Dealer's Choice (The Twilight Zone)

"Dealer's Choice" is the third segment of the eighth episode of the first season (1985–86) of the television series The Twilight Zone.

"Dealer's Choice"
The Twilight Zone episode
Scene from "Dealer's Choice"
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 20
Directed byWes Craven
Written byDonald Todd
Original air dateNovember 15, 1985
Guest appearance(s)

Opening narration

Just a friendly game of cards. It doesn't take much to buy into this game, but buying out may be something else entirely. You see, there's a wild card on the table in a deck that's been reshuffled and cut...in the Twilight Zone.

Plot

A group of friends are playing a game of poker when they start to think that Nick - who has replaced their friend Norman - may be the Devil. After many hands won by Nick, Jake begins to ponder why he always has three sixes in his hand when he wins each round. Nick, meanwhile, has left the table to get a drink of water, while one of the card players named Marty heads to the bathroom. The guys become convinced that Nick is the Devil when they call Norman and discover he isn't sick.

When Nick rejoins the table, they tell him their theory and he admits that they are right - he is the devil. He also informs them that one of them is to be "collected" tonight. The three friends debate over who it is to be collected but Nick suggests they make a game of it. The game is for high card and the winner wins a trip with Nick. The friends want to wait for Marty but the Devil says that some people are too innocent to corrupt and he would pick the low card. Tony picks an eight, Jake picks a seven, and Pete picks a jack. After Pete begs the Devil not to take him, Tony suggests that in order to be fair, Pete and Nick should play one-on-one. Pete puts up his immortal soul and Nick puts up eighteen dollars (6 + 6 + 6), but Pete demands he put up nineteen to break the weird chain of events. They play lowball, where the worst hand wins.

Marty rejoins the group, and Jake and Tony explain what is happening. It looks as though Pete is about to lose, and the Devil turns over the last card. It is the Tarot's Death card. The Devil, having won, begins to take Pete away with him. Before the Devil and Pete leave, Marty touches the card, failing to understand what it signifies. Because of Marty's innocence, the card reveals itself to be the fourth six. That means the Devil loses and Pete wins. The Devil waves his hand and claims that he does not normally make amends, but this time he feels he owes them. The Devil leaves, thanking Pete for his hospitality and hopes to host the next game. The friends go into the kitchen to find a grand feast along with a refrigerator filled with beer. As the friends start another poker game, they resolve to be better husbands to their wives and start going to church regularly.

Closing narration

There's an old saying, oft told, but seldom heeded: never deal with the devil. But if by chance you must, it's nice to know he can be a good sport. Just a friendly game of cards among a friendly group of guys, who have just come back...from the Twilight Zone.

gollark: That seems like an oversimplification of complex trends.
gollark: This could probably fall into various problems, but it's a possible mechanism.
gollark: If I had to replace it, I would probably have a system of something something private food/drugs ratings agencies which you would pay to receive information and reports from about the safety of the stuff you wanted to buy.
gollark: Most people don't go around doing evilness constantly, so I don't see the relevance.
gollark: It might be worse, though.

See also
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