Peele enters The Twilight Zone

Classic sci-fi series gets a modern reboot

Abagail Jay|April 29, 2019

Courtesy Kaiketsu/Wikimedia Commons

Jordan Peele is best known for his work in comedy sketch writing and television. He has since shifted to the horror genre, directing both Get Out and Us. Peele will also voice a new character in the upcoming movie Toy Story 4.

The Twilight Zone is one of the most well-known and infamous American television series. From the mind of Rod Serling, the show mixes elements of science fiction, drama and horror. Each episode has its own characters, plots and settings that are unique to the episode, often with a twist ending.

The show gained acclaim for its ability to provide a commentary on real-world problems in a fantasy setting, with episodes influenced by the Vietnam War and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

“The Twilight Zone is really important because of the historical context,” Elena Hall, ‘21, said.

The series ran from 1958 to 1964 producing over 150 episodes, each introduced and narrated by the show’s creator, Rod Serling. Over 60 years after the first episode aired on CBS, the show is getting a modern makeover.

Jordan Peele, along with the original network, CBS, has taken on the challenge of re-creating the series in a modern setting. Episodes evolve around the current political atmosphere and the impact of technology on our society.

Courtesy CBS Television/ Wikimedia Commons
Rod Serling, creator and star of The Twilight Zone, began his writing career in Cincinnati. He wrote scripts for WLW radio beginning in 1950. After shifting to TV, Serling also wrote for WKRC-TV in Cincinnati.

The most prominent difference between the original and the re-creation, aside from the switch from black and white film to color, is the creator and narrator. Serling was the creator, narrator and writer for the original series, but, as he died in 1975, he can’t fulfill those same roles on the 2019 version.

Instead, Jordan Peele takes on the role.

Peele is the producer of the show, a head writer and acts as the narrator. This is an especially important role as the narrator is the only recurring character on the show.

“Rod Serling was such an expert on science fiction. Peele feels like a comedian, and even though he’s talented, I don’t know if he can live up to how prolific Rod Serling was. But there’s definitely worse people to do it,” Hall said.

Peele’s series premiered on April 1, with the pilot episode “The Comedian,” starring Kumail Nanjiani. The episode is currently available for free on YouTube, as well as the CBS website. The transcendent nature of the series attracted many big names to the cast of Peele’s version, such as Adam Scott, John Cho and Seth Rogen, to star in the first 10 episodes of the reboot.

Three episodes in, the series has a 6.6/10 rating on IMDb. Here’s to hoping that the reboot can live up to its predecessor.