Twilight Zone 1985, is it worthy?
In 1985 they decided to reboot my all time favourite show. I have not until this day watched it because of my undying love and unshakable loyalty to the original series. That doesn’t necessarily mean the reboot is bad or unwatchable, that just mean that I’m a stupid snob.
Serling had at that time been dead for a decade and sold the rights to CBS, who now after Spielberg’s ‘Twilight Zone the Movie’ thought it suitable to revive the old classic.
The 85 version started out with one hour long episodes, divided into three shorter stories, faithfully following Rod Serling’s 22 minute episodes. Also, taking over as a narrator was Charles Aidman, who starred in two very famous episodes of the original series. Little Girl Lost and And When the Sky Was Opened.
I started watching the first two episodes and so far.. it’s goooooood. And I really have to swallow years and years of stubbornness to admit that.
Episode One.
In Shatterday Bruce Willis stars as Peter Jay Novis who accidentally calls his own house when sitting in a bar and before he has a chance of hanging up he hears a voice.. his own..
In shock he asks questions gets them answered and is finally convinced that he is actually talking to a version of himself. He instinctually heads home only to be warned by his other self that if he goes home one of them will disappear since two of the same can not exist in the same universe in the same place at the same time. So now Peter has to stay away from his house while the new Peter starts reorganising his life.. actually to the better.
A really good introductory episode in true Twilight Zone spirit, and also always nice to see Bruce Willis in something else than action, which I always associate him with.
Episode Two. 
The second episode, Some Peace and Quiet, starts out with a noisy house and the mother, Penny, struggling with a thousand requests from her husband and kids. Every day is the same and all she wants is some peace and quiet. One day, whilst digging in the garden, she finds a beautiful necklace which she puts on. During an extremely busy and noisy morning she yells out ‘Shut Up!’ and all of a sudden everything goes dead silent. Stunned she tries saying ‘Start Talking’ and the family continues, as if they never were interrupted. She realises this must have something to do with the necklace and tries turning her family on and off, and to her delight, it works. Now, happy with her newly found source of peace and quiet, Penny uses her gift in every situation where she’s bothered by sound.
One night she and her husband hears a distressed call on the radio of a nuclear attack on the US and a war between them and Russia is now a fact. Her husband and kids, terrified, says their goodbyes, positive that this is the end.. Yet, Penny still has her necklace.. and the power to shut down.. the whole world.
Two great episodes, both directed by horror master Wes Craven, to introduce this new show and I am a tough cookie when it comes to The Twilight Zone. Even though it is miles away from my favourite show it holds up! With suspense and mystery and stories which would make Serling proud, it starts out strong. Hopefully it will continue like that and I have a ‘new show’ (A series the same age as myself) to watch.
My next step is to also move on to the 2002 version of The Twilight Zone.. scary stuff.
