Season 5, Episode 1: In Praise of Pip
 

Airdate: 27/09/1963
Writer: Rod Serling
Director: Joseph M. Newman
Starring: Jack Klugman

In the early 1960's, small-time bookie Max Phillips (Jack Klugman) hates his life. His only pride is his son, Pip, then serving in the U.S. Armed Forces in Vietnam. When a young bettor uses company funds to bet with Max, then loses everything, Max returns his money, angering Max's bosses.

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I like this episode a lot. Pretty simple in it's premise, and like Serling says at the end, not much to say. It is what it is and the message is pretty clear.

I always find Klugman watchable, and he's suitably haunted and filled with regret here. I think many parents have a similar struggle (although not necessarily because they're a criminal!) about whether they spend enough time with their kids, or whether they let them down in some way. The sweet thing about this episode is that even with all of the regret that Klugman's character had about not being their for his son, and how much he let him down, he still obviously meant a great deal to Pip, even if he didn't realise it.