Twilight Zone Primetime

•  The Twilight Zone sub on Reddit has really started to turn on "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet". They just don't see what the big deal is. And "It's a Good Life" is another one I'm starting to see negative reaction towards it. I still consider this to be a blast. But any classic will come under scrutiny. The gremlin is often considered a figment of a struggling Shatner, who has recovered from a breakdown, until Rod Serling tells us and the camera shows us otherwise. Shatner is often sited for his overacting but I love everything he does as Bob. I also love how fans often love to look at this episode as a follow-up to how Shatner performed his character in "Nick of Time". Two men fallen prey to mental demons they must work against in order to find peace.
• "Living Doll" really emphasizes the evil stepfather story, with his insecurities due to not being able to have a child, how he seems incapable of being a good father to his stepdaughter. I noticed SYFY cuts out completely Erich's attempts to destroy Talky Tina, only showing him ditch the doll in the trash. He's the kind of monster who seems to look for a reason to be mean to his soft wife and sweet stepdaughter. When Tina tells Annabelle she better be good, she's protecting Christy. Because Annabelle brought her daughter into this hostile relationship with Erich. Once that doll entered his life, Christy had a real protector.
• "The Masks" is a treat if just to watch dying Jason drop insult bombs on his horrible family. He can shred them jokingly, sarcastically, and thunderously...and there is truth in all of it. His daughter's hypochondriac griping and obsessed need for attention, his son-in-law's greed and investment corruption, his grandson's psychopathic potential and inability to care about much beyond making animals suffer, and granddaughter whose sole interest is in her own narcissistic desires. The masks with their certain properties were made special for the wearers. Jason knew exactly the kind of cretins his family were. And how deservedly each one wears the ugliness of their souls. Jason goes leaving them with the faces they rightfully convey. What Jason has in value the family will get. I bare witness to this kind of family readiness for a person's death to reap the things left behind. Too bad all these people don't have masks to warp their faces to match their avarice.
• As my son has been growing up, I try to let him know that as he is young, this is the time to appreciate the most. That being an adult is full of struggle, stress, and pressure. "Walking Distance" always touches my heart in ways I fully appreciate. I get Martin Sloan, how he feels, why being back in his youth, seeing the past of his childhood come alive again, why he might wish to remain there a little while and tell his young self to not take this time of his life for granted. Getting to talk to his dad again, how I would love to do that. To hear his voice, to see his face, have a talk with him. I think Martin getting to do that, and getting some advice from him, is why I adore Twilight Zone.
• And yet again with "The Hitch-Hiker". I decided to conclude with this instead of the episode being in its often favored slot of 12:30 or 1 PM. I used to love to have this paired with "A Hundred Yards Over the Rim" or some fifth season string of episodes. But this just felt like the right cut-off.

I feel frustrated with myself because I had the whole weekend plus Monday to watch Twilight Zone, but really only got into it late Sunday evening. I wished I had committed myself to the weekend and done the show in a big 4th of July weekend way. It was an error on my part as a fan. I think I prefer using Paramount+ as a means to watch the episodes uncut while SYFY would have just butchered them. I still feel I could have made the most of the whole weekend and done a really awesome marathon this year.