The Twilight Zone (2002 TV series)
| The Twilight Zone | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre |
Science fiction Fantasy Horror Mystery |
| Created by |
Rod Serling (a second revival of the 1959 TV series) |
| Presented by | Forest Whitaker |
| Composer(s) | Mark Snow |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 22 (list of episodes) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) |
John Watson Mark Stern Ira Steven Behr Pen Densham |
| Location(s) | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Running time | 44 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
New Line Television Spirit Dance Entertainment Trilogy Entertainment Group Joshmax Productions Services |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | UPN |
| Audio format | 5.1 Surround Sound |
| Original release | September 18, 2002 – May 21, 2003 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Twilight Zone (1985 series) |
The Twilight Zone is a 2002 revival of Rod Serling's 1950s television series. It aired for one season on the UPN network, with actor Forest Whitaker assuming Serling's role as narrator and on-screen host.[1]
Series history
Broadcast in an hour format with two half-hour stories, it was canceled after one season. Reruns continue to air in syndication, and have aired on MyNetworkTV since summer 2008. The opening theme music was provided by Jonathan Davis (of the rock group Korn).
The series tended to address contemporary issues head-on; i.e. terrorism, racism, gender roles, sexuality, and stalking. Noteworthy episodes featured Jason Alexander as Death wanting to retire from harvesting souls, Lou Diamond Phillips as a swimming pool cleaner being shot repeatedly in his dreams, Susanna Thompson as a woman whose stated wish results in an "upgrading" of her family, Usher as a police officer being bothered by telephone calls from beyond the grave, and Katherine Heigl playing a woman who went back in time to do a suicide mission to kill the infant Adolf Hitler.
The series also includes remakes and updates of stories presented in the original Twilight Zone television series, including the famous "The Eye of the Beholder". One of the updates, "The Monsters Are on Maple Street", is a modernized version of the classic episode similarly called "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street". The original show was about the paranoia surrounding a neighborhood-wide blackout. In the course of the episode, somebody suggests an alien invasion being the cause of the blackouts, and that one of the neighbors may be an alien. The anti-alien hysteria is an allegory for the anti-communist paranoia of the time, and the 2003 remake, starring Andrew McCarthy, replaces aliens with terrorists. The show also contains "It's Still a Good Life", a sequel to the events of "It's a Good Life", an episode of the original series produced 41 years earlier. Bill Mumy returned to play the adult version of Anthony, the demonic child he had played in the original story, with Mumy's daughter, Liliana, appearing as Anthony's daughter, a more benevolent but even more powerful child. Cloris Leachman also returned as Anthony's mother. Mumy went on to serve as screenwriter for other episodes in the revival.
Other guest stars include, but not are limited to: Jessica Simpson, Wayne Knight, Christopher Titus, Eriq La Salle, Jason Bateman, James Remar, Method Man, Linda Cardellini, Jaime Pressly, Jeremy Sisto, Molly Sims, Tangi Miller, Portia de Rossi, Christopher McDonald, Wallace Langham, Jeremy Piven, Samantha Mathis, Ethan Embry, Shannon Elizabeth, Jonathan Jackson, Amber Tamblyn, Penn Badgley, Dylan Walsh, Robin Tunney, Michael Shanks, Gordon Michael Woolvett, Keith Hamilton Cobb, Xander Berkeley, Lukas Haas, Emily Perkins, and Elizabeth Berkley. McDonald, Langham, Xander Berkeley, and Lukas Haas had all previous guest starred in the 1980s revival.
The series did not enjoy the same level of critical or ratings success as the original series or the 1980s revival, and only lasted one season.
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | Production code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
2 | "Evergreen"
"One Night at Mercy" | Allan Kroeker
Peter O'Fallon | Jill Blotevogel
Christopher Mack | September 18, 2002 | 106
103 |
|
The family of a rebellious teenager (Amber Tamblyn) moves to a gated community which has a unique and grisly way of dealing with troubled youth. A doctor named Dr. Jay Ferguson (Tyler Christopher) saves a strange patient (Jason Alexander) from suicide, only to learn that he is Death incarnate looking to take a break from his life's work. | |||||
| 3
4 | "Shades of Guilt"
"Dream Lover" | Perry Lang
Peter O'Fallon | Ira Steven Behr
Frederick Rappaport | September 25, 2002 | 107
105 |
|
After leaving a dark-skinned professor (Hill Harper) who's asking for help, Matt McGreevy (Vincent Ventresca) soon learns to regret his action as he slowly begins to resemble the man. A comic book graphic artist named Andrew Lomax (Adrian Pasdar) somehow makes his dream girl (Shannon Elizabeth) real to help him with his writer's block. However, who is real and who is fictional becomes unclear. | |||||
| 5
6 | "Cradle of Darkness"
"Night Route" | Jean de Segonzac | Kamran Pasha
Jill Blotevogel | October 2, 2002 | 104
102 |
|
A woman (Katherine Heigl) working for a time travel organization is sent back in time to kill Adolf Hitler in infancy and prevent his reign of terror. After nearly being hit by a car, a female English professor named Melina Kroner (Ione Skye) is haunted by a strange bus appearing in her street. | |||||
| 7
8 | "Time Lapse"
"Dead Man's Eyes" | John T. Kretchmer
Jerry Levine | James Crocker
Frederick Rappaport | October 9, 2002 | 109
108 |
|
An orderly named Zack Walker (Ethan Embry), suffering from blackouts, learns that the gaps in time that he can't remember were the result of a cop—briefly switching bodies with him—trying to prevent the assassination of the President's daughter. After the husband of Lauren Janus (Portia de Rossi) is murdered, she is inconsolable. At the trial, she absentmindedly places his glasses on her face—and suddenly, she is able to see through his eyes. The glasses recorded the man's last moments, so his wife decides to try and solve the case—but she must face a very dangerous and familiar murderer. | |||||
| 9
10 | "The Pool Guy"
"Azoth the Avenger Is a Friend of Mine" | Paul Shapiro
Brad Turner | Hans Beimler
Brent V. Friedman | October 16, 2002 | 111
112 |
|
A pool cleaner named Richie Almares (Lou Diamond Phillips) is having a recurring nightmare of a deceased man (Mackenzie Gray) who keeps telling him to wake up before shooting him. A young boy named Craig Henson (Rory Culkin), beset by an abusive father and neighborhood bullies, wills his favorite superhero Azoth the Avenger (Patrick Warburton) to life, who teaches him about vengeance and courage. | |||||
| 11 | "The Lineman" | Jonathan Frakes | Pen Densham | October 23, 2002 | 101 |
| In this one-hour episode, a lineman named Tyler Andrew Ward (Jeremy Piven) is struck by lightning and gains the ability to hear other people's thoughts. Using his newfound powers for his own personal and financial gain, he soon realizes that everything comes with a price. | |||||
| 12
13 | "Harsh Mistress"
"Upgrade" | Brad Turner
Joe Chappelle | Bradley Thompson & David Weddle
Robert Hewitt Wolfe | October 30, 2002 | 110
113 |
|
A struggling musician named Cory Williams (Lukas Haas) purchases an infamous guitar, which leads to him gaining vast international stardom and wealth, but both come with a surprising price tag. A housewife named Annie (Susanna Thompson), humiliated by her loutish husband and unruly children, wishes for a better life, only to find that reality wants to replace her as well. | |||||
| 14
15 | "To Protect and Serve"
"Chosen" | Joe Chappelle
Winrich Kolbe | Kamran Pasha
Ira Steven Behr | November 6, 2002 | 115
114 |
|
An idealistic police officer named Eric Boggs (Usher), determined to keep a prostitute (Samantha Becker) safe from her pimp, will stop at nothing in this world to protect her. A hopeless and destitute man named Vincent Hansen (Jake Busey) angrily rebuffs two persistent missionaries who may well have the answer to all of his problems at the time when some people start to disappear. | |||||
| 16
17 | "Sensuous Cindy"
"Hunted" | John T. Kretchmer
Patrick Norris | James Crocker
Christopher Mack | November 13, 2002 | 116
117 |
|
Having sworn off all other women upon getting engaged, a man named Benjamin Baker (Greg Germann) is put to the test by a virtual-reality beauty named Cindy (Jaime Pressly). A futuristic society is attacked by a vicious and mysterious murderer. | |||||
| 18
19 | "Mr. Motivation"
"Sanctuary" | Deran Sarafian
Patrick Norris | Teleplay by: Brent V. Friedman Story by: Steven Aspis James Crocker | November 20, 2002 | 118
119 |
|
A sinister toy doll (voiced by Pat O'Brien) encourages a timid man named Charles Stickney (Wallace Langham) to stand up to his boss Rick (Christopher McDonald) and take control of his life. Stranded in a modern day Garden of Eden, a sports agent named Scott Turner (Rob Estes) and a real estate agent named Marisa Sanborn (Elizabeth Berkley) soon find their idyllic world crumbling thanks to an injured motorcyclist (Nicki Aycox) and her working cell phone. | |||||
| 20
21 | "Future Trade"
"Found and Lost" | Bob Balaban
Vern Gillum | Clyde Hayes
Teleplay by: Frederick Rappaport Story by: Bill Mumy | November 27, 2002 | 121
120 |
|
A man named Martin Donner (Frank Whaley) with a dead-end job at a big-box store and a dysfunctional family is lured into trading his future for that of a seemingly privileged man with a trophy wife (Sofia Milos). But he must have forgotten the age-old cliché: if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. A businessman named Sean Moore (Brian Austin Green) gets a chance to revisit the past and make another bid for Elizabeth Wicker (Moira Kelly) who was the woman that he loved. | |||||
| 22
23 | "Gabe's Story"
"Last Lap" | Allan Kroeker
Brad Turner | Dusty Kay
Rob Hedden | December 11, 2002 | 123
122 |
|
A deliveryman named Gabe O'Brien (Christopher Titus) suffering from consistent bad luck is given a surprising chance to change his destiny. A terminally ill young man named Andy Perez (Clifton Collins, Jr.) and his best friend Marco Flores (Greg Serano) take a final ride in their souped-up racer that results in unexpected consequences for both. | |||||
| 24
25 | "The Path"
"Fair Warning" | Jerry Levine
John T. Kretchmer | James Crocker
David Weddle & Bradley Thompson | January 8, 2003 | 125
124 |
|
A dissatisfied tabloid journalist named Ally Warner (Linda Cardellini) entrusts her fate in the hands of a fortune teller named Kamayo (Method Man) who gives her scoops in advance. However, her "sure thing" has hidden problems. A flower shop clerk named Tina Bishop (Taryn Manning) is viciously stalked by one of the multiple personalities of a troubled pet store employee named George Straitton (Devon Gummersall). | |||||
| 26
27 | "Another Life"
"Rewind" | Risa Bramon Garcia
Kevin Bray | Amir Mann & Brent V. Friedman
James Crocker | February 5, 2003 | 126
127 |
|
Famous rapper Marvin Gardens (Wood Harris) overcame a tough childhood in the projects to become a millionaire with a wife, son, and mansion. However, painful, confusing visions plague him to the point that the thin line between real and fantasy is crossed. A compulsive gambler named Jonah Beach (Eddie Kaye Thomas) mysteriously learns how to travel back in time, believes he has found a sure bet to win big at the casinos. He soon discovers, however, that everything is a gamble. | |||||
| 28
29 | "Tagged"
"Into the Light" | James Head
Lou Diamond Phillips | Story by: Charles Largent Teleplay by: Michael Angeli Moira Kirland Dekker | February 12, 2003 | 129
128 |
|
A gang member and tagger named Marcus Fisher (Todd Williams) confesses to murder when a mural painted by the victim transforms itself into a version of the crime scene. A teacher (Samantha Mathis) gains the power to predict death. | |||||
| 30
31 | "It's Still a Good Life"
"The Monsters Are on Maple Street" | Allan Kroeker
Debbie Allen | Ira Steven Behr Based on Characters Created by: Jerome Bixby Teleplay by: Erin Maher & Kay Reindl Story by: Rod Serling | February 19, 2003 | 131
130 |
|
In this sequel to "It's a Good Life", Anthony Fremont (Bill Mumy), the young boy who once terrorized his town with his amazing mental powers, is now a grown man and the proud father of a little girl (Liliana Mumy) whose mental powers are stronger than his. In this update of "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," a neighborhood begins suspecting their new neighbors of terrorism after the power and water get cut off. | |||||
| 32
33 | "Memphis"
"How Much Do You Love Your Kid?" | Eriq La Salle
Allison Liddi-Brown | Eriq La Salle
Michael Angeli | February 26, 2003 | 133
132 |
|
A law clerk named Ray Ellison (Eriq La Salle) with only six months to live due to a brain tumor finds himself in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968 on the day Martin Luther King, Jr. is going to be assassinated. A woman named Donna Saicheck (Bonnie Somerville) who is contemplating divorce from her husband Ted (Steve Bacic) learns that her son has been kidnapped. Donna then sees this as part of a twisted reality game show hosted by a man known as Nick Dark (Wayne Knight). | |||||
| 34
35 | "The Placebo Effect"
"Cold Fusion" | Jerry Levine
Eli Richbourg | Teleplay by: Brent V. Friedman Story by: Rebecca Swanson Ashley Edward Miller & Zack Stentz | April 2, 2003 | 134
135 |
|
A disease described by hypochondriac Harry Raditch (Jeffrey Combs) has comes to life when those around him, including his physician Dr. Leslie Coburn (Sydney Tamiia Poitier), become infected. A brilliant physicist named Paul Thorson (Sean Patrick Flanery) is ordered by the military to a remote Arctic lab where the final start-up preparations for an infinite power source are taking place. He becomes involved in a deadly psychological struggle with the device's creator (Ian McShane). | |||||
| 36
37 | "The Pharaoh's Curse"
"The Collection" | Bob Balaban
John T. Kretchmer | Stephen Beck
Erin Maher & Kay Reindl | April 23, 2003 | 139
138 |
|
An aspiring magician named Mario Devlin (Shawn Hatosy) seeks to learn the secret behind a legendary trick by legendary magician Harry Kellogg (Xander Berkeley). A night of babysitting turns to cold terror when a young woman named Miranda Evans (Jessica Simpson) realizes that the eerily lifelike doll collection of her client Danielle Rander (Ashley Edner) may explain the mysterious disappearances of the previous babysitters. | |||||
| 38
39 | "Eye of the Beholder"
"Developing" | David R. Ellis
Allison Liddi-Brown | Rod Serling
Moira Kirland Dekker | April 30, 2003 | 140
141 |
|
In this remake of the 1960 Twilight Zone episode, a beautiful woman named Janet Tyler (Molly Sims) in a futuristic society where everyone is hideous undergoes her 11th attempt at surgically being like everyone else. A young photographer named Edie Durant (Robin Tunney) discovers photos of her dead fiancé that could never had been taken and remains convinced that it is her deceased lover calling her to be with him in death. | |||||
| 40
41 | "The Executions of Grady Finch"
"Homecoming" | John Peter Kousakis
Risa Bramon Garcia | Teleplay by: Ira Steven Behr and Brent V. Friedman Story by: Frederick Rappaport Teleplay by: Michael Angeli Story by: Bradley Thompson & David Weddle | May 7, 2003 | 143
142 |
|
A death row inmate named Grady Finch (Jeremy Sisto) claims to his lawyer Liz (Alicia Witt) that he is innocent as an unknown force ends up interfering in his executions. An army officer named Rob Malone (Gil Bellows) comes home to try and make amends with his wayward son Trace (Penn Badgley) before the boy learns his terrible secret. | |||||
| 42
43 | "Sunrise"
"Burned" | Tim Matheson
John T. Kretchmer | Teleplay by: Frederick Rappaport Story by: Katrina Cabrera Ortega Seth Weisburst & Daniel Wolowicz | May 21, 2003 | 137
136 |
|
Five college students named Marty (Jonathan Jackson), Amber (Sarah Carter), Noah (Michael Peña), Eve (Lauren Lee Smith), and Wesley (Tyler Labine) explore an Aztec site. They carelessly knock over a jug filled with blood and in an instant, the sun goes out. The Earth will die unless something is done. According to some carvings, the only way to reverse the curse is to sacrifice someone. An agoraphobic real-estate mogul named Scott Crane (Jason Bateman) is haunted by the ghosts of twin children killed in an arson he paid a man to commit. | |||||
DVD release
The complete series was released on DVD by New Line in a six disc box set on September 7, 2004. The episodes are presented in their production order, not their broadcast order.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ "Shows A-Z – twilight zone, the on upn". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
- ↑ Lacey, Gord (September 7, 2004). "The Twilight Zone – Complete Series Review". TVShowsOnDVD.com. Retrieved March 14, 2011.
External links
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