It's 2019, and the world should be well-accustomed to Jordan Peele amazing us all by now. Still, it never gets old, probably because he's finding more and more inventive ways to keep fans on our toes. Such as, for example, pretending to resume Super Bowl coverage, only to reveal that what everyone is watching is actually a perfectly creepy (and trippy) trailer for his Twilight Zone reboot. Watch and be amazed at the weirdness of this simple but effective trailer. Take a look at the cool version, below.
Man, what a brilliant ad. Just the fact that Jordan Peele was able to create such a surreal scene using the empty stadium and some simple visual editing tricks. Once it's all stripped down, it's just cameras filming Peele as he walked around, sat in a few chairs, and put The Twilight Zone black and white swirl up on the jumbotron. So what made this ad so hypnotic and amazing?
Part of the mystique was the subverting of expectations. Audiences can feel as though they were headed right back to the Super Bowl, only for weird effects to flash and reel them in. Granted, a trained eye could probably realize it was an ad from the effects being different than usual television blackouts, but all it had to do was fool for a second to hook people. Who wouldn't be alarmed they may be missing one of television's biggest events?
Another thing that makes The Twilight Zone trailer so great is Jordan Peele's narration, which is top notch. It's that typical Twilight Zone type of speech which says a lot while being cryptic at the same time. It's not like he's actually saying a whole lot, but it flows well and makes that part where he disappears into the door hit extra hard. Of course, if you are watching this now and not during the big game, perhaps the whole mysteriousness of the trailer is a little more ineffective. Having said this, I hope it's still an effective way to get you pumped for the upcoming series, even if it doesn't trick your eyes.
Jordan Peele will be the new host of The Twilight Zone reboot, which seeks to recapture the vision of Rod Serling's original and modernize it for current generations. Peele has shown through his recent cinematic work that he's up to the task of doing this twist-driven franchise justice, though his television contributions have been mostly in the world of comedy. If the upcoming CBS All Access series is half as riveting as that commercial, then this series has some real potential to be must-watch television.
The Twilight Zone is due out on CBS All Access on Monday, April 1. Keep tabs on all things coming to television at or around that time with our midseason premiere guide, and for more great Super Bowl ads, be sure to check out the incredible Game Of Thrones and Bud Light collaboration.
