A man looks out the window at the moon and realizes there is something wrong. He knows physics and recognizes the unusual brightness. He suspects that the sun (currently on the bright side of the earth) may have gone supernova. This means there is little time left before the earth and everything on it dies. What does one do when there is not opportunity to counteract a situation; you have literally hours to make meaningful. He calls a woman he has been in love with for years (but has been too shy to approach) and asks her to go out after midnight. He is persuasive and she acquiesces. During their late night sojourn, there are frequent indicators that things aren't at all well. A horrible storm erupts and they take refuge in her apartment building and basically await the end. The strength of this episode is in the fine acting of Michael Gross (Family Ties) and Joanna Gleason (frequently on The West Wing). They are kind loving people and the tragedy is that they never connected. Now this tragedy is about to take all this away in one night. If one were to take issue with this, it is the lack of overall expectation of the population. Where are the news people and the scientists? That aside, it is a very thoughtful entry.
3 Reviews
More Brad Wright than Larry Niven
flash-10415 February 2016
This episode is much more Brad Wright than Larry Niven—not terribly cerebral, and with lots more special effects than the Hugo-winning story. (I'm trying hard to avoid spoilers.)
This might not be surprising, except that someone at Wikipedia started the rumor that Niven himself wrote the screenplay. IMDb is, however, correct and agrees with the on-screen credits.
I'm still trying to avoid spoilers, though there's not much more I can say without them.
IMDb seems to be doing a bad job of avoiding spoilers itself, in e.g., the synopsis.
This might not be surprising, except that someone at Wikipedia started the rumor that Niven himself wrote the screenplay. IMDb is, however, correct and agrees with the on-screen credits.
I'm still trying to avoid spoilers, though there's not much more I can say without them.
IMDb seems to be doing a bad job of avoiding spoilers itself, in e.g., the synopsis.
GREAT adaptation
jpmarmaro-22 January 2008
This is perhaps my very favorite of all the episodes of the New Outer Limits I have seen, and I have seen most of them. I am an aficionado of Apolcalyptic/End of the World SciFi/Fantasy, and this is one of the best in the genre in recent years. When MGM came out with the DVD set labeled "Outer Limits Seasons 1 and 2" I bought it, most especially for this episode... which wasn't included. Instead of the entire seasons 1 and 2 it was a "best of", which very annoyingly did NOT include this episode. They have since released the complete Season 1. Seasons 3 and 4 are available from Europe. But not Season 2. I am really, REALLY piqued at that! This adaptation is, if anything, an improvement on Larry Niven's fine story of the same name, and is finely acted by leads Michael Gross and Joanna Gleason. The screenplay is, if anything, more exciting than the source story. The production also has excellent special effects and a great climax and denouement, rather perfunctorily dealt with in the story, but very nicely realized here. So, MGM, get off your corporate duffs and release this on DVD... either in a complete Season 2, or perhaps in an Apocalyptic/End-of-the-World selection.
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