The Twilight Zone Review: A Traveler (Season 1 Episode 4)
On The Twilight Zone Season 1 Episode 4, “A Traveler,” a small town finds a visitor who is not entirely as he seems.
Steven Yeun is the main highlight of the episode, his general friendliness and clean-cut demeanor used to provide a level of discomfort and unease. You’re not sure how to take him, despite the good nature (most of the time).
The way Traveler plays to Pendleton’s vanity is fascinating, as he places him as a travel bucket list challenge. There’s plenty of subtle hints in his language and plays on everyone’s hearts, nuggets of information passed off as casual banter, but neither Pendleton or the others picks up on it.
That is, outside of Yuka. The episode plays to what can be believed and what can be sussed out as a lie. Yuka becomes a fascinating character because of her immediate skepticism, where she does not believe the Traveler until the very end, but only because she may benefit from it.
The idea of only believing a lie when it may benefit you is such a powerful thought, and when displayed in this heightened way, it resonates. A few secrets can tear the station’s inhabitants apart, such a simple idea, but done effectively on the episode.
Marika Sila is fantastic as Yuka, a subtle performance where her strength comes from her weariness of what’s come before her. It’s a cautious portrayal by design, but her skepticism and looks of uncertainty sell a character who feels out of touch with the world she feels confined by.
Greg Kinnear’s Pendleton is a remarkably vain character, becoming rather endearing because of it. Kinnear brings a playfulness to the role, a carefree and relaxed presence that simply wants to enjoy the holiday with friends and co-workers.
The atmosphere of the episode is spectacular, the use of shadows and light making the police station, especially the jail cells, wonderfully exciting to look at. The use of Yuka’s flashlight, too, helps set the mood of the moment when Traveler is found.
Before the big reveal of aliens, the reserved use of sound and quick hints with shadow allows what the Traveler is become a mystery of the mind. The full reveal while enjoying a meal is a little much, but the great use of subtlety beforehand is commendable in an age where not many shows leave it up to the imagination.
The invasion sequence that caps off the ending is another struggle The Twilight Zone revival has come to face. The episodes end abruptly in the middle of something interesting, rather than having a natural conclusion. It’s been an issue so far, and this one in particular is the most egregious. The Russia angle, too, is a little muddled.
For me, though, everything that’s come before is exactly what I want out of The Twilight Zone.
The Twilight Zone Season 1 Episode 4, “The Traveler,” is a fascinating episode, one where I am left wanting much more. This feels compelling enough to be its own show, to be given a larger scale to tell something deeper. But as an episode, this brings a great level of debate and mystery to the small town.
Some stray thoughts on the episode:
- A fun connection to The Twilight Zone Season 1 Episode 1, “Nightmare at 30,000 Feet,” is the keypad combination at the police station is “1015”, the same number that repeats throughout that episode.
What did you think of this episode of The Twilight Zone? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Twilight Zone streams Thursdays on CBS All Access.
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Kevin Lever
Kevin Lever has been following television closely for most of his life, but in starting to cover it, he has grown a further appreciation. He strives to give the blockbusters their due, and give the lesser known shows a spotlight to find more fans.