Edward Albert is terrific in this episode of the underrated 80s Twilight Zone series starring as a bitter widower, still, after three years, haunted by the loss of his beloved wife. As Roger Simpson Leads, Albert conveys a tormented man who cannot even touch anyone, now living in a retirement home, who just wishes to be left alone, even as his best friend of twenty years, Frank (a wonderful Barry Morse, of "Space: 1999" fame) tries his damnedest to convince him to break from his grief and move on from the loss. Roger is having troubling nightmares regarding an older woman desperately seeking his help to keep something from escaping from behind a door. When that woman (Frances Hyland), in a wheelchair and mute after the loss of her own husband, is brought in to live next door, Roger will hope to get some answers—but how can he if she doesn't speak? With a message that resonates (it is simply not easy to let go of a loved one you cherish, especially after death), "Dream Me a Life" leaves quite an impression, particularly if you understand the anguish that these characters are going through. How do we, after spending forty/fifty years with that special someone, accept their no longer with us, and somehow adjust to the absence of the love of our life? Albert and Morse share a warm chemistry together even as Roger insists that Frank quit bothering him—what I really enjoyed was how, no matter what, Frank is loyal to his friend and will continue to badger him so that he can find a peace and relief from the lingering agony. A strong, emotional story with a satisfying conclusion, "Dream Me a Life" should really touch many of viewers who have went through similar ordeals and managed to come to terms with the difficulties of loss, looking towards finding happiness, or, at the very least, living a less miserable existence during the twilight years.
4 Reviews
Wonderfully Effective Segment
chrstphrtully3 February 2017
Warning: Spoilers
The ability of human beings to deal with grief is a subject that the original series dealt with infrequently, but when it did, the results could be deeply moving, evidenced by episodes such as "The Trouble With Templeton" and "Death Ship." "Dream Me a Life" is more than equal to the task of living up to those predecessors.
Roger Simpson Leeds (Eddie Albert) is a crotchety widower in a retirement home who has been having recurring dreams of being stuck with an elderly woman in a bedroom, and trying to prevent some unknown force from breaking through the door. When a new resident (Frances Hyland) arrives at the home, widowed and unable/unwilling to speak, Roger realizes that this is the woman in his dreams.
"Dream Me a Life" is a wonderfully effective episode, served immeasurably by J. Michael Straczynski's thoughtful script, and a superb lead performance by one of the most underrated character actors in Hollywood's history. Straczynski's script wisely avoids making the episode's moments overly sentimental or cutesy, and firmly anchors Roger's ill-temper to his grief, which in turn smoothly enables the transition necessary to the story's resolution. Albert is wonderfully modulated, giving us glimpses of the loving, caring man Roger was in one part of his life, while still masking his pain with orneriness. His epiphany as to what the dream is telling him is wonderfully played -- and believable -- as a we see the rational man working his way past his fear. Barry Morse adds a nice counterbalance to Albert, speaking more or less to the better angels of Roger's nature without being preachy.
And then there are the dream sequences, effectively staged by Allan King -- strange enough, using black and white with only minimal set decoration, while avoiding the temptation to use Dali-esque excesses. The result is a frightening, appropriately confusing set of sequences that believably trigger Roger's enlightenment.
This episode is one of my favorites from the second series, as it hits all of its notes on cue, and with a genuine feeling of hope that comes out of the madness. For this type of subject matter, it is definitive "Twilight Zone" material, both in tone and execution.
Roger Simpson Leeds (Eddie Albert) is a crotchety widower in a retirement home who has been having recurring dreams of being stuck with an elderly woman in a bedroom, and trying to prevent some unknown force from breaking through the door. When a new resident (Frances Hyland) arrives at the home, widowed and unable/unwilling to speak, Roger realizes that this is the woman in his dreams.
"Dream Me a Life" is a wonderfully effective episode, served immeasurably by J. Michael Straczynski's thoughtful script, and a superb lead performance by one of the most underrated character actors in Hollywood's history. Straczynski's script wisely avoids making the episode's moments overly sentimental or cutesy, and firmly anchors Roger's ill-temper to his grief, which in turn smoothly enables the transition necessary to the story's resolution. Albert is wonderfully modulated, giving us glimpses of the loving, caring man Roger was in one part of his life, while still masking his pain with orneriness. His epiphany as to what the dream is telling him is wonderfully played -- and believable -- as a we see the rational man working his way past his fear. Barry Morse adds a nice counterbalance to Albert, speaking more or less to the better angels of Roger's nature without being preachy.
And then there are the dream sequences, effectively staged by Allan King -- strange enough, using black and white with only minimal set decoration, while avoiding the temptation to use Dali-esque excesses. The result is a frightening, appropriately confusing set of sequences that believably trigger Roger's enlightenment.
This episode is one of my favorites from the second series, as it hits all of its notes on cue, and with a genuine feeling of hope that comes out of the madness. For this type of subject matter, it is definitive "Twilight Zone" material, both in tone and execution.
Good Writing and an Imaginative Script
Hitchcoc2 July 2017
Eddie Albert dominates this episode. He is a bitter widower in a senior center. Heis beset by nightmares which keep him from getting rest. He is sad because his wife was everything to him. His friends try to get him acclimated to his situation, but they have little success. One man, played by Barry Morse ("The Fugitive") bends over backwards but can't break through. One day, a woman appears. She is about his age and in a wheelchair. She is virtually catatonic. The thing is that she is the woman that appears in his recurring dream. There is someone behind a door and there is fire and smoke. The episode depends on what happens between them at that point.
Now that's acting!
mattoid-456051 August 2019
I love all mystery anthology shows. My all time favorite is, of course, the original Twilight Zone. That being said, the 80's edition of TZ is ok. I remember watching it in my 20's but haven't seen it again until I found it on MEtv just recently. So far, a couple of episodes have been decent but this one is a total stand out! The story is poignant and mysterious. The chemistry between the characters feels genuine. But what really makes this episode exceptional is the acting! Eddie Albert really takes his character by the horns and runs with it. Not over the top or going through the motions. I could feel his agony, guilt and loss! All young aspiring actors should study him here. He definitely puts on a clinic! The episode is a slow burn with a great finish.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
