Movies - TV
Why Kumail Nanjiani’s Twilight Zone Episode Was So Controversial
By MICHAEL BOYLE
Bad Reviews
Viewers complained that the episode wasn't filmed in black and white, the jokes weren’t funny, and the episode was too similar to "Death Note" or "The Shining.”
This is a story about a person with morals who tries and fails to hold onto them while taking a slow nuanced descent into insanity. However, viewers thought it was predictable.
Social Commentary
Samir starts out only erasing people by accident. He moves on to bad people and then those who've annoyed him, but he recklessly erases everyone he's ever known.
Fans seemed to miss the subtle theme of cancel culture as they watched Samir erase people from existence allegedly out of genuine righteousness, but really for his own self-gain.
Nuanced Takes
"The Comedian" knows that "canceling" is only effective if it comes from one's own community. It's a much smarter depiction of the issue than most satirical shows do.
Samir uses standup comedy to rant about his political views. His view of himself as a deep thinker is a shallow façade and more of a coping mechanism for when his jokes bomb.