Solid episode, well written and acted. Haven't we all had the experience (particularly when smoking something other than tobacco) of wondering, "What if this is all part of someone's dream? What if all existence is nothing more than some pipe dream?" No? Ok, perhaps not, but the premise of the "Shadow Play" script, written by Rod Serling and Charles Beaumont, seemed very archetypal to me. Dennis Weaver is perhaps a bit too intense in the part of tortured Adam Grant...James Dean would be proud...but he's certainly effective, and generates sympathy. Bernie Hamilton stands out as one of the Death-Row convicts Grant "imagines", and Harry Townes (who starred in one of my favorite "Outer Limits" episodes-- "O.B.I.T.") is similarly memorable. The judge in the opening is played by Gene Roth, who was hilarious in several "Three Stooges" shorts and also played a Nazi in one of my favorite so-bad-they're-good 1950's drive-in movies "She Demons" (which also starred the lovely, statuesque Irish McCalla).

Outstanding. I think this is my favorite episode. If this were made into a full length feature, it would be great. Dennis Weaver is exceptional, as is everyone else. You really aren't sure which way it will go at the end. This is not typical for most TZ episodes unfortunately.

I know it might seem monotonous, because in practically every TZ episode review I've done here, I mention how great the acting is. But the acting really was just that great. Dennis Weaver knocks it out of the park here. Ending was probably a little predictable, but still very decent - at least the played up that he was crazy so the ending wasn't totally forseeable. Memorable line: "NO! I won't die again. You can't make me die again."

It was interesting I was rutting for the guy to wake up and for him to just wake him self up or i mean he could have just changed the court part I mean he can change what the lawyer's wife cooked for dinner.

A grim tale, full of black humor, and full of questions about the nature of reality and the line between dream and nightmare. Not among the best episodes, but well worth watching.