‘It’s a Good Life’: Season 3, Episode 8
Published October 23, 2026
SPOILER WARNING: Watch the episode before reading here.
When I first saw this story as a child in Twilight Zone: The Movie, it genuinely scared the crap out of me. As an adult, I still appreciate how eerie the film version is, but it doesn’t hit the same way. That got me thinking: Why doesn’t it scare me as it used to? It’s just as creepy as I remember, so what’s changed?
After watching the original television episode, I finally understand.
What makes this story so haunting isn’t necessarily what I remembered as a child, but something far more unsettling.
So hold on to your wits, keep a firm grip on your sanity, and whatever you do, avoid a young boy named Anthony Fremont...you definitely don’t want to get on his bad side.
Let’s get in the zone!
…
Wait, actually before we get started, there is something I would like to share: this Halloween at 6pm, I will be getting together with The Dare to Love Project to do a “Live - in the Zone” event. Join us for some spooky episodes of the Twilight Zone canon. Feel free to contact me for address!
Now, back to the matter at hand!
A Matter of Geography
I’ll let Rod Serling set the stage for this episode in what might be the longest opening monologue of the whole series:
Serling: “Tonight's story on The Twilight Zone is somewhat unique and calls for a different kind of introduction. This, as you may recognize, is a map of the United States, and there's a little town there called Peaksville. On a given morning not too long ago, the rest of the world disappeared and Peaksville was left all alone. Its inhabitants were never sure whether the world was destroyed and only Peaksville left untouched or whether the village had somehow been taken away. They were, on the other hand, sure of one thing: the cause. A monster had arrived in the village. Just by using his mind, he took away the automobiles, the electricity, the machines - because they displeased him - and he moved an entire community back into the dark ages - just by using his mind. Now I'd like to introduce you to some of the people in Peaksville, Ohio.”
“This is Mr. Fremont. It's in his farmhouse that the monster resides. This is Mrs. Fremont. And this is Aunt Amy, who probably had more control over the monster in the beginning than almost anyone. But one day she forgot. She began to sing aloud. Now, the monster doesn't like singing, so his mind snapped at her, turned her into the smiling, vacant thing you're looking at now. She sings no more. And you'll note that the people in Peaksville, Ohio, have to smile. They have to think happy thoughts and say happy things because once displeased, the monster can wish them into a cornfield or change them into a grotesque, walking horror. This particular monster can read minds, you see. He knows every thought, he can feel every emotion. Oh yes, I did forget something, didn't I? I forgot to introduce you to the monster. This is the monster. His name is Anthony Fremont.”
“He's six years old, with a cute little-boy face and blue, guileless eyes. But when those eyes look at you, you'd better start thinking happy thoughts, because the mind behind them is absolutely in charge. This is the Twilight Zone.”
“It’s a Good Life”: Touring the Town
Philosophers have pondered what defines a good life since the dawn of time. The rest of us have joined in that immortal discussion in our own little ways, whether through casual conversation, classroom debates, or the arts. One of my favorite examples is Frank Sinatra’s “The Good Life.” Come on, Sinatra fans, sing along with me!
The lyrics: “It's the good life, full of fun, seems to be the ideal,
Yes, the good life lets you hide all the sadness you feel,
You won't really fall in love 'cause you can't take the chance,
So be honest with yourself, don't try to fake romance.
Yes, the good life, to be free and explore the unknown,
Like the heartache when you learn you must face them alone,
Please remember I still want you and in case you wonder why,
Well, just wake up, kiss that good life goodbye.”
Is your spine tingling a little as you sing this song under these circumstances? Mine too!
Like Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, this episode offers a glimpse into a typical day in the life of the average Peaksville citizen. Trust me, this is no Grover’s Corners!
Our little tour of Peaksville begins at Anthony’s house, where a grocery boy is making a delivery. At first glance, everything seems fine and dandy—almost as if we’ve wandered into an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. The grocery boy is filled with words of encouragement for little Anthony. Beneath the façade, something feels terribly wrong. The eerie music and the grocery boy’s slightly anxious tone hint at an unspoken rule that governs everyday life in Peaksville: everyone walks on eggshells.
This seems as good a time as any to point out the deliberate lack of quotes in this section — I’m saving the best for the next section…you’ll see why.
Life in Peaksville feels eerily reminiscent of the pandemic, with food shortages and limited resources becoming part of everyday life after the town’s access to outside suppliers is cut off. Even something as ordinary as bars of soap become a luxury, but here’s the thing: plenty of people still live under these kinds of conditions today. The barriers they face aren’t the result of some mysterious, otherworldly force, but rather real-world struggles such as economic hardship, racial discrimination, immigration status, or simply being unable to navigate a system that seems designed to keep them out.
Oh, how exciting! Anthony is going to conjure up a television and all sorts of treats for a town member’s surprise birthday party. What could possibly go wrong? A party like this has a to do list, let’s see what Anthony accomplishes before the festivities begin:
A chat with Dad.
Complaining about feeling lonely with no kids coming over to play.
Kill a three headed gopher he created.
Wish the neighbor’s dog away into the mysterious cornfield (that acts like a black hole).
What a normal, well balanced, completely sane wishlist, am I right? “It was real good!”
Ooo, time for the birthday party!
The birthday boy (or should I say, birthday man?) receives a Perry Como record—a real treat in their isolated little community! I love Perry Como myself…wait I shouldn’t say that, Anthony might be listening…I like whatever Anthony likes. He is a good boy, everybody’s favorite!
Such a good boy that he saves the birthday party from potential catastrophe: thankfully, he saved everyone from listening to Perry Como and replaced it with old piano tunes played by another community member.
Oh, oh: Birthday boy is drinking too much whisky! He is saying all sorts of bad things about our hero, what will happen? Phew, he took an involuntary trip to the cornfield! Little Anthony thinks of everything…doesn’t he? Our hero of the Twilight Zone.
Our Good Life
Okay, we are out of town, I think we are safe now!
On our little sojourn, I figured out exactly why this episode is haunting…Anthony reminds me of someone. You too? Say it with me? trump. Oh that’s right, we are not completely free to speak our minds, we have not completely escaped the Twilight Zone! We are just in a different layer!
I’ve got an idea that can keep us safe: highlight over the trump and you will see exactly who it is. You can also copy and paste it into google, and it should reveal what lies underneath.
Let’s rewind this episode to see compare our Anthony’s. This is where I will be taking sections of script for your examination:
Serling: “Its inhabitants were never sure whether the world was destroyed and only Peaksville left untouched or whether the village had somehow been taken away. They were, on the other hand, sure of one thing: the cause. A monster had arrived in the village. Just by using his mind, he took away the automobiles, the electricity, the machines - because they displeased him - and he moved an entire community back into the dark ages - just by using his mind.” [Or in our case executive power, legal loopholes, illegal actions, money, coercion, and corrupt manipulation…to say the least].
Serling: “[He has] blue, guileless eyes. But when those eyes look at you, you'd better start thinking happy thoughts, because the mind behind them is absolutely in charge.”
Grocery Boy: “Howdy, Anthony! Mighty good to see you today. Mighty Good! It’s such a good day, isn’t it? A real good day.” [pause as Aunt Amy says something truthful…like it is a terrible hot day for instance] “Oh, I wouldn’t say that, Aunt Amy. I wouldn’t say that at all! It’s fine, just fine! It’s a real good day!” People like to kiss the asses of dictators to save their own behinds from punishment or worse.
Grocery Boy: “My, what are you doing Anthony? Whatever it is, it’s real good!” [pause as Anthony tells him he made a gopher with 3 heads]. “My, that’s a fine one! I have never seen that before.” Anthony responds: “I’ll make him dead now, I’m tired of playing with him…Be dead, GOPHER BE DEAD!” Grocery boy responds: “My, that’s real fine you did that Anthony. You’re a good boy Anthony. We all love you! We love that boy!”As Serling will later say, no commentary necessary.
Grocery Boy to Anthony’s mom [played by Cloris Leachman]: “You’ll tell Anthony I brought the tomato soup, right? Because I heard he loves it?” Mom responds, “you don’t have to be afraid of him Bill, he’s told me how much he likes you!” He responds: “That’s so nice to hear, he’s a real clever boy!” Again, another tactic to get on his good side. Sometimes, gifts, treats, favors are all one needs to stay safe.
Mom: “He invented an animal yesterday that had real sharp teeth. It tried to bite him. I was kind of hoping that…” Girl, same!
Mom: “Anthony’s gonna put a nice picture on television.” Our boy likes to control what’s on TV too!
Mom: “You know just as well as I do that sometimes he can hear what we’re thinking no matter where he is, so you just keep thinking nice things.” Governments always have a funny way of doing that, don’t they?
Dad to Anthony: “Now, uh you weren’t playing any tricks on your old dad, were you? I mean, remember last year when you…” Careful, careful! Just like Anthony, trump doesn’t respond well to anyone who tries to have authority over him.
Dad: “Anthony, you wished them away into the cornfield, and that made their parents upset…if you wish people away like that, there will be no one left.” Someone better tell trump that.
Dad: “Maybe next week, we’ll talk to people about bringing their children over.” trump has always managed to get people, especially women of all ages, whenever he wants them, huh?
Anthony: “I don’t like them, they didn’t like me, I hated them. I hate anybody like that. I hate anybody who doesn’t like me.”
I rest my case. Serling, close us out:
Serling: “No comment here, no comment at all. We only wanted to introduce you to one of our very special citizens, little Anthony Fremont, age 6, who lives in a village called Peaksville in a place that used to be Ohio. And if by some strange chance you should run across him, you had best think only good thoughts. Anything less than that is handled at your own risk, because if you do meet Anthony, you can be sure of one thing: you have entered The Twilight Zone.”
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