The Twilight Zone 2019 Episode #2 "Nightmare at 30,000 Feet"

In the third adaptation of the 1961 Richard Matheson short story "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet," Adam Scott takes on the role of the terrified airline passenger. William Shatner starred in the 1963 TV version and John Lithgow in the 1983 segment of Twilight Zone: The Movie. Written by Marco Ramirez with story credit to Jordan Peele, this 2019 version takes a different approach with mixed results.

Scott plays investigative journalist Justin Sanderson who is renown for his war reporting. He's about to board an international flight. On the plane are a group of diverse passengers that adds a layer of cultural tension that never quite pays off. Post 9/11 movies set on passenger jets have played on those anxieties ranging from the 2005 Jody Foster vehicle Flightplan to the 2014 Liam Neeson thriller Non-Stop. Remember Snakes on a Plane! Once Justin is seated he starts listening to a podcast about famous plane crashes - maybe not the best idea. 

The strength of the episode is the almost Sci-Fi setting of the airplane, creating a contrast with the claustrophobic feel of previous versions of the story. Despite the differences, this story moves in a predictable pattern, Scott's performance lacks the sense of urgency that's Shatner and Lithgow brought to the piece. On a brighter note the episode pays a nice tribute to the 1963 teleplay. The previous episode "The Comedian" is also referenced, suggesting these new stories exist in the same universe.