THE TWILIGHT ZONE (S1E4) “A Traveler”: Steven Yeun Is Perfect In An Imperfect Episode
The fourth episode of The Twilight Zone revival suffers from some of the same flaws as the previous three episodes, but this might actually be the best episode yet. The story in “A Traveler” is relatively simple and there’s plenty of blatant foreshadowing that makes the twist easy to predict. But despite the narrative, there are a handful of reasons why this episode is worth watching.
Starts Off Promising
Newcomer Marika Sila stars as Yuka Mongoyak, a police officer in the small town of Iglaak, Alaska. Her boss, Captain Lane Pendleton (Greg Kinnear) has a tradition where he pardons an inmate in one of the holding cells every Christmas Eve. Yuka brings her brother Jack (Patrick Gallagher) into custody so that Captain Pendleton will actually have an inmate to pardon.
Pendleton frequently makes offensive remarks about how Alaska became the state that it is today because his ancestors “tamed the bears and Eskimos” that lived there. His comments are made with complete disregard for Yuka’s Inuit heritage. But this notion of settlers coming in and introducing their own traditions, such as Christmas, echoes what this episode is truly about. Colonization is a recurring theme throughout the episode.
The town of Iglaak shares a power grid with a nearby Air Force base, which is why the electricity keeps going out at the police station. The flickering lights definitely contribute to the episode’s ominous tone. But things become even more spine-tingling when Yuka goes to fetch her brother so that he can be pardoned.
Yuka finds a strange man inexplicably standing in one of the holding cells, even though the cells were empty moments earlier. She pulls out her gun and asks the man how he got there. The man (Steven Yeun) is dressed in an old-fashioned suit and he graciously removes his hat when Yuka asks who he is. Without introducing himself, he tells Yuka, “I want to be pardoned.”
When Pendleton and Yuka question the man, he claims to be an extreme tourist. He talks about his YouTube channel and some of the different places he’s visited. Ultimately, he reveals that he came to Iglaak, Alaska specifically so that he could be pardoned by Captain Lane Pendleton. But this is an episode about truth and the way in which lies can take many forms. It’s up to Yuka to uncover the nature of this man’s presence.
Suspense Elevates A Simple Story
Writer Glen Morgan (Final Destination) sticks to one underlying theme and finds clever ways to allude to it instead of making the message too obvious. As a result, “A Traveler” has one of the strongest scripts of the series so far. His writing helps incite intrigue in the audience, even if the story eventually loses momentum in its final moments. One drawback of the writing is some cringe-worthy dialogue, such as Yuka asking, “A. Traveler. Is that even your real name?” even though the man already divulged that he legally changed his name to A. Traveler while he was in California.
“A Traveler” is an improvement over previous episodes of The Twilight Zone and one reason for that is Ana Lily Amirpour’s (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) sharp direction. She expertly crafts a foreboding atmosphere. The score and cinematography establish an eerie tone that juxtaposes nicely with the cheerful Christmas backdrop of the narrative. One moment there are colorful lights and upbeat Christmas songs, the next there are dark corridors with suspenseful music. Low-angle shots of Steven Yeun, as well as a number of Dutch angle shots, also help to amp up the tension.
Steven Yeun Steals The Show
Greg Kinnear is fantastic as the disagreeable Captain Pendleton. Marika Sila delivers a top-notch performance; it’s surprising she doesn’t have more credits to her name. But the real star of this episode is Steven Yeun. He single-handedly makes this episode worth watching. Channeling some of the same energy that he brought to last year’s Burning, he provides an enigmatic and unnerving performance.
Yeun embodies the spirit of The Twilight Zone, and his performance as the mysterious stranger feels like something right out of Rod Serling’s original series. He’s got a sinister smile and strikes the perfect balance between menacing and friendly. He’s poised and polite, but his presence evokes feelings of suspicion. Yeun manages to be charismatic in such a creepy way that viewers will want to keep watching just to learn more about his character.
Conclusion
“A Traveler” improves upon previous episodes’ mistakes, but still stumbles. Although the script is lackluster, its subtle nods to its theme are refreshing compared to last week’s episode. Strong direction from Ana Lily Amirpour gives this episode a big boost and the cinematography effectively builds tension and creates an ominous atmosphere. The performances from the entire cast are superb, but Steven Yeun is unbelievably captivating. “A Traveler” is worth watching just for Steven Yeun’s performance alone.
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