he Outer Limits is among the most fondly remembered programs in the history of science fiction television. This pioneering anthology, which aired from 1963 to 1965, lasted for only 49 episodes, yet--to this day--its chilling stories and first-rate special effects remain unforgettable. Author David J. Schow explores every aspect of this influential show in The Outer Limits Companion, an updated version of his 1986 book The Outer Limits: The Official Companion.
Following a brief introduction that places the series in context with previous SF TV programs, the 420-page trade paperback examines the show's initial development in a chapter titled "The Awe and Mystery of the Universe." The second segment, "We Are Controlling Transmission," offers a three-to-seven-page synopsis of each first-season story. The following season is similarly showcased in a section labeled "Man's Endless Thirst for Knowledge." The volume also devotes a brief chapter to "The Forms of Things Unknown"--the controversial final episode of the initial season--while "The Devil's Puppeteer" outlines the behind-the-scenes maneuvers that took place prior to the start of the program's abbreviated second year.
"Beyond the Outer Limits" recounts the post-cancellation activities of the show's creative team--Joseph Stefano, Leslie Stevens, Ben Brady and numerous other producers and craftsmen--with the concluding section, "The Ravages of Time and Taste," exploring the program's legacy and the revamped rendering of the series that debuted in 1995. Detailed appendices catalog original airdates, uncredited crew members, the show's "canon" and unfilmed episodes.
A must-have for SF TV fans
In his 1970 treatise Science Fiction in the Cinema, SF expert John Baxter noted that The Outer Limits offered "the best science fiction ever to be presented on television." The depth of research and documentation evident in The Outer Limits Companion, bolstered by memories and insights from dozens of individuals who participated in the production of the series, proves that such high praise is both accurate and richly deserved.
Schow does a tremendous job digging out pertinent facts and arcane but important trivia. He notes that "Demon with a Glass Hand," a memorable episode written by Harlan Ellison, actually was a learning experience for the famed author. Budgetary considerations forced the action to take place in a single location, necessitating changes in the script which, according to Ellison, revealed that "you could make the action more intense by enclosing it, and providing no escape." Yet Schow also remains admirably evenhanded in his scrutiny, pointing out the failures of less-than-stellar episodes like "Counterweight," which he describes as "barren, talky, and illogical."
The volume features hundreds of black-and-white photos, including many stills that illustrate the astonishing (for the time) special effects. Schow even examines how the contacts forged between crew members on the series led in part to the success of subsequent SF programs such as Star Trek and--at least for the pilot--The Man from Atlantis. Given its incredible attention to detail, The Outer Limits Companion is a must-have for any serious fan of science fiction television.
