Did you see who wrote the teleplay? Ken Kolb, who also wrote the screenplay for the 7th VOYAGE OF SINBAD. In the TV drama, you have an abusive comedian taking out all his anger on his long-suffering manager, and in SINBAD you have an abusive cyclops taking out all his anger on a long-suffering evil magician. The only difference is that Sokurah didn't smoke like a chimney the way Bud did.