To Serve Man - Twilight Zone Episode REVIEW 

My reaction in rambling bullet points: - Happy surprise to see a new video from FDT this morning! Yay! - Absolutely classic old-timey sci-fi TZ ep. Unquestionably 5 stars from me. - I've read the short story to students in the classroom. A major change in the TZ adaptation concerns how the Kanamits leave the all-important book behind (to be decoded). This has always bugged me. Casually (and intentionally) setting down on the table makes zero sense. ZERO! - A part that you didn't mention that cracks me up every time is the narration alliterated by the letter "F" (spoken by Mr. Chambers) near the beginning. Go back and listen. It is so over the top it is unintentionally hilarious (at least to me, who has taught Language Arts for years). - Loved your description: "... who's been reduced to playing with string"! LOL So funny. - Another part that has become an in-joke is that dramatic Kanamit turn made at 8:57 in your vid. I've done it for my wife (who got me into TZ) when she's in the car and I raise the garage door for her to drive in. Haha. - Why do people always underestimate the weight of tall people? Over 9 feet and 350 lbs?! That's an emaciated beanpole! Need to start eating more humans. - What shocker-twist-ending can match this one? Really not sure there is one. All the best and thank you. I'll bet it takes a LOT of time to put together such quality reviews as yours.

Hey all, so unfortunately I had to repost. Just wanted to say I appreciate all of you who watched and commented on the previous post though. Thank you all, you are the best.

I frequently say "can you just explain it to me without an exercise in euclidean geometry?" to co workers. No one has gotten the joke, but it makes me laugh on the inside. Nice work on this channel!

in my college philosophy class, we compared this to how we raise animals to be the perfect thing to eat. we used this episode to make us think abt what we do to other animals

There's a line that was said in this episode ''as a race we are unaccustomed to charity, brutality is a far more universal language than an act of friendship'' that is so thought provoking even for the twilight zone but it's also true, we don't expect most people in this world to act selfless and be kind to us so why the fuck would we expect it from alien's from outerspace. sad but true.

You know it always fascinated me that the people would trust these giants without first disciphering that book., my side eye would have stayed on them all the time

Lloyd Bochner was one of my favorite character actors,he seemed to never age in his role. This is a great episode and you reviewed it well.

“It’s a harmless cook book. It’s just a little dusty” Aside from reposting my comment from the original version of this video, just wanted to say I deeply enjoy your reviews and have helped motivate me into rewatching the classic series. Do you plan on reviewing any of the newer Twilight Zones?

Difficult to pick a "favorite' episode...... definitely in my top 5. 😎

You know how -(For whatever reason) you just never seem to catch the very beginning of a movie ? Well like 25 years ago, I FINALLY saw the very beginning of "The Planet of The Apes". The opening credits said "Screenplay by Rod Serling". / I knew it ! - I always knew it ! - Even when I was a kid I said to myself when he saw the statue of Liberty "This is the Twilite Zone !

Great stuff man. Rod Serling was an absolute genius.

Heyyyyy friend here watching glad to see u posting 🥰

Great job as always! You make me just wanna binge The Twilight Zone, which I may watch some eps at some point! I think it would be fun to play the villain over a good guy like this actor said haha. Also damn, that guy was tall! Awesome video!

Beware of Kanamits in cheap clothing! I wonder what the first recipe was in the book. Roast leg of insurance salesman? I liked Kiel in the 1972 movie, " Longest Yard, " with Burt Reynolds. An exquisite turnaround line.

I LOVE this episode I could watch it a million times over 😉 such a creepy plot twist and it just has such a nice flow to it. Another fab review with lots of great extras Anthony! ✌️

_"It's a cookbook!"_ If someone was going to come up with a top ten list of memorable _Twilight Zone_ quotes, this has to be on it, perhaps at number one. The whole conceit about the book simultaneously being interpreted as assisting / attacking mankind is both a strength and a weakness for "To Serve Man". To begin with, what were the Kanamits thinking by leaving the book where it would obviously be found? Test the Earthlings' intelligence (or lack thereof)? A practical joke on the victims (by the time they figure out the play on words it will be too late)? Plenty of fun twists and turns make "To Serve Man:" a classic, despite plot holes (e.g., how does it happen that the two distinct meanings of "serve" in English are exactly the same in the Kanamit language?). Unlike how some seek to read its underlying theme, "To Serve Man" isn't Rod preaching to us about how all the nations need to find ways to get along. First, this isn't his story, but Damon Knight's--Serling just wrote the screenplay. (I wonder if Knight came up with the name _Kanamit_ because it resembles "cannibal"?) And the conclusion hardly fulfills such a lofty goal, as the peoples of Earth are only seen to get along after deceived by the Kanamits, who, it will be recalled are able to get embassies established in every country, all the better to facilitate them setting up places from which to board their livestock transits--er, flights aboard their friendly spacecraft. No, not Serling social consciousness; rather the episode best fits as a play on the audience's expectations in the years following all of those alien invasion flicks of the 1950s, such as _War of the Worlds,_ _Invaders from Mars,_ _The Thing from Another World,_ _Invasion of the Body Snatchers,_ etc. First reaction, "those flying saucers mean trouble"; then, "oh, look, the aliens are friendly"; followed by "yeah, but maybe we shouldn't trust them anyway"; next, "gosh, they're actually keeping their word to help us"; and finally, "we should never have trusted them in the first place". Don't get me started on with the Kanamit problems, Anthony. Oh, I'll get myself started! 😏 So, we learn quite a bit from the musings of the lead Kanamit, but are they true? 🤔 We know from the book's title that they enjoy messing with us. (Did you check out any of the recipes? Did the dessert section have one for Earthling Eclairs?) Consider the findings of that polygraph test. We're supposed to believe he isn't being deceptive, but look at what he says. He's lying with the claim that the Kanamits' only reason to visit Earth is to help us. No, it wasn't, it's to turn us into 🍗 🥩 🍖 etc. Even in 2022 lie detector findings are inadmissible as evidence as they are unreliable, and certain people can "trick" them. So, what about alien creatures with super brains? Did you notice he was messing with them at first, just so they'd trust him. When they asked how he came to Earth, he goes "I walked" to lull them into a false sense of security with an intentional, easily detectable lie. Maybe he was able to overcome the test when it came to his lies about wanting to help us by using a mental reservation, as in thinking "Oh, we're helping you, so we can help ourselves." And by the way, are we expected to believe that the physiology of a Kanamit is so similar to ours that a polygraph works with it? Speaking of those supposed super-brains, once I look below the bulbous cranium I have to asked myself if this is an elite genius, or someone more closely bordering on feeblemindedness. 1:49 (Like, do I really want to hand this duffus the keys to my luxury interplanetary spacecraft??? No, _really!_ The racoon-like shading around the eyes reminds me a bit of the two little aliens--the second pair of space beings in in "Mr. Dingle the Strong") More Kanamit Kanundrums: How is it that they are so into human flesh and not other types of food? It doesn't seem as though they're very frugal, since one talks about how they've gone to other planets and helped those beings as they've "helped" us. After all, are they doing nothing to see that the beings aren't reproducing? I thought of that after recalling how Mr. Chambers and Penny may have been not that far from a romantic link. (Recall, in the scene where they are alone in the office together, though there is never anything overt, they do seem to have an interest in what the other will be doing and she powders her nose in front of him. If the Kanamits were truly super smart, wouldn't it be prudent for them to start paring off the Earthlings to reproduce, and thus assure an abundance of Earth Meat ®️™️ for generations to come?) This is an iconic episode, no question, but the plot holes incline me to deduct. a half a point or so. What stops me, though, are a couple of things. First, that the Jordan Peele version of _TZ_ has a reimagining or sequel entitled "You Might Also Like". I haven't seen it, but from what I've read and the stills it looks interesting. ew.com/tv/twilight-zone-to-serve-man-sequel-photos/ What I am very familiar with, however, is an episode from the 1985 _TZ_ series entitled "A Small Talent for War". It's an eight-minute short that has "To Serve Man" as a template for some of its main ideas: An aerial craft of some sort hovers outside the U.N. building; inside delegates have a unannounced visit from a humanoid whose message has them scrambling to devise a plan for world peace; the mysterious visitor returns, only to discover that they had greatly misunderstood the message. Beyond those points the program's arc is much different, although it's possible, if one is so disposed, to view the endings as examples of dark humor in the framework of sci-fi horror. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-fbT1fCHOjfI.html I think I like "A Small Talent for War" about as much as I do the episode that inspired it, so I'm tacking this on to my final rating for "To Serve Man": *5 out of 5 Intergalactic Punchlines*

I like your 4/5 hungry kanamit rating system with this one

The Kanamits just view the universe as one big buffet table LOL! Stopping at each planet sampling its local cuisine. Thanks again for another great TW review. 💯👍

This is a really fun episode. I appreciated all the behind the scenes stuff. And yea, humans were dumb to believe aliens would come here to save us. For what? Just to ruin the planet again after receiving their help? Humans don't deserve to be rescued by a higher intelligence. While this can be enjoyed as just pure, fun entertainment it's hard not to see the social commentary. While the human race would greatly benefit from coming together as one, it's something Earth will likely never see. Unless something happened that wipe 75% of the population. Even then, there will always be people who feel superior to others causing a division amongst the community. Wonderful breakdown and review as always!

Quite possibly the best of all Twilight Zone episodes,Fever,even though there are many other great episodes.One of the biggest shock endings.It's tough to find somebody who doesn't know the words,"It's a cookbook. !!!".

Great review. Life would be good for earthlings with no wars or famines. Just don't book a flight to the Kannamits home planet!! Wouldn't people get suspicious when everyone who travelled to their planet didn't return? And cracking an alien code would be nigh on I Impossible. But hey it's the Twilight Zone! Best line in the series 'it's a cookbook '

I’d never heard of this episode before. Super creepy, I love it! I had seen several parodies but never knew the reference. I liked the original idea of the touching of the cheek and leading him off. Subtlety creepy! Fab episode Anthony.

This is the best episode of Twilight Zone - and I'm a huge fan of the entire series so that's saying something. I first watched this during one of those marathons they'd run on some holidays here in the states back when I was all of 6 years old. Scared the hell out of me.

Omg another one of my favorites 😍. Great video man.

Wait, "somewhat faithful"? I read the original and it just ended at the cookbook reveal. Nothing came after in the original story. In any case, I've seen it the same way you did: a cautionary tale about people offering free things. Also, as the opening narration puts it, they are the Christopher Columbus to Earthlings.

One of the top 5 episodes in a series full of so much quality and creative material that to this day it's all still amazingly unique. Thanks for reviewing it brother. 🌌

This is deep. Goes to show you can be pulling, with someone or some people and you really have different goals. Alien promised to serve man, but in reality he was speaking literally to serve man on their tables as their planet obviously lacked food.....😂

I noticed on my last viewing they showed UN placards being placed specifically for DR, Costa Rica, and Colombia, all countries colonized by Europe.

Still worthy of a second viewing. What a stonking great channel this is. I’m a spineless jellyman for not voting for you.

Maaaaan all I kept thinking about every time that first alien popped on screen was "Damn he looks SUPER stoned" 🤣 Anthony this was an absolutely stellar review! Every time you dig into the depths of those behind the scenes trivia facts I gain such a larger appreciation for this show and each episode. I love how you do these man. This one definitely seems like one worth checking out and that twist is quite a chilling one Great work brother 👏

ka na mits sounds like can ni bals when pronounced in an accent cannibals definitely sounds like kanamits....the name itself gave away a good chunk of spoiler.... but inspite of the name it was a really good episode

I thought I commented on this one, but there's little for me to add, as everyone else has written so eloquently about this most famous episode. I just have one question...did Richard Kiel play all of the Kanamits? They all look so much alike I can't tell! And most people aren't anywhere near 7 foot tall!

Honestly my favorite episode, thank you for reviewing! The ep reminds me of the short story "Childhood's End" by Arthur C. Clarke, though with a different kind of twist. Let's agree: don't trust extraterrestrials who promise world peace and prosperity 😆

What a crappy thing for YT to do to find a random copyright last minute like that. Rewatched and gotta say you keep on killing these videos, brother 💪🏽

To Serve Man is one of my faves! I know I say that about every TZ video you do but what can I say? TZ is the best. Our reveal about the cookbook is a mind blower and always made me believe to be careful of Trojans baring gifts IRL. The ending with the 4th wall being broken, I don’t think that ever done again by someone on TZ not named Rod, but I could be incorrect. Anyway this ep is impactful and glad you covered it. Excellent video buddy, and glad you got it reposted.

My absolute favorite absolute favorite zone

They give you plenty of cigarettes on that spaceship.

Yes to serve man loved it so much. You really make this very interesting. Thanks for sharing. I am sharing on my community page.

I didn't work out the twist, even though it was in the title. Definitely in my top 20 of all 156 episodes. Wouldn't earthlings notice that people who have travelled to the Kananites home planet haven't returned? Plus it would be quite impossible to decode their language without some type of source element

I have the kements figure came with twilight zone package. Got him posed....

I always saw this one as pretty corny. The twist was a play on words that would not happen. I can suspend disbelief for an alien but not for a crazy mistranslation. It surprised me when I found out how beloved the episode is.

💗💗💗 this episode is one of my faves!

No worries Anthony! I actually watched it again coz your content, if I were to give it a Man of Movies rating, it's gonna be a "repeat watch!"

Another top five episode for me. I only have two more picks.

Great video mate, never seen this one before, not that I remember anyway.

Sterling sent me. I watched. I subscribed.

Two jokes they could have made: 1. He's a humanitarian! (I don't know if that word existed back then.) 2. Since it says "To Serve Man", I guess women are safe. (Alternately, he could have been a woman, who wanted to do away with men.)

Easily my favorite episode

I wish Movie adaptation of To Serve Man Novel. Runtime: 210mins (2 Hour) Genre: Horror Point of View: Third Person Setting should be at White House instead of UN. US President should be Far To Trusting SJW.

Am I the only one who sees Michael Shannon in the head alien? Specifically Man of Steel Shannon lol

A onde eu consigo assistir os episódios antigos? Pois não consigo assistir em nenhum lugar. Desde já agradeço.

The Old Trojan Horse.

9:29...Naked Gun 2 1/2 The Smell of Fear...😆😆😆😆😆

Twilight Zone’s To Serve Man Episode should be 45min Episode

Great review and a great TV Show.

Good video! This was one of my favorite episodes. I just subscribed. Congrats on getting close to 1000 subs. I am trying to get there myself. #TheNote2SelfGuy

No problem man, still an excellent video

Am I the first one here to correlate this episode to spirit cooking and adrenochrome?

It's... its a RU-vidr 😱

Richard Keil ?

I see.fetterman