procedural, forensic psychology with Alan Cumming starring as Dr. Dylan Reinhart; an author, university professor and former CIA operative who now consults for the NYPD. The show also focuses on Reinhart’s relationship with his husband Andy (Daniel Ings), a lawyer-turned-bar owner who still uses his law skills to help their mutual friends when needed. It’s all somewhat contrived and tries to cover a little too much ground but I watch it mainly because of Cummings, who holds it all together and sports some wonderfully flamboyant suits.
TV To Do List:
Evil. I stumbled across this show while looking for reviews of another. The plot sounded intriguing; a sceptical forensic psychologist allies with a priest and a contractor to investigate purported supernatural incidents. So I’ve decided to give it a go. Robert and Michelle King who created the show have an established pedigree with titles such as The Good Wife and The good Fight. And I'm a sucker for anything with Michael Emerson in. So let’s see how it pans out.
The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. I really want to catch up with this show. The Dark Crystal is a grossly underrated movie. The sort of experimental film making that thrived briefly during the post Star Wars period. Plus anything with puppets and animatronics caters to my tastes. I suspect I’ll binge this show over a couple of nights in October.
The Idiot Box
Thoughts on TV shows and my current viewing habits.
Broadly speaking I think season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery has been an improvement on season1, and I didn’t think that was a dog’s dinner. There were some very good ideas in the first series but it did stray a little too far canonically speaking in both some major and minor aspects of the production. The second season seems to be reining some of these issues in and I love the continuity the writers have shown with Captain Christopher Pike’s back story. There are times when the need to expedite the narrative comes at the expense of character development. For example it would have it would have been nice to have had an extra episode of two to get to know Airiam (Hannah Cheesman) a little better. It would have heightened the emotional impact of her death a little more. But this propensity to rush is hardly unique to Star Trek: Discovery. I am curious to see where the story is going as I like many other viewers suspect this may be an origin story for a major Federation nemesis. We shall have to see. I’m always cautious about plot devices that explain away an “enigma”. There is the risk that you rob it of its narrative potency.
Thoughts on TV shows and my current viewing habits.
Broadly speaking I think season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery has been an improvement on season1, and I didn’t think that was a dog’s dinner. There were some very good ideas in the first series but it did stray a little too far canonically speaking in both some major and minor aspects of the production. The second season seems to be reining some of these issues in and I love the continuity the writers have shown with Captain Christopher Pike’s back story. There are times when the need to expedite the narrative comes at the expense of character development. For example it would have it would have been nice to have had an extra episode of two to get to know Airiam (Hannah Cheesman) a little better. It would have heightened the emotional impact of her death a little more. But this propensity to rush is hardly unique to Star Trek: Discovery. I am curious to see where the story is going as I like many other viewers suspect this may be an origin story for a major Federation nemesis. We shall have to see. I’m always cautious about plot devices that explain away an “enigma”. There is the risk that you rob it of its narrative potency.
I recently had the opportunity to see the first two episodes in the latest revival of The Twilight Zone. The first instalment, The Comedian, was an interesting and well-intentioned exploration of the disposable nature of modern comedy and celebrity culture. Humour is a powerful tool and writer Alex Rubens (Rick and Morty, Key & Peele) focuses on the perennial choice of whether a successful exponent should punch up or down. However, this episode was 55 minutes long and couldn’t adequately fill that running time. With some judicious editing it could have achieved a lot more powerful. However the second story, Nightmare at 30,000 Feet, totally hit the mark, containing all the beats you’d expect from the show. This clever, contemporary re-working of the classic 1963-episode Nightmare at 20,000 Feet starring Bill Shatner, was tense, well written and had a double sting in the tail. There were also some very subtle visual homages to the original show. Overall, I think this is going to be a very modern interpretation of The Twilight Zone and show runner Jordan Peele is certainly not going to shy away from hot topics. For those already decrying this, I suggest they revisit the original five seasons of the show. Rod Serling was no stranger to taking on the big social issues of his time.
Here’s a summary of what else I’ve been watching:
It would be remiss of me not to mention After Life, which I said I was going to watch in the previous instalment of The Idiot Box. This was an extremely well observed, moving exploration of bereavement and grief from Ricky Gervais. As ever the humour was stark and pushed a few boundaries but the laughs were genuine as was the sentiment. The supporting cast was outstanding as they always are in his productions. Hopefully the success of this show will contribute to a wider, more candid public discourse about death.
The ever dependable NCIS reaches the final three episodes of season 16. As ever there have been some weekly instalments that have been just “filler” but there’s also been some quite strong stories. Will we get a resolution to the potential “will they, won’t they” romance between agents Torres and Bishop? Is Ziva David really alive or is it some sort of ruse? Will Doctor Mallard please just retire! (Nope he’s now the NCIS Historian). Unlike other shows, NCIS weathers cast changes well. It certainly has a high mortality rate among its lead characters. I wonder if anyone is going to die this season?
Finally, series 57 of the popular BBC satirical comedy panel show, Have I Got News for You, has just started in the UK. Although still an amusing diversion, HIGNFY has lost its impact and has in many ways simply become part of the “establishment” landscape. The show that started off being merciless to its political guests now seems to indirectly facilitate them. Even TV viewing has now become a partisan activity, so the shows message is very much a case of “preaching to the choir”.
The Twilight Zone (1959-64)
Despite the wealth of new television shows that are currently available, a few month ago I chose to revisit The Twilight Zone. In the past I have watched occasional iconic episodes during late night re-runs, but I have never really applied myself to the show. Up to now, I have mainly been familiar with this iconic show through the books that I’ve read. So, in March I started watching season one and was immediately hooked. Contemporary TV shows are often frenetic, densely plotted and at times over long. The Twilight Zone frequently manages to make it’s point in just twenty-five minutes, with strong performances and intelligent dialogue. Yes, there are aspects of the show that are dated. The production values are sometimes constrained by the budget and the special effects are not always that special. The shows gender politics are very much of the time. But all five seasons feature a cavalcade of fine actors, some already established at the time and others who would go onto greater things. Many of the episodes have bespoke scores written by the likes of Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith. But at its core The Twilight Zone stands out because of the superb writing of its creator Rod Serling.
Despite the wealth of new television shows that are currently available, a few month ago I chose to revisit The Twilight Zone. In the past I have watched occasional iconic episodes during late night re-runs, but I have never really applied myself to the show. Up to now, I have mainly been familiar with this iconic show through the books that I’ve read. So, in March I started watching season one and was immediately hooked. Contemporary TV shows are often frenetic, densely plotted and at times over long. The Twilight Zone frequently manages to make it’s point in just twenty-five minutes, with strong performances and intelligent dialogue. Yes, there are aspects of the show that are dated. The production values are sometimes constrained by the budget and the special effects are not always that special. The shows gender politics are very much of the time. But all five seasons feature a cavalcade of fine actors, some already established at the time and others who would go onto greater things. Many of the episodes have bespoke scores written by the likes of Bernard Herrmann and Jerry Goldsmith. But at its core The Twilight Zone stands out because of the superb writing of its creator Rod Serling.
The Twilight Zone frequently uses the medium of tales of suspense, science fiction and the paranormal to explore perennial themes of prejudice, love, war, and the social issues of US society at the time. Sometimes the stories are stark, hard hitting and challenging. Other times they can be whimsical, subtle or paternal in tone. The show's signature twist endings often made the stories all the more memorable. Many of the tropes and common place plot devices that we now take for granted or even satirise, hail from Serling’s trail blazing show. This was ground breaking television at the time. Aside from Serling, who wrote or adapted over half of the total episodes, The Twilight Zone features the work of such authors as Charles Beaumont, Ray Bradbury, Earl Hamner, Jr., George Clayton Johnson, Richard Matheson, Reginald Rose, and Jerry Sohl. Many episodes also featured contemporary adaptations of classic stories by such writers as Ambrose Bierce, Jerome Bixby, Damon Knight, John Collier, and Lewis Padgett.
Over the course of five seasons these writers frequently used the medium of science fiction and broader fantasy as a means for social commentary. This proved quite beneficial as the otherwise censorial network executives and more importantly sponsors often failed to see the “message” in such fantastic material. Hence, The Twilight Zone includes stories about nuclear war, McCarthyism, and mass hysteria. Such material if referenced in a more traditional dramatic fashion would more than likely have been watered down or simply rejected. Key episodes such as "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" and "I Am the Night—Color Me Black" offered direct commentary on prevailing social issues and were not afraid to contradict the establishment status quo. Other stories, such as "The Masks", "I Dream of Genie", or "Mr. Denton on Doomsday" were allegorical in nature and pondered moral and philosophical conundrums through modern day fables. The spectre of World War II still looms large in many episodes, with cautionary tales about the need to remain ever vigilant against extremism and fascism. One episode “He’s Alive” has become worryingly relevant again.
Despite running for five seasons, The Twilight Zone was not an easy sell and an immediate runaway success. The ratings were good but there was still a great deal of critical prejudice against the show, simply because science fiction was a marginalised genre. Many critics as well as studio executives did not feel the medium could offer any narrative depth beyond escapism and certainly did not see it as a means of providing adult drama. The conceit of Serling's appearances on the show to introduce each story, eventually became one of its most original and distinct features. But at the time some saw this an indulgence or a distraction. It was not Serling’s idea to do this initially and he was quite reticent take up this role in front of the cameras. Yet his concise, direct delivery and distillation of the impending plot has become iconic and is still widely imitated today. Serling’s narrations and the breaking of the “fourth wall” were an innovative device and he appeared on all episodes. However, in the episode "A World of His Own", Keenan Wynn plays a writer with the power to alter his reality. He overhears and objects to Serling's narration, promptly removing him from the proceedings.
To date, I have watched the first two seasons of The Twilight Zone and am currently halfway through the third. Season one and two I’ve watched on DVD and the shows are in their syndicated format. That is to say, they do not include the sponsorship messages given by Rod Serling at the end of each episode, along with his preview of the next instalment. However, the Blu-ray boxset of the entire series (via which I’m currently viewing season three) includes the commercial break title card midway through each show, along with the aforementioned sponsorship messages and preview preamble. There are occasionally additional advertisements for charities and such like after the end credits, along with trailers for Gunsmoke with James Arness. The Blu-ray release has been lovingly restored from the original 35mm negatives and look crisp and clear. Many of the episodes that are deemed “classic” have multiple commentary tracks by cast members, writers and film historians. This release is certainly the best way to watch The Twilight Zone.
It’s hard to write anything about The Twilight Zone without referencing certain episodes. But as this has been done many times before, by far more keen-sighted critics and writers, I will simply mention those that I’ve personally enjoyed. "The Invaders" written by Richard Matheson is a tense tale of a woman living in a remote cabin, terrorised by tiny alien invaders. As ever there’s a clever sting in the tail. "It's a Good Life" stars Billy Mumy as a child devoid of a moral compass, who has the ability to will anything into or out of existence. He subsequently holds sway over a rural farming community. Interestingly, this was the episode that Joe Dante chose to remake for Twilight Zone: The Movie in 1983. "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street" intelligently documents how a suburban community quickly turns on itself during what appears to be an alien invasion. Claude Akins give a credible performance, but it is Rod Serling’s script that is the real star in this story. I also have a soft spot for the bitter sweet "Time Enough at Last", starring the great Burgess Meredith as a hen-pecked husband who just wants to be left alone to read. The final pay-off still has the power both to raise a wry smile and a pang of sadness. I’d also recommend "Long-Distance Call" about a child who speaks to their dead Grandma on a toy telephone. You can also see a young Richard Kiel as the alien Kanamit ambassador in "To Serve Man". After sharing their technology, along with curing disease and famine, human flock to join an exchange program and visit the Kanamit homeworld. But there’s a dark secret contained within a book left my the Kanamit ambassador. The ending is the stuff on TV legends.
The Twilight Zone had an unprecedented influence on movies, television and pop culture in the years after its original broadcast. Many of it’s twist endings, iconic lines of dialogue and premises have become internet memes and are lovingly referenced in other shows. The theme tune, by Marius Constant, has itself has entered common parlance and become a signifier of the weird, odd and baroque. Just hum the first few bars of the intro music and most people with quickly guess that something off kilter has occurred. Such is the standing of Rod Serling’s show. So, if you enjoy portmanteau movies or dark TV show such as Black Mirror, then why not checkout the series that started it all. You’ll frequently find a wealth of great character actors, such as Lee Marvin, Lee Van Cleef, Vera Miles, Cloris Leachman, Dennis Hopper, Carol Burnett and Robert Duvall. And at twenty-five minutes an episode (apart from season four when they decided to double the length) these make ideal late-night viewing, often providing a bizarre or curious tale to ponder before sleep. Assuming that you’ll get any after some episodes.
