This, the second instalment is a series of unrelated stories based on the works of author Philip K Dick, is set in the distant future. Brian Norton and Ed Andrews are bored tour guides who take space tourists to see the most impressive sights in the galaxy
and if they aren't as impressive as promised they will be 'enhanced'. When a very elderly woman, Irma Louise Gordon, asks if they could take her on a trip to Earth they aren't keen
after all the location of Earth has been lost. When they realise she is offering five years pay Andrews is keen to find a planet that looks similar to Earth but Norton isn't so sure; especially after he talks to her and learns that her mother was from Earth and when shown a photograph it becomes apparent that he looks almost identical to her grandfather and they have shared similar dreams. As they approach 'Earth' he has to decide whether to tell her that the planet they are approaching isn't really Earth or let her enjoy the belief that it is.
Having never read the short story on which this is based I'm not going to comment on the original work. I did enjoy this story although not quite as much as the previous one. The whole thing had a bit of a 'Doctor Who' feel even if there was no alien menace. The closest thing to a threat came from not knowing how Irma's personal robot will react when it learns she is being deceived. The shared dreams between Irma and Norton were a bit confusing and not really explained and felt as if it was only there to justify Norton's actions. The ending is nicely ambiguous as it leaves the viewer free to decide what actually happened. The cast do a solid job making the characters believable despite the unlikely situation. Overall I'd say this was a decent enough story even if it wasn't quite as strong as the first; I'll certainly continue watching the series.
Having never read the short story on which this is based I'm not going to comment on the original work. I did enjoy this story although not quite as much as the previous one. The whole thing had a bit of a 'Doctor Who' feel even if there was no alien menace. The closest thing to a threat came from not knowing how Irma's personal robot will react when it learns she is being deceived. The shared dreams between Irma and Norton were a bit confusing and not really explained and felt as if it was only there to justify Norton's actions. The ending is nicely ambiguous as it leaves the viewer free to decide what actually happened. The cast do a solid job making the characters believable despite the unlikely situation. Overall I'd say this was a decent enough story even if it wasn't quite as strong as the first; I'll certainly continue watching the series.