The other reviews here are among the best and most articulate I have seen in the entire IMDb, although why anyone would give this episode less than a 10 is beyond me, because to do so implies that it can be "improved on" or made better in some way...? Which is pretty much impossible. The real secret of Twilight Zone, easily one of the most remarkable series ever produced in TV ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TECHNICAL TOOLS AVAILABLE AND THE ODD SENSITIVITIES OF THE ERA, is that the fair episodes were good, but the good episodes were simply spectacular. This is my favorite, and where there may possibly be episodes with a more imaginative story, or a more spectacular "reveal", I doubt there is any single episode with better acting. And by that I am referring of course to the late, great, Mr. Winters, a man who did very few (if any) dramatic roles in his incredible career; but in this remarkable episode, directed by the renown Buzz Kulik, steals scenes from other, more seasoned, actors, including Klugman (who although superb as well, gets lost in the "wake" that Winters leaves behind). I will note for posterity that when Robin Williams was still in diapers, and long before the TV censors were willing to unleash Rickles onto prime time, there was Winters, possibly the da Vinci of spontaneous intelligent comedy. I will also note that the man suffered a variety of medical issues in his lifetime, which was the reason for his early retirement, and why, even into the 2000's, stories would "leak" to the press about a small town in the middle of nowhere where the locals would go to get dry goods, bump into Mr. Winters, and get an impromptu 10 minute comedy "set" that they would later tell their grandchildren about. If, kind reader, you stumble across this review and are not entirely sure what I am talking about, I urge you to type the Winters name into Youtube, but not after a heavy meal, because you will laugh so hard you may do yourself damage.
Review of A Game of Pool
