Modern Forms of Reception

While it might be unfair to very briefly discuss a show I haven't seen, it's fascinating to think about how different the reception and popularity two incarnations of The Twilight Zone — the original hosted and conceived by Rod Serling, and the 2019 reboot hosted by Jordan Peele — differ. Without trying to make too broad a statement, the latter seemed to slip away from the public perception almost instantly, while the former was generally well-regarded and moderately successful even while it aired. Of course, the main difference is the sheer amount of competition for attention and viewership, only compounded by the latter airing on the relatively little-used CBS All Access. Even the presence of Peele, bringing both his extensive comedy TV experience and his newfound acclaim as a horror film director fresh off the splash of Us, barely seemed to make a dent, though the question of whether it would have been more watched had he had an actual significant hand in crafting episodes is up for debate. But there's a certain sense of diminishing returns to most any reboot, the idea of going back to the well that only fitfully works in the realm of broadcasting, and none of the episodes seem to land with any individual impact, something which the original show rarely lacked. Of course, my perception is skewed by the circles in which I run, but this sense of reception seems to affect all but a handful of shows.