"It's a Good Life" is the eighth episode of the third season of the American television series The Twilight Zone, and the 73rd overall.
It was written by series creator/showrunner Rod Serling, based on the 1953 short story "It's a Good Life" by Jerome Bixby.
The episode was one of four from the original 1959 series which formed the basis of the 1983 film Twilight Zone: The Movie.
Now, the monster doesn't like singing so his mind snapped at her, and turned her into this smiling, vacant thing you're looking at now.
The people must grow their own food, and supplies of common household items, such as bar soap, have been dwindling.
The people live in fear of Anthony, constantly telling him how everything he does is "good", since he banishes anyone thinking unhappy thoughts forever to a place that he calls "the cornfield."
He is confused when his father tells him that the neighbors are reluctant to let their children play with him after he sent several of his playmates to the cornfield.
One night each week, Anthony gives the townsfolk one hour of television, which he creates and projects onto the family TV set.
The adults gather around in the Fremonts' living room, squirming uncomfortably as Anthony shows them a vision of battling dinosaurs with ample gore.
Getting drunk from the brandy, he starts complaining about the miserable state of the town, not being able to listen to the record, and no one singing "Happy Birthday" to him.
Aunt Amy (who isn't able to sing anymore because of Anthony) tentatively reaches for a fireplace poker, but no one has the courage to act.
We only wanted to introduce you to one of our very special citizens, little Anthony Fremont, age six, who lives in a village called Peaksville, in a place that used to be Ohio.
[1] Rod Serling's introduction at the beginning of this episode was recycled and digitally edited for the preshow of the Disney Parks attraction The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror.
In the preshow video, Serling stands in front of a service elevator door, rather than a map of the United States, and explains to guests the journey they are about to experience.
[3] The opening narration of this episode is sampled in "Threatened" by Michael Jackson in his 2001 album, Invincible.
In a 1974 interview with Marvel Comics, Rod Serling said "I'm on my third draft of a feature film based on Jerome Bixby's short story, 'It's a Good Life'.
Twilight Zone: The Movie's "It's a Good Life" segment is a remake of the original episode, and is directed by Joe Dante.
Since the album was released several years before fictional twin brothers Art (Bill Mumy) Barnes and Artie (Robert Haimer) went "public" about their identities, the reference is an in-joke.