Nowadays the question is, “Which is better: Star Trek or Babylon 5?” Back in the 1960’s I’d imagine the question was “Whis is better: The Twilight Zone or The Outer Limits?” Both shows have their own merits and strong supporters. But while The Twilight Zone based many of their episodes on magic and the supernatural, The Outer Limits stuck mostly to science. These hour long programs delved into aliens, new life forms, and the occasional experiment gone wrong. The opening credits were ingenious and may have confused some first time viewers. (Shades of War of the Worlds and Ghost Watch.) And let us not forget the excellent announcing done by . In my honest opinion, he was every bit as good as Rod Serling. (Just goes to show you what a background in radio can teach you.)
06 The Man Who Was Never Born - Martin Landau plays a man from the future who tries to save the world. One of the saddest endings you’ll ever see.
14 The Zanti Misfits - The most redeeming part of this episode is the creepy way the aliens are presented. I've heard this gave good fright during the 1960's.
16 Controlled Experiment - You’ll appreciate this much more when you read the liner notes i n the episode guide.
20 The Bellero Shield - Another example of power corrupting the rich. Three cheers to Chita Rivera and Sally Kellerman.
The Outer Limits (1995)
This SHOWTIME series tried to revitalize some of the magic of the old series. But unlike The Twilight Zone (1984) not many stories reclaimed the originals magic. It did do something no other anthology series ever did before. It created new stories which included concepts from other episodes. These weren’t just clip shows. Many were sequels. And don’t get me wrong, there were still some very good episodes. Unfortunately, some were tied down with explicit sexual scenes and story lines which were dragged out to meet the 45 minute time frame. (Just the right size for hour long syndication.) It did last longer than the original series which is a feat unto itself.
23. A Stitch in Time - Hell hath no fury like a female scientist scorned. Amanda Plummer rightfully recieved the Emmy for her performance.
34 Inconstant Moon - Michael Gross plays a scientist who learns the Earth’s days are numbered. So, he decides to make the most of his final night with the woman he has always loved. Well thought out story by famed science fiction writer Larry Niven.
66 In Another Life - Great vehicle for the talented Laurence brothers. A scientist brings his parallel universe counterpart to help him find himself. That is, another one of him which is on the loose.
68 Relativity Theory - Nicely paced giving you a good kick in the pants when you get the punch line. Just goes to show you corporate greed is unfortunately a universal constant.
118 Simon Says - Creepy, disturbing, and a highly rememberable ending. Who thought Joel Grey could be so eerie. (Oh, that’s right...he was kind of spooky in Cabaret.)
129 Zig Zag - Amazing story told in reverse order. You’re shown the present first and are then shown previous events while going farther back in time. (I don’t remember the name, but there’s a classic science fiction story which was told in this type of format.)
131 & 132 Final Appeal - Sequel to "A Stitch in Time". Plummer is still at her best as she tries to defend herself to a ‘future’ Supreme Court in a world which shuns technology.
140 Think Like A Dinosaur - Shades of “Cold Equation”. Brings up some good points about personal identity and the governments right to control it.
148 Abduction
Probably inspired by the Columbine shooting, this story is well worth showing your kids. Students are abducted by an alien who makes them a chilling offer. Who wants to live?
