A Review of Jordan Peele's 'Twilight Zone' Re-Imagining Episode: 'The Comedian'

The 2019 rendition of Rod Serling's magnum opus is more of an ode to the series as opposed to a complete rehashing. The CBS pilot is titled 'The Comedian', and it's based off no prior Twilight Zone episode[s].

The narration and introduction are a complete throwback to the original series (which was not only brilliant but welcomed). Jordan Peele takes up Serling's role as moderator to multiple dimensions, and he does an exquisite job in preserving the tone and all around mannerisms of Twilight Zone's creator.

The premise itself is simple, yet brilliant. (There are slight spoilers to the theme of the show, so don't read on if you want to watch completely blind).

A lot of Peele's own feelings and frustrations can be felt in this episode. The recurring theme is that the audience won't love you unless you give them everything you've got...

Samir Wassan plays the role of unassuming (and terrible) comedian Kumail. The episode follows his path into the Twilight Zone after making a 'deal with the devil', also known as Tracy Morgan. I'm kidding of course, but Tracy takes up a role not aligned with his usual character choice and it worked beautifully. Morgan plays a legendary comic named J.C. Wheeler who seems to only appear to desperate comedians seeking a way out...

The introductions to each character feels somewhat hollow as the audience has their hand held with dialogue and attention focus. Actress Diarra Kilpatrick plays fellow comedian DiDi Scott, and in the beginning of the episode she seems nasty and somewhat vicious for no apparent reason. Her disdain for Kumail's comedy is understandable, but these two are supposedly friends.. and their interactions just felt so forced and unnatural. Didi's character evolves over the course of the show, and she in fact became my favorite to watch. She belts out a hard hitting monologue towards the end of the pilot which really stuck. We are shown layers beyond the vapid and cold hearted demeanor, and it was then I truly appreciated the actress behind the role.

Amara Karan plays the relatable, and also somewhat unassuming girlfriend to Kumail named Rena. They seem happy for the most part, but the relationship is really going nowhere. The most realistic parts of the episode are the interactions between Kumail and Rena as they portray a couple struggling to make it in a Metropolitan City all the while doing it their own way...

It is evident that Kumail is a terrible comedian, and until he makes a deal with J.C. Wheeler to completely change his comedy set and his life, his life was really going nowhere.

The establishing shots and set ups in this show are brilliant. To seal the 'curse' of the comedian there is a toast of glasses. It is in the way Tracy Morgan doesn't move his glass forward that sells this shot, and gives off an eerie tone of distrust and malevolence.

The downfalls of this pilot come with stagnant dialogue and at times zero chemistry between actors. Samir as Kumail seems like a perfect role, but at times he seems like too much of a nice guy to even be in the comedy profession. The episode follows this man losing every piece of his life to make his comedy better, yet he doesn't seem to really accessing the fame or talent he wanted. He seems happy with the laughs he eventually gets, but the intertwining of Kumail's reality and the reality of what's actually happening just doesn't work.

The Twilight Zone is a premise based on primordial fear. The premise of this pilot really harps on that yet provides no substance. I think it's brilliant that a comedian must in essence give the audience pieces of his life to access that true laughter he wants... but there was not enough aesthetic shame to make the redemption worthy.

At one point during Kumail's show a few businessman turn to heckling him for what seems to be no reason. The stagnant jokes Kumail tells are understandably dense and terrible, but these characters are just unreasonably mean. It's almost a deus ex machina to allow Kumail to unleash the vengeance of this curse put upon him...

There just wasn't enough here for me. I like where Jordan Peele was going, and even the original series had terrible episodes, but for a pilot I just expected so much more. There was so much to draw on from the original series and even the remake or the 80s film!

Hopefully in the near dozen episodes being released this year we can claim a few to be legendary for years to come. Audiences just want to be tested cerebrally all the while being scared.. and the new Twilight Zone sadly does none of that.

I am rating this episode a 5.5/10; a few magical moments didn't make up for the slow pace and plotholes!

P.S. This is a new series I am trying to start up, so if you enjoyed this review.. please let me know, and shoot me an upvote!

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