Stellar Soundtracks: The Twilight Zone, “The Who of You”

Almost anyone who’s watched any movie or TV show can tell you about the power of a well-placed piece of music — it can convey any range of emotions, set the tone, and in the case of episode three of CBS All Access’ revival of The Twilight Zone titled “The Who of You,” make a cheeky nod to the plot.

“The Who of You” follows struggling actor Harry’s trip to the Zone — after he fails to land a role, his electricity is shut off due to nonpayment, and his girlfriend, Morena, gets fed up with it all, Harry gets desperate and decides to rob a bank, and this being The Twilight Zone, it doesn’t go as planned. When Harry makes eye contact with the bank teller during the attempt, the two switch bodies, and Harry spends the episode hopping from body to body.

As we realize exactly what’s going on, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” begins to play, subtly at first, then coming into focus as Harry, having now jumped into two other bodies, realizes what’s happening and tries to use it to his advantage. The song fades as Harry tries to call Morena from a payphone and convince her that despite the stranger’s voice, it really is him, but he fails and the bells and instantly recognizable voice of Valli kicks in again. As he sings, “The thought of you makes me stop,” Morena abruptly declines a second call on her phone, cleverly combining the lyrics and action.

But despite this delightful timing, “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” has a bigger, better purpose here. One of the things Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were fantastic at doing was writing love songs, so it’s fitting that one of them plays while Harry tries to contact Morena. But of course, it’s also a very playful choice — we hear Valli singing “I’ve got you under my skin” as Harry inhabits a body that is not his own.

Different versions of the song, which has been covered many, many times, pop up throughout the rest of the episode. While it’s nice to hear snippets of other interpretations, it’s perhaps overdoing it — one instance is cute; beyond that, it starts to get heavy handed, as if to say, “Get it?”

Still, the use of “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” is a nice touch. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons’ music isn’t featured often in TV shows and movies these days, so it’s a welcome addition.