I went HAM and finished Twilight Zone season 2. I think season 2 is way more consistent than season 1 which had a few episodes that didn't land well. In season 2 there are good episodes and great ones, with only a couple of exceptions. Season 2 takes a lot of ideas that are kinda derivative but attack from new angles and it when those hit...the impact is epic as all hell. I have a couple of season 1 episodes I want to rewatch and then if I've got some down time I'll probably rank em all like I did with Masters of Horror.
Must See Tier (These are the episodes I'd throw on for someone to get them hooked):
Try, Try - This is my absolute favorite episode of the season. A graduate student meets a stranger on a museum trip for an impromptu date that starts seeming too good to be true. Without spoiling anything, there's a concept at play here that we've seen a bunch of times. The core here is taking first date nerves and turning that into rising tension. You meet someone, hit it off right away and there's a combination of excitement and "how real is this" going on that feels universally understood...well the Twilight Zone took that sentiment and added a surreal element that takes those feelings from zero to 100 in 40 minutes.
A Small Town - A Small Town is another story that takes an interesting concept and really plays with the idea to the max. A handyman has a chance to remake his town in the image his wife dreamed of before she passed away abruptly. But the credit for his actions keeps on landing with a shady mayor that wants to sell the town out. The device for enacting change is what takes that conflict and allows it to be something creative and fun. There are really cool visual plays and it's one of the more heartfelt stories of the entire season. I absolutely loved it.
The Who of You - This is an episode that takes typical body swapping dynamics, adds a new mechanic to the mix and then runs wild with it. It's chaotic in the best way possible and I don't want to say too much or give anything away. We start with a desperate crime, the Twilight Zone works its magic and the ensuing confusion creates one of the most compelling rides of the entire series.
Meet in the Middle - This is 3 out of 4 in my top tier that is a bit derivative. How many times have you seen a "voice in my head but is it real or am I crazy" scenario in fiction? Okay, but I bet it's never been quite like this. The joy of this episode is that it creates tension and release in a handful of unique and satisfying ways throughout the 40 minutes or so you rock with it. There's not just one big twist at the end, it's a series of surprises all built out from an episode that started off feeling like a bad version of the movie "Her." Instead, it warps into a straight up rollercoaster by the end with my favorite conclusion in either season of the Jordan Peele run.
Worth it (These are still strong but not quite top tier):
Among the Untrodden - High School girls' social dynamics explored via witchcraft; it's not the Craft though I promise. This one is about a bullied girl becoming close with the most popular girl in school after they realize the popular girl may have psychic powers. While those two build an understanding of each other, the bullied girl is also trying to fit in with the rest of the popular clique but struggling. This one doesn't really reinvent the wheel like the top tier ones did, but it does do a damned good job taking advantage of a familiar narrative.
You Might Also Like - This is the last episode of the season and it is bizarre as hell. A woman keeps falling into bizarre dreams that feel more like commercials, so she has a neighbor stick around to try and see if there's more than meets the eye going on. Nothing about this one is normal and there's a sense of humor that makes the mystery entertaining even when it gets disorienting. I could see them expanding and fleshing it out to something even bigger, but as a single episode, it's cool.
Ovation - It's a "starving artist gets fame but at what cost" tale put through the Twilight Zone blender. I love these kinds of plots but that unfortunately renders them extremely predictable for me. So this was a pretty cool play on the concept but it never surprised me with the directions it chose. It's still playing to one of my favorite narratives though and I enjoyed it through and through.
A Human Face - A Human Face is one of the most unique concepts of the season but it's also a story that unfolds almost entirely through exposition. That drops it down the list for me, as almost everything happens via a couple of conversations. That said, the underlying idea that they're exploring and devices they use to ask questions about loss, regret and second chances come together to still make this a fun ride...just one that I'd have liked to see explored more visually.
The light episodes (Skippable episodes, interesting ideas but weak execution):
Downtime - This one is another of the more derivative feeling episodes but unlike the others, the twist it brings to the concept doesn't feel like it's utilized well enough. So it's a creative idea but doesn't feel like they get very far beneath the surface and it reminded me too much of certain predecessors with similar ideas explored.
8 - Consider this one a creature feature but I don't think 40 minutes is enough time to build up both plot and scares (aka kills). I just don't think there was enough time to get invested in the characters or the tension/creature. So it felt flat for me.
