Sunday, April 12, 2020

The Twilight Zone (2019) -- Season 1 Episode 8 (Point of Origin)


You see, the government thinks that Eve is an undocumented immigrant of a different kind.  She and a “caravan” of others have come from a parallel dimension, seeking a better way of life.  Eve pleads ignorance to no avail.  She eventually escapes, but the episode ends with her being brought back into custody.  Even her own family rejects her.

I’m not entirely certain what the episode is hoping to do.  I get that an immigrant can look like anyone.  We all came from somewhere.  It’s just a question of how and when.  I find it odd that Eve can’t remember immigrating.  It might be to show the plight of people brought by their parents.

People who came to the country as children often run into their own problems, as they may think they were born here, as is the case with Eve.  I don’t think the episode really did enough with Eve to make any sort of point.  She just has her life upended.  Anna, on the other hand, does know that kind of fear.  She’s not really used that well in this episode.  In fact, her only role seems to be putting Eve in her place.

In the end, the episode really doesn’t give me anything to think about.  It doesn’t shock you into realizing what it might be like for someone in that position.  It doesn’t do much to explore different angles or degrees of immigration.  There are plenty of people who come here legally and are still harassed and still fear legal action.  Even people who were actually born here face discrimination.

The issue of immigration seems like a backdrop for Eve’s horror.  It’s not something that’s used to make a point.  Having watched all ten episodes at this point, I’d say this one was the weakest.  It’s way too simplistic.


 

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