Tales from the Darkside: “A Choice of Dreams” (S2E20)
“A Choice of Dreams” is an intriguing, if not entirely satisfying, entry in Tales from the Darkside that blends science fiction and morality tale with a noir crime drama flavour. It’s one of the few episodes that dives into a more speculative future-tech concept, and while the execution may not be as polished as the premise deserves, there’s still a lot to chew on here, especially if you enjoy stories about life, death, and the price of a second chance.
Plot Summary
Joey Casales is an ageing crime boss with a terminal illness and a legacy stained by blood and betrayal. He’s facing the end—literally—but refuses to die without finding some way to preserve his power, his identity, or at least his ego.
Enter a mysterious doctor with a bold offer: a technological solution that will allow Joey to live forever… sort of. The process will upload his consciousness into a permanent dream state—a blissful digital afterlife where he can live out his fantasies without pain, guilt, or fear.
It’s the perfect pitch for a man like Joey: no hell, no judgment, just eternal peace. But as the details unfold, it becomes clear that even dream worlds come with a price.
What Works
Mafia Noir Meets Sci-Fi
The blend of organised crime grit with speculative technology is unusual for Tales from the Darkside, but it works surprisingly well. Joey’s character is classic mob-boss fare—paranoid, prideful, and desperate to escape the inevitable. The sci-fi element injects fresh flavour into what could have been a generic gangster tale.
Concept Over Execution
The core idea here is gold: the notion of eternal life through a synthetic dream, especially for a man who spent his waking life running from guilt. The moral ambiguity of the offer—freedom from death, but in a state that’s not quite life—gives the story thematic heft.
A Cautionary Tale with a Twist
The episode slowly pulls back the curtain to reveal that this dream state isn’t quite the utopia Joey imagined. There’s no real agency, no true existence—just an endless loop of ego-fueled fantasy. For a man who’s spent his life controlling everything, the idea of being trapped in a dream becomes more terrifying than death itself.
What Doesn’t Work
Underdeveloped Supporting Cast
Aside from Joey and the doctor, most other characters feel like placeholders. There’s a lack of emotional grounding, particularly from people who might be impacted by Joey’s death or legacy. His criminal empire, hinted at in the backstory, never really feels present.
Low Budget Limits
As with many Darkside episodes, the limitations of budget and set design hinder what could have been a visually stunning exploration of dreams versus reality. The dream sequences (or the idea of them) aren’t shown in any meaningful way, and it’s mostly dialogue and implication that carry the weight.
A Little Too Talky
Much of the episode is characters sitting and discussing philosophy, death, and fear. It’s interesting, but it doesn’t always feel like it’s building tension. The lack of dynamic scenes makes it drag a little, especially in the middle stretch.
Themes: Mortality, Redemption, and the Illusion of Control
Joey’s journey is one of denial. He wants to cheat death not out of fear, but out of arrogance—he refuses to accept that the world could go on without him. The episode’s central theme is that some escapes are traps in disguise. The dream world is a hollow paradise, a place where Joey can’t change, evolve, or even feel.
There’s also the idea of synthetic salvation versus natural consequence. Can a man who’s lived a violent, selfish life really earn peace through technology? Or does the absence of pain make the punishment worse, by removing the chance at real redemption?
Final Thoughts: A Grim, Cerebral Departure
“A Choice of Dreams” is one of the more cerebral episodes in the Darkside catalogue. It asks big questions about life, legacy, and the limits of technology in preserving the soul. While it falters in pacing and production, its core ideas are rich and worth unpacking.
It’s not scary in the traditional sense, but it’s unsettling, particularly when you realise that an eternity of your own fantasies could become a prison, not a reward.
Who Would Enjoy This Episode?
- Fans of sci-fi with philosophical themes
- Viewers who enjoy stories about mortality and legacy
- Anyone into mob stories with a twist of irony
Who Might Not Enjoy It?
- Those expecting fast-paced or visually dynamic horror
- Viewers who prefer action over introspection
- Anyone turned off by long dialogue-driven scenes
Final Verdict: Death by Dreamscape
“A Choice of Dreams” is an ambitious morality tale wrapped in a sci-fi coating. Its slow pace and lack of visual flair might lose some viewers, but those who stick with it will find a haunting meditation on what it really means to live—and what it means to be remembered. Not flashy, but thought-provoking and chilling in its own quiet way.
