The rocky first season of The Twilight Zone revival has come to an end and the finale is sure to leave an impression. “Blurryman” is unlike any episode of The Twilight Zone we’ve ever seen before. It goes in some very unexpected directions and the final twist is so different that viewers will either love it or hate it. If there’s one episode of this season worth talking about, this is it.
Obliterating the Fourth Wall
“Blurryman” begins with Adam Wegman (Seth Rogen), a writer whose work alters the world around him. Right from the beginning, this feels like a reimagining of the classic “A World of His Own.” The nod to that episode is clever considering “A World of His Own” is the Season 1 finale of the original series and “Blurryman” is the Season 1 finale of the revival.
Jordan Peele’s narration forebodes that Adam has “never paid much mind to the idea of an artist’s social responsibility. He’s about to learn that there’s more to art than entertainment.” As Peele continues his narration, he suddenly breaks character. He announces, “You know what? I think we can beat this.” And the fourth wall has officially been broken.
Less than five minutes into the story, “Blurryman” already demonstrates its ability to subvert expectations. But this is just the first of many surprises. In addition to Peele, Seth Rogen and Betty Gabriel also break character. It soon becomes clear that we’re on the set of The Twilight Zone. Zazie Beetz is the only star not being addressed by her real name. Instead, she’s Sophie, the writer of the episode that’s being filmed.
Peele tells Sophie he doesn’t think they’re quite there yet with the narration. Sophie ironically questions, “Is it a little too on-the-nose?”. One of the biggest criticisms of the revival is how overt its social commentary has been and the fact that she calls it out leaves viewers to ponder whether the show has been self-aware this entire time.
The two begin to discuss what defines The Twilight Zone. It’s as though the show we’re watching is in the midst of its very own existential crisis. Sophie explains, “What Rod Serling did was, he took this silly genre kid stuff and he elevated it. He made art with it, for grown-ups.” While the previous episodes of the reboot paid homage to the original series, “Blurryman” is a full-on love letter to Rod Serling’s show.
They begin filming again, with Jordan Peele reading his narration from a set of cue cards. But it’s obvious that this new narration wasn’t written by Sophie. He reads, “Her name is Sophie Gelson. She has little patience for childish diversions or daydreams, but she won’t be able to tune out or turn away from what lurks blurry in the background of her own show.” Now, here’s where the real story begins.
Sophie learns that a blurry figure somehow ended up in the background of every single take. The editor reveals that this Blurryman has been in the background of everything they filmed throughout the season. She pulls up shots from previous episodes of the series as proof, as if “Blurryman” couldn’t get any more meta.
Later, the Blurryman appears on set and torments Sophie. These scenes are enough to induce chills, but everything makes sense when we finally learn who or what the Blurryman is. The twist is so fascinating that it’s best to avoid spoilers. It’s a twist that proves “Blurryman” is the most audacious and unconventional episode of the series and it’ll probably spark divisive reactions.
Season 1 Goes Out on a High Note
Even if viewers dislike it, “Blurryman” is still admirable for the risks that it takes. Alex Rubens’ script is undeniably the most unique of the series. A story with this many twists and turns could have easily turned into a convoluted mess, but Simon Kinberg’s direction helps tell the story cohesively. Unlike other episodes this season, “Blurryman” never loses momentum.
Craig Wrobleski’s cinematography effectively builds tension. This idea of a blurry figure haunting one of the characters wouldn’t have been as nerve-wrecking if it weren’t for the episode’s visual storytelling. The storyline ultimately called for some elaborate visual effects, and those effects are pulled off surprisingly well.
The first surprise of “Blurryman” is extremely effective thanks to such convincing performances from Seth Rogen, Betty Gabriel and Jordan Peele. Zazie Beetz delivers one of the best lead performances of the series. She ensures that her character is compelling and easy to empathize with.
Art Vs. Entertainment
“Blurryman” doesn’t contain a pertinent political message, but it does offer commentary on the debate of art vs. entertainment. It may not be as urgent as the issues that other episodes tackled, but it’s still a topic that’s as timely as ever. The metafiction element adds another layer to an already thought-provoking subject.
The self-reflexive approach will also resonate with viewers who grew up watching the original series because it forces us to reflect on what The Twilight Zone is really about. “Blurryman” will certainly ignite feelings of nostalgia for fans of Rod Serling and his iconic series. It’s an amusing reminder of why so many of us loved The Twilight Zone in the first place.
Conclusion
The first season of this reboot of The Twilight Zone was bogged down by blatant social commentary and predictable narratives. Up until now, it felt as though the series was taking itself way too seriously and trying too hard. “Blurryman” is refreshing because it isn’t as heavy-handed with its message. It doesn’t try too hard to be politically or culturally relevant, and yet it still has something important to say.
“Blurryman” features strong writing, directing and performances. It’s full of surprises and the final twist actually sticks the landing, making it the most memorable of the season. The meta angle might not work for some viewers, but it’s undoubtedly ambitious. It deviates from the norm, and that’s what makes it noteworthy. ”Blurryman” is definitely the best episode of Season 1 of The Twilight Zone simply because it isn’t afraid to take risks.
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