User Reviews

Growing up, I didn't find the original It's a Good Life to be especially scary. It was a very solid, high concept idea that sold it. It's bleak, but he seems to be a small-scale tyrant, only managing his own town.

The version of the story that was told in the TZ movie ended with the implication that Anthony has found some appropriate guidance that will help him control his power, and probably get along with the rest of the world.

This story shows that Anthony has grown, but he hasn't exactly grown up. He does seem to be less impulsive, and his interests have matured a bit, but he's still vengeful. His relationship with his daughter is an interesting one to explore, and once the daughter's scope of powers is revealed, it does a nice job of suggesting that Anthony has some growth; he starts to understand what he's been doing. But then it ends on a sufficiently downbeat note that seems to suggest that Anthony has been able to shrug off his lesson.

I expected that Anthony and his daughter would manage to wish each other out of existence, freeing the town. However, this wouldn't return everything that was gone - the town would still be isolated from the rest of the universe.

A guy can dream.

Side note - I met Billy Mumy at a convention. Very nice guy.

While some of the new series' episodes fell short, this particular one took an old episode and brought it full circle. Many of the originals were so dark, and of course we loved that darkness, but it was nice to see one where we found out redemption was possible.

WARNING SPOILER:

Years after "wishing into the cornfield" all those who displeased him, Anthony fathers a daughter, Audrey, whose mental powers are even greater than his. Finally having the veil taken from her eyes, Audrey uses her influence not to punish those around her but to restore all her father banished from the world. All the things that we take for granted (people, noise, traffic) come back and the world is normal again.

Very satisfying and ironic at the same time.

Interesting idea here, bringing back Bill Mumy and Cloris Leachman to reprise their roles from that classic original Twilight Zone titled 'It's a Good Life'. And now, some forty years later, Anthony Fremont (Mumy) has a daughter of his own, portrayed by real life daughter Liliana as Audrey Fremont. In a case of the apple falling not far from the tree, Audrey reveals an unusual talent inherited from her Dad, much to the concern of her grandmother Agnes (Leachman). While the citizens of Peaksville, Ohio still walk on eggshells so as not to incur the wrath of Anthony, the elder Mrs. Fremont sees an opportunity to put her granddaughter's power to good use when the time comes. I thought setting little Timmy's (Samuel Patrick Chu) father on fire was a bit harsh. If it was me, I would have fallen apart but Timmy didn't seem all that upset when it happened. He must have been in shock. With multiple mentions of the ever-threatening cornfield, and everyone's emphasis on having nice thoughts, it didn't come as a surprise when Agnes finally threw down the gauntlet to challenge her son. With what seemed like a greater power than even her father had, I thought the story missed an opportunity to pit father and daughter against each other in a battle of wills. Restoring the world order back to its prior condition felt like a noble effort, but it might have had more impact if Audrey brought back her grandmother followed by the rest of Peaksville's citizens with Anthony showing some humility over his domineering past. No telling what trouble those two could bring about now.

This episode goes like this: Forest Whitaker explains the first one, and you see Anthony has a daughter (with who?!?). His daughter, Audrey, is playing with her friend Timmy, and Timmy accidentally pushed her out of the tree he was in. Anthony and Mrs. Fremont hear this, and rush to the scene. Mrs. Fremont is saying it was a accident (and it was), and at that moment, Timmy's dad is coming over, and Anthony stops him. Timmy's dad hops off his bike, and Anthony is saying what kind of kid pushes a little girl out of tree, and he burns him. But Mrs. Fremont and Audrey convince Anthony to send him to the cornfield. I won't say any more, but it has a weird sick and happy ending, depending on your perspective. I give it a six, because of the acting and story(plot). But it since Anthony isn't a little spoiled brat anymore and knows better, he's more predictable, meaning less suspense and thrill. And there is no moral, which would be nice to have.

I get why people weren't satisfied with the ending to this episode, but I think it's very true to the spirit of the original. No lessons, no morals. I watched the 1961 original and the 2002 episode back-to-back and this episode seemed just as horrifying as the original. The original ended without hope or redemption, these people will continue to suffer, the 2002 episode proves that point as we realise that Anthony has grown up and had a daughter, but his relationship with the townspeople hasn't changed at all. He still inspires terror, until a ray of hope appears that could potentially save everyone from his anger. The one glimmer of comfort comes from the fact that Peakesville has been "removed" from the rest of the world so you are safe in your seat watching TV. Then his daughter undoes that, and these two monsters are free to terrorise our entire world. That's very Twilight Zone to me and I love it. I did not realise that was Cloris Leachman playing Agnes until the second episode, I'm a big fan (ever since seeing Young Frankenstein when I was a kid) and I thought she was perfect returning to this role 40 years later. Impressed by Bill Mumy and his daughter also, I could believe Anthony's severe case of arrested development and to think of those poor townspeople living in constant terror for 40 years was quite chilling. NOW THERE ARE TWO MONSTERS, AND THEY'RE HERE!

"It's a Good Life" is one of my top two favourite episodes of The Twilight Zone, with tension and suspense in that final party scene so thick it can be cut with a knife - a real pull-out-your-hair, sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat type of affair. Of all the Twilight Zone episodes, I'm not sure it's one I would have most asked for a sequel to. It's a lot to live up to, and recreating that level of suspense is likely impossible. Unsurprisingly, they couldn't quite do it, though there are a few seconds of tension.

Rather than recast and pick up where they left off, It's Still a Good Life brings back Bill Mumy and Cloris Leachman, aging them appropriately. I like the fact that they give Anthony a daughter (Audrey) with greater powers. They stay true to Leachman's character Agnes, who always hated her son. Frankly, given the fact that he grew up without discipline or any honest evaluations of his efforts, I'm surprised Anthony didn't turn out as more of a freak plagued by the Dunning-Kruger effect - a challenge in how to revisit this character.

On the down side, I'm not satisfied with the ending. "I brought it all back" fells like a cheat; being stuck together as an ironic fate might have been truer to the original Twilight Zone. Or Audrey gets rid of Anthony only to become the new Anthony. There's no segue between Audrey hating her dad and suddenly loving him in the climax. I wasn't totally satisfied with the pacing and special effects, either (granted It's a Good Life wasn't strong in the special effects department, but they were smart about it). The new intro to the noughties revival also doesn't do justice to the original- too flashy, not unnerving at all, with a similarly splashy title logo.

I liked everything about this episode but the ending. It would have been sweet justice for the two of them to figure out how to torture people with no people. So what happens? They are rewarded. There are unlimited possibilities to cause hurt and destruction. I though when I saw the first rendition, that eventually everyone would pay the price. Well, they did. Now there are great possibilities, but the writers put him back in charge with even more power. I was impressed that Bill Mumy still looked about the same and they cast his actual daughter (who is his image) to play the little girl.

There is probably very small population who have not seen the original story.

To rehash the same concept as the original and not make this story have a happier ending, was a disappointment. WHY? Because it went nowhere. Only one character, played by Cloris Leachman, experienced any growth. Sure Anthony's acceptance of his daughter's decision to bring back the world was "some" kind of growth. But I felt that the daughter should have brought back her own grandmother, for goodness sakes.

Sure, horror fans, probably enjoyed seeing matricide. But it's a disgusting thing to do. The father and daughter should have been taught the errors of their ways - and at LEAST come up against ONE character with the same powers who challenged Anthony and wished HIM away...

Most people will probably think I am silly and simple-minded. So what? We have had 50 years of evil Anthony with no payment for his misdeeds, it was ABOUT TIME! That's why I rate this 2 stars. And THAT rating only because they merely for bring back Mumy and Leachman to reprise their roles.

Sequels never die in The Twilight Zone, and this one is no exception. There was something a bit flat about this episode, but still it was better than nothing I guess.

Maybe this another sequel can be produced please called It's Still Quite a Good Life.

Jayne Beiber is the Executive in Charge of Production.