THE TWILIGHT ZONE (S1E6) “Six Degrees of Freedom”: A Trip To Mars Takes A Surprising Turn

Just days after the announcement that The Twilight Zone is being renewed for a second season, the series took us on a major sci-fi trip. “Six Degrees of Freedom” is unlike any of the previous episodes. It’s more unique in terms of structure and more unexpected in terms of narrative. It’s still riddled with flaws and suffers from an extensive runtime, but it’s also one of the strongest entries in the series.

A Mission To Mars, Nuclear War & Major Dilemmas

“Six Degrees of Freedom” revolves around a group of astronauts on a mission to Mars. The first human flight to Mars, to be exact. The crew consists of flight commander Alexa Brandt (DeWanda Wise), engineer Rei Tanaka (Jessica Williams), pilot Casey Donlin (Jonathan Whitesell), surgeon Katherine Langford (Lucinda Dryzek), and mission specialist Jerry Pierson (Jefferson White). They’re accompanied by the ship’s Transport Information Network Artificial Intelligence unit, also known as TINA. Their interactions with TINA immediately calling to mind HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey, with the episode also having an Alien vibe going for it, most noticeably in the form of the crew’s conversations.

Shortly before launch, they receive word that North Korea fired nuclear missiles and one is expected to strike their launch pad. They’re faced with an ultimatum: complete their mission to Mars without ground support or stay on Earth and potentially suffer the same fate as the rest of humanity. With cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago wiped out, it’s very likely that they’re the only humans left.

The Test of Life

At one point, Pierson goes on a rant about a scientific theory known as “The Great Filter,” which proposes that “life in the universe is very, very rare. It’s hard to start, harder to continue”. According to this theory, the test of life is whether or not an advanced life-form can “make it to another planet before it destroys itself”.

This reference to “The Great Filter” is one of the most thought-provoking aspects of the episode and epitomizes what “Six Degrees of Freedom” is really about. If life on Earth is doomed, the crew aboard the Bradbury Heavy might be humanity’s last hope. But the question is, can they make it to Mars or will they destroy each other first?

Nothing Is Real

The writers throw us a bit of a curveball when Pierson suddenly declares to the rest of the crew that “none of this is real”. He claims to have collected enough evidence to prove that they’re being watched and that this is all just an elaborate test. He insists that nothing they are experiencing aboard the ship is actually happening. Suddenly the episode raises an entirely new question: what is real?

“Six Degrees of Freedom” poses a lot of intriguing questions about humanity and the nature of reality, but it never quite delves deep enough into these philosophical ideas. The episode’s conclusion might actually leave more questions than answers, but it isn’t nearly as predictable as the twists in prior episodes. Despite deviating from expectations, this episode’s conclusion isn’t exactly a satisfying one.

Strong Direction & Performances

On more than one occasion, this revival of The Twilight Zone has been compared to Black Mirror. But that comparison is even more fitting when it comes to “Six Degrees of Freedom”. The visual style and tone feel similar to that of an episode of Black Mirror, which is fitting since director Jakob Verbruggen directed an episode of that series as well. “Six Degrees of Freedom” boasts some of the best direction of the season as well as some of the best performances. There’s no real standout performance among the cast. Every actor and actress brings a lot to the table.

The Twilight Zone “Six Degrees of Freedom”: Conclusion

“Six Degrees of Freedom” is one of the better episodes of The Twilight Zone so far, possibly even the best. But that doesn’t mean much considering the episodes that came before it. One thing that works to this episode’s advantage is the fact that its social commentary isn’t glaringly obvious. In addition, the direction and performances help make for a more immersive experience. The setup is solid, but it doesn’t quite stick the landing. Though not perfect by any means, “Six Degrees of Freedom” is arguably the most thought-provoking episode of this season of The Twilight Zone.