The Outer Limits

On September 16, 1963, at 7:30 pm ET, an ominous voice began pouring out over ABC's airwaves as the picture on the TV screen proceeded to go haywire. "There is nothing wrong with your television set," the voice intoned. "We are controlling transmission. We can control the vertical. We can control the horizontal. For the next hour, we will control all that you see and hear and think. You are watching a drama that reaches from the inner mind to...THE OUTER LIMITS."

And so, with narrator Vic Perrin's deep, hypnotic voice, began one of the most overlooked yet high-quality sci-fi shows TV ever produced. For two years, and over 49 one-hour episodes (all filmed in black-and-white), the phalanx of writer, directors and performers that worked on executive producer Leslie Stevens' and producer Joseph Stefano's anthology series did their best to creep America out with their intense tales of misguided scientists, alien invasions and supernatural phenomenon. Weekly, Perrin's foreboding narration would guide us through supremely intelligent and imaginative scientific-fact-based stories dramatized by, among others Harlan Ellison (A Boy and His Dog), Robert Towne (Chinatown), Stevens (later the producer of 70s-era sci-fi series Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century), and Stefano (who came to prominence by writing scripts for Playhouse 90 and for adapting Robert Bloch's novel Psycho to the screen for legendary director Alfred Hitchcock).

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Each week would also bring what series producers took to calling a "bear," their code name for the (usually) anthropomorphic monster that would rear its not-so-comely head every episode, courtesy of makeup supervisor Fred B. Phillips (who also handled makeup chores on the original Star Trek series). From the arachnid-like aliens in The Zanti Misfits to a horribly bug-eyed Warren Oates in The Mutant, each of Phillips' creations made an indelible impression in the mind of anyone who watched — exactly what the network brass at ABC wanted obviously, since they began to insist on having a monster parade through each episode. That, plus the accomplished special effects from Projects Unlimited (the FX company led by Oscar®-nominated Seven Faces of Dr. Lao and When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth effects supervisors Jim Danforth, Paul LeBaron, and Ralph Rodine), helped disguise the fact that the series was produced on a relatively low-budget. Beautiful black & white photography from cinematographers like Conrad Hall (an Oscar®-winner for 1969's Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and a nominee for 1967's In Cold Blood, among a few others) and John Nickolaus (Roger Corman's The Terror) also added immeasurably to the show's effectiveness. Nevertheless, from the time of its first airing to its last episode, the show never got the critical acclaim that it deserved, its thunder consistently stolen by Rod Serling's Twilight Zone series, which stood as an obvious "OL" influence, but which didn't always sport the horrific and sometimes even artsy bent that "OL" often had in spades (One big problem: the inclusion of "monsters" also made "OL" seem sillier and not as prestigious as its Serling-produced counterpart). But, obviously, the "OL" scripts were more than pointless exercises in sci-fi goofiness, for they attracted a slew of notable guest stars, among them Martin Landau, William Shatner, Cliff Robertson, Sally Kellerman, Martin Sheen, Bruce Dern, Carroll O'Connor, Chita Rivera, Gloria Grahame, Nick Adams, Vera Miles, Robert Duvall, Eddie Albert, David McCallum, Adam West of Batman fame, Jill Hayworth, and James Doohan of Star Trek. THE OUTER LIMITS may have been short-lived (in its second season, ABC programmed it against the CBS hit The Jackie Gleason Show, which killed its chances for everlasting success), but it was the writers and the producers penchant for pushing the boundaries of imagination that has kept viewers and fans returning to the series almost 35 years after it was first aired. It was announced in 2003 that "the realm of the weird will no longer be confined to the small screen. Working with Trilogy Entertainment, along with producers Mark Victor and Michael Grais, MGM plans to give The Outer Limits the big screen treatment. The film will be produced by Victor & Grais, along with Pen Densham, Mark Stern, Guy McElwaine and John Watson. Mark Skelly will executive produce." newer (color) episodes on the SYFY's Chiller TV Channeltimes shown are date shown starting @ 6am ET/3am Pacific Time: Monday Apr 1 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Nightmare Monday Apr 1 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Promised Land Tuesday Apr 2 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Balance Of Nature Tuesday Apr 2 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Origin Of Species Wednesday Apr 3 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Phobos Rising Wednesday Apr 3 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Black Box Thursday Apr 4 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits In Our Own Image Thursday Apr 4 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Alien Radio Friday Apr 5 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Better Luck Next Time Friday Apr 5 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Blank Slate Saturday Apr 6 05:00 A ET The Outer Limits Think Like A Dinosaur Monday Apr 8 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits DÉjÀ Vu Monday Apr 8 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Descent Tuesday Apr 9 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Donor Tuesday Apr 9 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Essence Of Life Wednesday Apr 10 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Fathers And Sons Wednesday Apr 10 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Grell Thursday Apr 11 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Haven Thursday Apr 11 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Human Operators Thursday Apr 11 09:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Inheritors Thursday Apr 11 10:00 A ET The Outer Limits Joyride Thursday Apr 11 11:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Other Side Thursday Apr 11 12:00 P ET The Outer Limits Ripper Thursday Apr 11 01:00 P ET The Outer Limits Shroud Thursday Apr 11 02:00 P ET The Outer Limits Small Friends Thursday Apr 11 03:00 P ET The Outer Limits Starcrossed Thursday Apr 11 04:00 P ET The Outer Limits Stranded Monday Apr 15 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits What Will The Neighbors Think? Monday Apr 15 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Judgement Day Tuesday Apr 16 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Gun Tuesday Apr 16 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Skin Deep Wednesday Apr 17 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Manifest Destiny Wednesday Apr 17 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Breaking Point Thursday Apr 18 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Beholder Thursday Apr 18 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Seeds Of Destruction Friday Apr 19 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Simon Says Friday Apr 19 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Stasis Saturday Apr 20 05:00 A ET The Outer Limits World's Within Monday Apr 22 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Down To Earth Monday Apr 22 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Inner Child Tuesday Apr 23 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Glitch Tuesday Apr 23 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Decompression Wednesday Apr 24 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Abaddon Wednesday Apr 24 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Grid Wednesday Apr 24 09:00 A ET The Outer Limits Revival Wednesday Apr 24 10:00 A ET The Outer Limits Gettysburg Wednesday Apr 24 11:00 A ET The Outer Limits Something About Harry Wednesday Apr 24 12:00 P ET The Outer Limits Replica Wednesday Apr 24 01:00 P ET The Outer Limits Nest Wednesday Apr 24 02:00 P ET The Outer Limits Final Appeal - Part 1 Wednesday Apr 24 03:00 P ET The Outer Limits Final Appeal - Part 2 Wednesday Apr 24 04:00 P ET The Outer Limits A New Life Thursday Apr 25 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Vessel Thursday Apr 25 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Patient Zero Friday Apr 26 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Family Values Friday Apr 26 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Surrogate Monday Apr 29 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Mona Lisa Monday Apr 29 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Dark Child Tuesday Apr 30 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Alienshop Tuesday Apr 30 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits In The Blood Wednesday May 1 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Replica Wednesday May 1 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Think Like A Dinosaur Thursday May 2 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Flower Child Thursday May 2 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits World's Within Friday May 3 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Free Spirit Friday May 3 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Mind Reacher Monday May 6 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Time To Time Monday May 6 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Abduction Monday May 6 09:00 A ET The Outer Limits Rule Of Law Monday May 6 10:00 A ET The Outer Limits Lion's Den Monday May 6 11:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Tipping Point Monday May 6 12:00 P ET The Outer Limits Human Factor Monday May 6 01:00 P ET The Outer Limits Human Trial Monday May 6 02:00 P ET The Outer Limits Sandkings - Part 1 Monday May 6 03:00 P ET The Outer Limits Sandkings - Part 2 Monday May 6 04:00 P ET The Outer Limits Valerie 23 Tuesday May 7 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Blood Brothers Tuesday May 7 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Second Soul Wednesday May 8 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits White Light Fever Wednesday May 8 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Choice Thursday May 9 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Virtual Future Thursday May 9 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Living Hell Friday May 10 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Corner Of The Eye Friday May 10 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Under The Bed Monday May 13 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Dark Matters Monday May 13 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Conversion Tuesday May 14 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Quality Of Mercy Tuesday May 14 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Caught In The Act Wednesday May 15 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Voyage Home Wednesday May 15 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits The New Breed Thursday May 16 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Message Thursday May 16 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits I, Robot Thursday May 16 09:00 A ET Outer Limits (1960's) Soldier Thursday May 16 10:00 A ET Outer Limits (1960's) Cold Hands, Warm Heart Thursday May 16 11:00 A ET Outer Limits (1960's) Behold, Eck! Thursday May 16 12:00 P ET Outer Limits (1960's) Expanding Human Thursday May 16 01:00 P ET Outer Limits (1960's) Demon With A Glass Hand Thursday May 16 02:00 P ET Outer Limits (1960's) Cry Of Silence Thursday May 16 03:00 P ET Outer Limits (1960's) The Invisible Enemy Thursday May 16 04:00 P ET Outer Limits (1960's) Wolf 359 Friday May 17 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits If These Walls Could Talk Friday May 17 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Birthright Monday May 20 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Voice Of Reason Monday May 20 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits A Stitch In Time Tuesday May 21 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Resurrection Tuesday May 21 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Unnatural Selection Wednesday May 22 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits I Hear You Calling Wednesday May 22 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Mind Over Matter Wednesday May 22 09:00 A ET The Outer Limits Beyond The Veil Wednesday May 22 10:00 A ET The Outer Limits First Anniversary Wednesday May 22 11:00 A ET The Outer Limits Straight And Narrow Wednesday May 22 12:00 P ET The Outer Limits Trial By Fire Wednesday May 22 01:00 P ET The Outer Limits Worlds Apart Wednesday May 22 02:00 P ET The Outer Limits The Refuge Wednesday May 22 03:00 P ET The Outer Limits Inconstant Moon Wednesday May 22 04:00 P ET The Outer Limits From Within Thursday May 23 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Heist Thursday May 23 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Afterlife Friday May 24 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Deprogrammers Friday May 24 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Paradise Monday May 27 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits The Light Brigade Tuesday May 28 06:00 A ET The Outer Limits Falling Star Tuesday May 28 07:00 A ET The Outer Limits Out Of Body ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No episodes scheduled for SYFY Most previous 1960s eps scheduled on the SciFi Channel, a marathon last March 2009: 03/30/2009 OUTER LIMTS (1960s eps) marathon 08:00 AM THE ARCHITECTS OF FEAR 09:00 AM THE INVISIBLES 10:00 AM THE BELLERO SHIELD 11:00 AM A FEASIBILITY STUDY 12:00 PM THE FORMS OF THINGS UNKNOWN 01:00 PM DEMON WITH A GLASS HAND by Harlan Ellison 02:00 PM THE INHERITORS - PART 1 03:00 PM THE INHERITORS - PART 2 9/8/2010 OUTER LIMITS MARATHON: Sep 8 08:00 AM The Beholder Sep 8 09:00 AM Seeds Of Destruction Sep 8 10:00 AM Simon Says Sep 8 11:00 AM Stasis Sep 8 12:00 PM Down To Earth Sep 8 01:00 PM The Inner Child Sep 8 02:00 PM Glitch Sep 8 03:00 PM Decompression Showtime sometimes has it's new color eps on one of its various Showtime channels Watch entire episodes of Outer Limits Outer Limits, complete seasons 1 to 2 are also available on DVD from Amazon.com - or would you rather take One Step Beyond? Previous episode titles seen on the SciFi Channel b/w 1960s episodes seen on TNT in year 2000: EP# DATE EPISODE TITLE 16 10/28/2000 Controlled Experiment: A Martian administrator (Barry Morse) journeys to Earth to examine a strange local custom, known as murder. 11 8/23/00 5:00 AM Nightmare 10 8/24/00 5:00 AM Tourist Attraction 1 8/26/00 5:00 AM Galaxy Being 20 8/29/00 5:00 AM The Bellero Shield 30 8/30/00 4:30 AM The Chameleon Aug. 12, #2 Hundred Days Of The Dragon To create an impostor for the U.S. president, an Asian uses a serum that alters human form to make a Manchurian candidate. Aug. 6, #19 The Invisibles Aug. 5, #26 The Guests Lovers must decide whether to stay in a strange place and keep eternal youth or to return to their true ages Aug. 2, #25 The Mutant A scientist mutated by rainfall on an alien world holds colleagues hostage and demands to return to Earth July 30, #40 Wolf 359 A scientist (Patrick O'Neal)'s wife (Sara Shane) works to destroy a creature who escaped from a miniature, artificial planet. Additional cast: Dabney Coleman July 24, Soldier by Harlan Ellison An ultimate future soldier created only to kill (Michael Ansara) finds himself in the 20th century, and protects Lloyd Nolan from a similar enemy who also came back thru time. Corpus Earthling Click here for New Outer Limits episode descriptions on the SciFi Channel (if it's still there) The original b/w Twilight Zone episodes are also on the Sci-Fi channel. Episodes of The New Twilight Zone are on TNT irregularly. Episodes available on video include Harlan Ellison's Demon With A Glass Hand Return to MonsterVision Home Page or Scifans.com Official b/w Outer Limits info page on TNT.com (archived version, links may not all work yet) Every episode of the 1963 series is at the official www.TheOuterLimits.com website at MGM.com Previous broadcasts on TNT Or would you rather visit the Halloween movies page and check out how many days/hours/minutes it is until midnight October 31? Email: scifanscom Enter your search terms Submit search form