Rod Serling's 'The Twilight Zone' remains a cultural touchstone for its ability to tackle societal issues through science fiction. One episode, 'It's a Good Life,' stands out for its chilling premise and enduring relevance. Exploring themes of unchecked power and the dangers of uncritical obedience, the episode continues to resonate with viewers decades after its initial airing.
Rod Serling crafted arguably one of the most iconic science fiction shows of all time with The Twilight Zone. The reason for The Twilight Zone's evergreen status is that Serling managed to tackle societal issues in a way that makes some episodes feel truly timeless.'The Monsters are Due On Maple Street' shows how prejudices can often lead people to take drastic, deadly actions, while'He's Alive!' is a chilling parable about the dangers of fascism and one that resonates sharply in 2025.
But there is one very specific episode of The Twilight Zone that has proven itself to not just be one of the best episodes of the entire series, but a half-hour that's continued to resonate through time: Enter,'It's a Good Life.' ‘It's a Good Life' takes place in the small town of Peaksville, Ohio, which looks like an ordinary American town — except for one small detail. Anthony Fremont (Bill Mumy), a 6-year-old boy, has seemingly gained the power to create whatever he wants just by thinking about it. He's used his powers to isolate Peaksville from the rest of the world, and anyone thinking'unhappy thoughts' is banished to a mysterious purgatory he calls'the cornfield.' From the jump,'It's a Good Life' doesn't shy away from showcasing how horrifying Anthony's abilities are. His idea of entertainment is creating violent, gory battles with inhuman creatures — and the fact that he's a 6-year-old with the powers of a demigod makes the episode all the more terrifying. Even the ending is a downer: when Anthony starts to create snow, which will destroy the crops that Peaksville's residents have been harming, his father attempts to scold him but then switches to a congratulatory tone at the last minute — underlining how terrified he, and the rest of the adults, are of Anthony. 'It's a Good Life' is considered to be one of the best'Twilight Zone' episodes ever, and its legacy has spread across pop culture. If you've ever visited the Tower of Terror at Disney's Hollywood Studios, you've probably heard Serling's opening narration from the episode before you board the ride. Twilight Zone: The Movie features a whole-cloth reimagining of'It's a Good Life' with Joe Dante and Richard Matheson putting their signature creative flourishes on the story (the film version takes things even further by hinting that Anthony has been capturing people to replace his long-dead family, and his punishments aren't just limited to banishment to 'the cornfield')'It's a Good Life' received a sequel episode, titled'It's Still A Good Life' during the Forest Whitaker-hosted revival of The Twilight Zone in 2002. 'It's Still A Good Life' picks up 40 years after the events of'It's A Good Life', and sees Bill Mumy return to play a grown-up Anthony — who still hasn't lost his childish ways, or his tendencies to banish those who displease him. But in a twist of fate, Anthony's daughter Audrey (played by Mumy's real-life daughter Liliana) has inherited his psychic powers, and is far stronger than he is — but utterly beholden to him. While the Twilight Zone revival wasn't as well regarded as the original series,'It's Still A Good Life' shows how some people will never change, or worse, impart their way of thinking onto their successors — propagating a vicious cycle. With ‘It’s a Good Life,’ ‘The Twilight Zone’ Shows How Some People Shouldn’t Be Given Power Close Though'It's A Good Life' would air a full year before Stan Lee and Steve Ditko brought Spider-Man to the pages of Amazing Fantasy #15, it was pretty clear that Anthony needed to learn the same lesson as Peter Parker: with great power, there must also come great responsibility. More to the point, Serling was trying to impart to his viewers that great power should never be in the hands of certain people, or it would lead to horrific results. That lesson has never been more clear in 2025: tech moguls are using their wealth and influence to spread hateful views, and world leaders are using their powers to punish instead of govern. During the opening of'It's a Good Life,' Serling describes Anthony as a monster who'moved an entire community back into the dark ages, just by using his mind.' The people with power may not be able to reshape the world with their minds, but their worldview is no less dangerous than Anthony's
THE TWILIGHT ZONE ROD SERLING IT's A GOOD LIFE SCIENCE FICTION TELEVISION PSYCHIC POWERS SOCIAL COMMENTARY
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