There is nothing wrong with your speakers. Do not attempt to adjust the sound. We are controlling transmission. For the next hour your Planet 8 crew will control what you hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery of the classic 60s TV show, The Outer Limits!
One of the last of the anthology series on television, Outer Limits is fondly recalled by many fans today. One of its hallmarks was its "bears" - the strange, striking aliens and monsters created for the show. Appearing in almost every episode, these creatures often featured outlandish designs, which have proved to be highly memorable, such as the ant-like Zantis, the twisted Thetan from Architects of Fear, and the Ebontie interrogator from Nightmare. The Projects Unlimited team, including Jim Danforth and Wah Chang, produced designs which have stood the test of time.
But beyond the monsters, Outer Limits was a top notch science fiction show. It explored what it meant to be human, our flaws and our potential. This was key for the shows creators, Leslie Stevens and Joe Stefano. Much like Star Trek, they wanted to impart a message about humanity. They also aimed high, for a more literary form of science fiction, although obviously they were balancing it with the crazy monster each week!
We'll discuss a number of episodes, some favorites and some that we just found intriguing. Of course, OL had an extremely limited run -just a season and a half, 49 episodes. But there are so many fun shows to discuss! And there are interesting connections to other 60s shows, like Batman, Hogan's Heroes, Star Trek, and so on.
As usual, we'll look at other aspects of the production, including the lighting, staging, and of course, the unique music, which was composed by Dominic Frontierre. And who could forget the control voice, performed by actor Vic Perrin?
Outer Limits is definitely one of the most important SF series ever made, and its stories and creatures continue to provide entertainment and are influential decades later.
Appropriately for our Sensor Sweep, Karen shares a beautiful book, David Schow's The Outer Limits at 50. This large paperback was published by Creature Features in 2014. It is packed full of fantastic photos from the show, some from behind the scenes. It also has descriptions and details about making each episode. This book is hard to find now (there are some ridiculous prices on eBay). But if you see it in a used bookstore, grab it! You won't be disappointed! Schow's Outer Limits Companion is also highly recommended.
As we recorded this episode, news of the passing of actor David Prowse was just breaking. Your Planet 8 crew is saddened by this news. Of course, Prowse changed all our lives by being the physical presence of Darth Vader. But he also appeared in a number of Hammer films, and trained Christopher Reeve to bulk up for Superman. He was a remarkable gentleman, and we salute his life, and shall miss him.
That's it for this time. We return control to you! Send your transmissions to us:
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Another great show about - another great show!
ReplyDeleteI only discovered Outer Limits after high school, when I moved down to California (Bay Area) from Oregon (no channels showed reruns of it up there). I still don't think I've seen every episode, but I've loved every episode I've seen. And yeah, the one with Yeoman Rand is a real hoot! Didn't know they were testing the waters for a new series with that one - it would have been pretty cool.
Anyway, great discussion - I learned quite a bit, since all three of you are more knowledgeable about the show than I am.
-Edo Bosnar
Hi Edo! Glad you enjoyed it. Outer Limits is such a seminal show. People often fixate on the monsters but the stories and the acting were really outstanding. I could talk about it all day!
ReplyDelete