‘The Twilight Zone’ (2019) Recap: ‘A Human Face’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM. YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Thus far, season two of The Twilight Zone on CBS All Access has established a pretty solid storytelling pattern in regard to how it presents its episodes. In that, it tends to switch back forth between episodes that feature cerebral and meaningful commentary and the fantastical and that’s led to a satisfying season for certain. But while it is quite fun to enjoy an episode that leaves you pondering upon the nature of everyday life or partake of a tale that ignites one’s imagination, the show has seemingly made a grand effort to stay away from a story that manages to combine both of those concepts, in a silent effort to please fans of the old and the new. But clearly, the temptation to create a tale that can indeed leave us thinking while still blowing our minds was too great for the writers’ room to resist, as evidenced by the next episode in this storied franchise.
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For ‘A Human Face’ really did figure out the perfect way to combine great depth with the fantastical and it brought forth the latter of those elements by having something quite incredible happen, by delivering unto the world, alien life. The kind that is unfathomable to the human mind, to the point where this strange visitor from another world decided that the only way it can properly communicate with mankind, or in this case a broken couple named Robert and Barbara, was to take on a human form, specifically that of their late daughter Maggie. And well, that definitely led to some trippy moments that defy what we normally think of in regard to science fiction, since this alien/Maggie hybrid was able to walk through walls and appear anywhere that it wanted to and while that alone would have made for a solid tale, it is the deeper meaning that comes into play that makes this story so worth our while.

Because it doesn’t take long for this story to offer up some timely commentary on how mankind has a proclivity to ignore the facts when they are laid out right in front of them. For Robert is fully aware that this creature is from another world, as is Barbara for that matter. But since Barbara is so desperate to see her daughter once again and wants nothing more than to see her shattered family reunited, the facts simply go the wayside for her. And suddenly she is motivated to embrace this creature as her baby Mags, regardless of the danger that this creature may present and that definitely hits home in the middle of a pandemic. For this kind of illogical and self-serving line of thinking feels akin to all the videos we’ve seen of people denying the science surrounding them, and even before this notion applied to our current situation, it still feels familiar since science and fact denial has been gaining steam in America for some time now.

But what’s truly impressive about this particular tale, is that it has more to say about the human condition outside of some troubling commentary on our modern world. For this is a story that also examines the power of trauma and loss and how not being able to resolve our feelings in regard to the people that we lose along the way, can become quite toxic for our mental health, and potentially, our physical well-being. Because both Barbara and Robert have done little to deal with the loss of their daughter, and that proves to be problematic for them as this story rolls along. For the Maggie-creature is able to reach them with an honesty that the real Mags was unable to do in regular life, and being forced to feel old emotions in regard to their late daughter, and the guilt that both of them carry in regard to her passing, proves to be quite ominous for this rattled and broken couple.

For it is heavily implied that the new Maggie’s overtures of peace and love and unity, are nothing more than bait from a creature that is finding a new way to sucker in its prey, making it inherently clear that hanging onto the past can cause us great harm. Which may be a heavy-handed way to get that particular point across, but it is effective none the less and it is the perfect way to wrap up an episode that is quite frankly, a lovely hybrid of commentary and the fantastical. Because this tale really does feature the perfect marriage of storytelling for fans of the old show and the new and it all works together in seamless fashion here since you’re captivated by every moment that plays out on the screen and really, one has to wonder if this is a storytelling blueprint that the series is going to make use of going forward. Because this definitely made for a fascinating and powerful and bleak story, one that drops your jaw and stays with you, long after it has come to an end. Until next time.  

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