Morgan Freeman's Role In The Twilight Zone You May Have Forgotten About
Long before the 2019 revival of "The Twilight Zone" dropped on CBS All Access, there was the 1985 revival of the same name. This version was also not quite as well-received as the original series, but it still delivered plenty for fans of the classic series to enjoy: Fun premises, spooky characters, ominous narration, and plenty of actors who'd go on to become extremely famous. Such was the case with a segment in season 1's eighth episode named "Dealer's Choice," which gives us a delightful performance from Morgan Freeman two years before his breakout role in "Street Smart."
The story centers around a group of guys playing poker, who quickly discover that the new guy at the table is actually the Devil himself, here to claim one of their souls. Going into the episode forty years later, you'd expect Freeman to be playing the Devil. He's proven by now that he's great at playing a somewhat aloof, mischievous character who knows more than he's letting on and is holding his cards for the right moment. Part of why Freeman played the voice of God in the 2003 film "Bruce Almighty" is because his voice just sort of sounds like how we'd expect a powerful, omniscient entity to have. If "Dealer's Choice" had cast him as the Devil, he probably would've nailed it.
Instead, Freeman plays Tony, the charming peacemaker of the group. He starts off the episode smoothing over potential arguments between the other characters, and when the Devil's motivations become clear — he's here to claim Peter's soul — Tony comes to his friend's defense. "He needs a fighting chance," Tony tells the Devil, which helps persuade him into allowing another round of cards to decide Peter's fate.
A fun episode, if not a beloved classic
The episode's main charm is just how casually the characters accept their bizarre situation. Tony's friend Jake (Garrett Morris) is the first to notice that the mysterious newcomer keeps getting all sixes in his hands; when the Devil goes into the kitchen for a bit and they peak at his cards to find another three sixes, they all simply accept that this man is indeed the Devil and he must be here to claim one of their souls. Most stories like this have that obligatory period of disbelief, where the Devil must take the time to convince them of the situation. "Dealer's Choice" skips right by it.
The episode also gives New Jersey viewers a fun cheer-worthy moment when Jake goes off on the Devil's dishonorable method of stealing Peter's soul. "It may not be the way you do it in Hell," he says, "but up here in New Jersey, we do things a little different!" What's funnier is the Devil's reaction to this argument. "What the hell," he says, "It's a Friday, I can sleep late tomorrow." The implication is that the Devil works a standard nine to five just like the average boring human. The stakes in this story are absurdly high — at least from Peter's perspective — but the way the characters go about it is surprisingly mundane.
The segment, which was directed by Wes Craven of all people, is rarely ranked at the top of viewers' favorite installments of "The Twilight Zone," but it's still a fun time with a surprising, delightful ending. It may be far from Freeman's most famous role, but his funny, charming performance here makes clear exactly why he'd become one of the biggest stars in the world within just a few years.