While the average anthology series doesn’t require a proper conclusion to tie up loose ends, it only seemed fitting for the third and most recent revival of The Twilight Zone to seek some sense of finality. After all, the 2019 take never shied away from acknowledging its progenitor, directly or otherwise, and that reverence became a sort of throughline.
In the Jordan Peele–produced and hosted update, tribute to Rod Serling’s The Twilight Zone was routinely made via easter eggs, or remake in the case of “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet,” however, Osgood “Oz” Perkins’ episode “You Might Also Like” was something of a sequel to a beloved Serling story. In what ultimately became the finale for Peele’s short-lived show, the director of Longlegs and The Monkey not only brought back iconic characters from the original series, he also offered a considerable glimpse into his own future as both a filmmaker and storyteller.
Despite the sundry of stories and styles offered in The Twilight Zone, viewers were not at all prepared for Perkins’ contribution. “You Might Also Like” is, to say the least, a unique episode, and it is a truly mad way to cap off the second and final season. Yet for all its offbeatness, Perkins’ entry is a fitting end for the series, even if not everyone will agree with that opinion. The approach here is what might be expected of Perkins now, in light of his two newer films as of this writing, but back then, the loud and displeased responses to “You Might Also Like” were a clear sign of a show not living up to expectations. The funny thing, though, is how an anthology like 2019’s The Twilight Zone could garner any certain expectations. From the start, it was clear that this was going to be an erratic show — one that made it difficult to understand what it was or wanted to be.
Image: Gretchen Mol as Janet Warren in “You Might Also Like.”
Like the majority of Perkins’ work so far, “You Might Also Like” dwells on family and grief. However, the major difference between this story and, say, 2017’s The Blackcoat’s Daughter, is the use of humor. This is immediately evident when first entering the episode, which begins with fake commercials for ambiguous products, in particular one called The Egg. As the voiceover of one commercial insists, “The Egg will make everything okay again.” From there Perkins world-builds, albeit vaguely but consciously, and introduces Gretchen Mol as Janet Warren, one of many people living in these uncertain times. Janet herself comes across as a seemingly put-together woman, on account of the athleisure wear denoting a stress-free life, and a magazine-ready depiction of domesticity. Of course, appearances are deceiving because Janet, much like everyone else, is secretly unhappy. Fret not, though, because The Egg is going to make everything okay again.
Perkins does not typically comply with the conventions of horror, and “You Might Also Like” is no exception. Rather than straight depictions of terror, Perkins finds other ways to unsettle the audience, including his visual trademark of triangles. Another director would tilt the camera ever so slightly to indicate a disturbance in situation or atmosphere, yet Perkins is fascinated with the “primal, elemental, simple, undeniable force” of triangles. This recurring framing method “to focus the visuals around something distinct,” one used to maximum effect in 2020’s Gretel & Hansel, generates a bit of discomfort with every application, regardless of the safeness of a triangle. It all starts to feel quite confrontational from a viewer’s perspective. Then there are other moments in the episode that dance on that fine line between silly and disquieting. What jumps out is the Immolation Station, a chain of Chuck E. Cheese-like rage rooms for children. Janet’s largely absent husband (Gil Bellows) and one of their two young sons are spotted at the torture arena, beaming from ear to ear as costumed employees are set on fire and presumably killed for entertainment.
Its high-concept execution notwithstanding, “You Might Also Like” eventually reveals a simple and familiar plot. Until then, though, the episode is nebulous replete with impish wit and indirect answers. Everything only starts to change once the cause of Janet’s blackouts becomes known, and Perkins manifests the most candid callback to the Serling incarnation. Footage from a retro-vintage baby monitor shows Janet being temporarily abducted by the Kanamits, that very same race of aliens first seen in the classic-run episode “To Serve Man.” The Kanamits’ mere presence — Perkins maintaining their original design is a solid choice — implies another insidious go at conquering Earth, although the precise means to do so differ this time around.
Image: Greta Lee as Ellen in “You Might Also Like.”
At first glance, this episode is clearly a blunt satire, with Perkins connecting unhappiness and depression with consumerism. Whatever someone feels they lack in life, they see The Egg as a panacea. Everything will be okay again. Yet not even knowing what exactly this Egg is or does, or what it looks like, is enough to stop anyone from buying it — well, all except Janet, who gradually becomes curious and tries to cancel her order. The loss of a child, as it turns out, is what ails Mol’s character, and she figures The Egg, no matter how new and blindly desired it is, will not cure that grief. Ultimately, her decision changes in this episode’s surprising outcome, which in itself could say a lot about people’s priorities during trying times.
It is easy to spot shades of The Monkey in “You Might Also Like.” The latter acts like a prototype for a film whose manner of confronting grief and trauma is hardly serious. Even with Gretchen Mol’s outstanding turn as the iconoclastic and mourning protagonist, the episode is a comedy. Perkins being so barefaced about it all has been of some concern, critically speaking, but the upfront and unusual manner in which he tackles loss and sorrow is not to be overlooked.
This peculiar and divisive episode is worth another watch, especially after having gone through Osgood Perkins’ filmography so far and better understanding his intent and outlook.
Image: The Kanamits in “You Might Also Like.”