This utterly cool "Tales from the Crypt" episode perhaps features the best casting job of them all! Jon Lovitz is excellent as the frustrated actor who can never seem to get work because he hasn't got "the look" and especially the immortal John Astin (Gomez in the original 60's TV-series of "The Addams Family") is sublime as the insane and overly perfectionist director, obsessed with his personal adaptation of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet". Failed actor Barry Blye would do everything to get the part of Hamlet, and that includes eliminating the competition, but he had better informed about the requirements of the role first
John Astin clearly had a lot of fun and he brilliantly goes over-the-top in his devotion to Shakespeare's oeuvre. The twisted ending, which is the number one reason why this TV-show was so good, is marvelous and actually quite shocking. The make-up effects and set pieces are more professionally handled than usual in the show and guest director Todd Holland (who specializes in TV-work) is in total control of his gifted cast. There also are terrific supportive roles for Bruce Boxleitner, Kimmy Robertson and even Louise Fletcher. This episode is one of the reasons why the third season was the best of all seven.