''The Outer Limits'' is an American

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

that was broadcast on

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

from September 16, 1963, to January 16, 1965, at 7:30 PM Eastern Time on Mondays. It is often compared to ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

'', but with a greater emphasis on

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

stories (rather than stories of

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

or the

supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

). It is an

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...

of self-contained episodes, sometimes with

plot twist A plot twist is a literary technique that introduces a radical change in the direction or expected outcome of the plot in a work of fiction. When it happens near the end of a story, it is known as a twist or surprise ending. It may change the aud ...

s at their ends. In 1997, the episode "

The Zanti Misfits "The Zanti Misfits" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It was first broadcast on December 30, 1963, during the first season. In 1997, the ''TV Guide'' ranked this episode number 98 on its " 100 Greatest Episodes ...

" was ranked #98 on TV Guide's 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. It was revived in 1995, until its cancellation in 2002. In April 2019, a new revival was stated to be in development at a premium cable network.

Overview

Introduction

Each show began with either a

cold open A cold open (also called a teaser sequence) is a narrative technique used in television and films. It is the practice of jumping directly into a story at the beginning of the show before the title sequence or opening credits are shown. In Ameri ...

or a preview clip, followed by a narration over visuals of an

oscilloscope An oscilloscope (informally a scope) is a type of electronic test instrument that graphically displays varying electrical voltages as a two-dimensional plot of one or more signals as a function of time. The main purposes are to display repetiti ...

. Using an Orwellian theme of taking over your television, the earliest version of the narration was: A similar but shorter monologue caps each episode: Later episodes used one of two shortened versions of the introduction. The first few episodes began simply with the

title screen A title sequence (also called an opening sequence or intro) is the method by which films or television programmes present their title and key production and cast members, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound (often a opening theme song with vi ...

followed by the narration and no cold open or preview clip. The Control Voice was performed by actor

Vic Perrin Victor Herbert Perrin (April 26, 1916 – July 4, 1989)Cox, Jim (2007). ''Radio Speakers: Narrators, News Junkies, Sports Jockeys, Tattletales, Tipsters, Toastmasters and Coffee Klatch Couples Who Verbalized the Jargon of the Aural Ether fr ...

Production

''The Outer Limits'' was originally broadcast on the American television network

(1963–65). 49 episodes were produced. It was one of many series influenced by ''

'' and ''

Science Fiction Theatre ''Science Fiction Theatre'' was an American science fiction anthology television series that was produced by Ivan Tors and Maurice Ziv and originally aired in syndication. It premiered on April 9, 1955 and ended on April 6, 1957, with a total of ...

'', though it ultimately proved influential in its own right. In the unaired pilot, it was called ''Please Stand By'', but ABC rejected that title. Series creator

Leslie Stevens Leslie Clark Stevens IV (February 3, 1924 – April 24, 1998) was an American producer, writer, and director. He created two television series for the ABC network, '' The Outer Limits'' (1963–1965) and '' Stoney Burke'' (1962–63), and ''Se ...

retitled it ''The Outer Limits''. With a few changes, the pilot aired as the premiere episode, "

The Galaxy Being "The Galaxy Being" is the first episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television series, originally broadcast on September 16, 1963. In it, Allan Maxwell, an engineer for a small radio station, somehow makes contact with a peaceful alie ...

". Writers included creator Stevens and

Joseph Stefano Joseph William Stefano (May 5, 1922 – August 25, 2006) was an American screenwriter, known for adapting Robert Bloch's novel as the script for Alfred Hitchcock's film '' Psycho'', and for being the producer and co-writer of the original ''The ...

(screenwriter of the film '' Psycho''), who was the Season 1 producer and creative guiding force, and who wrote more of the series' episodes than anyone. Future Oscar-winning screenwriter Robert Towne (''

Chinatown A Chinatown () is an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China, most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world, including Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Africa and Austra ...

'') wrote " The Chameleon", the final Season 1 episode. A pair of Season 2 episodes, "

Soldier A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a conscripted or volunteer enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, or an officer. Etymology The word ''soldier'' derives from the Middle English word , from Old French ...

" and "

Demon with a Glass Hand "Demon with a Glass Hand" is an episode of the American television series '' The Outer Limits'', the second to be based on a script by Harlan Ellison, which Ellison wrote specifically with actor Robert Culp in mind for the lead role. It originally ...

", were written by

Harlan Ellison Harlan Jay Ellison (May 27, 1934 – June 28, 2018) was an American writer, known for his prolific and influential work in New Wave speculative fiction and for his outspoken, combative personality. Robert Bloch, the author of '' Psycho'' ...

. The latter won a Writers' Guild Award. Writer Joseph Stefano was recruited in a late night phone call from Leslie Stevens; the two men had known each other for years. Stevens met him with composer/producer Dominic Frontiere and pitched the series to him asking him to come on as a writer and producer. Stefano, who had never produced before, felt reassured by Associate Producer Robert Justman to support him as Justman had experience in TV. Season 1 combined science fiction and horror, while Season 2 was more focused on '

hard science fiction Hard science fiction is a category of science fiction characterized by concern for scientific accuracy and logic. The term was first used in print in 1957 by P. Schuyler Miller in a review of John W. Campbell's ''Islands of Space'' in the Novemb ...

' stories, dropping the recurring "scary monster" motif of Season 1. Each episode in Season 1 was to have a monster or creature as a critical part of the story line in a

villain of the week "Villain of the week" (or, depending on genre, "monster of the week", "freak of the week" or "alien of the week") is an antagonist that only appears in one episode of a multi-episode work of fiction. A villain of the week is commonly seen in Br ...

format. Season 1 writer and producer Joseph Stefano believed this element was necessary to provide fear, suspense, or at least a center for plot development. This kind of story element became known as "the bear". This device was, however, mostly dropped in Season 2 after Stefano left. Two Season 1 episodes without a "bear" are "

The Forms of Things Unknown "The Forms of Things Unknown" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on May 4, 1964, and was the final episode of the first season. It was filmed in a dual format as both a regular episode of ''The Ou ...

" and "

Controlled Experiment A scientific control is an experiment or observation designed to minimize the effects of variables other than the independent variable (i.e. confounding variables). This increases the reliability of the results, often through a comparison betw ...

", the first of which was shot in a dual format as science fiction for ''The Outer Limits'' and as a thriller for a pilot for an unmade series, ''The Unknown''. Actor

Barry Morse Herbert Morse (10 June 19182 February 2008), known professionally as Barry Morse, was a British-Canadian actor of stage, screen, and radio, best known for his roles in the ABC television series '' The Fugitive'' and the British sci-fi drama '' ...

, who starred in "Controlled Experiment", states that it was made as a pilot for an unrealized science fiction/comedy series. It was the only comedic episode of ''The Outer Limits''. Earlier Season 1 episodes with no "bear" were "

The Hundred Days of the Dragon "The Hundred Days of the Dragon" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 23 September 1963, during the first season. Introduction An Asian government develops a reliable means of changing a person's ...

" and "

The Borderland "The Borderland" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It was the second episode to be produced, and first aired on 16 December 1963, during the first season. The storyline involves a team of scientists who use an ...

", made before the "bear" convention was established. Season 2 episodes ''with'' a "bear" are "

Keeper of the Purple Twilight "Keeper of the Purple Twilight" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 5 December 1964, during the second season. ‘Pilots of the purple twilight, dropping down with costly bales’ is a line in A ...

", "

The Duplicate Man "The Duplicate Man" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It was first aired on 19 December 1964, during the second season. Opening narration :''Since the first day that Man stared up at the stars and saw other wo ...

", and "

The Probe "The Probe" was the final episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first broadcast on 16 January 1965, during the second season. Opening narration :''The persistence of Man's curiosity led him into new worlds. Without ...

". "Bears" appear near the conclusion of the Season 2 episodes "

Counterweight A counterweight is a weight that, by applying an opposite force, provides balance and stability of a mechanical system. The purpose of a counterweight is to make lifting the load faster and more efficient, which saves energy and causes less wea ...

", " The Invisible Enemy", and "

Cold Hands, Warm Heart "Cold Hands, Warm Heart" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on September 26, 1964, during the second season. The episode features William Shatner in the lead role as a space explorer, not long b ...

".) The "bear" in "

The Architects of Fear "The Architects of Fear" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 30 September 1963, during the first season. Introduction Certain that the Cold War will lead to mankind's destruction, a cabal of sc ...

", the monstrously altered Allen Leighton, was judged by some of ABC's local affiliate stations to be so frightening that they broadcast a black screen during the "Thetan's" appearances, effectively censoring most of the show's last act. In other parts of the United States, the "Thetan" footage was tape-delayed until after the 11pm/10c news. In others, it was not shown at all. The series was shot at KTTV ( Metromedia Square) on sound stage # 2. Season 1 had music by

Dominic Frontiere Dominic Carmen Frontiere (June 17, 1931 – December 21, 2017) was an American composer, arranger, and jazz accordionist. He composed the theme and much of the music for the first season of the television series '' The Outer Limits'', as wel ...

, who doubled as Production Executive; Season 2 featured music by

Harry Lubin Harry Lubin (March 5, 1906 – July 21, 1977) was an American composer, arranger, and pianist. He is known for composing the theme and much of the music for the second season of the television series '' The Outer Limits'' and ''One Step Beyond'' ...

, with a variation of his ''Fear'' theme for ''

One Step Beyond One Step Beyond may refer to: Music * ''One Step Beyond'' (Dungeon album) or the title song, 2004 * ''One Step Beyond'' (Jackie McLean album), 1963 * '' One Step Beyond...'', an album by Madness, or the title song (see below), 1979 * ''One Step ...

'' being heard over the end titles.

Cinematography

The program sometimes made use of techniques (lighting, camerawork, even make-up) associated with

film noir Film noir (; ) is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of American ' ...

German Expressionism German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...

(see for example, "

Corpus Earthling "Corpus Earthling" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 18 November 1963, during the first season. Opening narration Plot Intelligent, parasitic extraterrestrials that resemble Terran rocks, in ...

"). Credit for this is often given to the cinematographer

Conrad Hall Conrad Lafcadio Hall, (June 21, 1926 – January 4, 2003) was a French Polynesian-born American cinematographer. Named after writers Joseph Conrad and Lafcadio Hearn, he was best known for photographing such films as ''In Cold Blood'', ''Co ...

, who later won three Academy Awards for his work in

motion picture A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

s. However, Hall worked only on alternate episodes of this

TV series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed betw ...

during the first two-thirds of the first season. The program's other cinematographers included John M. Nickolaus and

Kenneth Peach Kenneth D. Peach, Sr. (March 6, 1903 – February 27, 1988) was an American cinematographer. Biography Kenneth D. Peach Sr. was born in El Reno, Indian Territory (in what is now Oklahoma). Peach entered the film industry in 1923 and became a d ...

Special effects

Season 1's monsters and creatures, and most props, were developed by a loose-knit group under the name Project Unlimited, whose members included

Wah Chang Wah Ming Chang (August 2, 1917 – December 22, 2003) was an American designer, sculptor, and artist. With the encouragement of his adoptive father, James Blanding Sloan, he began exhibiting his prints and watercolors at the age of seven ...

Gene Warren Gene Warren Sr. (August 12, 1916 – July 17, 1997) was born in Denver, Colorado, and won an Academy Award for the special effects on George Pal's ''The Time Machine'' in 1960. He also contributed to such projects as '' The Way of Peace'' (1947), ...

and

Jim Danforth James Danforth (born July 13, 1940) is an American stop-motion animator, known for model-animation, matte painting, and for his work on ''When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth'' (1970), a theme-sequel to Ray Harryhausen's ''One Million Years B.C.'' (1 ...

. Makeup effects were by Fred B. Phillips and John Chambers.

Characters and models

Many of the creatures that appeared in ''Outer Limits'' episodes were sold as models and action figures in the 1990s and 2000s. Limited-editions model kits, to be assembled and painted by the purchaser, were issued by Dimensional Designs. A smaller set of out-of-the-box action figures were sold in larger quantity by Sideshow Toys. The former produced a model kit of The Megasoid from "

", and both created a figure of Gwyllm as an evolved man from "

The Sixth Finger "The Sixth Finger" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 14 October 1963, during the first season. Plot Working in a remote Welsh mining town, a rogue scientist, Professor Mathers, discovers a p ...

Reception and reputation

The series earned a loyal audience in its first season. Some viewers were reported to take TV sets with them if they had to be away from home, so they wouldn't miss an episode. However, the second season fared rather poorly in the

Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...

after moving from Monday to Saturday night, where it competed with

Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...

. Producer Joseph Stefano chose to leave the show after the first year; he realized that competing with the more popular Gleason would kill his show (proven by its cancellation midway through the second season). However, the series retained a following for many years after its original broadcast. Many decades later, horror writer

Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...

described it as one of the best programs of its type to run on network TV. Originally scheduled to air on November 25, 1963, the episode "

Nightmare A nightmare, also known as a bad dream, Retrieved 11 July 2016. is an unpleasant dream that can cause a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety or great sadness. The dream may contain situations of d ...

" was delayed until December 2 due to television coverage of the

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...

of President

John F. Kennedy John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...

Comparison to ''The Twilight Zone''

Like ''

'', ''The Outer Limits'' had an opening and closing narration in almost every episode. Both shows were unusually philosophical for science fiction anthology series, but differed in style. ''The Twilight Zone'' stories were often like parables, employing whimsy (such as the

Buster Keaton Joseph Frank "Buster" Keaton (October 4, 1895 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He is best known for his silent film work, in which his trademark was physical comedy accompanied by a stoic, deadpan expression ...

time-travel episode "

Once Upon a Time "Once upon a time" is a stock phrase used to introduce a narrative of past events, typically in fairy tales and folk tales. It has been used in some form since at least 1380 (according to the ''Oxford English Dictionary'') in storytelling in the ...

"), irony, or extraordinary problem-solving situations (such as the episode " The Arrival"). ''The Outer Limits'' was usually a straight action-and-suspense show which often had the human spirit in confrontation with dark existential forces from within or without, such as in the alien abduction episode "

A Feasibility Study "A Feasibility Study" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 13 April 1964, during the first season. It was remade in 1997 as part of the revived ''The Outer Limits'' series with a minor title chang ...

" or the alien possession story "

The Invisibles ''The Invisibles'' is a comic book series published by the Vertigo imprint of DC Comics from 1994 to 2000. It was created and scripted by Scottish writer Grant Morrison, and drawn by various artists throughout its publication. The series loosely ...

". ''The Outer Limits'' was also known for the moody, textured look of many episodes (especially those directed by

Byron Haskin Byron Conrad Haskin (April 22, 1899 – April 16, 1984) was an American film and television director, special effects creator and cinematographer. He is best known for directing ''The War of the Worlds'' (1953), one of many films where he t ...

Gerd Oswald Gerd Oswald (June 9, 1919 – May 22, 1989) was a German director of American films and television. Biography Born in Berlin, Oswald was the son of German film director Richard Oswald and actress Käthe Oswald. He worked as a child actor b ...

, or photographed by

) whereas ''The Twilight Zone'' tended to be shot more conventionally. There is common ground between some of the shows' episodes. As Schow and Frentzen, authors of ''The Outer Limits: The Official Companion'', have noted, several ''Outer Limits'' episodes are often misremembered by casual fans as ''Twilight Zone'' episodes—notably, "problem-solving" episodes such as "Fun and Games" and "The Premonition".

Legacy

Influence on ''Star Trek''

A few of the monsters from ''The Outer Limits'' reappeared in

Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter, producer, and creator of ''Star Trek: The Original Series'', its sequel spin-off series ''Star Trek: The Animated Series,'' and ''Sta ...

's ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'' series later in the 1960s. The moving microbe beast in "

" was modified and used as the ' Horta' in " The Devil in the Dark", operated by the same actor,

Janos Prohaska Janos Prohaska (October 10, 1919, Budapest, Hungary – March 13, 1974, Inyo County, California, United States) was a U.S.-based Hungarian actor and stunt performer on American television from the 1960s. He usually played the roles of animal ...

. The "ion storm" from " The Mutant" (a projector beam shining through a container containing glitter in liquid suspension) became the transporter effect in ''Star Trek''. The black mask from "

" was used by the character Dr. Leighton in "

The Conscience of the King "The Conscience of the King" is the 13th episode of the first season of the American science-fiction television series ''Star Trek''. Written by Barry Trivers and directed by Gerd Oswald, it was first aired on December 8, 1966. The episode tak ...

". The Megasoid from "The Duplicate Man" and the Empyrean from "Second Chance" (1964) were briefly seen near Captain Christopher Pike in other cages in the ''Star Trek'' pilot " The Cage". The process used to make pointed ears for

David McCallum David Keith McCallum Jr. (born 19 September 1933) is a Scottish actor and musician. He first gained recognition in the 1960s for playing secret agent Illya Kuryakin in the television series ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E''. In recent years, McCallum ...

in "

" was reused in ''Star Trek'' as well. Lead actors who later appeared in ''Star Trek'''s regular cast included

Leonard Nimoy Leonard Simon Nimoy (; March 26, 1931 – February 27, 2015) was an American actor, famed for playing Spock in the ''Star Trek'' franchise for almost 50 years. This includes originating Spock in the original ''Star Trek'' series in 1966, then ...

, who appeared in two ''Outer Limits'' episodes ("

Production and Decay of Strange Particles "Production and Decay of Strange Particles" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on 20 April 1964, during the first season. In a nuclear research plant, although the workers wear radiation suits, th ...

" and "

I, Robot ''I, Robot'' is a fixup (compilation) novel of science fiction short stories or essays by American writer Isaac Asimov. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines ''Super Science Stories'' and '' Astounding Science Fiction'' be ...

"); and

William Shatner William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1965 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...

, who appeared in the episode "

" as an astronaut working on a Project Vulcan. Other actors who subsequently appeared on ''Star Trek'' were

Grace Lee Whitney Grace Lee Whitney (born Mary Ann Chase; April 1, 1930 – May 1, 2015) was an American actress and singer. She played Janice Rand on the original ''Star Trek'' television series and subsequent ''Star Trek'' films. Early life Whitney was born on ...

(episode "

") and

James Doohan James Montgomery Doohan (; March 3, 1920 – July 20, 2005) was a Canadian actor, author and soldier, best known for his role as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the television and film series '' Star Trek''. Doohan's characterization of the Scottis ...

(episode " Expanding Human"). Roddenberry was often present in ''The Outer Limits'' studios, and hired several of its staff, including Robert Justman and

, for ''Star Trek''.

Michael Ansara Michael George Ansara (April 15, 1922 – July 31, 2013) was an American actor. He portrayed Cochise in the television series '' Broken Arrow'', Kane in the 1979–1981 series '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'', Commander Kang in ''Star Trek ...

, who appeared in the ''Outer Limits'' episode "

", guest-starred as Klingon commander Kang in the original and spin-off ''Star Trek'' series.

Arlene Martel Arlene Martel (born Arline Greta Sax; April 14, 1936 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. Before 1964, she was frequently billed as Arline Sax or Arlene Sax. Casting directors, among other Hollywood insiders, called Martel the Chamel ...

, who appeared in the ''Outer Limits'' episode "

", guest-starred as Spock's Vulcan bride, T'Pring, in the ''Star Trek'' original series episode "

Amok Time "Amok Time" is the second season premiere episode of the American science fiction television series '' Star Trek''. Written by science fiction author Theodore Sturgeon, scored by Gerald Fried, and directed by Joseph Pevney, it first aired o ...

Lawsuit on behalf of Harlan Ellison

contended that inspiration for

James Cameron James Francis Cameron (born August 16, 1954) is a Canadian filmmaker. A major figure in the post-New Hollywood era, he is considered one of the industry's most innovative filmmakers, regularly pushing the boundaries of cinematic capability w ...

's ''

The Terminator ''The Terminator'' is a 1984 American science fiction action film directed by James Cameron. It stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, a cyborg assassin sent back in time from 2029 to 1984 to kill Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton), whos ...

'' (1984) came in part from Ellison's work on ''The Outer Limits''. Cameron conceded the influence, and Ellison was awarded money and an end-credits mention in ''

'' (1984), stating the creators' wish of "acknowledgement to the works of Harlan Ellison". Cameron was against Orion's decision and was told that if he did not agree with the settlement, they would have Cameron pay for any damages if Orion lost Ellison's suit. Cameron replied that he "had no choice but to agree with the settlement. There was a gag order as well."

Film adaptation projects

Filmmaker

Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film ''Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, co ...

has stated that, before offering him the chance to write '' Superman Lives'' in 1996,

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

offered him two projects: a remake of ''

'' and '' Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian''. In 2001, MGM made plans with

Mark Victor Mark Victor is a screenwriter. He co-wrote '' Poltergeist'' (1982), '' Poltergeist II: The Other Side'' (1986), ''Marked for Death'' (1990), and ''Cool World ''Cool World'' is a 1992 American live-action/animated black comedy fantasy film d ...

and

Michael Grais Michael Grais is an American screenwriter, best known as the co-writer of ''Poltergeist (1982 film), Poltergeist'' (1982). He has also produced such movies as ''Great Balls of Fire! (film), Great Balls of Fire!'' (1989, executive producer), ''M ...

to produce a film adaptation of ''The Outer Limits''. Development began a year later with

Gerald Di Pego Gerald Di Pego (born July 22, 1941) is an American screenwriter and producer. Feature film screenplays *'' W'' (also known as ''I Want Her Dead''), Cinerama, 1974 *'' Sharky's Machine'', Orion, 1981 *''Phenomenon'', Buena Vista, 1996 *'' Messag ...

co-writing with his sons Justin and Zachary, and

Rupert Wainwright Rupert Wainwright is an English film and television director, with credits including ''Blank Check'' (1994), ''The Sadness of Sex'' (1995) and ''Stigmata'' (1999). He is also a music video producer and multiple award-winner. British-born, Wain ...

directing. A new adaptation was developed in 2010, with

Patrick Melton Patrick Melton is an American screenwriter, producer and novelist. Film career In 2004, Melton won the third season of Project Greenlight, along with Marcus Dunstan and John Gulager. The television show premiered on Bravo and resulted in the ...

and

Marcus Dunstan Marcus Dunstan is an American screenwriter and director who, along with Patrick Melton, wrote screenplay for the film ''Feast'', which was the winner of Season Three of the filmmaking competition reality TV series '' Project Greenlight''. Dunstan ...

writing and Jonathan Shestack producing. On June 20, 2014, ''

The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...

'' said

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

was developing a film version of ''The Outer Limits'' based on the "Demon with a Glass Hand" episode, with

Scott Derrickson Scott Derrickson (born July 16, 1966) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the films '' The Exorcism of Emily Rose'' (2005), ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (2008), '' Sinister'' (2012), '' Deliver Us from Evil'' (2014), ' ...

and

C. Robert Cargill Christopher Robert Cargill (born September 8, 1975) is an American screenwriter, novelist, podcast host, and former film critic known under the pseudonyms Massawyrm (on Ain't It Cool News) and Carlyle (on Spill.com). Cargill currently resides in ...

writing and

producing. On April 1, 2019, ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' reported that an ''Outer Limits'' reboot was in development at a premium cable network.

In popular culture

Steve Streeter published ''The Outer Limits Newsletter'' from 1978 to 1983 and founded the Outer Limits Fan Club in 1978. Lyrics to the title song of the 1989 film '' UHF'', written by and starring

"Weird Al" Yankovic Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American singer, musician, songwriter, record producer, actor and author. He is best known for creating comedy songs that make light of pop culture and often parody specifi ...

, references ''The Outer Limits'' cold-open narration:

Don't you know that we control the horizontal
We control the vertical, too

Episodes

Home media

VHS release

A "platinum" version of the MGM/UA Library brand product of the video series was released.

DVD releases

MGM Home Entertainment Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Home Entertainment LLC ( d/b/a MGM Home Entertainment and formerly known as MGM Home Video, MGM/CBS Home Video and MGM/UA Home Video) is the home video division of the American media company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. History ...

has released both seasons of ''The Outer Limits'' on DVD in Region 1. In 2007, they re-released the series in three separate sets. In October 2008, MGM released a 7-disc box set featuring all 49 episodes of the series. The re-releases of Season 2 correctly claim three discs in the set on the outer packaging, whereas the individual slim cases with the DVDs inside rather confusingly claim only two. *The DVDs include a revised version of the original intro, heard over the episode menus: * The episodes " The Invisible Enemy" and "

Wolf 359 Wolf 359 is a red dwarf star located in the constellation Leo, near the ecliptic. At a distance of approximately 7.9 light years from Earth, it has an apparent magnitude of 13.54 and can only be seen with a large telescope. Wolf 359 i ...

" are erroneously listed on one DVD case ("''The Outer Limits'' Volume Three The Original Series Disc 1 Episodes 33–40") in "''The Outer Limits'' The Complete Original Series Volumes 1–3". Both episodes are actually only on Disc 2 included in the case for "''The Outer Limits'' Volume Three The Original Series Discs 2–3 Episodes 39–49".

Blu-ray release

On 27 March 2018,

Kino Lorber Kino Lorber is an international film distribution company based in New York City. Founded in 1977, it was originally known as Kino International until it was acquired by and merged into Lorber HT Digital in 2009. It specializes in art house films, ...

released the first season on Blu-ray. The 7-disc set contains the 32 episodes of the first season. The second season was released 20 November 2018, but the episode "Soldier" had audio defects. A replacement disc was sent out from Kino in April 2019. On Jun 24, 2020, Australia's Via Vision Entertainment released ''The Outer Limits: Complete Original Series Collector's Edition'' 11-disc Blu-ray set. It's coded for region B and comes in a hard box case with a 60-page Illustrated booklet, with essays by leading Outer Limits expert and author

David J. Schow David J. Schow (born July 13, 1955) is an American author of horror novels, short stories, and screenplays. His credits include films such as '' Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III'', ''The Crow'' and '' The Hills Run Red''. Most of ...

*
We Are Controlling Transmission -- a blog about ''The Outer Limits''

''Outer Limits'' Fan Site

Joseph Stefano interviewed by Lee Weinstein
{{DEFAULTSORT:Outer Limits, The 1960s American science fiction television series 1963 American television series debuts 1965 American television series endings 1960s American anthology television series American Broadcasting Company original programming Television series about alien visitations Television series set in fictional countries Black-and-white American television shows English-language television shows American horror fiction television series Space adventure television series Television series by United Artists Television Science fiction anthology television series Science fiction franchises The Twilight Zone

Overview

Introduction

Production

Cinematography

Special effects

Characters and models

Reception and reputation

Comparison to ''The Twilight Zone''

Legacy

Influence on ''Star Trek''

Lawsuit on behalf of Harlan Ellison

Film adaptation projects

In popular culture

Episodes

Home media

VHS release

DVD releases

Blu-ray release

See also

Similar TV series

Other articles

References

External links