Lieutenant Gerard
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Posts posted by Lieutenant Gerard
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Hey, since you gave it to me for my b-day tvfan, might as well put it up. The nice thing is, the episodes have been beautifully restored, and CBS/Paramount didn't screw with the music, like they did with The Fugitive season 2 set. I didn't think they would, since all music was original by Dominic Frontiere, whereas The Fugitive used clips of various scores from a stock library. Anyway, put it up, will ya? Can you do that?
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Hey, if any of you get a chance, be sure to check out the viewer mail on rtnville.com, the Retro TV Network's website. Thankfully many viewers seem to share the feelings my wife and I have for TVLand. Now, if they would only show The Fugitive again, or add The Outer Limits to their lineup, all would be right in the world.
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I just saw this the other day, and overall I love the comments by Mike and the bots. Everyone in this movie is so completely inept if they can't even get away from a carpet monster that moves at about half a mile an hour. Unfortunately though this movie seems to take a dim view on women. At every attack, a woman is almost always the victim, and she is usually helped along to her doom by her "significant other" male friend. The first victim, a bikini clad babe making out with her boyfriend, is noteworthy simply because the director seemed to want to get his jollies by filming a barely covered woman being sucked into the monster's mouth, albeit with great difficulty by the monster. Her boyfriend, a real hero, simply abandons her on the towel and doesn't bother to help her run away with him. Next, we have a housewife, who not only neglects her child, but gets eaten while ignoring his cries and hanging laundry outside. Take away from that what you want. Finally, the most ludicrous scene involves the dance hall attack. It seems that not only does the director seek to portray brutality against women in graphic detail (i.e. the man who flings a woman around and subsequently rips her top off), but he also wishes for the men to use them as shields as the monster attacks. One dance hall patron simply uses his wife/girlfriend as a stumbling block to the monster by pushing her in front of it, and then he himself becomes its next victim after it finishes with her. One scene that Mike and the bots did not pick up on, probably because it happens so fast, is the monster's attack on the second car in lover's lane. A woman who had been previously making out with her man, finds herself slammed against the passenger side door of the car by her lover! (the same side of the car the monster is attacking incidentally) This must have knocked her out, since her body is only seen again when the monster succeeds in ejecting both bodies from the vehicle. Yes, we have some real heroes in this movie, and thankfully I do not recall any other movies put into production by this miserable producer. This would've been just another cheesy monster movie flick if it had not been for the gratuitous amount of violence against women in it. Kudos to Mike and the bots for taking this one on, because if I were to have watched it without them I'm certain it would've made me ill.
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Has anyone seen the new episodes "Stolen Earth" and "Journeys End"? Davros is back! And the Daleks are awesome, as always, especially the Supreme Dalek. I saw the complete episodes on youtube, without commercials (thank you youtube). I love the Earth invasion scenes, especially the massive Dalek saucers. *SPOILER ALERT* It's a shame though that the Daleks never seem to emerge victorious. It would have been truly awe-inspiring to have seen "The destruction of reality itself!" as Davros put it.
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No, they probably will. Their cheapness knows no bounds. TV series like The Wonder Years with all of its songs have virtually no chance of being released, or if they are they'll be butchered. What is the matter with these people...I'd be more than willing to pay a little more for a complete set of a series.
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Although I've only seen select episodes from various seasons, I must say that the episodes currently being shown on the local RTN network are among the most reflective and introspective episodes of the Magnum, P.I. series I've seen. Right now the show is in the seventh season cycle, which is among many fans, arguably the best season of the series. This is not surprising, given that the producers assumed the seventh season was to be the last, and wanted to go out with a bang. It is difficult to overstate the writers brilliance in this season, exemplified by episodes such as "Solo Flight", "Forty", "Laura", "Kapu", "Paper War", and "Novel Connection." Thanks to these episodes, the character of Thomas Magnum becomes much more than a suave playboy/private dick, and he's shown to be not only very three dimensional, but a somewhat tragic figure in his own right. "Solo Flight", with its intensely depressing flashbacks from Magnum's childhood, combined with the gory scenes of his experiences in Vietnam, cannot help but evoke a deep feeling of pathos from the audience for Magnum. This pathos is further evident in "Forty", when it's shown that a "playboy" like Magnum cannot always get the girl. His call to his mother at the end is the most poignant scene of the episode, especially when she tells him to take it easy and he tells her that he's "only forty" (heh heh...only forty).
Perhaps the most tragic episode of this season was "Laura", when Frank Sinatra plays a retired cop who tracks down the men who raped and murdered his young granddaughter. Although it's easy to simply let Sinatra's character find the culprit and exact justice, Magnum nevertheless tracks the retired cop down in an attempt to stop him. The scene at the end, where Sinatra's character visits his granddaughter's grave is truly heartbreaking, especially when one considers that these kinds of heinous acts seem to happen with appalling regularity. What also sets season seven apart is the fact that a much more subdued piece of music is played over the credits of most of the episodes, rather than the rocking, bombastic magnum theme. This immensely adds to the strength of the episodes, and small creative touches like this are rarities among television programs. For those in tvland who feel that a show like Magnum, P.I. is an hour long piece of cardboard filled with mindless violence and pretty girls ought to check out season seven. My opinion of the show has dramatically improved thanks to the episodes of this season.
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We just discovered a new station in our area. It's called Retro TV Network (RTN). We love it!
I used to love it, until they stopped showing The Fugitive. Now they've put Emergency! on in its place, which can't hold a candle to The Fugitive. Don't get me wrong, I still appreciate that they show uncut versions of old shows, and I still watch many other shows they air, but I'm very miffed that they cut off The Fugitive, especially since they were showing fourth season episodes close to the climactic series finale. :mad:
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Welcome Georgshadow to our modest, yet ever expanding forum. I'd say more, but I'm on a hot lead on the whereabouts of one Dr. Richard Kimble.
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Schultz was probably the fattest sergeant in the German military. Of course, he was loveable though, and it helped that he seemed to grudgingly accept Hogan and co.'s actions, unlike Klink who was more of a stickler. Fortunately Klink was in the dark most of the time. What I find most endearing about Schultz is his complete cowardice, even throwing away his gun when Klink's office was under siege ("Herr Kommandant, I lost my rifle!" LOL).
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Both Johns had numerous guest roles as German personnel, but did you know they were also accomplished character actors? John Hoyt appeared extensively in television and film, most notably The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, Star Trek (as the ship's surgeon in "The Cage"; one wonders what it would've been like if he had the role of McCoy instead of Kelly!), Battlestar Galactica, Perry Mason, When Worlds Collide, etc. Unfortunately Hoyt died of lung cancer--he contracted it when working on the film The Conqueror starring John Wayne (the filming location was close to a nuclear testing grounds).
John Stephenson may be better known to fans as various voices of the baddies in the classic Scooby-Doo cartoons, as well as Thundercracker's voice in the original Transformers. Stephenson has done voice-over work in many cartoons (too numerous to mention here), and his most recent role has been in Kung Fu Panda.
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Although he's not a regular, I always enjoyed seeing Howard Caine as Major Hochstetter. Leon Askin as General Burkhalter is great too. Both actors were in episodes of The Outer Limits (Caine was in "The Chameleon" and Askin was in "The Inheritors" Part 1), and Caine has been in guest roles in other well known shows such as Get Smart, The Twilight Zone, Gunsmoke, The Untouchables and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Caine was born in Nashville, and learned not only to erase his accent but also learned 32 different world and American dialects. Upon seeing Hogan's Heroes for the first time I honestly thought he was German. Those who have seen "The Chameleon" and are familiar with his role as Maj. Hochstetter will agree that Caine was chameleon-like himself. Sadly, Mr. Caine is no longer with us, but fortunately his wonderful work in television and film will live on.
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I've been noticing a disturbing trend among studios that release DVD sets of classic tv shows. One of the most audacious examples I've seen is CBS/Paramount's release of The Fugitive, Season 2 Volume 1. Now, as many fans of classic tv know, the musical score of The Fugitive borrowed heavily from stock libraries and other tv shows such as The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits. Unfortunately the studio execs have, in their infinite wisdom, decided to mutilate season 2 of The Fugitive by either cutting out incidental music altogether, or replacing it with some synthesizer garbage done in someone's basement. This has left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans, including myself, especially since I'm able to see the untouched version of The Fugitive on RTN. What most studio execs fail to realize is that film and television, like any form of art, should not be monkeyed around with in an attempt to save a buck. Imagine my pleasant surprise to hear familiar cues from The Outer Limits in episodes of The Fugitive, only to realize that these wonderful selections will most likely be ommitted from future DVD releases.
Unfortunately the tampering with classic tv is not limited to The Fugitive. In season 2's DVD set of The Greatest American Hero, a song in the episode "Operation: Spoilsport" called "Eve of Destruction" is completely cut out, and general muzak is put in its place. Apparently, Anchor Bay never even watched the episode itself, since not only is the song essential to the movement of the plot, but William Katt himself actually mentions the title of the song several times.
Future releases of classic tv shows have me worried. For example, CBS/Paramount's recent release of The Invaders contains a fine print disclaimer on the back of the DVD set stating that episodes are not as originally aired. Unfortunately this generality could mean virtually anything, from silencing the music track to blurring out brand names in select episodes. Fortunately, it seems less likely that the music track to The Invaders will be silenced, since music was composed by Dominic Frontiere (who incidentally did the score for The Outer Limits as well), and should consist of mostly original music. However, I advise anyone who is considering purchasing DVD sets of classic shows to read all reviews of said DVD sets on sites like Amazon.com. Fortunately many loyal and astute fans have noticed the same things I have, and have shared this with the online community. It's sad when, current television seems to be getting worse, releases of classic shows onto DVD do not actually have the COMPLETE show. Many fans like myself find classic television replacing current television during primetime, and it's insulting when studios release classic shows only to edit them just so they don't have to pay for the rights to use certain elements in the shows. I know I would be more than willing to pay a little more for a DVD set that includes every element of the show as it originally aired.
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The Outer Limits take on cloak and dagger, this episode exemplifies the need people feel to be a part of something greater than themselves, whether such "somethings" are noble or not. Groups such as the Invisibles, (as well as secretive paramilitary groups such as neo Nazis in this day and age), which require unswerving loyalty and even fervent religiosity, tend to attract the losers and dregs of society, and this is exactly the point the Control Voice makes at the beginning of the episode. Unfortunately Luis Spain, an undercover GIA agent, is not that far up the social totem pole from the losers and dregs he seeks to stop. Spain forms a relationship with fellow recruit Genero Planetta only when said relationship will benefit him in his mission, and he has no trouble deceiving Planetta to serve his own ends, no matter how noble. If he were not already engaged by the GIA, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine Spain becoming a legitimate Invisible.
It is interesting to note that before we find out what General Clarke really is, he seems unconcerned that his wife's social secretary (whatever that is) is spending so much time alone with her, yet he instructs Spain to make a mental record of everywhere he drives her. It is also interesting to note that the only real "attachment" that occurs in this episode is that of the creatures to their hosts. The humans all seem dispassionately detached from one another, which is especially exemplified at the end when the trigger happy GIA agents accidentally shoot the noble Planetta while he's trying to remove the Invisible from Spain's back. Even within the Invisibles society itself, camaraderie is starkly lacking, since members of the organization have no trouble insulting their peers (see the part where the procedure of attachment is demonstrated on Spain's dead GIA contact, and the lecturer plainly insults his deformed assistant, much to the assistant's dismay).
The issue of personal attachment in human beings is explored further by Stefano in the character of Genero Planetta. Planetta is tragically pathetic throughout the story, and it seems as though the only reason he joined the Invisibles was to try and form some kind of relationship with his fellow man. When he feels betrayed by Spain in the end, he reacts wildly out of control, almost as if he's some kind of crossed lover. It is unfortunate to realize that characters like Planetta exist in our everyday world, and usually join subversive groups like the Invisibles out of a need to feel connected to people. Perhaps in the end, the Invisibiles ruling over our world would not have been such a monstrous idea, given that the "hero" of our story and his GIA organization seem as cold and detached as those who become hosts for the creatures (at least the hosts display a sort of religious zealousness in relation to their other-worldly masters; the GIA and their agents show no emotional investment in their cause at all). Perhaps the Invisibles might have given the human race a much needed sense of community, (in one way or another) had they succeeded in the end. Of course this theme is further played out in another great episode, "The Architects of Fear."
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The unrelenting strangeness of the alien environment in this episode earns it a high place in my pantheon of favorites. The "fallout" effects (as Mrs. Cashman calls them) combined with the out-of-place rhythyms and musical notes, as well as the unnerving high-pitched noises heard on the telephone lines, all help establish a completely alien environment. The familiar landmarks of houses and cars, as well as an ornate church, do little to help the viewer hold onto any semblance of normality. As the story progresses, and we actually see Luminos and the Luminoids themselves, Haskin and Stefano further expound the eerie strangeness of the alien surroundings, especially when Dr. Simon Holm touches the surface of Luminos and finds his hands wet from the "sweating" caused by the planet's proximity to its sun. Haskin's directorial standards mesh perfectly with Stefano's story, making Luminos and the abducted six square blocks linger in our minds long after the episode has ended.
In retrospect, "A Feasibility Study" is an excursion into parallels; the ironic decision of Andrea Holm to leave her husband the day their neighborhood has left the Earth, the domineering nature of Simon Holm as well as the domineering nature of the Luminoids, and of course the (at the very least) dubious morality of the Luminoids contrasted with the heroic sacrifice of the townspeople at the end. The Luminoids, with all their faults, truly believe they are doing what's right to rebuild their civilization, and the means by which they do so makes little difference to them. It is especially interesting to note that they would make captivity pleasant for their slaves (as much as captivity can be made pleasant) by allowing them the freedom to "worship and love and think" as they normally would on Earth. Indeed, had the population of Earth been given a choice, many would no doubt voluntarily choose to go to Luminos, if it had meant the end of such unpleasantries as war, famine and poverty.
The central crux of our story therefore is choice; human choice as well as Luminoid choice. The situation of the Luminoids is not without its ability to generate sympathy, especially since life for them begins as life does for us, with the birth of "sweet golden nuggets in the palm of fate's hand." Unfortunately the cruel trickster known as fate seems to be working overtime when it comes to the plight of the Luminoids, establishing their civilization on a planet too close to its own sun. Thus, one can easily identify and even empathize with their situation, although not their means to rectify their dilemma. Given this, the Luminoids unfortunately choose a poor course of action, whereas the humans, despite all of their isolation from one another, make a remarkably moral decision. What makes this decision even more poignant is the fact that it is made by the human community as a whole. Their decision is in direct contrast to the collective decision of the Luminoids to enslave other beings for their own ends. "A Feasibility Study" is indeed a remarkable study of parallels and vastly different courses of action spurred by those parallels.
In conclusion, "A Feasibility Study" is typical of most Outer Limits episodes--there is no happy ending. The fact that the townspeople choose to give up their lives as they know them to save the people of Earth is uplifting, but ultimately a hollow victory, since the Luminoids will simply abduct the next hapless group of beings in their feasibility study. However, what makes The Outer Limits so endearing is the fact that few stories end on happy notes; a refreshing change of pace when compared to television's tendency to neatly wrap up everything at the end.
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A great part of the success of The Outer Limits, at least in the first season, was the wonderful musical score by Dominic Frontiere. Here is an assortment of some of my favorite pieces from the show:
This piece is perfect for grooms chasing runaway brides, combating hordes of Zanti misfits, or attempting to escape a government intelligence agent turned alien.
http://www.fanforums.tv/media/sound/OLaction.wav
This is a very eerie theme that's suitable for the discovery/observation of any strange, alien lifeform.
http://www.fanforums.tv/media/sound/OLcreepy.wav
This piece is extremely foreboding, yet simplistic in nature, which gives it great appeal. It's perfect for interrogating brash young apple pie boys who think they can stand up to anything.
http://www.fanforums.tv/media/sound/OLdread.wav
One of my favorite scores, this reminds us to always make time for dreaming, and provides the necessary wonder and awe when exploring new worlds, whether in outer space or the inner mind.
http://www.fanforums.tv/media/sound/OLdream.wav
Another one of my favorites, this piece sets a tense mood for an important event coming later. It's perfect for new inductees into a secret society of crab-like aliens, or when you're a queen bee plotting to take over the world and destroy the wife of your new love.
http://www.fanforums.tv/media/sound/OLthreat.wav
Another "alien theme" as I like to call them, this provides necessary movement for the machinations of sinister creatures on screen.
http://www.fanforums.tv/media/sound/OLweird.wav
This is but a small sample of the artistry Frontiere had to offer The Outer Limits, and by no means a complete archive of his work. Please feel free to post your own thoughts and share your own favorites with the tv community at large.
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This has to be the most confusing of all Outer Limits episodes. It also doesn't help that a lot of scientific gobbledygook is thrown around much like the isotope is in this episode. With those short comings however this is still a fairly decent episode, and worthy of a second viewing. The thought of life from another dimension always piques my interest, and this time is no exception. Plus, even though he "dies" (I guess you could call it that) rather quickly, it's still always nice to see Leonard Nimoy outside of Trek. Another familiar face is George MacReady from "The Invisibles"; however he's much less of a blessing here than he was in that episode. Dr. Marshall's cowardice is quite pathetic, and MacReady's portrayal of his self-loathing is painfully over-dramaticized ("No Use!").
What is unfortunate about this episode of Outer Limits is that, unlike others, there is really no emotional connection developed between the audience and the characters. Put simply, it's a pure "science gone wrong" story, and that is all. Science gone wrong tales are fine, and this one is entertaining, but at the end everything is wrapped up nice and neat, and nothing is left for the audience to ponder once the control voice signs off. No profound and prevelant message to consider is ever put forth here, unlike such episodes as "The Sixth Finger", "The Guests", and "The Man Who Was Never Born". This is not to deride or detract from "Production and Decay of Strange Particles", as I said before it is an entertaining entry in the series, but it lacks the eloquence and forethought displayed so brilliantly by writers like Stefano in the past.
What more can be said about "Production and Decay of Strange Particles"? It's easily a nice distraction from the world, especially if all one is looking for is entertainment. Like most sci-fi "B" movies from the 1950s it is easily watchable, and might even be considered by some Outer Limits fans to be a sort of cult classic. MacReady's performance dramatically improves in the second-half of the story, and the story itself is saved by the charged particle "beings"; completely fascinating and utterly unique, they serve as the unwavering axiom of the totally alien lifeform set forth by the series creators. This episode, although mediocre in Outer Limits standards, is nevertheless light years beyond anything currently shown on television today. They simply do not make television shows as good as the classic Outer Limits anymore.
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What can I say about this episode? Well, it's definitely not one of my favorites, but it's hardly terrible either. For the most part it is extremely engrossing and unnerving, especially with a villain like Reese Fowler, one of the series most sadistic bears. On the other hand however, the extremely distracting and out-of-place romance scenes nearly make this OL entry unwatchable a second time. First, we'll start with the good.
Overall, this is a good episode. Every time I hear something about living on an alien world, I start salivating, and this time was no exception. Unfortunately though the "alien world" looks just like Earth. However, two uniquely alien characteristics used very well are the endless daytime and RI rain. Both are very unsettling to say the least. Plus, when you see the effects of said rain, and how it transforms Fowler into a megalomaniac with delusions of grandeur, it's even more disturbing. What's more, is that Fowler, while the bear in this episode, is not your typical threat. Sure he's scary, yet sad at the same time. While struggling to cope with an accident almost totally beyond his control (which is tragic in and of itself) he not only becomes a monster with bug eyes (literally) but also evokes feelings of empathy as he tries to maintain his humanity. He is especially pathetic when he yells "come out" at the cave entrance like a small child, unable to enter because darkness is painful to him. The one great tragedy of this story is Fowler, and it is wonderfully presented.
Speaking of tragedies however, on to the bad. I'm a firm believer in having only one tragedy per story, so the audience will devote its full attention to it and become more attached to the characters. Unfortunately this formula is not applied to this episode. The past/almost rekindled romance between Evan Marshall and Julie Griffith is painfully uncomfortable in this episode, and truly a tragedy; not because of the romance itself, but because this unnecessary subplot basically sucks all the energy out of the story. Upon rewatching this episode I am basically left drained when these dull scenes are ended and feeling dread when the next one begins. This is not good, since Fowler is the one who is supposed to evoke the dread in the viewer. The scenes with Fowler are completely engaging, yet are unfortunately saddled with this extra baggage of a subplot. As I said, there should only be one tragedy in a story, and Pennell and Moreland's half-hearted attempts at evoking any kind of an emotional reaction from the audience are truly wasted time. I felt much more empathy for Oates's character, and none whatsoever for the two space lovebirds. Not only that, but the fact that Dr. Griffith (Betsy Jones-Moreland) hooks up with a guy (Richard Derr, Annex I leader Griff) whose sole purpose in this story is to basically buy the farm speaks volumes on how seriously the writers took this flimsy excuse for a love triangle. And I don't even want to go into the cheesy use of a Zanti prop from "The Zanti Misfits". The Zantis were wonderfully creepy creatures when animated; as stiff, oversized model ants...eh, not so much.
Overall, this is a good episode, and Fowler's malevolence coupled with the tragedy of his situation make for very compelling television. If you're looking for a good love story in The Outer Limits, please look elsewhere however. The love scenes in this one only serve to distract and de-emphasize the power of the primary plot, especially since extremely tense scenes such as the confrontation of Chandler by Fowler seem to be interrupted ad nauseum by a hammy backstory of endlessly frustrated longing. For remarkable love stories in The Outer Limits, please look to "The Man Who Was Never Born" and "The Guests".
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While not a stellar episode of the Outer Limits, this one nevertheless remains one of my personal favorites for two reasons. First, is the wonderful job Henry Silva did as Chino Rivera, a convict who is a very unlikely hero. Second, is the uniqueness of the "bear"; the Chromoite, as it were. Here we have a creature that, apart from it being bipedal, is completely alien and totally different from what one would expect from the planet Chromo. Since the transmissions from Chromo (Superbly done by Robert Johnson, it's unsettling strobing and wavering might suggest it's being broadcast from underwater!) are all in English, and Dr. Kellander says that once the Chromoites learned it, they spoke nothing but English, it's logical to assume that the form of such creatures would be at least vaguely human. Not so with this alien, whose form resembles some horrible experiment gone wrong at Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory. The fact that the alien utters not a single word upon arriving on Earth and for the duration of its stay is even more perplexing, seeing as how Dr. Kellander is sufficiently convincing enough in his statement about the Chromoites having an unwavering preference for the English language. This alien is sufficiently creepy in all respects, especially when it is spotted "eating", if you can call it that. Unfortunately it displays some goofy characteristics however, that should never have been attempted by the creators of the show. It tries, most unsuccessfully, to scale a first floor window, and also looks completely ridiculous when operating push buttons and dials. Despite these two embarassing instances, it still gives off a wonderful air of unearthly danger, especially when it kills Kellander's assistant.
In contrast to the kind words I have spoken for the bear of our story, I must admit there are some things about this episode that leave me, at the very least, puzzled. First, are the human scientists. It's odd that neither of them seem to have any deductive reasoning whatsoever. They are either grossly incompetent or criminally negligent. For instance, when the strange goo in the pond is discovered, something which supposedly neither one has ever seen before, neither scientist can put 2 and 2 together and figure out that maybe their new alien visitor has something to do with it? Their only concern is how to kill it (Aren't all old sci-fi scientists concerned with killing alien life they don't understand?) instead of perhaps studying it further, since it is something totally new. Secondly, after Kellander's assistant is murdered by the Chromoite, Kellander immediately accuses Rivera of the crime, without even bothering to think about any other possibilities. Did Kellander ever think that this new presence at the lab, which has unrestricted access to all areas by the way, might have something to do with his assistant's death? The Chromoite itself has never displayed any sort of effort to either communicate or prove itself benign with the resident humans in any way. Since it first arrived, the alien had displayed nothing but aggression, and yet it seems to be trusted implicitly.
Finally, what can be said about the dubious hero of Chino Rivera, other than the fact that he's the only one worthy of the title of hero in our story. Both scientists are as impotent as Landau's Bellero Jr. is in "The Bellero Shield". Rivera's saving of the day at the end is predictable, yet enjoyable nonetheless. The greatness of this episode is not so much the episode itself, although it is good, but the fact that it leaves much to the imagination. What happened to the guard that was transported to Chromo at the end? And what is Chromo itself like? The fact that questions like these remain in the viewers mind long after the episode is over atest to the greatness of The Outer Limits series as a whole.
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This has to be one of my favorite episodes. The tale of frustration involved with a decades long coitus interuptus is told wonderfully by Joseph Stefano. Both monsters are equally hideous, the monster of Mrs. Kry, played wonderfully by Miriam Hopkins, in her oversized "box" called a mansion, as well as the glob monster in its box. My favorite scene, although there are many, has to be when Vivia is being sucked into the box by the monster. Stefano conveys such a vivid sense of suffering and horror all without the need for gory special effects. All that is needed to make the scene work is the muffled sounds of Vivia as she's slowly sucked inside. Easily one of the more disturbing scenes from the series. Another favorite scene of mine is when Mrs. Kry is looking straight into the box, her hideous eye even more terrifying than the monster inside, pleading with Harvey to do what the alien wants him to do. The fact that she calls him a "heartless mountain of good" immediately reminds the audience of the shapeless mountain of the creature, thereby equating the hero of the story with the villain. What the control voice says about evil's necessary perfection is easily demonstrated throughout the entire episode; from the newspaper story that provides the motivation Dr. Spazman has for giving the box to the newlyweds in the beginning, (Harvey Kry Sr. demanded Spazman's expulsion from the science academy after Spazman's claims of an alien invasion--see the fine print on the newspaper under the headline) to the alien creature's unfamiliarity with time and space, cosmic forces that even the profound evil of the story cannot control and is not immune to. Toward the end of our story, the role of the monster is shifted onto Mr. Balfour, with his cold question of "How do I get out of here?" and then suddenly correcting himself to "How do we get out here?" What's most tragic about this story is that it seems to be saying that sometimes the only way to defeat evil is with evil. Take Harvey Kry, Jr. for instance. He spends decades stuck inside the box with the creature, simply because he refuses to aid it in its mission. His stalwart resistance to cooperation in any degree whatsoever earns him only continued captivity. However, when Mr. Balfour arrives, he simply deceives the creature, thereby causing it to meltdown and end the tragic lives of the Krys and everything else around it, thus breaking Harvey's cycle of captivity, albeit with the end of his existence. It's as if Stefano is saying that being good all the time is as non productive as evil is in imperfect conditions. In any event, the messages of sexual frustration and decaying morality are served up deliciously in this tale, and I fully recommend this episode to any sci-fi lover. I find that old sci-fi is much more satisfying to watch than the newer stuff they put out today, simply because of stories like this one. Plus, you gotta love those old bugged eyed monsters. Much creepier than the cg monsters they have on channels like Sci-Fi nowadays. Also, nothing beats the writing of Joseph Stefano.
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How could anyone not like this show? I watch it every day if possible on the local retro network. I have only started watching it recently, but it already has my complete attention. Not many shows nowadays can completely occupy my time and leave me wanting more at the end of every episode. It is very engrossing, and I absolutely love Lt. Gerard...reminds me of Javert. They don't make shows like this anymore.
Strange Things Are Happening To Dr. Smith
in Lost In Space
Posted
Great video, I could watch it over and over!