The Twilight Zone Revival’s First Episode Is Significantly Underrated

The episode’s strongest thematic throughline is its meditations on the exploitative nature of artwork generally. Most artists have struggled over how a lot of their private lives they need to draw on, and the right way to cope with the awkward (and probably devastating) social repercussions that comply with. Comedians particularly are sometimes anticipated to be genuine, amusing the group with actual tales from their lives — however utilizing your family and friends for materials can come at a price. 

“The Comic” takes this dilemma and dials it as much as eleven. By mocking his family and friends members, Samir is not simply benefiting from them; he is blipping them out of existence for the sake of an inexpensive joke. What’s worse is that Samir is not simply exploiting these round him, he is exploiting himself. With each chortle he will get, he is a bit bit lonelier, rather less answerable for himself and his life. 

It is a storyline that cuts particularly deep for anybody accustomed to the growth of private essays within the 2010s, through which struggling writers had been (and nonetheless are) usually inspired to put in writing absurdly private, detailed essays about traumatic durations of their life. There isn’t any trauma too painful to not be became a viral private essay, it appears, and no private story too embarrassing to carry off on. There’s real worth in being totally open concerning the messy, taboo areas of 1’s life — particularly so far as the publication’s income are involved — however is it price it for the creator?

For Samir, the answer is a transparent no. He finally ends up depressing and alone, repenting solely by erasing himself and undoing the harm his comedy’s unleashed upon his world. On the intense facet, he will get some good laughs as he does it.