n the evening of September 16, 1963, television sets all across America simultaneously went on the fritz. Instead of the usual black-and-white images, suddenly only static was visible. Instead of music or dialogue, only an eerie electronic whine could be heard. Finally an otherworldly voice intoned, "There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission." Was this a diabolical government experiment? An invasion from outer space? Almost, but not quite: The Outer Limits had hit the airwaves.
Appropriately, the pilot episode, "The Galaxy Being," is the story of a mysterious transmission received by maverick inventor Allan Maxwell (Robertson). Using his radio station and heaps of modified equipment, Maxwell listens to and studies radio signals from outer space. He even creates a kind of three-dimensional television, which he uses to analyze these signals in greater detail. One afternoon, this 3-D static abruptly coalesces into the image of an alien life form from the galaxy of Andromeda.
Just when these two new acquaintances are beginning to understand and learn from one another, Maxwell is called away from his makeshift laboratory, and an accident causes the alien to be teleported to Earth. Although benevolent, the alien is so different from humans that its presence causes instant pandemonium. Eventually, the police and even the National Guard move in, intent on destroying the mysterious creature. Only Maxwell stands between their trained weapons and the misunderstood messenger from another galaxy.
The tables are turned somewhat in "Demon with a Glass Hand," which originally aired on October 17, 1964. Written by famed SF author Harlan Ellison, this episode features a lone human named Trent (Culp) who is being hunted by scores of relentless aliens. But having to dodge alien assassins is not the only thing that makes Trent's predicament an unusual one. He also has no memory of who he is or where he came from. What little he does know he has learned from his left hand--an enigmatic talking computer made of glass.
Eventually, the hand reveals that both Trent and his attackers are from 1,000 years in the future, where a war is raging between humans and alien invaders. But this war has not gone well for the home team. In fact, all that remains of the future Earth's human population has mysteriously vanished. Trent knows only what his hand tells him: that he is the key to saving humankind and that time is running out.
Decades later, still a class act
The case can certainly be made that history has shortchanged The Outer Limits. In casual conversation, the series is often referred to as "not The Twilight Zone but, you know, that other show from back then." And this is truly unfortunate because the series has many strengths, which are amply represented in these two episodes.
First and foremost, these shows feature some topnotch writing--and not just in terms of dialogue, although that is strong, as well. Both episodes are fashioned from wildly creative, thought-provoking stories in the finest SF tradition. When Maxwell conjures his alien counterpart in "The Galaxy Being," for instance, the viewer meets an alien that is truly alien: a hydrogen-based life form with no nose, no mouth, no perception of linear time and no concept of death. This is particularly refreshing in an age when many SF television shows present aliens whose most radically different characteristic seems to be a prosthetic forehead. Ellison's "Demon," apart from being the inspiration for film The Terminator and other time-travel tales, is an engaging and surprisingly touching story of a man trying to survive in a world he cannot understand.
Also apparent in these episodes is a commitment to bringing serious acting to a genre that, at the time, often yielded performances that were either melodramatic or comically flat. Both Maxwell and Culp bring depth and credibility to their characters, making it easy to care about them and to believe the outlandish situations into which they are thrown. Many other episodes in the series also featured compelling performances from high-caliber talents, such as Martin Landau, Robert Duvall and Martin Sheen.
But what good are outlandish situations without out-of-this-world sights and sounds to go with them? There is no doubt that special effects have come a long, long way since the 1960s, but it is worth noting that The Outer Limits lavished a great deal of attention on its visuals, resulting in some of the most expensive television episodes of its day. While that fact might not be enough to keep some viewers from thinking the effects dated and cheesy, they really do hold up by TV standards. In particular, the title character of "The Galaxy Being" is, even today, quite a spooky sight. And those who might smirk at the effects will find it hard not to be sucked in by the dark, brooding moods created by the excellent cinematography.
While The Outer Limits may not have the eye candy and breakneck pace of today's SF television offerings, these original episodes contain enough accomplished storytelling, sincerity and innovation to earn the title of "classics." They are definitely worth a look.
