THE TWILIGHT ZONE "It's Still a Good Life / Monsters on Maple Street"

By: Chris Wyatt
Review Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2003

Tonight's episode of UPN's TWILIGHT ZONE invokes the spirit of Rod Serling with new takes on two classic ZONE tales. The first is a sequel to the 1961 episode "It's a Good Life," imaginatively called "It's Still a Good Life." The second is a remake of the 1961 episode "The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street," called simply "Monsters on Maple Street." While "Good Life" is an adequate (but not marvelous) follow up to the brilliant original, "Maple Street" shines brightest of the two.

The original "Good Life" starred Bill Mumy (little Will Robinson from LOST IN SPACE) as a six year-old telepath with the ability to hear thoughts and change the nature of reality. Mumy turned in an absolutely, quintessentially creepy performance as the capricious Anthony who imposed his childish desire for complete security on the adults around him. Anyone who represented negativity was "sent away" by the boy, disappearing forever. To survive under the dictatorship of this child, the entire population of the town has to force themselves to speak, and even think, only cheery things. One of the most chilling aspects of the episode was its boldly inconclusive ending.

The new "Good Life" sees Anthony (again played by the now adult Mumy) as a father. Anthony loves his daughter more than anything, and uses his power to insulate her by "sending away" people who hurt her, even if the hurt was accidental. The daughter begins to resent her father's smothering omnipotence. When she begins to manifest similar psychic abilities, the town holds hope that she will abolish her father and free them.


The real charm of the new "Good Life" comes from the performances. Even 40-some-odd years later, the not-so-little Mumy proves that he can still pour on the creepy. Cloris Leachman, who returns as Anthony's mother, turning in another impressively tense performance. The two are joined by Mumy's real-life daughter Liliana, who may not be as creepy as the young Bill was, but who definitely shares screen chemistry with her dad.

The weak part of the new "Good Life" are the little inconsistencies. The classic episode kept up the thrills by leaving Anthony's powers off screen. The new version attempts to dazzle viewers with effects, like showing the "sent away" things as dramatically vanishing. Another example: in the original we hear Anthony chillingly refer to having used his powers to set someone on fire, burning them to death. This nonchalant claim sounds horrifying coming from such an innocent little boy. By contrast, in the sequel the camera actually follows a character that runs around, engulfed in flames. Effectively, the once terrifying psychological threat collapses into a meaningless action-film cliché.

Also, according to the original, Anthony is supposed to be able to hear thoughts even if he isn't in the same room as the thinkers. Yet, in the sequel several of the town's folk share a conspiracy against Anthony that he has to hunt down in order to expose... which is inconsistent.

To the new "Good Life's" credit, its ending is just as bold. Still, it seems doubtful that any viewers who haven't seen the original (or even those who don't remember the original well) will be able to understand how clever the new script actually is.

By contrast, the new "Maple Street" will be accessible to anyone. The updated script adaptation does an incredible job of bringing the themes of the original into the political climate of today. In what can be considered a response to INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, the original episode saw the peace of a placid suburban neighborhood turn to ruin when an alien spacecraft landed nearby. The veneer of society was peeled back as frightened neighbors rushed to accuse one another of being in league with the invaders.

Gone from the new version are space aliens. In their place is the threat of terrorism. Also different is the yuppie neighborhood dynamic, which is much more identifiably modern. While nothing is going to eclipse the original in the eyes of purists, the new "Maple Street" holds its own.

Headlining "Maple Street" is wacky '80s heartthrob Andrew McCarthy, who does a really good job with the role. Perhaps it's almost time for us, as an audience, to forgive his sins (like MANNEQUIN or WEEKEND AT BERNIE'S II) and give the guy another shot.

No review of the new TWILIGHT ZONE would be complete without a mention of the impeccably cast Forrest Whitaker, who is about the only human being on Earth with enough class to walk in Rod Serling's shoes as ZONE's enigmatic narrator.

Misters Densham and Behr, please take note: My vote for the next classic ZONE that should get the remake and/or sequel treatment is "To Serve Man." What about an episode where we write a cookbook about them?

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