Rod Serling's seminal anthology series focused on ordinary folks who suddenly found themselves in extraordinary, usually supernatural, situations. The stories would typically end with an ironic twist that would see the guilty punished.

斯坦利·克雷默第一次执导便展现了自己驾驭复杂角色的能力。这个题材太容易拍成赞扬医生职业道德的颂歌，男主角可以为了真理顶撞自己的老师，为了救一个垂危的病人而对抗院长。然而导演明白这种在单方面价值上绝对执着的人必然不是俗世意义上的“好人”，除了抛弃自己酗酒的父亲之外，这个男人甚至可以为了学费娶一个自己根本不爱的女人。更重要的是，电影以男主角的一次手术告终，他哭泣得像一个孩子那样回到妻子身边。一直以“意志”作为支撑的他最终还是走向了“情感”，而电影也彻底避免了主旋律式的俗套。

电视剧

When FBI Agent Zack Stewart is killed, Agent John Ripley takes over the three cases he was working on, hoping one will lead to his killer. The first involves gangster Joe Walpo and Ripley finds his hideout through Joe's girl friend, Connie Anderson. Joe is killed but it is established he was 400 miles away when Stewart was murdered. The next involves a car-theft gang which Ripley breaks up by using one of the gang, Vince Angelino and his wife Julie. The last case involves Kate Martell, the victim of an extortionist who threatens to kidnap her child unless she pays him $10,000