So, then, who saw it? Comments? Here are mine (SPOILERS):
Battleground. I thought it was strange that an anthology series called Nightmares and Dreamscapes started with a story from SK's Night Shift, but I thought Battleground was wonderful. And starring a high profile actor like William Hurt was a nice way to start the series. I thought the choice of having no dialog was interesting, but nicely done: letting the situations, music, and acting tell the story. The only part I didn't get was the exchange between Hurt and the woman on the plane.
I have to admit I was expecting the ending since I had read the story before, but I liked the deviation from SK's original (the elevator scene was new), plus the whole backstory with the toy manufacturer added some motivation as to why it was all happening in the first place. Overall, a very well done TV show. You can tell it was a big budget show. Money spent well.
I have to admit that I didn't recognize the second story, Crouch End, until I found out later it was one of the stories in the N&D book I never got into when I read it years ago (there are a few stories in there I still haven't read). What can I say except that this one was 100% SK: setting, story, characters, and especially dialog. And it had that overall sense of "weirdness" that is so apparent in the best SK stories. But did I like it? Yes and no.
I had no problem with the actors (but kept on wondering how the wife was running up and down paved streets while wearing high heeled shoes), and I would have liked to have known what happened behind the hedge and what changed the main character into such a weird jerk. I liked the history given of the city Crouch End, but IMO it didn't explain a whole lot. In fact, all while I was watching it I kept asking, I wonder what's going on, but was never given a satisfactory answer.
I thought the ending left much to be desired, but then many of SK's endings are like that. This one didn't explain much at the end. Was Crouch End a city stuck between dimensions? Why was it deserted one moment and completely populated with normal people the next? That took me out of the story, and when I have to ask questions like that, I can't enjoy the experience.
I look forward to seeing more stories in the N&D series. My wife pointed out that it was a little like Amazing Stories from the 1980s, and I tend to agree. Television needs more shows like N&D as a break from all the damn reality shows and horrible sitcoms. (And I like some of the sitcoms!)
allen