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'''The Outer Limits''' is an American television series. Similar in style to the earlier ''The Twilight Zone'', though tending more to science fiction than fantasy, ''The Outer Limits'' is an anthology show in which each episode is a self-contained story, sometimes with a plot twist. In its original incarnation the show ran for two seasons from 1963 to 1965 in black-and-white. It was revived in 1995 and ran for seven seasons, until 2002.
:''"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits.''" — Opening narration – The Control Voice – 1960s
This introduction was parodied in a ''The Simpsons'' Halloween special.
''The Outer Limits'' originally ran from 1963 to 1965 on the U.S. broadcast network ABC, and a total of 49 episodes. It was created by Leslie Stevens and was one of the many series ostensibly influenced by ''The Twilight Zone'' and ''Science Fiction Theatre'', though it was ultimately influential in its own right. In the unaired pilot, the series was titled ''Please Stand By'' but this was rejected by ABC, so Stevens quickly changed the title to ''The Outer Limits''. With a few other minor changes, the pilot aired as the premiere episode "The Galaxy Being".
Writers included creator Stevens and Joseph Stefano (screenwriter for Alfred Hitchcock's ''Psycho''), the series' first-season producer and energetic guiding force. Harlan Ellison wrote two episodes ("Soldier" and the award-winning "Demon with a Glass Hand") for the show's more cautious second season; Ellison later argued in the courts that both episodes were the inspiration for the ''Terminator'' film series; he was awarded several hundred thousand dollars of damages and the closing credits of the first movie the creators "wish to acknowledge the works of Harlan Ellison". He also won the right to have a notice acknowledging his work added to all versions of the film going forward.
Like ''The Twilight Zone'', ''The Outer Limits'' had an opening and closing narration to almost every episode -- known as the "Control Voice" (vocal artist Vic Perrin) -- and distinctive music, originally by Dominic Frontiere, who was also listed as "Production Executive". The second season used a new theme by Harry Lubin. The dramatic thrust of the two shows was different. ''The Twilight Zone'' made frequent use of irony, in which the chief character would achieve his goal, but not in the manner desired. ''The Outer Limits'' was often straight action, but also delved into deep philosophical problems within the context of a sci-fi setting. Many of the stories dwelled on the triumph of the human spirit, often in a confrontation with some dark or existential force from within or without (hence the ''"...mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits"'' from the opening narration).
The program sometimes made use of techniques (lighting, camerawork, even makeup) associated with film noir or German Expressionism (see for example, ''Corpus Earthling''), and a number of episodes were noteworthy for their sheer eeriness. Credit for this is often given to cinematographer Conrad Hall, who would go on to win three Academy Awards (and many more nominations) for his work in film. However, it should be noted that Hall worked only on alternate episodes of the show during the first two-thirds of the first season; the show's other cinematographers included John M. Nickolaus and Kenneth Peach.
A few of the monsters reappeared in Gene Roddenberry's 1960s ''Star Trek'' show. A feathered creature was modified to appear as a zoo animal in the background of the first pilot of ''Star Trek''; a prop head from "Fun and Games" was used to make a Talosian appear as a vicious creature. The moving carpet beast in "The Probe" later was used as the "Horta", and operated by the same actor (Janos Prohaska). The process used to make pointed ears for David McCallum in "The Sixth Finger" was reused in ''Star Trek'' as well.
In fact Gene Roddenberry paid a lot of attention to what ''The Outer Limits'' team was doing at the time, and he was often present in their studios. Later he hired several ''Outer Limits'' alumni for the production of ''Star Trek''. (Source: The Outer Limits Official Companion, Schow & Frentzen, page 361.)
:''"There is nothing wrong with your television. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are now controlling the transmission. We control the horizontal and the vertical. We can deluge you with a thousand channels or expand one single image to crystal clarity - and beyond. We can shape your vision to anything our imagination can conceive. For the next hour we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the deepest inner mind to... The Outer Limits. Please stand by."'' — Opening narration – The Control Voice – 1990s
After an aborted attempt to bring back ''The Outer Limits'' during the early eighties, it was finally reborn in 1995. The success of television science fiction such as ''Star Trek'' sequels and ''Babylon 5'' and anthology shows such as ''Tales from the Crypt'' convinced the rights-holders, MGM, to revive it. A deal was made with Trilogy Productions, the company behind such cinema hits as ''Backdraft'' and '', and the show would run on the pay-tv channel Showtime. The episodes appeared in syndication the following season (the same arrangement as MGM/Showtime series ''Stargate SG-1'' and ''). It continued on Showtime until 2001, when the U.S. Sci Fi channel quietly took over production. It remained in production until 2002 before finally being cancelled, after a total of 154 episodes — far more than the original incarnation of the show. In the revived show, the Control Voice was supplied by Kevin Conway. The new series was freed from the "monster of the week" mandate that had plagued the original series from its inception; while there were plenty of aliens and monsters, the "bear" could just as easily be a specific scientific concept and its effect on humanity. Some episodes illustrating this difference include "Dark Rain" (biochemical warfare causes world-wide sterility), "Final Exam" (discovery of practical cold fusion power), and "A Stitch in Time" (a time traveler tinkers with history).
The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Stories by Harlan Ellison, A.E. van Vogt, Eando Binder, Larry Niven, Richard Matheson, George R.R. Martin, Stephen King and James Patrick Kelly were adapted for the new series with varying degrees of success. Some of the original series' episodes were remade as well. The revived series contained more violent and sexual content (including occasional female nudity in the Showtime episodes that was edited out for syndication) than the original, including open-ended storylines.
In every season there is a clip show that connects the plots of several of the show's episodes (see "The Voice of Reason" for an example).
At each commercial interval, the Control Voice can be heard saying "The Outer Limits...please stand by". The voice also repeats this phrase upon return from the television ads.
The series is now aired in reruns on the Sci-Fi Channel but with a minor alteration--the phrase "''please stand by''" has been omitted from the opening dialog.
The surreal images from the opening are mostly the work of Jerry Uelsmann.
''The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Volume 1'', comprising all 32 episodes of the first season, was released on September 3, 2002. ''The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Volume 2'', containing the 17 episodes of the shortened second season, was released the following year.
The DVD includes a revised version of the original intro, heard over the episode menu:
:''"There is nothing wrong with your DVD player. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling your DVD player. We already control the horizontal and the vertical. We now control the digital. We can change the focus from a soft blur to crystal clarity. Sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits."
Several DVD anthologies have been released: ''Sex & Science Fiction'', ''Aliens Among Us'', ''Death and Beyond'', ''Fantastic Androids and Robots'', ''Mutation and Transformation'', ''Time Travel and Infinity''.
On November 1, 2005, MGM released Season One of the ''New Outer Limits'' on DVD.
Season Two will be released sometime in 2007.
★ The new 'Outer Limits.' - science fiction television show
★ List of The Outer Limits episodes
★ Science fiction on television
★ Episode guides for original and revival series (from the official website)
★ David J. Schow's Outer Limits Companion Companion
★
★
| Contents |
| 1963-1965 |
| Intro |
| Production Info |
| Cinematography |
| Influence on ''Star Trek'' |
| 1995-2002 |
| DVD releases |
| The original series |
| The modern series |
| References |
| See also |
| External links |
1963-1965
Intro
:''"There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits.''" — Opening narration – The Control Voice – 1960s
This introduction was parodied in a ''The Simpsons'' Halloween special.
Production Info
''The Outer Limits'' originally ran from 1963 to 1965 on the U.S. broadcast network ABC, and a total of 49 episodes. It was created by Leslie Stevens and was one of the many series ostensibly influenced by ''The Twilight Zone'' and ''Science Fiction Theatre'', though it was ultimately influential in its own right. In the unaired pilot, the series was titled ''Please Stand By'' but this was rejected by ABC, so Stevens quickly changed the title to ''The Outer Limits''. With a few other minor changes, the pilot aired as the premiere episode "The Galaxy Being".
Writers included creator Stevens and Joseph Stefano (screenwriter for Alfred Hitchcock's ''Psycho''), the series' first-season producer and energetic guiding force. Harlan Ellison wrote two episodes ("Soldier" and the award-winning "Demon with a Glass Hand") for the show's more cautious second season; Ellison later argued in the courts that both episodes were the inspiration for the ''Terminator'' film series; he was awarded several hundred thousand dollars of damages and the closing credits of the first movie the creators "wish to acknowledge the works of Harlan Ellison". He also won the right to have a notice acknowledging his work added to all versions of the film going forward.
Like ''The Twilight Zone'', ''The Outer Limits'' had an opening and closing narration to almost every episode -- known as the "Control Voice" (vocal artist Vic Perrin) -- and distinctive music, originally by Dominic Frontiere, who was also listed as "Production Executive". The second season used a new theme by Harry Lubin. The dramatic thrust of the two shows was different. ''The Twilight Zone'' made frequent use of irony, in which the chief character would achieve his goal, but not in the manner desired. ''The Outer Limits'' was often straight action, but also delved into deep philosophical problems within the context of a sci-fi setting. Many of the stories dwelled on the triumph of the human spirit, often in a confrontation with some dark or existential force from within or without (hence the ''"...mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits"'' from the opening narration).
Cinematography
The program sometimes made use of techniques (lighting, camerawork, even makeup) associated with film noir or German Expressionism (see for example, ''Corpus Earthling''), and a number of episodes were noteworthy for their sheer eeriness. Credit for this is often given to cinematographer Conrad Hall, who would go on to win three Academy Awards (and many more nominations) for his work in film. However, it should be noted that Hall worked only on alternate episodes of the show during the first two-thirds of the first season; the show's other cinematographers included John M. Nickolaus and Kenneth Peach.
Influence on ''Star Trek''
A few of the monsters reappeared in Gene Roddenberry's 1960s ''Star Trek'' show. A feathered creature was modified to appear as a zoo animal in the background of the first pilot of ''Star Trek''; a prop head from "Fun and Games" was used to make a Talosian appear as a vicious creature. The moving carpet beast in "The Probe" later was used as the "Horta", and operated by the same actor (Janos Prohaska). The process used to make pointed ears for David McCallum in "The Sixth Finger" was reused in ''Star Trek'' as well.
In fact Gene Roddenberry paid a lot of attention to what ''The Outer Limits'' team was doing at the time, and he was often present in their studios. Later he hired several ''Outer Limits'' alumni for the production of ''Star Trek''. (Source: The Outer Limits Official Companion, Schow & Frentzen, page 361.)
1995-2002
:''"There is nothing wrong with your television. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are now controlling the transmission. We control the horizontal and the vertical. We can deluge you with a thousand channels or expand one single image to crystal clarity - and beyond. We can shape your vision to anything our imagination can conceive. For the next hour we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the deepest inner mind to... The Outer Limits. Please stand by."'' — Opening narration – The Control Voice – 1990s
After an aborted attempt to bring back ''The Outer Limits'' during the early eighties, it was finally reborn in 1995. The success of television science fiction such as ''Star Trek'' sequels and ''Babylon 5'' and anthology shows such as ''Tales from the Crypt'' convinced the rights-holders, MGM, to revive it. A deal was made with Trilogy Productions, the company behind such cinema hits as ''Backdraft'' and '', and the show would run on the pay-tv channel Showtime. The episodes appeared in syndication the following season (the same arrangement as MGM/Showtime series ''Stargate SG-1'' and ''). It continued on Showtime until 2001, when the U.S. Sci Fi channel quietly took over production. It remained in production until 2002 before finally being cancelled, after a total of 154 episodes — far more than the original incarnation of the show. In the revived show, the Control Voice was supplied by Kevin Conway. The new series was freed from the "monster of the week" mandate that had plagued the original series from its inception; while there were plenty of aliens and monsters, the "bear" could just as easily be a specific scientific concept and its effect on humanity. Some episodes illustrating this difference include "Dark Rain" (biochemical warfare causes world-wide sterility), "Final Exam" (discovery of practical cold fusion power), and "A Stitch in Time" (a time traveler tinkers with history).
The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Stories by Harlan Ellison, A.E. van Vogt, Eando Binder, Larry Niven, Richard Matheson, George R.R. Martin, Stephen King and James Patrick Kelly were adapted for the new series with varying degrees of success. Some of the original series' episodes were remade as well. The revived series contained more violent and sexual content (including occasional female nudity in the Showtime episodes that was edited out for syndication) than the original, including open-ended storylines.
In every season there is a clip show that connects the plots of several of the show's episodes (see "The Voice of Reason" for an example).
At each commercial interval, the Control Voice can be heard saying "The Outer Limits...please stand by". The voice also repeats this phrase upon return from the television ads.
The series is now aired in reruns on the Sci-Fi Channel but with a minor alteration--the phrase "''please stand by''" has been omitted from the opening dialog.
The surreal images from the opening are mostly the work of Jerry Uelsmann.
DVD releases
The original series
''The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Volume 1'', comprising all 32 episodes of the first season, was released on September 3, 2002. ''The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Volume 2'', containing the 17 episodes of the shortened second season, was released the following year.
The DVD includes a revised version of the original intro, heard over the episode menu:
:''"There is nothing wrong with your DVD player. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling your DVD player. We already control the horizontal and the vertical. We now control the digital. We can change the focus from a soft blur to crystal clarity. Sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to... The Outer Limits."
The modern series
Several DVD anthologies have been released: ''Sex & Science Fiction'', ''Aliens Among Us'', ''Death and Beyond'', ''Fantastic Androids and Robots'', ''Mutation and Transformation'', ''Time Travel and Infinity''.
On November 1, 2005, MGM released Season One of the ''New Outer Limits'' on DVD.
Season Two will be released sometime in 2007.
References
★ The new 'Outer Limits.' - science fiction television show
See also
★ List of The Outer Limits episodes
★ Science fiction on television
External links
★ Episode guides for original and revival series (from the official website)
★ David J. Schow's Outer Limits Companion Companion
★
★
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