TV Series Review: Nightmares & Dreamscapes

If the title of this series seems familiar, then you are probably a Stephen King fan.

TNT is hosting this series on Wednesday nights, around 9:00 p.m. (I've noticed TNT's schedule varies by region, so check your local listings.) Last night was the season premiere and if the rest of the series can maintain the quality, then my Wednesday nights are booked!

Disclaimer: I am an unrepentant Stephen King fan. I also recognize his greatest weakness in writing is his endings. Usually the ride along the way makes up for it.

The series features two dramatizations of Stephen King short stories, each an hour long. The first story starred William Hurt and a bunch of plastic army men ("Battleground") and was done with absolutely no dialogue. The second story starred two actors I'm not familiar with: Eion Bailey and Claire Forlani. The story was "Crouch End," which I have read, where a newlywed couple ventures into a neighborhood in London that has a "thin spot" between this dimension and another.

Like "The Twilight Zone," "The Outer Limits," and "The Night Gallery," a stellar cast and director has been selected for each episode. Because they are short stories, they are intense, without a lot of backstory--which isn't necessarily a bad thing. And, unlike his novels, most of Mr. King's short stories don't have a lot of gore. But they do mess with your head and with reality. :)

Not all of the stories are from Mr. King's Nightmares & Dreamscapes collection, so it will be interesting to see what the directors pick. I'm also not sure how long the series will run. But it sure beats summer reruns!

Oh, Hubs also watched. Since he's not a reader, he only knows Mr. King's work through film adaptations. He was planning on going to bed early last night, but got hooked and watched both episodes!

On the March Hare scale: 3 out 5 Golden Remotes