Hollywood veteran Morgan Freeman has done a lot of things onscreen over the decades, including playing cards with the devil himself. “Dealer’s Choice” is a segment from an episode of the 1980s revival of the classic anthology series “The Twilight Zone” that was directed by none other than the late horror veteran Wes Craven. It features an all star cast and centers on a group of poker buddies who realize they’ve been playing with Satan.
Tony (Freeman), Pete (M. Emmet Walsh), Jake (Garrett Morris), Nick (Dan Hedaya), and Marty (Barney Martin) are playing poker at Pete’s house. Everything seems to be perfectly normal at first (apart from the fact that the fridge is empty). Nick, who is filling in for his cousin Norman (allegedly), is revealed to be the devil. Making it clear he plans on leaving with a soul, he challenges them to a card game, with the loser accompanying him back to Hell.
Freeman’s Twilight Zone segment stands out for its humor
Despite being directed by Wes Craven and centering on a game of cards with the devil, “Dealer’s Choice” is actually quite humorous. While the four men are clearly worried when Nick claims to be none other than Satan, they all maintain a sarcastic and slightly deadpan attitude, making for a darkly funny segment. For example, the subject of who gets to have the loser’s bowling bowl comes up, and after Nick refuses to reveal who he’ll take, Jake tells him, “It’s one thing being the devil, it’s another thing being a total jerk!”
While it doesn’t belong to any of the best episodes from the ’80s revival, it’s still a memorable segment, and not just because Morgan Freeman is in it. Dan Hedaya’s performance as the prince of darkness is great; a subtle departure from many satanic portrayals. Nick is physically and conversationally an average joe, and that’s part of what makes him so unnerving. He ultimately leaves empty handed when his trickery is discovered, but not before conjuring a parting gift — a fridge full of beer for the poker buddies.
This story originally appeared on TVLine
