 I rate this episode ★★★★★ for EXCELLENT. Now this is, hands down, a Masterpiece! One of the best mysteries ever written by Sam Dann! Here we have a politician being slapped by a woman from his dark past, she notifies him that his younger self is out to kill him, he explains himself about his lust for power, confronts his younger self, gets murdered, and his buddy at the saloon finishes this Drama-Mystery off by breaking the 4th Wall. This was so well written, they should've made this into a feature length movie. No alternate title for this one. "The Grey Slapper" was the perfect name for this episode. The sound effects of people murmuring and piano music playing at the saloon, the Slap, radio knobs, newspaper article, door buzzer, footsteps, rotary phone, background noise at the airport, and the 2 fatal gunshots were vital. That, and the music with its dramatic tunes to entice the scenes. The last music track at the very end of the story was the best. In our Host's Prologue, E.G. Marshall begins with a quote by King Louis XIV: "Has God forgotten all I have done for Him?" because it's an important clue to the story. In ACT-1, he mentions the 1907 classic song "Harrigan" by George Cohan which relates to a Harrigan in this tale where we meet our leading lady. In ACT-2, he points out scientific studies about people who change based on time and the percentage of our atoms. In ACT-3, he spoke the words from Theodore Roethke's "Open House" poem: "My secrets cry aloud. I have no need for tongue. My heart keeps open house. My doors are widely swung." Which makes sense, since the political character in this story does the opposite: keep secrets in discretion. In the end, E.G. Marshall discussed multiple possibilities on what killed the politician (his younger self did it, the woman played a game on him, his friend at the saloon, or his political enemies). In the Epilogue, our Host considers the premises on aging. Hands down, one of E.G. Marshall's best narrations on the show. And speaking of the best, bravo to our cast: Carol Teitel (as Dolly Morrison), Gordon Heath (as Anthony Edmund Pringle), and Robert Dryden (as John Joseph Harrigan and the Radio Reporter). These 3 deserve a lot of recognition. I was enthralled by Carol Teitel who spoke with a yearning voice. Gordon Heath's voice was epic, like he was playing the part in a theater production. And Robert Dryden was terrific as always. Whether you're an old fan from the beginning or a newcomer of CBSRMT, this is one episode that cannot be ignored. An episode that defines CBSRMT just as much as #0367-THE SUMMER PEOPLE, #0167-THE BLACK ROOM, #0591-THE WHITE WOLF, #0187-STEPHANIE'S ROOM, #0957-HICKORY, DICKORY, DOOM, and #1193-GARDEN OF THE MOON. And best of all, this particular episode has commercials; featuring Tony Randall for Mateua wine, Radio Fact Book by the Radio Advertising Bureau, Sine Off tablets, Jesse Owens for the Diabetes Association, KC & the Sunshine Band for the American Heart Association, Erma Bombeck for the American Library Association, Contact Night Time Medicine, MasterCharge (before it was called MasterCard), Ray Scott for the Brail Sports Association, Quality Inn, Jada Rowland & Russell Horton for Chloraseptic, and Max Murath for Choice Magazine Listening. Until next time…pleasant dreams. =^D