Thursday, August 8, 2013

Classic TV: The Outer Limits (1963)

Everyone, I'm sure, knows this clip......



The Outer Limits has been compared to Rod Serling's seminal Twilight Zone, but initially didn't have the lifespan of the latter series. Musical director Dominic Frontiere doubled as a production executive, since his company, Daystar, co-produced the series with United Artists. The two had previously collaborated on a less successful series, Stoney Burke, which was an early vehicle for Jack Lord. Actor Vic Perrin was the "Control Voice" who served as a "host", for lack of better description, for the series. Unfortunately, it lasted just 2 seasons on ABC before clocking out in 1965.

30 years after the series ended, MGM revived Limits, this time airing on cable, first on Showtime, then, for the final three seasons, on Sci-Fi (now SyFy). Shifting to cable allowed the series the freedom to employ more risque storylines, and, at least on Showtime, coarser language, which they couldn't use in the original series.

Rating: B.

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