I always like catching familiar personalities in old time TV shows. This one had William Shatner, a couple decades after his celebrity turn in the 'Star Trek' television series. He portrays a troubled character in this one, a widowed father who wants to protect his young son at all odds against the kind of bullying he himself experienced as a child. What makes his angst even more difficult is that he still lives in the same neighborhood he always did, and the local playground where he faced a tormentor by the name of Ralph has fallen into shambles. The neighborhood kids look like any group of normal looking youngsters, but in Charlie's (Shatner) eyes, start to take on the appearance of snarling, vicious pranksters. His distress begins to take a toll on his life and his job, forcing him to realize that he has to confront the demons of his past if he wants his son to grow up with the companionship of friends that he himself never had as a child.
Almost universally, the other reviewers for this program state that the conclusion of this story is somewhat hard to fathom. I have to admit that it struck me the same way, although Charlie's son Steve might have offered a clue when he signaled him off with a quick wave of his hand as the playground kids began to attack him. With the suggestion that Charlie and Steve physically changed places with each other, it was almost as if 'Steve', with his father's persona, finally decided to confront the terrors of his past, even if it meant getting roughed up for it. Obviously, other viewers come away with something different because it really did seem to be an open ended story.
For a more uplifting tale of an aging person reliving his youth, but in a happier context, you might try the Twilight Zone episode titled 'Kick the Can'. That one had a conclusion suggesting that oldsters had an opportunity to recapture their youth by resorting to the games they used to play as kids. William Shatner wasn't in that one, but did show up in a story where he had to deal with a gremlin tormenting his psyche on the wing of an airplane, much like the bully Ralph did here.
Almost universally, the other reviewers for this program state that the conclusion of this story is somewhat hard to fathom. I have to admit that it struck me the same way, although Charlie's son Steve might have offered a clue when he signaled him off with a quick wave of his hand as the playground kids began to attack him. With the suggestion that Charlie and Steve physically changed places with each other, it was almost as if 'Steve', with his father's persona, finally decided to confront the terrors of his past, even if it meant getting roughed up for it. Obviously, other viewers come away with something different because it really did seem to be an open ended story.
For a more uplifting tale of an aging person reliving his youth, but in a happier context, you might try the Twilight Zone episode titled 'Kick the Can'. That one had a conclusion suggesting that oldsters had an opportunity to recapture their youth by resorting to the games they used to play as kids. William Shatner wasn't in that one, but did show up in a story where he had to deal with a gremlin tormenting his psyche on the wing of an airplane, much like the bully Ralph did here.