Picture a world where women live in fear of men’s violent outbursts. Where they have to worry about rejecting sexual advances because the reaction could turn deadly. Unfortunately, it’s not difficult to imagine this scenario at all because we’re living in it. That’s why the seventh episode of The Twilight Zone—aptly titled “Not All Men”—has to up the ante in order to make this scenario feel like we’ve entered a different dimension. It’s so closely tied to ours, to begin with.
An Episode For The #MeToo Movement
Annie Miller (Taissa Farmiga) is a hardworking young woman who says “yes” to everything her boss asks her to do. One day at work, Dylan (Luke Kirby) invites her to his place to have dinner and to watch an impending meteor shower. One meteor strikes a water tower and a few more land nearby. Dylan insists on checking out one of the fallen meteors; he picks it up but refuses to let Annie touch it because it “might be radioactive.” At the time, we think nothing of it. Later, the two cozy up on his couch. Annie is initially receptive to Dylan’s advances until he gets a little too handsy.
She politely pushes him away and expresses her to desire to head home. It doesn’t take long for Dylan to become aggressive, raising his voice and grabbing her forcefully by the arm. He even gaslights her by asking if she thought he was looking for sex and further claiming she hurt his feelings by making that assumption. Luckily, she is able to get out the door. But as she walks to her car, she hears Dylan let out a barbaric scream. Annie wheels around only to witness Dylan erupt in a violent rampage, obliterating everything in sight.
The following evening, Annie attends her sister Martha’s (Rhea Seehorn) birthday dinner. She soon discovers that the meteors have turned the water in town red. Some men at a bar have even been taking shots with bits of the meteorites in them causing them to turn excessively violent, just like Dylan did the night before. Even Martha’s husband Mike (Ike Barinholtz) is affected in the same manner. As Annie pieces everything together, she believes the meteors are to blame for people’s belligerent behavior. However, it becomes increasingly clear that the only people affected by the meteors are men. But as the title suggests, maybe not all men…
Tackling Toxic Masculinity
If the original series of The Twilight Zone ever explored any feminist issues, it was always in the guise of commentary on unrealistic beauty standards or stereotypical gender roles. Considering the time period in which the show was created, it’s understandable Rod Serling’s series didn’t really tackle the topic of misogyny. Taking on that subject matter is one of the smartest moves the reboot has made. The theme of toxic masculinity is the perfect opportunity for the new series to follow in Serling’s footsteps while still crafting something wholly original and immensely relevant.
“Not All Men” makes a statement about consent, sexual harassment, domestic violence, and sexism. The episode also examines the notion of “nice guys” through Barinholtz’s Mike, who early on in the episode believes himself to be “woke” but ultimately succumbs to the powers of the meteorites. The juxtaposition between his words and actions speaks volumes. The most intriguing aspect of the episode is actually discovering “how” and “why” some men aren’t influenced by the meteorites.
Taking Stock of The Talent
Much like her work in the 2018 film Nancy, Christina Choe’s direction here establishes a deeply unsettling atmosphere. Meanwhile, Heather Anne Campbell creates a sense of buildup that’s comparable to one of the best episodes of the original series, The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street. Her script is based on Racoona Sheldon’s 1977 short story “The Screwfly Solution,” but Campbell succeeds in turning “Not All Men” into something all her own.
Taissa Farmiga’s lead performance is convincing and highly relatable. Regrettably, many of the other performances surrounding her often give way to campiness. Although the campy vibe feels intentional at times, the episode is at its strongest when it displays its serious side front and center.
Between these weaknesses and some very on-the-nose dialogue, “Not All Men” frequently loses its effectiveness. True, these extremes that get dangerously close to parody may have been necessary in order to fall within the realm of science fiction since the concept itself is true to life.
However, like previous installments of The Twilight Zone, the seventh episode could have also benefited vastly from more nuanced scripting. Despite these obvious flaws, “Not All Men” has the most noteworthy twist of the series so far.
Conclusion
“Not All Men” proves why a revival of The Twilight Zone seems justified, because there are plenty of social issues that the original series never got around to exploring. The topic of toxic masculinity makes for one of the most original explorations of the series to date. It feels fresh while still staying true to the spirit of Serling’s series.
Even considering the over-the-top performances and overt dialogue holding this episode back, its timely themes, strong social commentary, and ingenuity make “Not All Men” worth a watch. If you only have time for one episode of The Twilight Zone reboot, definitely make it this one.
The Twilight Zone returns on CBS on May 16, 2019.
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