I just got finished seeing this episode aired on MeTV as part of a tribute to the late Carl Reiner, being presented as one of Reiner's favorite episodes. I have also read that it is one of Dick Van Dyke's favorite episodes. It is a favorite episode for a lot of folks.
Apparently, I'm in the minority. I didn't find it to be anything extraordinary. I've read that it is a satire of the Twilight Zone. I appreciate that it was innovative for its time. It used dreaming as a device. As one other reviewer described it, if you walk into it expecting a normal episode of typically humorous dialogue between Rob and Laura, you'll find this episode to be delightfully off-kilter.
I get all that. And normally I hate reviewers of other works who sound all jaded and say, "Well, I have seen all these devices used before ..." yada yada. But as one person simply sitting down and watching this, I found it weird, and not in such a good way. And I didn't laugh all that much.
By contrast, the episode MeTV aired after this one was the one where Laura gets really mad because Rob used an argument they had as material for The Alan Brady Show. That was full of nuances and realistic touches in the banter among the characters. Now that is more like what I watch The Dick Van Dyke Show for.
I still give it a 7 because there's no such thing as a bad episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. But it's not an episode I would select to watch over others.
Apparently, I'm in the minority. I didn't find it to be anything extraordinary. I've read that it is a satire of the Twilight Zone. I appreciate that it was innovative for its time. It used dreaming as a device. As one other reviewer described it, if you walk into it expecting a normal episode of typically humorous dialogue between Rob and Laura, you'll find this episode to be delightfully off-kilter.
I get all that. And normally I hate reviewers of other works who sound all jaded and say, "Well, I have seen all these devices used before ..." yada yada. But as one person simply sitting down and watching this, I found it weird, and not in such a good way. And I didn't laugh all that much.
By contrast, the episode MeTV aired after this one was the one where Laura gets really mad because Rob used an argument they had as material for The Alan Brady Show. That was full of nuances and realistic touches in the banter among the characters. Now that is more like what I watch The Dick Van Dyke Show for.
I still give it a 7 because there's no such thing as a bad episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show. But it's not an episode I would select to watch over others.