The Outer Limits

One of my favorite television shows growing up was The Outer Limits. The original series ran from 1963 to 1965. It was similar to the style of The Twilight Zone except that The Outer Limits was more science fiction based. There were about 49 episodes and it ran on ABC. Originally the pilot episode was titled, “Please Stand By”, but it was later rejected by ABC, and it was changed to, “The Outer Limits.”

The series was created by Leslie Stevens and Joseph Stepano. Joseph Stepano was also the screenwriter for Alfred Hitchcock’s film, “Psycho.”

The Outer Limits delved into deep philosophical problems within the context of a science fiction setting. Many of the stories dwelled on the triumph of the human spirit, often in confrontation with some dark force from within or without.

Some of the monsters that appeared on The Outer Limits reappeared later in Gene Roddenberry’s 1960s show, “Star Trek.” Gene Roddenberry was often present at some of the Outer Limits productions to get ideas for his series.

The Outer Limits can be purchased as a DVD set. In 1995, it was later continued as a series of remakes, although I didn’t think the later episodes were as good as the originals.

Like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits had an opening and closing narration to almost every episode, which was known as the control voice (vocal artist Vic Perrin).

INTRO

“There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling the transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volumn. 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 chrystal 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.”

For a brief synopsis of each of the original episodes of the sixties, check out :

www.scifi.com/outerlimits/episodes/classic