It's Still a Good Life
| "It's Still a Good Life" | |
|---|---|
| The Twilight Zone (2nd revival) episode | |
| Episode no. |
Season 1 Episode 31 |
| Directed by | Allan Kroeker |
| Written by |
Ira Steven Behr Based on characters created by Jerome Bixby |
| Production code | 131 |
| Original air date | February 19, 2003 |
| Guest actors | |
"It's Still a Good Life" is the thirty-first episode of the science fiction television series 2002 revival of The Twilight Zone. The episode was first broadcast on February 19, 2003, on UPN. It is a sequel to the original series episode "It's a Good Life".[1] Bill Mumy and Cloris Leachman reprise their roles from the original episode.[2] Anthony Fremont's daughter, Audrey, is played by actor Bill Mumy's real life daughter Liliana Mumy.[2][3] It was written by Ira Steven Behr (based on characters created by Jerome Bixby), and directed by Allan Kroeker.[4]
Opening narration
| “ | Forty years ago, Rod Serling introduced us to a monster, a monster so powerful he was able to make the world disappear just by using his mind. For the residents of Peaksville, Ohio, the nightmare had begun. The monster knew their every thought, could feel their every emotion; and when they made him angry, which was often, he would banish them into a cornfield from which there was no return. And the most frightening thing about this monster was that he was only six years old. Now it's forty years later, and the people of Peaksville are still in Hell. Oh, yes, there's one other thing: The monster now has a child of his own, and though she possesses none of her father's powers, he still loves her very, very much. | ” |
Plot
Anthony Fremont has been terrorizing the residents of the small town of Peaksville for 40 years, still using his psychokinetic powers to banish those he deems "bad", including his wife and father, to a mythical "cornfield". His mother Agnes is shocked to discover that Anthony's young daughter Audrey has inherited those powers. This discovery is soon followed by one even more shocking: Audrey can bring back things that her father has banished to the cornfield.
With this realization, Agnes tries to influence her granddaughter to use her powers in order to free Peaksville from Anthony's reign of terror. When Anthony learns of his mother's plans he seeks out each co-conspirator one by one, sending them to the cornfield. Agnes finally confronts her son, letting go of all of the emotions that she has suppressed for forty years, and tries to convince Audrey to use her powers against her own father. Audrey is forced to choose between her grandmother and her father, whom she loves very much.
Caught between these two sides, Audrey ultimately aligns herself with her father saving him from a resident who attempted to hit him while his back was turned. But then to the horror of Anthony she sends her grandmother away and empties the town of Peaksville. Anthony and Audrey are left alone, but Anthony soon realizes that he misses having everyone else around. Audrey then brings back the world beyond Peaksville, which Anthony had sent away decades prior. Audrey asks Anthony about visiting New York City, and her father replies that it is a big city with lots of people. Audrey says that they had all better be nice to her and her dad.
The episode ends with Anthony realizing that his daughter is far more powerful than he is, and he seemingly accepts that she has done a "real good thing" by returning the world outside of Peaksville. As a couple pulls up to ask them if they know how to get to Highway 10, Anthony and Audrey plan to travel to different places and to use their powers on anyone that is not nice to them. Anthony states that "it's going to be a good day. A real good day." They head to the two people in their car as the picture turns to black and white.
Closing narration
| “ | No lesson to be learned here. No morals to be taught. Just an update from Peaksville, Ohio, where Anthony and Audrey Fremont want you to think happy thoughts, and you better do as you're told. Otherwise, you might wind up in that cornfield known as The Twilight Zone. | ” |
Cast
- Anthony Freemont — Bill Mumy
- Agnes Freemont — Cloris Leachman
- Audrey Freemont — Liliana Mumy
- Lorna — Chilton Crane
- Joe — Robert Moloney
- Cynthia — Kerry Sandomirsky
- Timmy — Samuel Patrick Chu
- George — Paul McGillion
- Timmy's mother — Kirsten Kilburn[5]
References
- ↑ "Bill Mumy - Biography". Billmumy.com. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
- 1 2 "The Twilight Zone | Episode Detail". Zap2it.com. Retrieved 2007-06-22. delete character in
|title=at position 19 (help) - ↑ "The Twilight Zone Special Remake Episodes". Sci Fi Weekly. Archived from the original on 2007-08-06. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
Played by Mumy's real life daughter, Liliana Mumy
- ↑ "Executive producer Ira Steven Behr dares to update The Twilight Zone". Sci Fi Weekly. Archived from the original on April 7, 2008. Retrieved 2007-06-22.
- ↑ "Cast and Crew". Yahoo! TV. Retrieved 2007-06-22.