Picked this up on deal and plan on reading a story, then going to watch the Amazon tv version of/inspired by that story. This edition has commentary from the film-makers before each story. I don't expect I'll comment on most of those... maybe after I've seen the Amazon version. We'll see.


Introduction (Exhibit Piece) • (2017) • essay by Ronald D. Moore
Exhibit Piece • (1954) • short story by Philip K. Dick - (4 stars) [dystopia, escape(?), lone female of the species] - Enjoyable yarn, with an ending ambiguous enough to drive a truck through. Expert in 20th century history (from some ill-defined, dystopian future) finds himself in an exhibit suddenly come to life, and decides he'd rather stay there.
Adaptation: Okay, as indicated, this one just borrowed the idea of a virtual world indistinguishable from real life, and ignored most of the rest of the story. It was actually a much more compelling story in the show version, but lost the light-hearted nostalgia. Also, I have a problem with the whole "everyone thinks they need to be punished for their sins" nonsense. Some people? Yes. Everyone? Not by a long shot. Oh, the ending to the show is not at all ambiguous.
Introduction (The Commuter) (2017) • essay by Jack Thorne
The Commuter (1953) • short story by Philip K. Dick - (5 stars) Ticket sellers for a train experience time instability, when a commuter repeatedly shows up wanting tickets to "Macon Heights," which doesn't exist. Very smoothly written, and with a fascinating conclusion.
Adaptation: [Note: this is episode 9 on the show] - Huh. This one kept the overall shape of the plot intact, but fleshed out how Macon Heights "works". A quote from Granny Weatherwax came to mind: "You can't go around building a better world for people. Only people can build a better world for people. Otherwise it's just a cage." The result is a far more disturbing story than the original.
Introduction (The Impossible Planet) • (2017) • essay by David Farr
The Impossible Planet • (1953) • short story by Philip K. Dick - (3 stars) Elderly woman wants to book a trip to Earth, in an era where no one knows where Earth actually was. Intriguing idea, but I would rather have seen more exploration into choosing the likely candidate. It seemed too pat that

Spoiler

the nearest 9 planet system where the third planet had a single moon happened to be the remains of earth, as evidenced by the coin, even if the tour guide never knew it

. I also found the ending disappointing. Don't people collect interesting found objects in the future?
Adaptation: [Note: This is Episode 8] Okay, I like the adaptation better than the story. In this version, Earth's location is known, but it's no longer safe to travel there, so they take her to a system with the right number of planets, where the third planet has a single moon. The ending could arguably be a hallucination

Spoiler

brought on by hypoxia

, but Norton's flash-forwards suggest otherwise.
Introduction (The Hanging Stranger) • (2017) • essay by Dee Rees
The Hanging Stranger • (1953) • short story by Philip K. Dick - (3.5 stars) Enjoyable, with a fascinating idea, but I felt like something was missing. Partly, I think it would have been more interesting without

Spoiler

being caused by aliens, if it were a human-manipulating-human thing

.
Adaptation: [Note: this is Episode 10, Kill All Others]
74 • Introduction (Sales Pitch) • (2017) • essay by Tony Grisoni
76 •  Introduction (Sales Pitch) • (2017) • interior artwork by Tony Grisoni
77 • Sales Pitch • (1954) • short story by Philip K. Dick
96 • Introduction (The Father-Thing) • (2017) • essay by Michael Dinner
98 • The Father-Thing • (1954) • short story by Philip K. Dick
114 • Introduction (The Hood Maker) • (2017) • essay by Matthew Graham
117 • The Hood Maker • (1955) • short story by Philip K. Dick
135 • Introduction (Foster, You're Dead) • (2017) • essay by Kalen Egan and Travis Sentell
138 • Foster, You're Dead • (1955) • short story by Philip K. Dick
163 • Introduction (Human Is) • (2017) • essay by Jessica Mecklenburg
165 • Human Is • (1955) • short story by Philip K. Dick
181 • Introduction (Autofac) • (2017) • essay by Travis Beacham
183 • Autofac • (1955) • novelette by Philip K. Dick