Monsters (TV Series) Micro Minds (1990) User Reviews

1950s B-movie tribute

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 13 July 2015]

MICRO MINDS is a 1950s B-movie tribute episode of MONSTERS. In it, a young female scientist keeps alien microorganisms in a fish tank in her laboratory, only to suffer a catastrophe when one of the creatures suddenly grows to giant size and proceeds to threaten her very life.

The whole look of the episode is cheap, cheesy and cheerful, and to hammer the point home, '50s B-movie actor Troy Donahue has a supporting role in the production. The most fun thing about this is the look of the alien at the end, which seems to have been based on the creatures in the British sci-fi classic ISLAND OF TERROR. Unrealistic, yes, but certainly enthusiastic and fun to watch.

Average episode. Nothing special. A nod to 50s sci fi movies.

[b_kite · 5/10 · 26 May 2021]

A professor Dr. Baker and one of his students Paula discover a pool of micro organisms that live in a container of water. The two are able to communicate with one another threw a computer and soon Baker is obsessed with working with the small creatures who much to Paula's belief have a very dangerous plan in action. A pretty dull episode there's really nothing much of note here other then the two main leads rather wooden acting. The creatures or creature looks like a trash bag with tentacles very reminiscent of 50s sci fi era b movie monsters. Regardless its nothing special and the twist is predictable as ever.

A bit of a miss.

[poolandrews · 3/10 · 5 July 2009]

Monsters: Micro Minds starts late one night as scientist Paula (Belle Avery) thinks she has made contact with an alien though her revolutionary antenna but her teacher Dr. Thomas Becker (Troy Donahue) at first thinks it's a joke but soon changes his mind when he realises the voices heard are actually intelligent microscopic lifeforms that have mutated in the rooms cooling tank. Overcome with emotion Becker starts to communicate with the lifeforms who call themselves 'Gok' & are quickly sharing information. Paula is suspicious of their motivation but Becker is clouded by the scientific possibilities as the Gok's sinister intentions are soon revealed...

Episode twenty from season two of Monsters this originally aired in the US during March 1990, directed by Anthony Santa Croce this is a really weird episode that chronicles the invasion plans of Earth by a bunch of micro organisms living in a water tank. It sounds odd & it is, it's all played very seriously which probably wasn't the wisest decision since the whole concept is rather laughable although it does show a certain imagination if only to keep the action in one single location & keep the budget down to a minimum. Micro Minds isn't that good really, there's no horror here, nothing that much happens & the two main character's act in contradictory way like at first Becker doesn't believe the voices are real but changes his mind quickly because of nothing more than placing a light over a tank of water. Micro Minds is more sci-fi than horror & it doesn't even satisfy on that level & the ending is rather predictable too.

One big problem in Micro Minds is that the voices used for the lifeforms are computer synthesised or altered in some way & it's almost impossible to understand what they are saying at times which becomes very annoying. When revealed the creatures look like large balloons & when one attacks Paula it's reminiscent of a cheap 50's black and white alien invasion flick as just as convincing. There's no real horror here & as already said I thought the sci-fi elements were lacking too. The acting is alright if that even matters.

Micro Minds is another disappointing Monsters episode, the second season is just getting worse & worse with a really good episode now for quite a while. I am not really sure who Micro Minds would appeal to, certainly not me or anyone looking for any decent horror.

Nifty episode

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 31 October 2019]

Astronomy student Paula (a pleasingly perky portrayal by Belle Avery) gets in contact with a heretofore unknown alien life form. However, the arrogant and impulsive Dr. Thomas Becker (ably played to the jerky hilt by Troy Donahue) wants to take all the credit for discovering this alien race.

Director Anthony Santa Croce not only maintains a properly serious tone throughout, but also keeps the absorbing story moving along at a constant pace. D. Emerson Smith's smart script makes a nice point about the perils of playing god as well as concludes things on a satisfying grim note. The primitive computer graphics possess a certain endearingly rinky-dink charm while the tentacled blob monster looks pretty funky. A cool show.