This episode is in the style of movies "The Thing" or "Life" even "Planet of the Apes" but it suffers from a flimsy plot underneath it''s slick veneer. The cast manage to keep a straight face throughout, but I felt like this script was written by a high school biology student, it seemed so unbelievable and contrived. I'd advise skipping this episode, unless you like 80s B sci-fi movies.
40 Reviews
Dumb but fun
ljahcomix23 July 2020
Solid, but not my favourite type of TZ episode
b_trought2 July 2020
So the TZ had these types of ecological morality tales dotted throughout the series. They were never my favourite, but this one is good for what it is. Some good sci-fi, flawed characters making mistakes that lead to bigger consequences and such.
As with most of the episodes this season the story is based around characters and there's a good narrative overall.
8 - 206
bobcobb30129 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
What on Earth, or underwater, was this?
They did not make it clear what was going on and by then it was too late. They also had not mastered the art of using the octopus DNA yet, so how could the octopus use their equipment to do the opposite?
They did not make it clear what was going on and by then it was too late. They also had not mastered the art of using the octopus DNA yet, so how could the octopus use their equipment to do the opposite?
Kind of like The Thing but Underwater
lroyce-481635 August 2020
Mere outline of a boring monster movie, but at least CBS has a running gag now
Markus_Beer26 June 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Episodes of the first season had their message embedded in such bad plots that it seemed as if the authors were only interested in the message and not in telling an interesting story. Here's the message of this episode: be nicer to each other and protect your environment! Otherwise Octotus monsters will come to your flooded coasts and deservedly kill you! Okay, not very original, but essentially classic sci-fi.
Except that this, like much of this episode, is merely told rather than shown. Everything before this "twist" is a really below average, incredibly hastily told monster movie. Half of the nameless characters are already dead while the credits are still running. Joel McHale stomps stiffly through the tiny sets, looks into faces, displays and holes, and blabbers paragraph after paragraph to make the viewer understand what is happening right now and why. The language of the Chinese antagonist is monotonously translated by an app with a time delay. What I want to say is: hasn't anyone noticed that there's... there's a lot of talking going on. Show me something. "Show? Sure! There you go!" Cut to the squid, who continues to kill without a sign of resistance from his victims. Okay, yes, but I'm still not feeling anything but mild annoyance.
But that's all it is, because everything here is too "typically bad" to actually get upset. There is exactly one scene that is supposed to create tension when the tattooed bald guy in the monster room is tinkering with his back to the monster while listening to deafening music, even though he had clearly shown fear of being in a room with the beast a moment before. Hey, I've seen that a thousand times, it's just like in a real movie! Could have worked anyway if I had known who this guy actually is. Because "Monster vs. some human" is not necessarily enough for me to take sides directly. It could also be a bad person, then maybe I want to cheer for the monster. But this way I know nothing and feel zero.
There is exactly one scene that shows the growing distrust between the crew members, but it doesn't lead anywhere because time is too short and the characters are too underdeveloped. Eventually, they stand opposite each other and prefer to talk a little more. Predictably.
And there is exactly one scene in which a human eye is plucked out of a person's skull, which is apparently now a running gag of CBS since ST:Picard. Looking forward to many more freshly plugged eyes in future productions!
Really, it's a pity, especially since several episodes of this season are surprisingly strong. But this episode was so empty, so stuck in the first concept stage, that it's already hard for me to remember details. Tomorrow I'll have forgotten the episode and the day after tomorrow this text.
Except that this, like much of this episode, is merely told rather than shown. Everything before this "twist" is a really below average, incredibly hastily told monster movie. Half of the nameless characters are already dead while the credits are still running. Joel McHale stomps stiffly through the tiny sets, looks into faces, displays and holes, and blabbers paragraph after paragraph to make the viewer understand what is happening right now and why. The language of the Chinese antagonist is monotonously translated by an app with a time delay. What I want to say is: hasn't anyone noticed that there's... there's a lot of talking going on. Show me something. "Show? Sure! There you go!" Cut to the squid, who continues to kill without a sign of resistance from his victims. Okay, yes, but I'm still not feeling anything but mild annoyance.
But that's all it is, because everything here is too "typically bad" to actually get upset. There is exactly one scene that is supposed to create tension when the tattooed bald guy in the monster room is tinkering with his back to the monster while listening to deafening music, even though he had clearly shown fear of being in a room with the beast a moment before. Hey, I've seen that a thousand times, it's just like in a real movie! Could have worked anyway if I had known who this guy actually is. Because "Monster vs. some human" is not necessarily enough for me to take sides directly. It could also be a bad person, then maybe I want to cheer for the monster. But this way I know nothing and feel zero.
There is exactly one scene that shows the growing distrust between the crew members, but it doesn't lead anywhere because time is too short and the characters are too underdeveloped. Eventually, they stand opposite each other and prefer to talk a little more. Predictably.
And there is exactly one scene in which a human eye is plucked out of a person's skull, which is apparently now a running gag of CBS since ST:Picard. Looking forward to many more freshly plugged eyes in future productions!
Really, it's a pity, especially since several episodes of this season are surprisingly strong. But this episode was so empty, so stuck in the first concept stage, that it's already hard for me to remember details. Tomorrow I'll have forgotten the episode and the day after tomorrow this text.
Interesting story more akin to the outer limits or x files
fadingbright3 November 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The story was fine just not what I was expecting. I thought there would be more attempted communication between the octopus and the people but it degrades quickly into a monster story similar to outerlimits in mood and X-Files in gore. Thats fine but the beginning with the shark really confused me i thought it ate the divers but from the wounds it was this octopus..which was it then?? After that there's lots of back and forth with the main researchers and the Chinese one having different agendas. It was quite satisfying seeing the octopus get the better of the whole team which were trying to take something from it but it ends up taking from them in the end when it gets the cellphone. The ending is quite a big stretch...just how many of these creatures are there and are they all bulletproof!? I know they do well against knives but taking overall of humanity would be a lot more difficult in a species which didn't seem to have technology despite figuring out the cellphone lol. I think the plot should have gone with the outer limits typical ending with all the main characters dead and stopped there instead of all of humanity. Beware of the bullet to nuclear bomb proof cephalopods lol. I found it entertaining at least as a monster type episode..
How can this show get worse? By getting stupid, thats how.
gareth-7544228 June 2020
Glen Morgan writes what I can only imagine was a script for an episode of Robot Chicken but it instead ends up as an episode of the Twilight Zone.
HELLO CBS!!! Is their anyone in charge over there?
This is without doubt a new low in entertainment TV.
For shame guys for shame.
Imitative crap
lor_4 July 2023
Very, very rar removed from the Serling model for this show, both in content and treatment. Obviously an imitation of "The Thing" but more silly than scary.
On the original "Outer Limits", the producers would refer to the monster of the week as "the bear" -it had to be included supposedly due to audience demand, with no evidence of couse of such a demand, even when it clashed with the story or theme of the show. Here we have a great clasic reduced to a stupid monster movie, dreary and unexciting.
Obviously Jordan Peele and his movies make big bucks and get all sorts of sociological analysis. To me that's a crock and so is this junk.
On the original "Outer Limits", the producers would refer to the monster of the week as "the bear" -it had to be included supposedly due to audience demand, with no evidence of couse of such a demand, even when it clashed with the story or theme of the show. Here we have a great clasic reduced to a stupid monster movie, dreary and unexciting.
Obviously Jordan Peele and his movies make big bucks and get all sorts of sociological analysis. To me that's a crock and so is this junk.
Not bad, a little too far fetched BUT, it didn't have any misandry or agendas in it so, another enjoyable episode from season 2!
perrycs-4915226 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Not bad, a little too far fetched BUT, it didn't have any misandry or agendas in it so, another enjoyable episode from season 2! Wow, 6 episodes that were enjoyable in a row. Why couldn't they have done this in season 1 instead of allowing what I have been complaining about for years to be included in new shows. A show without attacking it's audience... what a novel idea. LOL!
This one despite being a tad far fetched could also be true. Animals are quite intelligent. My cat communicates with me on many levels. She has many different vocalizations and I understand them after a decade of watching her, talking to her in special tones. Best pet I have ever had. Cuteums :)
As for the intelligence of this creature in this show... they probably don't understand genetics because where would their machines be to take it apart and understand it? So, a little silly. BUT, if they can learn our speech patterns, and learn to read what's on our monitors, they could glean understanding in other ways I would suppose.
An ok episode.
This one despite being a tad far fetched could also be true. Animals are quite intelligent. My cat communicates with me on many levels. She has many different vocalizations and I understand them after a decade of watching her, talking to her in special tones. Best pet I have ever had. Cuteums :)
As for the intelligence of this creature in this show... they probably don't understand genetics because where would their machines be to take it apart and understand it? So, a little silly. BUT, if they can learn our speech patterns, and learn to read what's on our monitors, they could glean understanding in other ways I would suppose.
An ok episode.
Three out of Ten-ticle.
southdavid21 January 2021
It's a joke, right? A rib on Jordan Peele? My guess is that it costs the network too much money, so someone has replaced every other episode of this season with something so utterly awful that the show gets cancelled. That's the only explanation for this half-written nonsense episode.
At an Antarctic exploration platform, a group of scientists led by Orson Rudd (Joel McHale) is investigating changes in Ice depths bringing different deep sea creatures nearer to the surface. When a pair of divers fail to return on time, suspicion points to an Octopus species that they have discovered, but they have no way of knowing just how intelligent their discovery really is.
OK, so, from a technical standpoint this episode actually looks quite good. Though the geography of the base is occasionally a little wonky, it's a convincing set and the CGI Octopuses when they appear look quite good. But everything else about the episode is awful, or in some case unintentionally hilarious. One thing not funny is Joel McHale, given that he's such a natural comedic performer the straight and series role as the lead scientist is another time this series has wasted its talent. Nadia Hilker, from "The Walking Dead" is also in it as, slightly bizarrely is, Tim Armstrong from the band Rancid.
I can understand, I think, the genesis of the episode. The idea that Cephalopods are more intelligent than we previously thought has been in the news, and their ability to do fine manipulation of objects is comparable to ours. They are also capable of editing their own RNA, put this together and you get this one hacking an Iphone to learn about DNA research and then taking over the world. It is, a bit of a stretch, to state the case mildly, and it's not sold by the dull and oddly told story where nothing much actually happens. At one point the Octopus narrows its eyes, whilst throttling a human, which was a genuine laugh out loud moment.
Decent special effects and nice "The Thing" references aside, this was a comically badly written episode. I can live with outlandish premises - in fact TZ episodes probably should have them, but the dreadful non-story that led from this one can get in the sea.
At an Antarctic exploration platform, a group of scientists led by Orson Rudd (Joel McHale) is investigating changes in Ice depths bringing different deep sea creatures nearer to the surface. When a pair of divers fail to return on time, suspicion points to an Octopus species that they have discovered, but they have no way of knowing just how intelligent their discovery really is.
OK, so, from a technical standpoint this episode actually looks quite good. Though the geography of the base is occasionally a little wonky, it's a convincing set and the CGI Octopuses when they appear look quite good. But everything else about the episode is awful, or in some case unintentionally hilarious. One thing not funny is Joel McHale, given that he's such a natural comedic performer the straight and series role as the lead scientist is another time this series has wasted its talent. Nadia Hilker, from "The Walking Dead" is also in it as, slightly bizarrely is, Tim Armstrong from the band Rancid.
I can understand, I think, the genesis of the episode. The idea that Cephalopods are more intelligent than we previously thought has been in the news, and their ability to do fine manipulation of objects is comparable to ours. They are also capable of editing their own RNA, put this together and you get this one hacking an Iphone to learn about DNA research and then taking over the world. It is, a bit of a stretch, to state the case mildly, and it's not sold by the dull and oddly told story where nothing much actually happens. At one point the Octopus narrows its eyes, whilst throttling a human, which was a genuine laugh out loud moment.
Decent special effects and nice "The Thing" references aside, this was a comically badly written episode. I can live with outlandish premises - in fact TZ episodes probably should have them, but the dreadful non-story that led from this one can get in the sea.
I don't understand all the low ratings for these episodes
phillipschepp15 August 2020
I thought this was a fantastic episode. I feel like they've captured the essence of the original, while at the same time making it relevant to the present and providing well-written entertainment with above-par acting. This season is much better than the first, but I'm confused by all the negative feedback they've received for the show. Even the special effects are good. I don't know if it's right wingers who hate any indication of non-whites having a role in society AND any mention of climate change or evolution, but I don't think the haters have watched the original series in a while.
Love it
caldeira-claudia21 November 2020
Weak!
kzuke1 August 2020
The story quality of the Season 2 episodes have been dramatically improved over Season 1 so far, which has given me hope for TZ. "8" is a step backwards, which is unfortunate given the high potential for the unique setting in the Arctic. However, the story had too many plot holes, inane character monologues, and a simplistic ending. Hope this is only a blip. Don't waste your time with this episode.
Not Long Enough
repo13617 November 2020
Well, this is a first. All through the first and now second seasons of this reboot one of the underlying downsides has been that the stories have been stretched to fit in with the shows' overlong running time.
However this episode clearly is an anomaly in that everything was rushed to comply with its 45 minute allowance.
Much too often it relied on (mostly) the leader, Rudd, narrating the plot for us instead of actually showing it on screen.
Overall it felt like a low-budget 'The Thing' as produced by a particularly enthusiastic bunch of high schoolers.
A creature arises and lives down below!?
blanbrn2 July 2020
This "TZ" episode called "8" is one that's pretty lame and not that good or to interesting the story is pretty simple and cut and dry without any twist or surprises. It is a tale of a team of scientists lead by Joel McHale who are doing cutting edge research only when they find a strange species in a hole down below it's like everything from their project to their own lives are in danger! Maybe this episode was trying to parody "Alien" overall it really didn't entertain much or have any twists really not one of the better ones.
No science. Pure fiction.
jtblackledge16 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Ah, I see. An organism that evolved entirely underwater, and that has never had contact with humans or human technology, can automatically interface with and understand computers, and move around effectively and quickly on dry land. What a joke of an episode.
Why all the "unsatisfaction"?
andrejurado-110 July 2020
I loved this episode. And I think it goes for most episodes of this new Twilight Zone. It's so well done, acted, produced... Why are people so unsatisfied with it? It's the best one since the original series!! 👏👏👏👏👏
Do the TZ Producers Understand What A TZ Episode is?
Gislef5 July 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Apparently not. You have a vaguely urban/suburban setting, maybe throw in some social commentary, and toss in a twist at the end. "8" has none of those. It's like writer Glen Morgan (who has done much better things) decided he'd do a homage to either 'The Thing' (or the 50s movie: note the base is named after that movie's director) or 'Aliens' or both. Problem is that TZ is not the place do such homages. Because any homage to those two movies is going to lack any of three elements above.
So what do we get instead? A monster movie that could have been a made-for-Syfy flick. And has the same level of social commentary. The same as 50s monster movies. "They shouldn't have tampered in God's domain". Or "God's chow mein", if you're a MST3K fan.
What gives the game away? Plucking out Frisch's eye ball, and the subsequent loving shot of it lying on the floor. A plucked-out eyeball? In a TZ episode? Serling is spinning in his grave. If you think plucked eyeballs belong in a TZ episode, you don't know what a TZ episode is. Did Bill Mumy''s Anthony pluck out a townsperson's eyeball and leave it on the floor in "it's a Good Life"? Did the gremlin pluck out Bill Wilson's eyes in "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"? No. So the producers should have thought about tossing that in before putting in an eyeball-plucking sequence.
The only "major" actor is Joel McHale, who basically plays the Paul Reiser role from 'Aliens'. He gets to walk around, look pensive, give portentous speeches, and stare at monitor screens. All while scheming on behalf of a pharmaceutical company. Which apparently makes him good, but don't we know that corporations are bad? The rest of the cast get killed off toot-sweet until only McHale's character and two others are left standing. None of them except McHale's Rudd are particularly well-developed. Ling is a Chinese spy, and Channing is the damsel in distress who gets to suffer and get attacked. You've come a long way, baby!
The octopus CGI is okay, and I suppose it's believable that none of these scientists know what to do with a super-smart squid. Like... make sure the tubing on the octopus' tank is secure!
Even if we assume the scientists are dumb as dirt, there's a lot here that doesn't make sense. So the octopus hides in the cooler figuring that... the scientists will take it back to the main lab? But Larry and Frisch want to kill it. And if the octopus is that smart, why does it need access to the human computers to alter its DNA to become... really smart? And at the end why does it leave three people alive when one of them (Ling) might come up with a way to stop it? Since Ling... oh, studied it. I suppose Rudd is a scientist, even though he doesn't do anything scientific. Channing seems to be a glorified Uhura, hitting keypads sending email. and saying the equivalent of "I'm frightened, captain."
And why is Larry in the lab with the octopus? If his job is to watch it, why doesn't he... watch it? Instead he does some soldering. You had one job, Larry: watch the octopus. Instead you turn your back on it and do some soldering instead. Never trust a Rancid band member to do a sentry's job.
And what does the octopus swimming away, floating in the water, and glowing signify? Is it spreading its super DNA? Summoning its 8-armed brethren? What? McHale gives an ominous speech about sea life wiping out humanity, but showing a glowing octopus doesn't signify that.
So "8" is okay as a homage to the aforementioned movies. But as a TZ episode, it blows. On ice, as it were.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
So what do we get instead? A monster movie that could have been a made-for-Syfy flick. And has the same level of social commentary. The same as 50s monster movies. "They shouldn't have tampered in God's domain". Or "God's chow mein", if you're a MST3K fan.
What gives the game away? Plucking out Frisch's eye ball, and the subsequent loving shot of it lying on the floor. A plucked-out eyeball? In a TZ episode? Serling is spinning in his grave. If you think plucked eyeballs belong in a TZ episode, you don't know what a TZ episode is. Did Bill Mumy''s Anthony pluck out a townsperson's eyeball and leave it on the floor in "it's a Good Life"? Did the gremlin pluck out Bill Wilson's eyes in "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"? No. So the producers should have thought about tossing that in before putting in an eyeball-plucking sequence.
The only "major" actor is Joel McHale, who basically plays the Paul Reiser role from 'Aliens'. He gets to walk around, look pensive, give portentous speeches, and stare at monitor screens. All while scheming on behalf of a pharmaceutical company. Which apparently makes him good, but don't we know that corporations are bad? The rest of the cast get killed off toot-sweet until only McHale's character and two others are left standing. None of them except McHale's Rudd are particularly well-developed. Ling is a Chinese spy, and Channing is the damsel in distress who gets to suffer and get attacked. You've come a long way, baby!
The octopus CGI is okay, and I suppose it's believable that none of these scientists know what to do with a super-smart squid. Like... make sure the tubing on the octopus' tank is secure!
Even if we assume the scientists are dumb as dirt, there's a lot here that doesn't make sense. So the octopus hides in the cooler figuring that... the scientists will take it back to the main lab? But Larry and Frisch want to kill it. And if the octopus is that smart, why does it need access to the human computers to alter its DNA to become... really smart? And at the end why does it leave three people alive when one of them (Ling) might come up with a way to stop it? Since Ling... oh, studied it. I suppose Rudd is a scientist, even though he doesn't do anything scientific. Channing seems to be a glorified Uhura, hitting keypads sending email. and saying the equivalent of "I'm frightened, captain."
And why is Larry in the lab with the octopus? If his job is to watch it, why doesn't he... watch it? Instead he does some soldering. You had one job, Larry: watch the octopus. Instead you turn your back on it and do some soldering instead. Never trust a Rancid band member to do a sentry's job.
And what does the octopus swimming away, floating in the water, and glowing signify? Is it spreading its super DNA? Summoning its 8-armed brethren? What? McHale gives an ominous speech about sea life wiping out humanity, but showing a glowing octopus doesn't signify that.
So "8" is okay as a homage to the aforementioned movies. But as a TZ episode, it blows. On ice, as it were.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
Garbage!
garabedian12326 October 2020
More believable than Sharknado.
johnscottwilson29 July 2020
I have been really enjoying a number of this seasons episodes but this one is beyond stupid. I can only squint my brain so tight. It might be exciting to a slow 8 year old but I recommend everyone else giving it a pass.
garabge!
garabedian12326 October 2020
Wtf did i just watch
firedragonlife10 December 2020
Why all the hate??
morganzzy10 October 2020
Scrolling through the reviews was surprised to see so much hate for this episode, for me personally it felt alot more like classic Twilight Zone with a good story & the twist in the tail.
To say it's far fetched is ridiculous as you can say that about any sci-fi or horror show, if we wanted something more grounded then maybe stick with The Soaps or Sitcoms
To say it's far fetched is ridiculous as you can say that about any sci-fi or horror show, if we wanted something more grounded then maybe stick with The Soaps or Sitcoms
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