In this episode, Phoenix wants to know what the fuck 'mumblety-peg' is and how it leads to you going to hell. I just spoiled the episode for you by the way. You probably should have watched The Twilight Zone episode before reading this. Go do that now. I said NOW. When you come back, bring a million dollars and a broad that won't quit, I mean....STACKED.
27: The Big Tall Wish (127)
This one gets pretend racist. Just keep that in mind. In this episode, Phoenix gets pretend racist. Just keep that in mind. Seriously. Don't email me thinking it's real. The Big Tall Wish is about a kid that makes a big tall wish about a boxer. That's it. Simple episode. #notracist
26: Execution (126)
In this episode, Phoenix marvels over the awesome episode introduction about hanging someone. It was poetic. Anyway, they try to kill this child murderer but he ends up in 1960 NYC despite being hanged in 1880 old west. Figure that out. Shit doesn't go as planned because Twilight Zone.
25: People Are Alike All Over (125)
In this episode Phoenix talks about how bullshit the title of this episode is. If they are 'people' then yes they have to be alike but when you're on Mars, why would they be people? Anyway, he explains it better in the episode. He also talks about how he wants to start calling him Rowdy Roddy McDowall and how he would have been an insane person to be around. He also calls Roddy the first Crispen Glover. If you watch the TZ episode, you'll understand.
24: Long Live Walter Jameson (124)
In this episode, Phoenix discusses how shitty Sam is to his daughter. I mean, he keeps her locked in her upstairs room to study every day and she's almost 30. Who does that? Disney villains do that. And he's supposed to be the elderly voice of wisdom in this episode. How am I supposed to trust his leadership and morals when he does such questionable things to his own kin? Shame on him. Oh yeah, also there's a plot about a guy that doesn't age but also isn't immortal. He didn't get sick for 2000 years during all those disgusting plague ridden times? Yeah right. I call bullshit.
23: A World Of Difference (123)
In this episode, Phoenix only took 8 notes (one note was the name of the script within the show and one note was to note how few notes he took). Not that the episode is bad, but it's mostly our main character having the same conversation with different people so there isn't much happening. Phoenix loved how the episode opened and how it closed. The middle was typical TZ fashion with the main character screaming that everyone else is crazy and not him until the plot resolves itself.
22: The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street (122)
In this episode, Phoenix watches his real fears played out for him in the form of social unrest. This is one of the classic episodes of The Twilight Zone. Or at least it should be. It is by far the most relevant episode nowadays. Don't think so? The city of Dallas would disagree with you. That's what I thought. Anyway, Phoenix talks about how bullshit it is that at first Rod says "Maple Street, USA" which implies it's the only and then at the end they say "The world is full of Maple Streets." Which is it??
21: Mirror Image (121)
In this episode, Phoenix is once again bothered by the basic premise of the episode itself. Don't get it wrong, it's a good episode, but when it states that the mirror image person is there to replace you, it has to then replace you. It doesn't do that. It just is also there. No replacing at all. Nonsense. Anyway, this episode features a female character that doesn't cook or clean or any of that stereotypical nonsense. Instead, she's a business woman with a head on her shoulders and all that other female stereotypical nonsense. She's not type A. She's type B.
20: Elegy (120)
In this episode, Phoenix tears up a character for not realizing a clearly fake dog was fake, despite landing a GIANT FUCKING ROCKETSHIP feet away from it and it not running away while shitting itself in fear. He also talks about how a town full of "flesh-and-blood" people that can't move are easy prey for a lonely astronaut without something to fuck on the reg. It would happen. I'm not saying it's right but it would 100% happen.
19: The Purple Testament (119)
In this episode, Phoenix talks about the money making gift of being able to see if someone will die soon. Not in war though, it's useless in war. He also goes in depth on a scenario about choosing which soldiers should go, seeing which ones will die, taking them out and then seeing which ones will die because of that.... and the endless cycle of choosing the perfect war team would be. He also discusses this episode of The Twilight Zone.
18: The Last Flight (118)
This is the only lost episode in the LIW catalogue. Not sure what happened but it's ironic that in this TZ episode about time travel and being lost in the clouds, the episode got lost and Frank and Phoenix had to go back in time to record a past episode to replace it. Phoenix liked this episode a lot more the second time around and Frank says it's in his top 10 episode list which if you're an astute listener, Frank now has 40 episodes in his top 10 and Phoenix has 3. Anyway, enjoy this episode that is being inserted as if it were the original. We're just ignoring the discrepancy from here out.
Original show notes if you're curious:
(In this episode, Phoenix is baffled by the nonsense version of time travel this episode attempts to pass off. He also goes off on how the Major in this episode was amazed at "white clouds" and how he thought that was specific enough to warrant a miracle. Good episode though. Not amazing. Good TZ "crazy man that nobody believes" stuff here.)
17: The Fever (117)
Phoenix said this was the most fun he had recording an episode. He got to do his Daniel Day Lewis from There Will Be Blood impression and then yell at an imaginary wife while pretending to be a drug addict. This episode was sober too. Figure that out..
16: The Hitch-Hiker (116)
This episode is an urban legend. That's about it. Have you heard the urban legend about the hitch-hiker that turned out to be death, trying to warn the girl that she died? Yes? Then you have seen this episode already. If not, spoiler alert back there. Phoenix likes the way this episode was done though so it made up for lack of story. He isn't impossible to please (Filipino lady-boys will attest to that).
15: I Shot An Arrow Into The Air (115)
In this episode, Phoenix talks about how this is a classic TZ story, he gives a tip to a NASA chart guy, talks about how Corey should be a horror villain icon, how the story twist actually makes zero sense if you think about it and then how he himself became addicted to water just like Corey.
14: Third From The Sun (114)
In this episode Phoenix talks about the obvious ending that he didn't guess until 24 minutes in. Then he slowly realizes it wasn't so obvious until you see the telephone. He also talks about how 1960's code talking sounds like gay innuendo and how all of the females in this episode just couldn't handle the pressure of knowledge. They sure couldn't write female characters back then. Or now, for the most part. This episode has a twist ending. A twist ending that they had to state and then overstate slowly for the dumb-dumb audiences back then. Phoenix also learns the importance of rewinding technology because without it he would have thought the main character was a pedophile. Not that the girl being his daughter rules him out for being a pedophile but it helps in some ways.
13: The Four Of Us Are Dying (113)
In this episode, Phoenix talks about how shape shifting can be the creepiest power ever. He also talks about the amount of neon signs outside of Hotel Real and the price of $3.80 back in 1960 compared to nowadays. This is a fast talking episode in which Phoenix can't figure out how a man broke an old timey television with a beer bottle. Impossible.
12: What You Need (112)
In this episode Phoenix swears more than he ever has on an episode. He also talks about the worst salesman in history. He doesn't even charge for his products which actually makes him not a salesman. Also, the bartender in this episode is a real dick. But not as big of a dick as Fred, that piece of shit asshole that nobody likes. Rod said it, not me. Phoenix also talks about how grossed out he is by the greasy hair of the man at the end. Do you also think greasy hair is gross? Send us a message at loiteringinwonderland@gmail.com
11: And When The Sky Was Opened (111)
In this episode, Phoenix falls in love all over again. This TZ episode is the most TZ episode ever. It has almost every single great TZ trope. Phoenix talks about this episode with such passion. He talks about how he hates the desperation / pretend disgust in the woman at the bar. He talks about how full of shit the ending of the episode was because it didn't make sense. Do you guys actually read these descriptions? If you do send an email to loiteringinwonderland@gmail.com that just contains the following text, "Roid-rage Kool-Aid Man." Listen to the episode to understand the reference.
10: Judgment Night (110)
In this episode, Phoenix loves the way the main character talks and proceeds to do impressions of him at every chance he gets. He also loves the line "But sir, there were people on that ship...women too." Because women aren't real people. Goddamn right, apparently. 1959 sure was a different time. Anyway, this episode is predictable as hell but isn't terrible. Let me know what you think.
9: Perchance To Dream (109)
In this episode, Phoenix discusses at length how this was a bottle episode of TZ. He also loves how much the psychiatrist doesn't give a single shit about his patient. He literally just stares off into nothingness during the session and chimes in with, "That seems perfectly normal." He must have gotten his degree from the School of the Half-Listening.