The Twilight Zone: Reasons to tune into Jordan Peele’s series in Season 2
The Twilight Zone Season 2 is on the horizon. Can a fresh crop of talent take us beyond the boundaries of the imagination?
The Twilight Zone resonates through the universality of its themes and the humanity of its characters. They’re us, and that’s why episodes from the original series (which ran from 1959 – 1964) are still part of the greater cultural discussion to this day.
By comparison, the 2019 revival of The Twilight Zone, hosted and executive-produced by Jordan Peele, was a mixed bag of hot-button topics and heavy-handed themes. Every kernel of a good idea was just as often defused by on-the-nose references to pop culture and social-media movements. The best episodes embraced fantastic scenarios while maintaining their sense of humanity (“The Wunderkind” and “The Blue Scorpion” spring to mind).
All that to say, perhaps the curiosity factor – and Peele’s rising creative star – was enough to get people to tune in, as CBS All Access swiftly renewed the series for a second season.
While Season One had the appeal of many familiar faces in front of the camera, Season Two has some intriguing wrinkles in the creative talent behind the scenes. Deadline recently revealed the writers and directors responsible for the new season, including Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead (the team behind Resolution and The Endless), and Osgood Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter). These guys know their way around memorable, unconventional genre fare.
Add in the fact that Ana Lily Amirpour (who directed A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night and “A Traveler” from Season One) is returning, and Peele himself is scripting an episode, has me more than a little curious.
With today being “Twilight Zone Day,” CBS All Access dropped the trailer for the forthcoming season, which, according to Deadline, will premiere all episodes on June 25.
Based on the vague and ominous visuals, it appears that this season will be centered on psychic predictions, holes (of the literal, figurative, and scientific persuasion), and pervasive eye imagery. And, not unlike Season One, it looks like Easter-Egg tributes to the Zones of yesteryear will crop up in the episodes, as well.
dark. Next. JORDAN PEELE
Catch The Twilight Zone on CBS All Access starting June 25.
Let us know what you think of The Twilight Zone trailer in the comments.