Considering the 90's redo of The Outer Limits... I think the first episode of the series that I really appreciated was 'Dark Matters', which came 11 episodes into the first season. In my opinion, a show that takes that long to produce a truly interesting and enjoyable episode is probably on shaky ground. But still, it took Star Trek: The Next Generation an entire first season before it found its space legs, so there you go.
Speaking of Trek, the plot of this OL episode is one that can be found in a multitude of Trek shows: a crew of a space freighter get trapped in a strange, starless void where other ships have become imprisoned, physics go out the window and the dead can find no peace. It feels like the best kind of science fiction story, where the particulars of space travel are dealt with, but it also studies the humanity of the people who travel out into it.
'Dark Matters' features John Heard, an actor I always appreciate watching. Less so with the female lead, Annette O'Toole. I always find her a bit wooden in her roles: she's an actor you can actually see trying to act, which is not a good look for someone trying to breathe life into a character. When you place your characters into fantastic situations, you need rock solid performances to ground your audience and make the far-fetched seem plausible. O'Toole and the other weak link in the cast, Micheal Dolan as the spiritual crew member Rob, sabotage the episode somewhat.
Still though, 'Dark Matters' as a whole represents a solid episode of the series, exploring the dangers of space travel... and the darker recesses of the human heart.
Speaking of Trek, the plot of this OL episode is one that can be found in a multitude of Trek shows: a crew of a space freighter get trapped in a strange, starless void where other ships have become imprisoned, physics go out the window and the dead can find no peace. It feels like the best kind of science fiction story, where the particulars of space travel are dealt with, but it also studies the humanity of the people who travel out into it.
'Dark Matters' features John Heard, an actor I always appreciate watching. Less so with the female lead, Annette O'Toole. I always find her a bit wooden in her roles: she's an actor you can actually see trying to act, which is not a good look for someone trying to breathe life into a character. When you place your characters into fantastic situations, you need rock solid performances to ground your audience and make the far-fetched seem plausible. O'Toole and the other weak link in the cast, Micheal Dolan as the spiritual crew member Rob, sabotage the episode somewhat.
Still though, 'Dark Matters' as a whole represents a solid episode of the series, exploring the dangers of space travel... and the darker recesses of the human heart.