"The Twilight Zone": "It's a Good Life" Quiz

Answer: Jerome Bixby

Jerome Bixby (1923 - 1998) was a prolific writer of science fiction. Among his accomplishments were writing four episodes of "Star Trek," and co-authoring the story upon which the movie "Fantastic Voyage" was based. His most famous work, however, is the short story, "It's a Good Life," upon which this episode of "The Twilight Zone" is based, and he is mentioned in the show's credits.

Answer: Ohio

"Its inhabitants were never sure whether the world was destroyed and only Peaksville left untouched, or whether the village had somehow been taken away . . . Now I'd like to introduce you to some of the people in Peaksville, Ohio."

Answer: Billy Mumy

"This is the monster. His name is Anthony Fremont. He's six years old, with a cute little-boy face and blue, guileless eyes." Billy Mumy later gained fame playing Will Robinson on the popular television series, "Lost In Space." He remained active in the entertainment industry well into adulthood, and also had a successful music career.

Answer: With his mind

"Just by using his mind, he took away the automobiles, the electricity, the machines - because they displeased him - and he moved an entire community back into the dark ages - just by using his mind." Anthony is some kind mutant with tremendous mental powers that he uses to control everyone and everything around him.

He can also use his mind to create things, such as strange animals, which he tortures and then kills.

Answer: Yes

Anthony can read other people's minds, and gets very upset if someone doesn't like him or is "thinking bad thoughts." Because of this, everyone in Peaksville is constantly smiling and saying how much they love Anthony, and how things are much better than they were before he changed them. Even though all the townsfolk are terrified of Anthony, they always smile and say how much they love him, and how good everything he does is.

Hence the title, "It's a Good Life."

Answer: Wishes you into the cornfield

When Anthony wishes you into the cornfield, you disappear - permanently. At one point he wishes that someone would come and play with him, and we learn that he has already wished most of the other children in Peaksville into the cornfield, as well as most of the dogs.

At one point, we see him wish a neighbor's collie into the cornfield because it is barking. Anthony also mentions that he once set a neighbor, Teddy Reynolds, on fire for thinking bad thoughts about him.

Answer: A birthday party

One of the Fremont's neighbors, Dan Hollis, is celebrating his birthday. He and his wife, along with some other townspeople come to the Fremont's house to celebrate Dan's birthday. Dan receives two presents from his wife: a Perry Como record and a bottle of peach brandy. We are reminded that Peaksville is rapidly running out of out food and other things; Dan mentions that there are only five bottles of whiskey left in the entire town, and when they are gone, there won't be any.

Answer: Anthony doesn't like singing

Anthony doesn't like singing, although he does like piano music. The other people are afraid that if they play the record, Anthony will become upset. Instead, one of the guests, Pat Riley, plays "Moonglow" on the piano.

Answer: Turns him into a jack-in-the-box

Drunk after drinking most of his bottle of peach brandy, Dan Hollis confronts Anthony. He asks one of the other people to sneak up behind Anthony and kill him: "Maybe some man in this room, some man with guts, somebody who's so sick to death of living in this kind of place and willing to take a chance, will come up behind you and lay something heavy across your skull, and end this once and for all." But no one has the courage to attack Anthony. Anthony turns turns Dan into a jack-in-the-box with Dan's own head. Anthony says, "He was a bad man, so I turned him into a jack-in-the-ox.

A jack-in-the-box that still had his bad face. And you mustn't think bad thoughts about me, either, or I'll do the same thing to you." Anthony's father asks him to wish the jack-in-the-box into the cornfield, and everyone, even Dan's wife, agrees that turning Dan into a jack-in-the-box was a good thing.

Answer: He makes it snow

Just before the episode ends, you can hear the wind blowing, and the curtains blow back. Anthony's father runs to the window, and sees it's snowing. He asks, "Anthony, are you making it snow?" Anthony says, "Yes, I'm making it snow." His father becomes upset, and says it will kill half their crops.

He starts toward Anthony, but his wife stops him. His father collects himself, and says "But it's good you're making it snow. A real good thing. And tomorrow ... tomorrow's gonna be a ... real good day!"