The Twilight Zone Review: Point of Origin (Season 1 Episode 8)
Immigration becomes the main topic on The Twilight Zone Season 1 Episode 8, “Point of Origin.” It’s an idea dominating the news and policies of today, and the episode dives into the plight of privilege and the risk of capture.
Ginnifer Goodwin’s Eve Martin turns from homemaker to illegal inter-dimensional immigrant over the course of the episode, telling a brief and sharp look at what life is like when on the receiving end of prejudice.
It’s a little surface level, not quite diving deeper than capture, not being told much of anything, and how quickly one’s life can unravel in the system. The episode does succeed, though, in showing how someone can be punished simply from being from somewhere else, even unknowingly.
Allendale’s last line, of how this is his home and not Eve’s, is the big exclamation mark of this, the proclamation that while Eve’s lived here most of her life and has no remembrance of her dimension beyond flashes and dreams, he views her as someone who does not belong.
“Point of Origin” plays to the politics of the current world with this, the rooting out of people who simply want a better life or a safe place for their family, and those who are here with their point of origin no more their home than ours, with the passage of time. Jordan Peele’s Narrator says as much in his closing soliloquy.
There’s loaded words like “caravan” used at one point, and Eve’s ignorance to Anna’s own point of origin being Guatemala rather than Mexico. It’s simple but effective means to show prejudice or privilege, even when Eve herself is about to be the one shown the very same things later on the episode.
“Point of Origin” does take its time to set up, leaving the reveals and Eve’s situation to feel not quite rushed, but abbreviated. It’s needed, though, to show her perfect life and how easy it is to lose. The execution of the episode does not work entirely because of this, but the message it’s pushing is far more important and leaves a lasting impression.
It’s interesting how the episode makes privilege take the form of 1950’s attire and style, even though there’s the technology of today. It could be taken as another nod toward a certain current mindset in our times of a slogan looking to the past as a better time and one to return to.
The visual cues early on, of how a perfect world is slowly shifting into imperfection for Eve, is a fun visual style. The milk mostly missing the cereal, her car not perfectly aligned like everyone else’s in the parking garage, the note aimed at her privilege for taking up two spots.
It’s all signs of something coming, edging toward the big reveal (which her eye reflection at the window early on hinted at, as well).
The quick and manic editing of the episode helps build up the level of paranoia, with sudden cuts to Eve’s high heels, or worried looks at suspicious-looking passersby, to the slowing down to show moments of fleeing and struggling to be free.
All of this adds up to an episode of The Twilight Zone that took me by surprise. Every episode takes on a subject current and timely to the world we live in. But this one in particular touches on one which can be seen as humanity-driven, about the safety and wellness of everyone.
It does so through subverting privilege and making Eve the other, being from another dimension where only flashes are her memory of the other times.
The episode is a unique success in taking a very difficult subject and relating it to someone else, to show that everyone is from somewhere else, that we all have a different point of origin, and treating someone as other and as though they do not belong is the wrong way forward.
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.