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65 of 74 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Episodes reviewed, not nostalgia, December 17, 2003
This review is from: The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 2 (DVD)
I grew up with this show, as many of you have I suspect. It would be easy to review this in a nostalgic haze and give it 5 stars "just because". However, I have taken a step back and have reviewed each episode rationally, based on budget, cast, writers, etc. Along the way, it may appear as though I am overly concerned with the "not-so-special-effects" of the series but trust me, it is a point of minor contension. Still, since great effect based movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Planet of the Apes are barely three years away, I can't shake the notion that if the purse-strings were relaxed a little and it would have paid off big for a show that seemed doomed from the start. Often, the show could rise above it all, with superb acting, like in the first seasons "The Mutant", but why make a show work harder than necessary and potentially leave an accomplished actor looking foolish and silly? Picture/sound/packaging: 4/5 Dissappointing yet predictable lack of 5.1 DD remastered sound. Original Star Trek seems to have proven to be the exception and not the rule in so far as sound. The picture is often nice, but varies from scene to scene on certain eps. I have no problem with the way the packaging is put together. So many complaints about the two sided discs? None here. And I think the packaging color scheme is an excellant compliment to Season One. My only real complaint is the cancellation of this series in the middle of season two, gosh, at least let the season finish! --Episodes--Season 2-- (I consider 3 and above good, 2 or below poor.) Soldier: 5/5
Cold Hands, Warm Heart: 2.5/5
Behold Eck!: 1/5
Expanding Human: 2.5/5
Cry of Silence: 3.5/5
Demon With a Glass Hand: 3/5
Wolf 359: 4/5
I, Robot: 4/5
The Invisible Enemy: 1/5
The Inheritors 1&2: 5/5
Keeper of the Purple Twilight: 3.5/5
Counterweight: 2/5
The Brain of Col. Barham: 1.5/5
The Premonition: 2.5/5
The Duplicate Man: 3.5/5
The Probe: 2.5/5 Wrap-up:
Still, in spite of all the hokey props, there lurks delicious camera angles, glorious sound, odd lighting, and most importantly, a fun sense of adventure that has all but since evaporated from the airwaves. In spite of the 3 stars, I cannot reccommend this set enough. Not because I'm caught like "the enemy" in the never-never, but because I'm trapped in a time period that uses "effects" to convey awe and mystery instead of imagination. The Outer Limits is a welcome look back at a future gone by.
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19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How Far Have We Come in Forty Years?, September 16, 2003
By A Customer
This review is from: The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 2 (DVD)
When I first saw the Outer Limits series, I was young enough that I'm sure much of the story line went directly into the subliminal mind. So when the DVD sets came out I wanted to review each episode to see exactly what was going into my subconscious mind at such an young and tender age. Much to my surprise I found my self highly challenged by both seasons. Having lived at least half a life time, I did not expect to find myself so challenged. Now I know how much dramatic media can indeed influence the subconscious mind. In fact, if I had been a little bit older when I first watched the series, I think my life might have been different. I was too young at the time to really be able to hold onto the dramatic impact and theme of each episode. What truly amazes me is how much the story and theme carry the episode, and how minimal the special effects. This realization has made me rethink my whole experience with contemporary science fiction cinema. Once all the computer graphic, virtual reality special effects, all the senseless, sensationalistic violence and sex are stripped away, how much does contemporary science fiction really tell a story? I can hardly think of any contemporary science fiction movie that can stand on the story line alone, without the aid of special effects. Yet the creators of Outer Limits were able to accomplish amazing dramatic effects with light and shadow, playhouse sets, and black and white photography. Better yet, with a constantly changing cast, the acting comes across far superior to so much of today's stock, formula performances by Hollywood stock performers. Today, make a science fiction and chances are that you've got to cast Kenau Reeves, Tom Kruse, or the Star Trek/Wars crew to even get into production. In summary, I think there is a great deal to be learned from the original Outer Limits series. The original series constitutes a whole cinimagraphic course in how much can be accomplished with so little - provided you have performers who can really act and cinematographers who really understand light, shadows and camera angles. In the end, the question arises: how much has all the high tech film making actually bought us?
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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Conclusion to a great series, September 5, 2003
This review is from: The Outer Limits - The Original Series, Season 2 (DVD)
The Outer Limits was a landmark series worth remembering. I recently purchased the 2nd season series after viewing the 1st season. Although the 2nd season was only considered "half" a season, it is well worth mentioning. OUTER LIMITS is the baby brother of THE TWILIGHT ZONE but deserves recognition in its own right. The only criticism I had with volume 1 is that it was copied on double sided disks and I had problems with them. But after three tries, I finally got a set of disks with no problems. I hope the second season will be just as good. I would like to thank MGM for keeping this original series alive by selling it on DVD. I have four children at home who have seen the original series and still find them enjoyable to watch even though the special effects are truly substandard. Its the STORIES that count. Yes, some stories are not up to par, but the same holds for any series. THE ORIGINAL OUTER LIMITS was a great attempt at bringing sciencefiction to television by standards of the 1960s. The second season of OL was cancelled mid-season because of its being scheduled against THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW (which I really enjoy) but that was a network decision. It should not be the deciding factor about the quality of the show itself. OL was a series that brought something new to television and suceeded in a spectacular way. If not, people would not even have remembered its name after all these years. I will always treasure this series and think of it as one of the all-time best series that came out for television.
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