The Twilight Zone Reboot From An Oscar-Winning Horror Writer Deserves A Second Look

"The Twilight Zone" was one of the most groundbreaking science fiction shows in television history, sending us into another dimension that inspired some of Hollywood's biggest names, including Michael B. Jordan for "Sinners." After his booming success with "Get Out" (a great film to watch in 4K if we do say so, ourselves), director Jordan Peele was given the key to unlock imaginations once again with a revival of the show that had already been revived twice since the original series ended in 1964.

Following in the footsteps of the genius storyteller Rod Serling, Peele joined the project as an executive producer, backed by his own company, Monkeypaw Productions, alongside Simon Kinberg. He also served as narrator, like Serling before him, introducing the audience to a variety of stories, some of which paid homage to the original show's most notorious chapters.

Peele's take also featured some big names helping us on our journey, with Adam Scott (who starred in the episode "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet," another airplane tale like the original "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" starring William Shatner), Kumail Nanjiani, Zazie Beetz, and Steve Yuen making appearances in the first season. Unfortunately, even after a second season and all that star power, it wasn't enough for Peele's tussle with "The Twilight Zone" to last, despite the fairly impressive reception it received.

While attempts to bring a new take on "The Twilight Zone" were cut short due to cancellation, Peele's punt at the beloved sci-fi anthology series ended on the producer's say-so. When the plug was pulled after season 2, it was revealed that Peele had nothing further to say beyond what he had already said in his version of the show. In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Peele and Kinberg said, "We greatly enjoyed our time working on 'The Twilight Zone' — particularly when the real world around us often felt more and more like another dimension."

Going into further detail as to why Kinberg and Peele were parting ways from the project, the creatives added, "We cherished the opportunity to collaborate with so many talented writers, actors and crewmembers. After 20 unique episodes, we have told the stories that we wanted to tell, and CBS All Access was gracious in their understanding of our decision. It was an honor and a privilege to bring audiences a modern reimagining of Rod Serling's iconic creation."

Sometimes it's best to know when to call it a day and bow out on a decent run. With season 1 of the show getting 71% on Rotten Tomatoes and season 2 getting the lower but still commendable 64%, it's clear that Serling and his mind-blowing legacy weren't totally besmirched.