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CBS To Reboot 'The Twilight Zone' (hollywoodreporter.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the blast-from-the-past dept.

phalse phace writes: During CBS's Thursday evenings conference call for their 3rd quarter earnings, CEO Leslie Moonves revealed that CBS was planning to reboot the classic fantasy science-fiction television series "The Twilight Zone." According to the Hollywood Reporter, "the show hails from Jordan Peele's Monkeypaw banner, with Marco Ramirez set to pen the script and serve as showrunner." This wouldn't be the first time CBS has brought the show back. "The network revived the series in the 1980s that ran for three seasons and again in 2002 for a season on UPN with host Forest Whitaker. The franchise has also been licensed to a new stage play set to premiere in December at the Almeida Theatre in London and run through January. The original series won three Emmys during its 156-episode run and explored topics including humanity's hopes, despairs, prides and prejudices."

4 of 125 comments (clear)

  1. Cool... by RyanFenton · · Score: 5, Interesting

    The hard part is the philosophy. Acting/special effects/costumes/lighting/etc. are certainly important - but the key to it actually being a good Twilight Zone is that it's exploring a twist in philosophy.

    It's not supposed to be horror, grimdark, author-insert, perspective writing, or anything like that - it's a show about exploring philosophy and implications You can certainly use tropes from other genres to get TO your philosophy, but if you're not exploring and really playing with the concepts, you're not really doing a proper twilight zone.

    Jordan Peele is actually farily appropriate in my odd mind - he's got a nice twist to his comedy that might work well. Perhaps not just like Rod Serling or anything - but worth exploring. The Orville ended up being a good exploration of Star Trek concepts, also from a comedy director - so I'll give this a chance!

    Ryan Fenton

    1. Re:Cool... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's a bit deeper than that, and it's the reason why the subsequent versions were ultimately forgotten.
      "The Twilight Zone" was a _Writer's_ Show. Of the 156 episodes, 92 were written or rewritten by Serling, he Executive Produced, and he hosted. He had a roster of really good Writers, including Matheson, and every show was self-contained; every Cast different, no goddam Story Arcs.
      That is what an Anthology Show was back then. There were variations; Hitchcock Produced, but didn't write, or except for one occasion, Direct.
      The only element constant each week was Serling himself, who already had a reputation as a Writer. Also, there were no pestilent "Show Runners", a publicity term coined by "Variety"; the "People Magazine" of the Entertainment World.

      Neither Peele nor Ramirez have shown any aptitude for Anthology; for the Short Story. Ramirez in particular is into that Story Arc nonsense. So a lot depends on who Hosts. If they just hire a recognizable face, it may last a Season. But in all likelihood there will be a Weekly Cast, perhaps a Paranormal investigator and his perky Daughter, and it will turn into an "X-Files" clone, hosted by some dude who just shows up five minutes a week to recite a couple of opening lines, and a snarky/reflective/philosophical line at the end.
      Also, and this is very important, whoever Hosts must Smoke. Serling was constantly seen with a cigarette clutched between his knuckles. If not a cigarette, perhaps a cigar. It doesn't have to be lit; many hosts back then, like Bob Wilkins, just used it as a prop.
      And it doesn't have to be tobacco. Some concessions can be made to the modern World.

    2. Re:Cool... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I am re-watching the series right now.

      You have it fairly well nailed on what the original show was. It was a fairly low budget show. If you watch them there is near to 0 special effects. Most of it is set pieces on existing sets or driving out to the desert. Someone needs to disappear? Pan away have actor react. Sometimes they would stop the camera then resume it for the pop removal. If they could not pull the effect off on set they did not do it.

      What most people miss is how cheaply made the shows were. They had to focus pretty much 100% on the story. Which is what makes all shows and movies good. Focus on the story.

      I am also watching the original dragnet series. That too was mostly set pieces but with a better budget. It is a good exploration of similar issues we fight today. Those issues never went away.

  2. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Comment removed based on user account deletion