An utterly clumsy, overtly silly episode this week. The premise (while unbelievable) is arguably the least potent and poorly written this season. Wasting excellent talent (John Cho), this episode wastes no time being the stupidest i've seen in awhile. It's the twilight zone, but this episode lacks common sense. The script essentially holds the hand of the viewer through the least subtle plot in twilight zone history.
No tone, an aggravating antagonist and a terrible script makes this episode an awful viewing experience. However, excellent lighting, cinematograph and decent pacing give the wunderkind a few redeeming qualities.
Oh yeah, all kids are now doctors. If that sounds silly, thats the "oh snap" moment at the end. I hope the plot twist is that this was written by a child.
94 Reviews
I see what you did there.
atwiththestars10 May 2019
Is this a metaphor for a certain current United States president? Probably. But I think there is a deeper metaphor going on that addresses the crossing between politics and celebrity. Trump is not the first celebrity politician. And probably won't be the last.
Meh
sidneyreed5025 April 2019
Cool cinematography per usual. But, much like the episode, it seems as if they also elected a child to be the head of the writing room in this season. Political commentary is way too on the nose this season. It needs to be done more subtlety just like the first five seasons had done. Poor job. Each episode gets worse and worse.
You get it?
jimmehford15 July 2022
It's about a child president! Like Trump! Who's like a child! So this is like real life! With the president! Who is a child! Like this child! You get it? I don't think you get it. Let me try to explain it again to you for forty minutes.
Twilight Zone by name only
paulwattriley7 November 2019
WTH?
rentprop25 April 2019
By far the worst episode of the season yet! Boring plot and the symbolism was so obvious, and there was no eerie feeling that you feel when you watch the original twilight zone. The twist at the end was not a twist and the political aspects of these episodes could have been executed subtly to make the episode more creepy but the blatant awareness of politics just overshadows the show. When watching the original twilight zone I usually have a sense of anxiety because it's so eerie but the 2019 version has me feeling angry by wasting my time.
Don't listen to other reviews
zacharykieler9 March 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The people saying bad things about this episode feel guilty. The parallels between this kid and President Trump are enormous. Anybody who stands up to him its considered treasonous. Wow were have we heard everything that kid said before? Hmmm Too funny. Way too funny!!!!!
Other than being completely illogical, at least it's not quite the worst thing I've ever seen.
planktonrules20 December 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"The Wunderkind" is a wrong-headed episode of the new "Twilight Zone" series that is on CBS All Access. While I have enjoyed a few of the new episodes, this one really irritated me...as you wonder HOW such a show was ever written. It just made no sense at all and the basic premise is just ludicrous.
John Cho plays an election campaign manager whose latest campaign was a total disaster--so much that his career seems to be over once and for all. But, after seeing an 11 year-old YouTuber, he decides to make the kid president...though to take this office the Constitution mandates that you be at least 35 years-old. This really is never addressed...but is glossed over! And, not surprisingly, when he becomes president, he is evil and does whatever he wants--and no one (such as Congress or the Supreme Court) do anything to stop the little monster.
An 11 year-old president is stupid...period. Instead, the show COULD have worked had the kid been an influencer....and using this influence he gets his followers to do evil. This would have been interesting because the basic premise SEEMS possible. Instead, the show presents us an impossible situation and asks us to completely suspend disbelief. I am sorry but few can suspend it THAT much! A huge mistake of an episode...and I felt sorry for Cho and the rest being stuck in such a ridiculously bad show. I also hope that the folks who made it feel sorry for giving us this...it's THAT bad. A few more episodes like this, and the series cannot survive for long.
John Cho plays an election campaign manager whose latest campaign was a total disaster--so much that his career seems to be over once and for all. But, after seeing an 11 year-old YouTuber, he decides to make the kid president...though to take this office the Constitution mandates that you be at least 35 years-old. This really is never addressed...but is glossed over! And, not surprisingly, when he becomes president, he is evil and does whatever he wants--and no one (such as Congress or the Supreme Court) do anything to stop the little monster.
An 11 year-old president is stupid...period. Instead, the show COULD have worked had the kid been an influencer....and using this influence he gets his followers to do evil. This would have been interesting because the basic premise SEEMS possible. Instead, the show presents us an impossible situation and asks us to completely suspend disbelief. I am sorry but few can suspend it THAT much! A huge mistake of an episode...and I felt sorry for Cho and the rest being stuck in such a ridiculously bad show. I also hope that the folks who made it feel sorry for giving us this...it's THAT bad. A few more episodes like this, and the series cannot survive for long.
But the constitution though.
pjthomas40419 September 2019
Not a perfect episode, but it works.
groundrush25 April 2019
The trump analogies can't be ignored, it's the entire point of the episode. And I think they work to show the ridiculousness of both Oliver and trump being president. They're both petulant children who don't know how to run a country.
Genius Bar
southdavid2 April 2020
This was a bit more like it. Back to a parable style story after last weeks . . . whatever that was, but with a twist in the tale, this was the best episode of the run so far (although admittedly that's not saying much).
Following a failed Presidential re-election attempt, disgraced Campaign manager, Raff Hanks (John Cho) spies a way back to relevance by facilitating the run for office of 11 year old Oliver Foley (Jacob Tremblay). Despite Oliver's lack of experience, knowledge, and his childish temperament, he speaks to the public and pulls off an unlikely win. Now Oliver is the most powerful person in the US - only Hank's seems capable of seeing that it's not a good idea to have a child making the decisions - but his decision to speak up is not popular.
So, to be fair the true life parallel of this story isn't particularly difficult to ascertain. If, for some reason it's passed you by, the long red tie at Oliver's inauguration should be a giveaway. The issue I'd have is that I'm not sure the episode goes far enough away from reality to be a parody. I write this review as the actual President tweets about his ratings whilst his electorate are dying from the coronavirus. But the parallels, hiring the best people, refusing to submit to a medical, cheating at golf are all there.
The performances are pretty good, aside from Cho and Tremblay - you have Alison Tolman in the mix too, as a colleague of Hanks who works on both campaigns. It's a step up all round but it's still a long way from touching something like "Black Mirror" at the moment.
Following a failed Presidential re-election attempt, disgraced Campaign manager, Raff Hanks (John Cho) spies a way back to relevance by facilitating the run for office of 11 year old Oliver Foley (Jacob Tremblay). Despite Oliver's lack of experience, knowledge, and his childish temperament, he speaks to the public and pulls off an unlikely win. Now Oliver is the most powerful person in the US - only Hank's seems capable of seeing that it's not a good idea to have a child making the decisions - but his decision to speak up is not popular.
So, to be fair the true life parallel of this story isn't particularly difficult to ascertain. If, for some reason it's passed you by, the long red tie at Oliver's inauguration should be a giveaway. The issue I'd have is that I'm not sure the episode goes far enough away from reality to be a parody. I write this review as the actual President tweets about his ratings whilst his electorate are dying from the coronavirus. But the parallels, hiring the best people, refusing to submit to a medical, cheating at golf are all there.
The performances are pretty good, aside from Cho and Tremblay - you have Alison Tolman in the mix too, as a colleague of Hanks who works on both campaigns. It's a step up all round but it's still a long way from touching something like "Black Mirror" at the moment.
This one should not be in the series
FlorinAndrei199018 June 2019
Was looking forward to this more than any on the new series but was very disappointed
dangrape25 April 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this expecting a hybrid of the original twilight's zone's "It's a good life" and Black Mirror's "the Waldo Moment". This episode failed to deliver anything near the quality of the two mentioned episodes and cannot possibly be taken seriously enough to be seen as a good political statement which I am assuming was the purpose of the episode.
The whole concept of an 11 year old US President was a flimsy premise to begin with. It may have worked if the kid was a pawn being used by a more sinister person or if they had the same powers as the child in "It's a good life". Instead you have a one dimensional equivalent of a child monarch who everyone without reason blindly follows despite many ways that the power would be offset in real life.
This could have been interesting but instead ends up looking as if it was written by someone around the age of the President in the movie. Cho does the best he can acting for this, but nothing can save the overall disaster that this episode turned out to be. The twist at the end is so corny and out of the realm of reality that any shred of credibility that the episode could have salvaged is completely destroyed and somehow made worse.
This was by far the worst of the new twilight zones. "The Waldo moment" is one of my least favorite episodes in the Black Mirror series, but is a classic when compared to this one and a better example of a commentary on the risks of an unknown or extreme candidate in politics. Save yourself the frustration and skip this one.
The whole concept of an 11 year old US President was a flimsy premise to begin with. It may have worked if the kid was a pawn being used by a more sinister person or if they had the same powers as the child in "It's a good life". Instead you have a one dimensional equivalent of a child monarch who everyone without reason blindly follows despite many ways that the power would be offset in real life.
This could have been interesting but instead ends up looking as if it was written by someone around the age of the President in the movie. Cho does the best he can acting for this, but nothing can save the overall disaster that this episode turned out to be. The twist at the end is so corny and out of the realm of reality that any shred of credibility that the episode could have salvaged is completely destroyed and somehow made worse.
This was by far the worst of the new twilight zones. "The Waldo moment" is one of my least favorite episodes in the Black Mirror series, but is a classic when compared to this one and a better example of a commentary on the risks of an unknown or extreme candidate in politics. Save yourself the frustration and skip this one.
Ugh, again
Jacobs4312 May 2019
One has to wonder just how large the medical bills are for the writers, who invariably must need constant rehab from patting themselves on the back so often and hard. Nobody else in their right mind would praise these hacks for complete lack of nuance. This reboot is the Twilight Zone of the Twilight Zone.
This is a joke, r-right?
ionut3103 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I cant imagine that people were payed for doing this episode.
This is the worst thing from the series, it has nothing to do with the twilight zone.
11 years old kid president? Did a kid wrote this episode?
Actually, i think an 11 year old kid would have written something better then this garbage.
Ridiculous premise. No points!
massivedoubt25 April 2019
The Constitution of the US clearly states that the minimum age to run for President is 35 years old. The show's writers just overlook this and charge into a child being elected President. It's just all ridiculous. Don't bother wasting your time watching this. I kept expecting a twist at the end that would explain all of the nonsense. Forget about getting a reasonable explanation and forget about watching this piece of tripe.
Fun episode
vuileharry16 May 2020
So I agree with most of the critisism on this Twilight Zone series, about it not being good and also the occasional really childish writing ('Replay', ugh).
But then the ONLY episode so far that I found to be at least a bit fun to watch gets this extra low rating? Why? Whyyy-yyyy-yyyy.......
But then the ONLY episode so far that I found to be at least a bit fun to watch gets this extra low rating? Why? Whyyy-yyyy-yyyy.......
Lame
ujjayirider24 August 2020
Satire in spades!
itaylor-5066526 April 2019
The unsubtle satirizing of a certain existing President was most enjoyable.
All those reviewers who say the story if silly because a President has to be at least 35 years old miss the point. That's 35 years old physically but there's no lower limit on emotional age! Besides, this is The Twilight Zone.
I thought this was a sequel to the corn field...dang
garabedian12326 April 2019
How else could a child become president? I thought he would have powers? This is fantasy but it is definitely not The Twilight Zone. I thought the plot started off well enough, but it quickly went down hill. I hated the cut in shots of him dying. Super annoying. .
I also thought there should have been some jokes or comedy of any kind. Sweet redeeming comedy. Instead, there was only 1 joke, and that was the whole episode....and I suppose the joke that a child as president reminds you of a certain real life figure. Too dragged out, too boring!!
I also thought there should have been some jokes or comedy of any kind. Sweet redeeming comedy. Instead, there was only 1 joke, and that was the whole episode....and I suppose the joke that a child as president reminds you of a certain real life figure. Too dragged out, too boring!!
Best Episodes So Far
felixcantona7729 May 2020
What happened
brennandpeterson31 October 2019
this was made for ignorant people
louiethepitt13 May 2019
Sorry but for me to suspend my disbelieve it has to make some kind of sense...it sims like the writer thinks that being elected president is the same as being elected a King Dictator...like this writers know how the USA republic even works?
Not a Hole in One
falcondj26 April 2019
Stop it. Stop with the political nonsense. This episode was the worst of what is an already bad series. Obviously, the whole episode was designed to further the "Orange Man Bad" agenda, and some of us don't want that in our entertainment. I'm not even a Trump supporter, and the whole thing still annoys me. This was the final straw. I am done with this series that I was really looking forward to and hoping to love. Hopefully the showrunners learn their lesson by all the bad reviews that this is not how to run a television series.
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