THE TWILIGHT ZONE (S1E5) “The Wunderkind”: Satire That Takes Itself Too Seriously
The idea of a spoiled child with too much power isn’t a new concept in The Twilight Zone. With the revival’s fifth episode “The Wunderkind”, it’s clear that writer Andrew Guest tries to pay homage to one of the original series’ best episodes, “It’s a Good Life”. But in an attempt to make a satirical political statement, “The Wunderkind” sacrifices the horror and trepidation that made “It’s a Good Life” so memorable. As a result, “The Wunderkind” feels more like a parody than an episode of The Twilight Zone.
Political Commentary Devolves Into Parody
The episode kicks off with Raff Hanks (John Cho) in a hospital fighting for his life. The circumstances that landed him there remain a mystery. Through flashbacks, we learn that Raff is a campaign manager who failed to get the previous president re-elected. While Raff turns to booze, he eventually learns that an 11-year-old YouTube sensation Oliver Foley (Jacob Tremblay) posted a video declaring his plan to run for president.
What starts off as a kid’s harmless vlogging soon turns into Raff helping Oliver on the campaign trail. As it turns out, people don’t really care how unqualified this child is, they just like what he has to say. Although the episode’s political commentary is timely, “The Wunderkind” wears its message on its sleeve. Its jabs at the current president of the United States are overt. There’s no real buildup or surprise; it’s clear from the get-go what this episode has to say.
The episode’s exploration of social media’s role in politics is its strongest element. Oliver’s penchant for vlogging is an obvious nod to Donald Trump’s propensity for tweeting. Unfortunately, the episode’s commentary on social media often takes a backseat to over-the-top moments of Oliver throwing temper tantrums.
Mismatched Style And Story
There are plenty of powerful ideas lurking in Guest’s script, but it feels more like a skit from a sketch comedy show. A stronger sense of dread and a greater buildup of tension would have made “The Wunderkind” feel true to the spirit of The Twilight Zone. Ultimately, the episode feels like a comedy that takes itself too seriously. “The Wunderkind” is capable of generating laughs, but for all the wrong reasons.
The cinematography is sleek and, along with the score, does a fantastic job of creating an unnerving atmosphere. However, the ambiance isn’t enough to make up for the feeling of terror that the episode is lacking. Instead, the ominous tone clashes with the writing as well as the performances. Between its serious cinematography and laughable narrative, it feels as though “The Wunderkind” isn’t sure what it wants to be. A more intense and nuanced script could have made this a much more effective episode.
Tremblay Doesn’t Quite Terrify
John Cho does his best with the material provided, but it’s difficult to sympathize with his character due to his illogical and selfish decision-making. Jacob Tremblay’s ability to portray a spoiled, bratty child is remarkable and thoroughly convincing. Nonetheless, Tremblay isn’t quite frightening enough to make this episode work.
“The Wunderkind” spends more time focusing on the campaign trail than it does on Oliver’s actual presidency, so there isn’t enough substance to make this idea of an 11-year-old president as terrifying as it should be. Tremblay does a fantastic job balancing Oliver’s sweet facade for the public with his brash and callous attitude toward his family and employees. Sadly, Tremblay doesn’t elicit enough fear in viewers. Oliver is more likely to annoy than to petrify.
Conclusion
The fifth episode of The Twilight Zone has solid ideas and the potential to be a potent political satire. Unfortunately, the episode falls into the same trappings as previous episodes in the sense that it makes its message too obvious. Richard Shepard’s direction is competent and Craig Wrobleski’s cinematography is strong, but Andrew Guest’s script would have been better suited as a comedy than an episode of The Twilight Zone. The performances are satisfactory, but Jacob Tremblay isn’t menacing enough to give the episode the eerie quality that it desperately needs.
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