If you wanted to know what really good,really spectacular effects along with a good story for maximum effort,then this show set the standard for all science fiction shows as we know it today. And for good reason. For one the stories were based on science fiction subjects ranging for nuclear explosions,aliens and extraterrestials from another world(and some of the most scariest monsters on TV back then!),and creatures from beyond the depths of imagination,and secondly humans who tried to communicate beyond the point of other dimensions and other lifeforms. This show came along with the status of other science fiction shows that domination TV sets throughout the 1960's,with titles like "The Twilight Zone", "Boris Karloff's Thriller","Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea","Lost in Space","Star Trek",and the UFO series "The Invaders". In my opinion about this show it scares the daylights out of me every time I see it. The new version doesn't have a clue to what the original was like,and to me the original rules. Point Blank. Even though it ran for two astounding seasons and producing a total of 49 episodes running in prime-time for ABC-TV from September 16,1963 until January 16,1965,the science-fiction/horror anthology series "The Outer Limits" brought some of the most electrifying special effects ever devised for TV(it would have really fantastic if the original series would have stayed around for another season to make its transition to color but the entire series was shown in black and white). During its first season, the series brought in astounding ratings then toward its second season the powers that be at ABC torpedoed it when it moved from Monday nights to Saturday nights opposite "The Jackie Gleason Show",and "Flipper" which clobbered it in the ratings. Several episodes do stand out as brilliant that made up the guest star roster ranging from future "Star Trek" cast members William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Grace Lee Whitney, James Doohan and DeForest Kelley. Other guest stars were Donald Pleasence, Adam West, Arlene Martel, David McCallum, Barbara Luna, Jill Haworth to Martin Sheen, Sally Kellerman, Robert Culp, Michael Ansara, Eddie Albert,Cliff Robertson and future Oscar winner Robert Duvall. There were 32 episodes for Season 1 of this series that aired from September 16, 1963 until May 4,1964. For its second and final season when ABC moved the series from Monday nights to Saturday nights in an earlier time slot opposite "The Jackie Gleason Show" and "Flipper" a total of 17 episodes aired from September 19,1964 until January 16,1965 when it was canceled in mid-season. The show that replaced "The Outer Limits" on January 24,1965 was the variety family series "The King Family Hour".
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hung_fao_tweeze30 May 2004Let me take you back. Let me pull you there. A male human child of 6 cycles. It is 1963. Dad was cool and suggested we watch this new 'weirdo' show. We did that sort of thing together - bonding, don't you know? From the very first second the show was unlike anything I had ever seen before. The set up? We just lost control of our TV sets and 'they' were going to show us something - 'awe and mystery'. I'm all for that. 'The Twilight Zone' had already done this...yet this was something different. The visuals combined with the truly subversively semi-subliminal (I hope) sound effects - very compelling. It pulled you right in, teased and hypnotized. Then, that gut wrenching music slowly wanders in and disorients. Hurry up, commercial! Get over already! (Commercials were somewhat shorter back then as I recall)
I believe the first episode, which I haven't seen in years, segued right from the sine-wave intro. I also recall the intro as being a bit longer with the first few episodes. I could be wrong. These were on TV and - you know - TV takes liberties. Later episodes started right in on the action...a prologue to tease you for what's to come. Then - a crescendo note of surprise, awe and mystery - the 'sine-wave- intro. I want to watch this! This same technique was later adopted by such peers as 'The X-files'.
Folks! The original Outer Limits intro was fun! It was almost art...the first season anyway. I do like the 'new' Outer Limits on occasion - but that intro of theirs? Ugh, I can't wait til it's over and the show starts. The intro of the original series came as a part of the package.
Then we have those stories. A child of 6 expects monsters to be monsters. Many of these monsters - each horrific in a surprisingly memorable way - turned out to be well-meaning or benign. That will certainly screw with the perceptive 6 year old mind. So, the monster under my bed might not be a monster at all? Wow!
Yes, those stories were assisted by the most symbiotic music I had heard at the time. Those dirges piped in at just the right moment, working the mood into a niche, and making the plot point. You know, we, the audience, were being seduced by the notes to 'listen up! You might learn something'. The second season unfortunately lost these tunes and were replaced by this wavering 1950-ish B-movie ilk. I shouldn't bash it. It wasn't bad - it just wasn't the Frontiere-groove anymore, man.
I could adorn each episode with praises. Even a bad one was better for me than anything else on TV then. If they were on today I would still watch a bad episode. They still made you consider your place in the Universe. Sometimes they even scared the crap out of you. But the good episodes were gems! Those creatures were fantastic. At the time our local station edited 'Architects Of Fear' so we never got to see the creature since it was deemed too scary. The story still held together even without the extra boost a fearsome face would provide. Many years later I finally saw what the creature looked like. I can see why the stations did what they did for that innocent era. I probably would have screamed myself to sleep. 'Zanti Misfits' had me doing that anyway. The 'Bellero Shield' had me upset for years. I think I actually understood the ending at 6 years old.
So, I am not going to keep listing episodes. I like them all and will be owning them in my library.
Bottomline, folks! If you haven't seen any of these - DO! Unfortunately short-lived, these early episodes are a one-of-a-kind example of good TV. Rare and perhaps extinct. A series that didn't underestimate its audience and nearly always challenged them. Giving this an 8 because of the poor second season - though the first season is frequently easily a 9 or above. -
AaronCapenBanner20 August 2013This was a serious and thoughtful series much like "The Twilight Zone"(which aired at the same time) but one which isn't as well remembered or aired, which is a shame, but modern audiences may consider this show talky and slow, as it certainly is different than such anthology series today, which are all about shock value and quick editing.
This series wanted to make its audience think about the potential folly of human nature('The Architects Of Fear') or possible first contact with aliens gone awry('The Mice') and so on. Some episodes were whimsical ('Behold, Eck!) but would still create much imaginative speculative fiction about a two dimensional creature. Of course, you would still have episodes about a sand shark on mars('The Invisible Enemy') to provide the kids with typical monster thrills.
Interesting series that is on DVD, with a memorable disembodied voice introducing the premise and pretending to take control away from the viewer for an hour, which may be the only way you can see it, since unlike "The Twilight Zone", this doesn't get any marathons! -
I don't care what anyone says, this is THE series that changed television and ushered in Sci-Fi and human frailty with excellent, excellent scripts.
Okay, I'll admit, I was three, four and five years old respectively when this series had its first run. And again I will write the words parents don't want to hear or read about: "I remember". Not all, but most. Many of them I caught on re-runs in syndication when I was in my 20's and said, "Oh yeah, this is the one."
But let me tell you about the ones I remember. I remember -- "The Architects of Fear", "The Sixth Finger", "Keeper of the Purple Twilight", "The Zanti Misfits", "Fun and Games", "Demon With a Glass Hand", "The Man Who was Never Born", "It Came from the Woodwork", "Children of Spider County", "I, Robot", "The Invisibles" and the wonderful, wonderful two parter, "The Inheritors".
Those would be the "classics", but there are so many more. What do I remember about those? The Monsters and/or special effects. I didn't quite grasp how well written these were until much, much later. Make no mistake, they are very well written and thought provoking, alot of lessons to be learned/things to ponder even in 2003.
A few notes from me though -- when ABC executive Ben Brady took over, (I guess around 1965?) some of the stories went more "soap opera" than the ones before it. They were still excellent stories but now with Ben Brady leading the helm, you knew his breakthrough night time series "Peyton Place" was rolling around in his mind. Again, this is something I noticed, way later upon syndication views.
I've always had a secret wish, and that was to take a few of these classic Outer Limits series and develop a feature film out of each them. Some are so well written and hit right to the center of your brain to make you take a moment and wonder, seriously, about your world around you and those who are in charge of it.
I am in love with this series. It is classic television, classic Sci-Fi, classic story writing and even though these folks had a nickel and a dime for a special effects budget, they did very, very, well for its time.
Along with the writers, the creators of this 60's series, The Outer Limits, I also have to add that the music was to die for. It added so much to each installment. That and the main Cinematographer, the late, great, Conrad Hall. Wanta see the beginning of excellent work in cinnematography on a less than shoestring budget? Watch these. A must for all film students. You'll be so overwhelmed and wonder how could they do this for the money they had in the 60's no less.
A must for everyone's library. I own every single one of the issues on VHS and started collecting on DVD. A genius of a series. A wonderful collaboration of Producers, Directors, Writers, Network, Actors, Actresses everyone to make a series that will be immortal. This series is beyond excellent. -
bodie1 March 2004I was a fan of this show from the premier episode of "The Galaxy Being" which I saw when I was ten years old. I just recently was given the DVD set of both seasons. It's great to be able to see THE UNCUT episodes the way they were originally broadcast. It's true that the special effects of the early 60's are rather crude compared to what can be done with CGI today, however, the original Outer Limits made up for it by two things which often are missing in todays science fiction movies and series:excellent story lines with equally excellent acting. Another thing which always stood out for me was the music score which accompanied each episode. I was surprised when my teenage daughter watched some of the episodes with me and like them. One episode which resonated with her was "Don't Open Til Doomsday" It was weird having her discuss the episode with me and express the same feelings that I had 42 years ago when I saw it for the first time. I have to say that when the technology allowed for more realistic and fantastic special effects it seemed to take the heart out of good story telling. Even though I watched The new Outer Limits on Showtime and enjoyed it I feel that it still was inferior to the original series.
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DD-93112 May 2001I was eight when this show first appeared on TV. I can give no greater example of the potential power of television than by saying that when the control voice came on to take over the TV set, I would run out of the room. I couldn't watch a single first run episode of this show. Yet when it was over, I would relentlessly pump my brothers for information on what happened in each episode. And sitting in my room listening to the sounds in the living room and Dominic Frontiere's brilliant and unmatched score would transport me despite myself into realms of imagination and fear that I quite simply had never conceived of before. When I finally was old enough, and brave enough, to watch this show (and yes, I've seen every episode and now have the dozen best episodes on VHS), I discovered that what the camera had captured was, by and large, every bit as wondrous as what I had imagined. This show changed my life. How can any movie or TV show do more than that? Best 10 episodes: "The Architects of Fear", "Nightmare", "Demon with a Glass Hand", "O.B.I.T.", "Corpus Earthling", "The Sixth Finger", "It Crawled Out of the Woodwork", "The Borderland", "The Galaxy Being", and "The Inheritors". And don't miss the great performances by Robert Culp, Robert Duvall, David McCallum, James Shigeta, Jill Haworth, Martin Landau, Jeff Corey, Salome Jens, Martin Sheen, Henry Silva, Ed Asner, Nina Foch, George Macready, Sally Kellerman, Arline Martel, Warren Oates, Michael Ansara, Ivan Dixon, Leonard Nimoy, and Steve Ihnat - among others. The so-called Outer Limits anthology series running now doesn't have a clue of what "The Outer Limits" is all about. I wish the producers would be honest and just not use the title "Outer Limits". Then I could forgive them their mediocrity. And for those who say the original is outdated, I say you're only missing out on what this show really means. And don't be so sure that what we understand about the universe now - IN OUR SOULS - is better than what we understood in 1963. Thank you, Internet Movie Database. I've finally found the forum to get this off my chest.
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poe42614 January 2002I was among the lucky ones who saw this series when first it aired; was lucky enough to find myself going to bed afterward feeling... uneasy... It was somewhat unnerving at the time to see the familiar test pattern flutter and roll and to hear a voice solemnly intone, "There is nothing wrong with your television set..." That feeling must be akin to the gut-wrenching dread people felt when The Mercury Theater broadcast WAR OF THE WORLDS in 1938. Orson Welles, his distinctive voice calmly modulated, told a tale of terror that panicked the nation. Vic Perrin, who did The Control Voice at the start of each episode, spoke calmly and lucidly as he told us not to adjust our television sets: "There is nothing wrong..." In many respects, he was right: we were now in the hands of perhaps the most talented group of innovators in television history. Had Val Lewton (who pioneered "thinking man's horror" with movies like CAT PEOPLE, I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, ISLE OF THE DEAD and -my favorite- THE BODY SNATCHER, during the 1940's) turned his talents to science fiction, he might well have produced something along the lines of THE OUTER LIMITS. I won't bother to list the responsible parties by name here in these comments (that's what the IMDb is for), but for the brilliant creator, Leslie Stevens, writer-producer Joseph Stefano (who had adapted Robert Bloch's novel PSYCHO for mastermind Alfred Hitchcock), cinematographer Conrad Hall, and composer Dominic Frontiere (whose music has haunted more than one sleepless night).
From the opening moments of THE GALAXY BEING, it was clear that this was not going to be just another run-of-the-mill show. It was creepy, but in a dramatic, thoughtful way that most TV never is. (Now, of course, we have THE X FILES- but there was a very, very long time when viewers looking for something of genuine worth on television were left wanting.) The fact that the series was being shot in black and white (which always puts the viewer at one remove), with LOTS of shadows and an overall Gothic sensibility underscored (pun intended) by the theme music, marked this as a series of no small consequence; in fact, I've stated before, in print, that THE OUTER LIMITS is the greatest anthology series ever aired. The first season provided some, er, stellar episodes. Among my personal favorites are: THE GALAXY BEING, THE ARCHITECTS OF FEAR, THE SIXTH FINGER, THE MAN WHO WAS NEVER BORN, CORPUS EARTHLING, NIGHTMARE, THE ZANTI MISFITS, THE MICE, THE INVISIBLES, THE BALLERO SHIELD, THE CHILDREN OF SPIDER COUNTY, THE MUTANT, THE GUESTS, FUN AND GAMES, THE SPECIAL ONE, A FEASIBILTY STUDY, THE CHAMELEON, and THE FORMS OF THINGS UNKNOWN. Not a bad percentage for the first season alone...
The second season provided its share of memorable moments, beginning with Harlan Ellison's adaptation of his short story, SOLDIER. (The audio track from this episode would make a great "audio book;" it's THAT well written.) There was also EXPANDING HUMAN, DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND (an award-winning episode and another potential "audio book," again written by Harlan Ellison), CRY OF SILENCE, I,ROBOT, THE INHERITORS, KEEPER OF THE PURPLE TWILIGHT and THE DUPLICATE MAN. Argue the merits of each and every episode I've listed here, but rest assured of one thing: you won't be BORED. -
I was nine years old when this classic series debuted. The episodes that scared me the most and the reasons why were: "Nightmare" (the sadistic powers of the Ebonite control rod), "It Crawled Out of the Woodwork" (a swirling cloud-monster frightening people to death), "The Guests" (being dragged upstairs for interrogation by a gelatinous brain), "Don't Open Till Doomsday" (being seized and drawn into a box inhabited by a one-eyed alien blob), "A Feasibility Study" (having your neighborhood kidnapped and taken to an alien world while you sleep), and "The Production and Decay of Strange Particles" (radiation suits taken over by energy beings whose face masks glow with lightning bolts). Episodes I really enjoy now are "Demon With A Glass Hand" (great location in the darkened, dilapidated office building, total suspense), "Architects of Fear" (Robert Culp's superb portrayal of a man being transformed into an alien and losing his sanity), "O.B.I.T" (an early commentary about the dangers of electronic spying and loss of privacy), "ZZZZZ" (insects turn the tables on humankind and send one of their own to our world), "The Bellero Shield" (Sally Kellerman's excellent portrayal of a "murderous wife"), "The Invisible Enemy" (sea serpent-like beasts dragging their victims underneath the sand) and "The Mice" (who could forget the grinding claws and constant stalking behavior of this grotesque monster alien?). I do favor the first season more than the second season, because the episodes and story plots are harsher and darker with very chilling music.
In general, series creator Joe Stefano's suspicion of government and scientific research institutions and their motives is truly admirable. Also, he does not always make the aliens the bad guys, as shown in "Nightmare" when the Ebonite wants to put a stop to Earth-government sanctioned torture of POW's. "Outer Limits" on DVD brings an even richer, louder and penetrating quality to this outstanding series. Also, "The Outer Limits: The Official Companion" is a great book for information about the show's production and episodes. -
planktonrules28 June 2012Although "The Outer Limits" was hampered by excruciatingly low budgets (creating, in some cases, some ridiculous special effects), it was a terrific show that died an unnatural death. As IMDb pointed out, the network effectively killed it--even though it has been a popular show. Why? I have no idea, but it's a shame the series only ran two years--two very, very good years.
In my summary, I mentioned the rival series "The Twilight Zone". This is because they clearly dealt with a lot of the same material, though "The Outer Limits" more often had themes involving sci-fi and monsters--more the paranormal. This isn't the only reason I prefer watching re-runs of "The Outer Limits". The big one is that there were very few really bad episodes--only a few flat ones (such as two involving South/Central American dictators that simply didn't fit in and only seemed to be there to attack these folks). It was consistently creepy, entertaining and thought-provoking. And, because they only made a few, it's not a lot of effort to see all of them for yourself--you'd be doing yourself a favor. -
Jerry Ables24 January 2002This classic series is so much fun to watch. Everything about it is great. The opening is very well crafted, the episodes are very well written and entertaining with a wide variety of fine actors and actresses and the special effects are truly splendid. It is my opinion that this show serves as a prime example of why classic science fiction is so much fun to watch.
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tonydattoli15 March 2021I'll never forget how the episode "The Zanti Misfits " scared the hell out of me at 8 years old.. A wild show for its time.
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hellraiser74 March 2020This is another one of my favorite sci-fi TV shows of all time and it's one of my favorite anthologies number six in my book. It's another childhood gem of mine after watching "Twilight Zone" I was interested in seeking out other anthology show and this was another that happened to be next.
This show is different from "Twilight Zone" though it does have a little of the morality element, "Twilight Zone" was more of a mix in genre. This show is strictly sci-fi mainly inspired by the pulp magazines like "Amazing Stories" (which became a TV series of its own) and plenty of others, so by its nature the show was sort of a live action pulp sci-fi magazine.
I really like the black and white cinematography, which to me really gives the show a dreamlike and eerie atmosphere; each of the tales are both fascinating and a little dangerous at the same time. As in most of the tales it's usual about ordinary people that are dealing with forces beyond their own control and comprehension and are struggling to get that control back. Or even intentionally or unintentionally diving into uncharted territory and doing their best to understand and survive it.
The effects are also good, unlike "Twilight Zone" this show had more special effects than that show which made sense for the kind of stories they wanted to tell. Some of these effects resulted in the most memorable monsters which stand out today as there are some toy figure lines. Though it's true not all effects stand out, there are a few lame effects in places though it's not just due to budget limitations it was also hardware limits as well. Though this doesn't bring the show down for me as this is only in a few tales and a few places in the show, so it's easy to get past.
The intro is great it's one of my favorite intros of all time, it must have been a really big surprise back them as we see in the first minute of the into one dot and a buzzing sound and then suddenly a narration saying "There's nothing wrong with your TV set" and of course goes on from there. It really thrust you into things, telling you to get ready you're in for one heck of a trip into Sci-fi town. There is even a pretty good music theme even though it's not on my list of favorite theme songs, it still fits the show and an enjoyable listen.
But to me like all anthologies the real power is in the stories themselves and there are plenty that are memorable and worth watching for any sci-fi fans. Three of my favorites, though you might not agree but like with all anthologies it's really a matter of preference.
"Demon with a Glass Hand" which is a live action adaptation of a short story written by one of my favorite sci-fi writers and writers in general the late great Harlan Elleson. I really like that it's sort of this Fugitive like thriller only this is a person that is on the run from aliens or alien like characters. However, what made it interesting is there is this revolving mystery that slowly but surely develops which makes what's happening a lot more clear and the ending all the more impacting.
The Architects of Fear: Another one I really like, could've been a tale David Cronenberg could have made as it has the whole thing with body horror and transformations effects. It's about a secret organization that want to create unity before the world destroys itself. It's a haunting story that really shows the destructive nature of fear, but also how sometimes the price of peace isn't always worth the cost.
The Man who was Never Born: This one is my favorite tale in the show, the premise really predates the movie and TV show "12 Monkeys" as it's about a deformed mutant that has to go to the past to save the future, but carries a moral grey dilemma with him with a solution weighty on his better nature. The Outer Limits is a real trip that will take you to sci-fi land and beyond.
Rating: 4 stars -
yeshua376023 July 2019Wonderful upgrade...2 separate season purchases....see Stars William shatner, Leonard nimoy, James doohan in early television career (before Star trek)! Robert culp (I Spy), Diana Sands (Raisin in the Sun). Praise for remembering a classic science fiction anthology.... Contains alternate pilot: Please Stand By!
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sgilbert-4188213 November 2023As an original viewer when this series first aired I was thrilled to have another quality show with science fiction and fantasy as its premise. They utilized the best writers, actors, and production staff that their budgets could afford. Unfortunately, unlike "The Twilight Zone", "The Outer Limits" has not fared as well in the last sixty years for one simple reason: the episodes are too long. In order to fill all that time they became too talky, way too talky. Modern audiences want special effects and visual excitement in their fantasy films. Thirty minutes was the ideal format for television fantasy, which "The Twilight Zone" still benefits from. "The Outer Limits" now comes off as mostly ponderous.
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From reading the comments many people love this series,and I am another "Outer Limits " fan.The 60's show is far superior to its 90's namesake and the cliched special effects driven SF programs being made today."The Outer Limits" had none of the technological wizardry available to t.v.now, nor even the recources Irwin Allen's productions at Twentieth Century Fox and"Star Trek" at Desilu/Paramount could draw upon in the 1960's.The series was made by Leslie Steven's "Daystar" productions(a small independent),in black and white and on very tight budgets using the Hollywood soundstages of KTTV(and later Paramount Sunset), with some external scenes shot at the MGM backlot at Culver city.The special effects and makeup vary in quality ,some are very good indeed bearing in mind the limitations in budget (examples-the "Sixth finger", "Nightmare","The chameleon", "A feasability study","The galaxy being" "The Bellero shield" and "The keeper of the purple twilight"--what a title!). The show comes from a period when an unusual amount of high quality writing was evident on American t.v.drama (despite what the F.CC. were saying about t.v. being a "vast wasteland").In my view the first season produced by Joseph Stefano is generally superior to the second when Ben Brady of "Perry Mason" took over.Stefano, who had in 1960 scripted "Psycho" for Hitchcock, wrote quite a number of episodes and extensively re-wrote many of the scripts provided by others during the first season. Not just the writing, but the cinematography (often by Conrad Hall),direction and music gives the show a brooding, moody "otherworldly" quality.Gerd Oswald, a minor film director, was used extensively on the show and his episodes are often the most striking. Even the best series will have it's quota of poorer episodes.In my opinion, among "The Outer Limits" worst are "The Probe"(the final episode,with a notably pathetic monster), "The duplicate man"(an interesting idea poorly executed,with another rotten monster), "Behold Eck", "Cold hands, warm heart", "Tourist attraction","The mutant" and "Specimen unknown"(fiendish extra terrestrial plants which sure aint Triffids!--oddly the highest rated episode of the series).Among my favorite shows are "The sixth finger", "A feasability study" ,"Nightmare", "The chameleon"( with Robert Duvall), "Fun and games"(with a great performance by Nick Adams),and "The Inheritors"( a two parter with Duvall again, and featuring a terrific speech at the end, beautifully delivered by Steve Ihnat). A special mention for four outstanding episodes.In "Obit","The Outer Limits" , back in 1963,was warning about that unpleasant instinct in people which leads them to want to spy into the personal lives of others,and which t.v. has sunk to pandering to today with the likes of "Big brother" and "Survivor"."The forms of things unknown",is a stunning piece, an object lesson in what can be achieved by talented people with a limited budget.The car recklessly driven down the road, Andre's poisoning in the lake, and Tone's weird clock machine are all images that you don't easily forget."The man who was never born", a sci -fi variant on "Beauty and the beast", is full of poetic writing and dreamlike scenes.Martin Landau is superb as the soulful mutant from the future, and the poignant final shot where the camera pulls back from a bereft Shirley Knight who is left in a tiny box of light with the dark all around, is the kind of ingenious moment which starkly sets "The Outer Limits" apart from most t.v. productions."The Guests" is a show I often return to.Within the framework of a Sci-Fi horror tale, we find an elegy on the passage of time, love and loss, beautifully filmed with an outstanding musical score. The performances, from Gloria Grahame( cast in type), Luana Anders( cast rather against type),Geoffrey Horne(among others), the direction by Paul Stanley and script by Donald S. Sanford reward re-viewing with further insights and appreciations.A landmark series.
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gregberne113 February 2019I don't know why this show doesn't get more love. I think it is as good as Twilight Zone. Maybe TZ was more consistently awesome for more years but when Outer Limits was on their game that show was a real sci-fi classic and pioneers in the genre.
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generationofswine12 October 2020It was a little more science fiction and a little less ironic than the Twilight Zone, a little less horror, a little more alien...
... so it kind of felt like it wanted to be the Twilight Zone, but wanted to compete with it too and in the era of the Atomic Bomb with Science Fiction and all things space reigned supreme... it worked.
Not it kind of feels a little like the lesser cousin, but, who cares, it's still a cool anthology and if you are a sci-fi geek, it's pure candy. -
suze-425 June 2017Yes I watched this sometimes but I was 13 and I was overdue to see it again and appreciate it more now than I am nearly 70. Suddenly, ME TV has brought it back. I happened to see an episode with Martin Landau and I was utterly dumbfounded by its excellence. I was shocked to see the beautiful and young Shirley Knight as well (the mother in As Good As It Gets). The episode was about a time conundrum and it was gripping and heartbreaking.
The Outer Limits was at the time considered a gimmick, a Twilight Zone imitator, but I see clearly now 50 years later: it was not. Unlike the cynical, tongue in cheek typical Twilight Zone, this is dark and brooding and frightening. It is not a little half hour playlet; it is a one hour long drama, relentlessly upsetting, disturbing and uplifting all at the same time. I have set it to record all episodes now. They are just showing two per week on Saturdays.
I was dismayed to look it up just now and find it was cancelled in the middle of the second season because it didn't draw in viewers after it was moved to another day.
Great actors, great scripts, a noble TV show, totally underrated! -
There is perhaps nothing worse in tv history than the fact that the Outer Limits is such a little known show. The huge amount of superb acting, wonderfully engaging plots, plot twists, and cinematography will leave viewers wanting more, especially in regards to the first season, which delivered classic episode after classic episode. I can write about how amazing (most) of the episodes are all day long, but it's no substitute for actually watching them yourself. The show was, and still is, often compared to Twilight Zone, which is probably the reason it tends to be overshadowed by its much more popular contemporary. Twilight Zone episodes were much more flexible in the regard that basically any normal situation can serve as the setting and backstory for an episode, and they often featured normal people stuck in strange scenarios that they can't run away from. Outer Limits on the other hand was much more limited in what it can have its episodes about since it was always, first and foremost, a sci-fi show. Somewhat predictably, the first season is much more memorable than the second, and featured such masterfully done episodes as the Architects of Fear, where a scientist agrees to turn himself into a horrifically mutated alien and land at the United Nations building in New York in order to get the countries of earth to stop fighting each other and focus on the extraterrestrial threat instead. The final minutes of the episode show the alien ship landing at the science lab where the now mutated scientist used to work, and the creature is so frightening it was actually censored for many years in some parts of the world. Another standout is The Man Who Was Never Born, in which Martin Landau plays a time traveler who is in a race against time to stop the birth of a scientist who will be destined to create an incurable disease that lays waste to the entire planet. Even without seeing the episode, it is obvious how the writers of The Terminator may have been inspired by this. As the show began its anticipated second season, things got a bit muddled. There are still some very good episodes here, with Demon With a Glass Hand being among the best of the entire show. The plot centers around Robert Culp who plays a seemingly ordinary human being who can't remember anything about his life beyond a day or two ago. It soon becomes obvious that he is being hunted by aliens who come from hundreds of years into the future set in a world where the earth is being overtaken by them, so as a last resort the humans release a "radioactive plague" to kill the invaders. One of Culp's hands is a supercomputer made of glass that is able to communicate with him, but it cannot tell him why the aliens want him dead until all its missing fingers are returned to it. At the end of the episode, the newly restored hand now tells him that all the humans of the future are electronically transcribed on a piece of metal, and the metal is actually inside Culp's abdomen. As humanity's sole robotic sentinel, it is his job to protect the human race from any threats it may encounter over the coming centuries. Unfortunately, the majority of season 2's episodes do not hold a candle to this one, but they are still worth watching since they are twice as long as twilight zone episodes (probably why they weren't as popular). Just to be clear, The Outer Limits is a masterfully directed show with some of the best sci-fi writing I've seen to date. The show also features big name actors, many of whom at the time were unknown, such as Martin Landau, Donald Pleasence, Robert Culp, Sally Kellerman, Cedric Hardwicke, and a very young Martin Sheen. If you consider yourself a fan of science fiction, and love watching and reading about technology that might possibly exist, please watch this show because it is one of the best.
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ShadeGrenade21 February 2009'The Outer Limits' is often mentioned in the same breath as 'The Twilight Zone' as one of the peaks of '60's television science fiction, and with good reason. The shows have a good deal in common, both are anthologies based partly on published fiction and original works. Both were made in glorious monochrome, feature top-drawer actors of the day, and still stand up well nearly fifty years later.
'Limits' was the creation of Leslie Stevens, but the man who produced the first season ( and wrote many classic episodes ) is most frequently credited with its success. He was Joseph Stefano, writer of the screenplay of Hitchcock's 'Psycho'. Stefano was responsible for establishing that each episode should have a 'bear' - his nickname for a monster. He also hired Conrad Hall to create the show's distinctive lighting effects, while the special effects ( good for the time ) were by Projects Unlimited. It goes without saying that a modern audience would probably find the 'bears' hilarious, but the series did not depend entirely for its impact on monsters. In 'Limits' you will find something closely approximating the poetry of science fiction.
Each episode opened with the picture blurring, while an announcer warned that the set was now under 'their' control. It was a gimmick designed to invoke comparison with the famous Orson Welles 'War Of The Worlds' radio broadcast ( written by Stevens, incidentally ) which conned many into believing a real alien invasion was underway.
Stand-out stories include 'A Feasibility Study' in which an American town is transported to an alien planet, 'The Zanti Misfits' sees the arrival on Earth of hideous bug monsters with human-like faces, 'The Bellero Shield' has a devious woman attempting to exploit alien technology for her own ends, 'The Man With The Power' features Donald Pleasance as a man able to destroy anyone at will, in 'The Production & Decay Of Strange Particles' ( great title! ) atomic power triggers terrifying transformations in people, 'The Galaxy Being' ( the show's pilot ) sees a radio ham accidentally making contact with a creature from the Andromeda constellation, 'The Forms Of Things Unknown' has David McCallum as the inventor of a 'time tilting' machine constructed out of hundreds of clocks. Somewhat out of place was 'The Hundred Days Of The Dragon', a conventional spy yarn in which the Red Chinese kill the President of The United States and replace him with an impostor, but it was gripping nevertheless.
The impressive list of guest-stars included Barry Morse, Robert Culp, Carroll O'Connor, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Duvall, Sally Kellermann, Martin Landau, Sam Wanamaker, Warren Oates and Cliff Robertson. Special mention must be made of Dominic Frontiere, whose powerful music underlined the show's atmosphere of mystery and horror.
'Limits' proved a surprise hit, and plans for a second season was laid. But when the network announced a change of time slot, Stefano resigned in protest. A new producer - Ben Brady - was appointed. Fans do not hold the second season in high regard, but a number of episodes, such as the two-parter 'The Inheritors', Harlan Ellison's 'Soldier' and 'Demon With A Glass Hand', are as good as anything to be found in the previous year.
Unfortunately, the new time-slot lost 'Limits' viewers and it was abruptly cancelled. It appeared on I.T.V. ( usually in a late-night slot ) in the mid-'60's, and in 1980, B.B.C.-2 ran both seasons ( often jumbling up the episodes in haphazard fashion ) in one bumper run where it acquired a new audience.
As a result of the success of 'The X-Files' in the 1990's, 'Limits' was resurrected by cable television. Some of the original shows - including 'I Robot', 'A Feasability Study' and 'The Inheritors' - were remade. The special effects were predictably better but alas little else was. The nudity it could have done well without.
Luckily, both seasons of the original are out on D.V.D. and serve as a timely reminder of the greatness of '60's science fiction. -
peter-faizey9 June 2008The Outer Limits was (and is) a total rarity in the crowded halls of Science fiction. Produced on a very low budget by Daystar Productions (the production company owned by the series creator Leslie Stevens) and broadcast in America by ABC as a contender to the hugely successful Rod Serling fantasy anthology series The Twilight Zone, the series explored some fascinating concepts (usually deep routed in a science fiction context) and was admirably non conformist in its execution. Far more intelligent and thought provoking than other enjoyable mainstream science fiction fare such as Lost in Space or even Star Trek, The Outer Limits challenged dominant ideologies beautifully in a number of episodes - 'Nightmare' being the finest example. The first season's production team of Leslie Stevens, Joseph Stefano (the man behind the screenplay for 'Psycho', and largely responsible for the series Gothic style) and Dominic Frontiere (whose chilling music characterised the Gothic nature of the series) the show was extremely well made. This was largely helped by a fantastic line up of directors, such as Byron Haskin, James Goldstone, Gerd Oswald and Laslo Benedek, and also Leslie Stevens himself who was responsible for the iconic opening, which has been parodied in so many series (even The Simpsons) featuring the Control Voice. Due to the flexible format of the series it could be almost anything, from a typical science fiction plot line to one of a Gothic horror (like the deservedly celebrated The Forms of Things Unknown). Like most series, however, there were some poor episodes along the way - the very poor and confusing 'Production and Decay of Strange Particles', 'The Hundred Days of the Dragon' and 'Specimen: Unknown' but all in all the first season of The Outer Limits was breathtakingly new and exciting, well written and well made. It is very hard to achieve this level of quality in any television series, but Leslie Stevens and his team had succeeded with relative ease. The most notable episodes from the first season include 'A Feasilibility Study', 'Fun and Games', 'Nightmare', 'The Galaxy Being', 'The Man Who Was Never Born', 'The Chameleon', 'Corpus Earthling' and 'The Guests'. Unfortunately like most things that are bold, new and most importantly non - conformist the first season failed to live up to the expectations of the ABC executives and when a Second Season was commissioned the budget was drastically cut and the programme makers were ordered to make the show a more generic/mainstream fare. Joseph Stefano (who had worked extremely hard on achieving the look and quality of the first season) was understandably outraged by these suggestions and left immediately. He was followed by Dominic Frontiere and a number of the original production team that had all been crucial in the originality and success of the first season. This had a very negative effect on the following season. Bizarrely, ABC chose Ben Brady (producer of Perry Mason) to replace Joseph Stefano for the new season and implement the desired changes. Brady turned the series into an unusual combination of Science fiction and Perry Mason, with the episodes 'The Expanding Human' and 'I. Robot' being the most blatant examples. The one excellent choice Brady did make was hiring Seeleg Lester as Story Consultant for the second series. Lester was an extremely talented television writer, and had a notable understanding of what The Outer Limits was all about. Perhaps because of him a number of the episodes are of fantastic quality. Some other benefits of the second season was that Brady was able to keep many of the original directors, including Byron Haskin and Gerd Oswald and a number of new writers were drafted in to provide scripts. The most notable of these is of course Harlan Ellison who provided two top notch stories 'Soldier' and 'Demon With A Glass Hand', the latter of which won two prestigious awards including 'Best Script for an Anthology Series'. Lester himself would also provide the excellent 'Wolf 359' and other classic episodes include 'The Dupicate Man', 'Cold Hands, Warm Heart', 'The Inheritors' and 'Keeper of the Purple Twilight'. Also, composer Harry Lubin produced some excellent, mysterious and moody music for the new season, and a memorable new theme (incorporating the eerie vibrations of the theremin (the ultimate electronic instrument) - even if a certain percentage of the music was recycled from his scores for the earlier anthology series 'One Step Beyond'. However, despite these successes the series had lost its visual intensity and moral drive. Put in competition with the hugely successful 'Jackie Gleason Show' (in another attempt by ABC officials to kill the programme) the second season was axed after 17 episodes, ending on the mediocre episode 'The Probe'. Thus, one of the finest science fiction series ever produced had come and gone in a very short space of time. Maybe if the impatient ABC officials had waited a little longer when the programme was under the control of Stevens and Stefano the show would have lasted, but like so many television series, this was never allowed to be. Thankfully though, once the show entered syndication it picked up many new fans and gathered a cult status. Due to this, today the series has a considerable fan following, and a 1990's revival to keep its spirit alive. This is all thanks to the creative talent and genius of Leslie Stevens, Joseph Stefano and later Seeleg Lester for making a totally different series, one with many moral messages and one that was beautifully told - from the Gothic Art House film feel of 'Forms of Things Unknown', the fairytale like execution of 'The Guests' to the claustrophobic and shadowy 'Demon With A Glass Hand' each episode has something to offer. Television at its very best. Truly exceptional. The Outer Limits is a fine example of an era in television we may never see again.
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johcafra7 January 2009Having lately commented on The (original) Twilight Zone I would be remiss to not mention the other Stateside television series that premiered on another network during the original Zone's final season and carried the torch ever so briefly.
The (original) Outer Limits was an anthology series of one-hour episodes that ran for only two seasons. You could argue its second, truncated season was vastly different from the first—but the same. Study the credits of its producers and directors. A bevy of proved actors and upcoming stars. Joseph Stefano in charge of scripts; Robert Towne and Harlan Ellison contributors. The principal DP later won three Oscars. For their time fairly exotic visual FX filmed in glorious black-and-white. Music and sound FX that did not get out of your head. Makeup artists who doubtless had a sparkling wit.
What TOL lacked in the heightened insight and occasional subtlety provided by the original Zone was more than made up for with style, passion, and the tease of each episode's "bear." Not quite as ahead of its time as pitched, for the extrapolated science it appeared to rely on was always suspect. In hindsight the episodes are even less prophetic, except perhaps for "O.B.I.T." It's as easy to tick off a list of episodes I disliked. (Another user correctly points out some episodes take their sweet time getting to the end.) Some first came across as pretty d'd strange by any standard. But the ones that connected did so quite viscerally. If you keep an open mind they still do.
The pilot episode, "The Galaxy Being," and "The Architects of Fear" remain truly unique treatments of First Contact. "The Inheritors," a two-parter, is the cleverest and most thoughtful episode and probably the best introduction for anyone who frightens easily. "A Feasibility Study," "Corpus Earthling," "Cry of Silence," "It Crawled Out of the Woodwork," "The Man Who Was Never Born," "Specimen: Unknown" and "The Zanti Misfits" kept me awake long after viewing.
I commend the performances of John Hoyt in "The Bellero Shield" and David McCallum in "The Sixth Finger" as brilliant in more ways than one. Watch the first five or so minutes of George Macready's performance in "The Invisibles" and you won't think quite the same way about him ever again. You see a lot of Robert Culp and Robert Duvall; one could creep you out simply by flaring his nostrils and the other just by keeping a straight face.
The Nineties successor series only proved it's all too easy now, and that's probably the best reason I still appreciate the original. -
rooster-3710 October 2006Hokey, cheap special effects, yes, especially those giant ants!! BUT! Still one of the scariest, most atmospheric shows ever to run on network television. As an adult looking back to the show that frightened me so much as a child, it's fascinating to see the early work of great actors like Duval, Landau, Sheen, Shatner, Nimoy, the guy who played Lou Grant, I could go on and on. I don't know what else I could say without repeating what has been already said, has anyone mentioned the music that played at the end credits in the first season? My favorite episodes are The Inheritors, and the pilot, The Galaxy Being. The negative shot of the monster walking through the pawnshop past the hanging guitars was a genius use of the limited special effect techniques available at the time.
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andyetris23 June 2008If you first saw an episode of this program when it first aired, I can't believe you're not a BIG fan. If you've never seen this show before, however, I think you're likely to be VERY disappointed. Let's face it, the pacing is typically slow and awkward and the moral-of-the-story endings are preachy and increasingly tediously predictable. The acting is typically excellent, but the directing is terrible, and while the writing is centered on ingenious ideas, they're too often lost in clumsy, tension-less plotting. Sorry, but pacing and suspense are simply FAR better handled on the Outer Limits' rival, "The Twilight Zone."
This show deserves its place as a milestone in TV programming, and as someone who first watched it when it aired, the number of episodes that fascinated or frightened me are too numerous to mention. But on a second, much later viewing, the flaws overwhelm the good stuff; while I can forgive the low-budget props and costumes, the storytelling falls far short of Rod Serling-level. And in all honesty, you have to admit that a moralizing voice-over at the end of the tale is not really the best method of thought-provoking! -
fexil5 March 2008I love both series of 'The Twilight Zone' I enjoyed 'Star Trek' the 60s series & many of the ITC series. But this series to one who has never seen it on TV before (under 40) is a real dull clunker! Very dry sci-fi with no personality. Tedious stories that you find yourself doing something else (reach for a book to read etc) instead of watching as it does not catch the imagination.
I tried the highest IMDb rated episodes too: also really dull & interest was never found in any of them. The first episode is so ordinary in style & pace & so lacking in anything to inspire the viewer, even with what could have been a good story if used in other shows.
The very annoying & patronising start 'We are taking over your TV' appears to mindlessly brainwash viewers into thinking this junk is worthy. It amazingly gets compared to the brilliant 'The Twilight Zone' too by many, who obviously can't see the boring directing & pacing of this series for what it really is.
No wonder it was very cheap on Amazon! 2/10