Reviewed by Melissa Antoinette Garza
“He shouldn’t have thought those bad thoughts- that’s why I made him go on fire. – Anthony (Bill Mumy)
I just finished watching an episode of The Twilight Zone on Netflix. “It’s a Good Life” is one of my favorite episodes. The 1980s movie version had a reimagining of the episode but nothing could compare to the original. The Twilight Zone is often my go-to show when I find myself dissatisfied about the current state of television. Though, I should have no room to talk as I watch Dance Moms and Wife Swap. I fully admit it’s mindless garbage. It’s addictive mindless garbage, but trash all the same.
For the most part, there are few shows which are designed to enhance the mind or spark real conversation. With the exception of “educational” programs, the smartest show on TV would have to be BBCs panel show QI hosted by Stephen Fry. For those who have not seen nor heard of it, I would highly suggest getting a region free player and purchasing the DVD sets. Each episode tackles misconceptions. The 4 guests are asked questions that seem to have an easy answer (i.e. how many of each animal does the Bible claim that Noah bring on the ark, how many moons does earth have, etc.) Of course, the expected answer is almost always incorrect. The panelists press their buzzard which all make interesting sounds, and guess the answer. Though often incorrect, it is those interesting answers which spark conversation, hilarity, and open the forum to Fry who sets the record straight.
Within the states, Penn & Teller BullShit was a great recent addition to smart TV. The Showtime classic sadly ended after 8 seasons, but during it’s time delivered some great social
commentary, utilized facts and common sense to back up the opinions of the host and often used amusing scientific experiments to drive home their points. One of the greatest was going to an environmental rally and demonstrating how many of the people there were merely followers rather than dedicated to the cause. When asked to sign a petition banning a certain substance, most didn’t even question what the substance was and gladly signed banning H20. Now, there were times I disagreed with P&T. The Stranger Danger episode where a mother is glamorized for allowing her young son to ride the subway on his own, is definitely something that makes me uneasy. That said, they used the same tactics and techniques in that episode that they did in the ones I wholeheartedly did agree with. They gathered facts, statistical data and presented their side to the audience speaking to rational rather than emotionalism.
Now, with few exceptions, smart TV is harder and harder to find nowadays. One must rely on the old TV shows like Dragnet, Adam-12, and of course The Twilight Zone for their fill of intellectual conversation. Despite the aforementioned shows being my favorite of all time, they are also the few that remain timeless. The dialogue stands today as realistic. The characters seem as true to life as ever. As human nature remains the same, it always makes for a great show to cast a reflection of both the good and the bad within society.
“It’s a Good Life” follows the story of little Anthony (Bill Mumy) who always gets his way. Anthony has the uncanny ability to read the thoughts of everyone around him and if he doesn’t like them he can wish them away into the cornfield. In fact, he can create whatever he thinks of. He can make 2 head animals and then kill them as if they were nothing. He can cause people to catch on fire or even (and in one of the greatest segments) make someone into a Jack in the Box.
It is clear that everyone within the family hates Anthony. Even his parents despise the boy however just like everyone else in town, they fear him. Regardless of what he does, even when he has it snow on the crops that feed the family, he is told that’s he’s done well.
The tale is one that teaches a few lessons. It speaks to the dangers of spoiling children too much and to the dangers of complacency when in the hands of a tyrant. It’s clear that if the town banded together they could get rid of Anthony but despite the efforts of some who get destroyed in the process, the town stands down. It is only a matter of time before each one does something that Anthony dislikes or before the child makes a decision that will destroy everyone anyways. Still, they choose to walk on broken glass around the boy and pretend that all he does is great.
Scared Stiff Rating 10/10