Though budget and time restrictions caused a few 'clinker' scripts, this SF series featured some great writers and their stories, usually produced in a dark, 'gothic' fashion. Many of the shows were truly unforgettable, though often I hear people relating some of The Outer Limits finest (and scariest) moments to similar anthology series, such as 'The Twilight Zone'. It makes a purist like myself downright mad. A great many actors who went on to star in other shows, such as Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner, had earlier roles on the 'Outer Limits'. Landmark performances were commonplace, such as David McCallum in 'The Sixth Finger' and Martin Landau in 'The Man Who Was Never Born". As the series ended its several year's run, weak plots and bogus monsters became more common, though occasionally a real corker like Harlan Ellison's "Demon With the Glass Hand" appeared. If there are any problems with the Outer Limits, it involves outdated gender roles and possible over-moralizing a science fiction plot. It does, however, frequently debate the role of the scientist who in uncovering powerful forces, also needing a good dose of responsibility and humanity. The Outer Limits is one of my all-time favorite TV shows even after I've outgrown it's 'Monster Appeal'. A bright spot in the 'Vast Wasteland' of the early '60s.
Review of The Outer Limits
