"Controlled Experiment" is a loose, light-hearted satire, allowing the normally intense 60s classic sci-fi series, The Outer Limits, to take a break from the norm, following Martians Phobos (Barry Morse, a delight) sent to Earth by his Mars Control Center to study why humans kill each other, attempting, through a device that can alter time and space the reasoning and motives that dictate such violence. Grace Lee Whitney (famous at Yeoman Rand on the Classic Star Trek series not long after this episode, majorly hot, rocking her curves in a tight dress) is one of the human experiments selected for study, preparing to murder a lover, Bert (Robert Fortier, a handsome charmer), for cheating with a "two bit floozy" named Arlene (Linda Hutchings). A "Martian Caretaker", Deimos (Carroll O'Connor, with tiny glasses and a nerdy wardrobe, operating on Earth as a pawn shop owner!), will offer some insight to newcomer Phobos on the peculiar ways of humans (cigarette smoking, coffee drinking, use of slang, sexual proclivities, etc.). I have to admit that while I really watch this show for the powerful sci-fi stories that place us under the microscope and probe how our frailties and flaws can cause nightmarish consequences/irreparable damage in a deeply serious, melancholy way, it is nice to occasionally step away from those types and just enjoy a breezy, less impactful premise that doesn't abandon its roots but offers a different, more comedic spin on the possible devastation of the human race due to atomic war solely based on altering a murder inside an unimportant hotel, involving a womanizing louse and an easily manipulated knock-out blond. "Controlled Experiment" is an atypical episode for the two-season series, wanting to charm you thanks to the two male leads, the child-like Morse, inquisitive as if he were a babe exiting the womb into the new world for the first time and O'Connor kind of a teacher trying to give his pupil pointers on how us humans behave (even he has trouble deciphering why we act the way we do, with Morse accepting his advice/analysis even if it is wrong/misunderstood). Morse's decision to stay on this planet even though an apocalypse that would damage the solar system and possibly other universes is rather funny...admittedly in a warped sort of way. The narrative Outer Limits voice proclaims that even though the future offers a bleak outlook, right now in the present life can be well worth living! The director really toys with repeatedly speeding up and slowing down the specific event studied and it offers Morse a chance to conduct his work while the characters are under his inspection, producing some surreal scenes that I thought added gleeful fun to the overall story.
24 Reviews
The "Infinite Permutations" Model
profh-118 October 2009
2 Martians disguised as humans are sent to investigate the strange human custom of murder, and use a machine that can alter time to help uncover the mystery.
I couldn't believe it when I first saw this episode in syndication in the 70's. THE OUTER LIMITS was always so dark, so spooky, so scary, so... SERIOUS. But not this time! I guess every show needs at least one comedy to balance things out, and this one was it. It starts out low-key enough, as a hard-nosed inspector shows just how alien he must be by exhibiting no knowledge of even the simplest of Earth-- or "human"-- customs. But once the "experiment" gets underway, he begins to enjoy himself just too much. I guess he was more "human" than he realized!
The cast is a real stand out. The inspector is played by Barry Morse-- future "Inspector Philip Gerard" for 4 years on THE FUGITIVE, and later, "Prof. Bergman" on the 1st season of SPACE: 1999. The outpost manager is Carrol O'Connor, 7 years before he played "Archie Bunker" on ALL IN THE FAMILY, and even longer before he played "Chief Gillespie" on IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. The blonde packing heat determined to shoot her boyfriend is Grace Lee Whitney, 3 years before she played "Yeoman Janice Rand" on the earliest episodes of STAR TREK!
If the IMDb is correct, Leslie Stevens both wrote & directed this-- uncredited. I didn't see any credits on screen for this one. Gee, I wonder why? (heh heh)
I couldn't believe it when I first saw this episode in syndication in the 70's. THE OUTER LIMITS was always so dark, so spooky, so scary, so... SERIOUS. But not this time! I guess every show needs at least one comedy to balance things out, and this one was it. It starts out low-key enough, as a hard-nosed inspector shows just how alien he must be by exhibiting no knowledge of even the simplest of Earth-- or "human"-- customs. But once the "experiment" gets underway, he begins to enjoy himself just too much. I guess he was more "human" than he realized!
The cast is a real stand out. The inspector is played by Barry Morse-- future "Inspector Philip Gerard" for 4 years on THE FUGITIVE, and later, "Prof. Bergman" on the 1st season of SPACE: 1999. The outpost manager is Carrol O'Connor, 7 years before he played "Archie Bunker" on ALL IN THE FAMILY, and even longer before he played "Chief Gillespie" on IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. The blonde packing heat determined to shoot her boyfriend is Grace Lee Whitney, 3 years before she played "Yeoman Janice Rand" on the earliest episodes of STAR TREK!
If the IMDb is correct, Leslie Stevens both wrote & directed this-- uncredited. I didn't see any credits on screen for this one. Gee, I wonder why? (heh heh)
"The Outer Limits" goes for tongue-in-cheek in this episode ...
Mkeydude29 April 2007
"The Outer Limits" goes for tongue-in-cheek in this episode with two Martians (assuming ordinary earthling appearance) who are sent to earth to study human beings. They are told there will be a murder taking place at a 'less than first class hotel' and take their equipment to the scene and wait for the event to take place.
The scene: A sexy blond waits in the lobby. The elevator door opens, a man steps out. The blond stands up and faces him.
Blond: "Bert Hamil!! You're a two-faced, no good, black-hearted two timer!" Man: "Carla!! Don't shoot!!" Blond: "Don't come begging to me. Take that!!" The gun goes off, the man grabs his chest and falls to the floor. (Love the dialogue--right out of a 40s murder mystery.) The Martians watch but are dumbfounded and have no clue so they decide to rewind the scene (in real time) but still draw a blank. Then they run it in slow motion, backward, forward, upside-down, inside-out, stop the action stepping into the scene for human physiology tests such as blood pressure, temp, etc., and now take the scene further back in time and follow him to find out where the man was coming from on the upper floors--a sexy brunette is up there. Still nothing. They finally decide to redirect the bullet trajectory to see what result that produces, and do so but according to headquarters, what they have done will alter future events with a devastating result to the solar system. Now they're in quandary and discuss what to do.
Considering television was in its teens in 1964, this "Outer Limits" episode isn't bad. Carroll O'Connor plays one of the Martians and its interesting to see him in action prior to his "Archie Bunker" fame.
The plot was hokey but enjoyable and the Martian equipment looked like gadgets anyone could have bought at a toy store in 1964; the special effects are simplistic (the director got a lot of mileage out of "the scene" by playing and replaying it) and when the Martians stepped into the stopped action, the actors did their best to hold their positions and not flinch.
If its a Saturday night and there's nothing else on cable, give this one a shot. Ooops.
The scene: A sexy blond waits in the lobby. The elevator door opens, a man steps out. The blond stands up and faces him.
Blond: "Bert Hamil!! You're a two-faced, no good, black-hearted two timer!" Man: "Carla!! Don't shoot!!" Blond: "Don't come begging to me. Take that!!" The gun goes off, the man grabs his chest and falls to the floor. (Love the dialogue--right out of a 40s murder mystery.) The Martians watch but are dumbfounded and have no clue so they decide to rewind the scene (in real time) but still draw a blank. Then they run it in slow motion, backward, forward, upside-down, inside-out, stop the action stepping into the scene for human physiology tests such as blood pressure, temp, etc., and now take the scene further back in time and follow him to find out where the man was coming from on the upper floors--a sexy brunette is up there. Still nothing. They finally decide to redirect the bullet trajectory to see what result that produces, and do so but according to headquarters, what they have done will alter future events with a devastating result to the solar system. Now they're in quandary and discuss what to do.
Considering television was in its teens in 1964, this "Outer Limits" episode isn't bad. Carroll O'Connor plays one of the Martians and its interesting to see him in action prior to his "Archie Bunker" fame.
The plot was hokey but enjoyable and the Martian equipment looked like gadgets anyone could have bought at a toy store in 1964; the special effects are simplistic (the director got a lot of mileage out of "the scene" by playing and replaying it) and when the Martians stepped into the stopped action, the actors did their best to hold their positions and not flinch.
If its a Saturday night and there's nothing else on cable, give this one a shot. Ooops.
Factoids
joewasik3 August 2011
One of the non-speaking characters, the one on his own left sitting on the couch, drops a newspaper when the gun goes off. The newspaper's headline: "I Let Go of the Bumper and the Bus Ran Over Me." Amazing what you can do with a high-def TV.
Second factoid, the actress playing Arlene Schabel (upstairs love interest), has her name spelled Linda Hutchins in the credits. She is otherwise known as Linda Hutchings.
Several members of this episode's staff, the blonde actress (mentioned in other reviews) the production manager Lindsley Parsons, production associate John Erman, makeup supervisor Fred Phillips, art department Richard Rubin, assistant director Robert Justman, went on to work on Star Trek projects.
Special effects Ray Mercer went on to work on Star Wars.
Second factoid, the actress playing Arlene Schabel (upstairs love interest), has her name spelled Linda Hutchins in the credits. She is otherwise known as Linda Hutchings.
Several members of this episode's staff, the blonde actress (mentioned in other reviews) the production manager Lindsley Parsons, production associate John Erman, makeup supervisor Fred Phillips, art department Richard Rubin, assistant director Robert Justman, went on to work on Star Trek projects.
Special effects Ray Mercer went on to work on Star Wars.
Barry Morse, Carrol O'Connor, Femme Fatales, What's Not To Like?
AudioFileZ30 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Like many great series a respite is just what the doctor ordered in a quirky "left turn at Albuquerque" episode. And so "Controlled Experiment" is just such a yarn. Rather simplistic in the special effects of fast, slow, stop, and reverse motion of a passion murder this episode purely entertains. This is in no small part due to the endearing performances of Barry Morse (so colorfully different than his iconic Lt. Gerard in The Fugitive) and Carrol O'Connor (ditto that inserting "Archie Bunker")playing Martians sent to earth on a mission to understand earthlings!
Two Martians with a machine to manipulate time wait in a hotel lobby where a crime of passion is about to take place seeking to understand why humans act sometimes without logical reason. A hot blonde number is in wait for her unfaithful lover who upon exiting the lobby elevator she will shot to kill...But, wait! Illogical! Phobos and Deimos (Morse & O'Connor) can't reconcile why the blonde kills the man and, therefore, must reverse and replay the event for repeated introspection. Only thing is no matter how they slow it down it makes no sense. They have to delve further going back in time to reveal the man is having a tryst with another woman. Humm? What is this kissing? Deimos, for lack of logical understanding, has the best line: "they do it every chance they get"! Eventually, the lack of reasoning leads Phobos to believe he should change the outcome to prevent the man's murder to see what happens. He is delighted with the result as the blonde and the man reconcile with the man even proposing marriage. Not so fast says Martian control...This will break the space-time continuum charting the entire universe for doom. Phobos, in his delightful way, seeks to placate both Mars as well as himself by allowing the woman to shot to kill, but by saving the victim. He fudges his "phone-home" report stating he will remain on earth to his, as well as Deimos, obvious delight.
This is delightfully "off-the-wall" stuff that doesn't exactly fit in the darkness as usual Outer Limits fare. It works though because it entertains with just the right mix of story, comedy, creative effects, and superlative acting by Morse and O'Connor. A must see episode.
Two Martians with a machine to manipulate time wait in a hotel lobby where a crime of passion is about to take place seeking to understand why humans act sometimes without logical reason. A hot blonde number is in wait for her unfaithful lover who upon exiting the lobby elevator she will shot to kill...But, wait! Illogical! Phobos and Deimos (Morse & O'Connor) can't reconcile why the blonde kills the man and, therefore, must reverse and replay the event for repeated introspection. Only thing is no matter how they slow it down it makes no sense. They have to delve further going back in time to reveal the man is having a tryst with another woman. Humm? What is this kissing? Deimos, for lack of logical understanding, has the best line: "they do it every chance they get"! Eventually, the lack of reasoning leads Phobos to believe he should change the outcome to prevent the man's murder to see what happens. He is delighted with the result as the blonde and the man reconcile with the man even proposing marriage. Not so fast says Martian control...This will break the space-time continuum charting the entire universe for doom. Phobos, in his delightful way, seeks to placate both Mars as well as himself by allowing the woman to shot to kill, but by saving the victim. He fudges his "phone-home" report stating he will remain on earth to his, as well as Deimos, obvious delight.
This is delightfully "off-the-wall" stuff that doesn't exactly fit in the darkness as usual Outer Limits fare. It works though because it entertains with just the right mix of story, comedy, creative effects, and superlative acting by Morse and O'Connor. A must see episode.
It Goes on and On
Hitchcoc9 January 2015
I have no problem with a "serious" show occasionally going for a few laughs. It was also fun to see "All in the Family" star Carol O'Connor and "The Fugitive" star Barry Morse playing a couple of Martians (in disguise, I assume). But the thing would never get to the point. It wasn't the fact that we watched that girl (Janice Rand from Star Trek) shoot that idiot coming out of the elevator. It was the endless discussion and the faded negative effect that we had to wait through to get to the next event. I'd swear that half the episode was a gray mass, first out of focus, and then back to whatever was going on. I did enjoy the stolid, serious Martian, Morse, getting into cigarettes and coffee, but it took so long to deal with the issues. What they do at the end is sort of startling, but it's all in good fun.
Well that was certainly different.
Sleepin_Dragon21 May 2023
A pair of Martians named Phobos and Deimos are keen to learn and understand the human act of murder, they transport to one certain incident in which a young woman turns a gun on a man.
It's definitely the most curious, perhaps the most unique episode of Thr Outer Limits that I've seen so far. I can only imagine what viewers thought of this when it first went out, it is do different to previous episodes, this one really does play for laughs, there are no scares, no jumps, no horror, it is purely a fun episode.
It put me in mind of Two X Files episodes, From Outer Space and How the ghosts stole Christmas, both are very funny, and curious within the show, but they work.
I loved the two lead characters, it was interesting to see that a potential spin off had been touted featuring them, it would have been so interesting, Barry Morse and Carroll O'Connor are great.
I get why this one may be a little divisive, if your thirst is purely for the more horror toned episodes, you may be a little frustrated, and at times it is a little repetitive, but take it for what it is, a really unique story.
Charming, 8/10.
It's definitely the most curious, perhaps the most unique episode of Thr Outer Limits that I've seen so far. I can only imagine what viewers thought of this when it first went out, it is do different to previous episodes, this one really does play for laughs, there are no scares, no jumps, no horror, it is purely a fun episode.
It put me in mind of Two X Files episodes, From Outer Space and How the ghosts stole Christmas, both are very funny, and curious within the show, but they work.
I loved the two lead characters, it was interesting to see that a potential spin off had been touted featuring them, it would have been so interesting, Barry Morse and Carroll O'Connor are great.
I get why this one may be a little divisive, if your thirst is purely for the more horror toned episodes, you may be a little frustrated, and at times it is a little repetitive, but take it for what it is, a really unique story.
Charming, 8/10.
Cute but trivial--this one is played strictly for laughs.
planktonrules29 February 2012
This is an unusual episode for "The Outer Limits" because this episode is played strictly for laughs. While its counterpart, "The Twilight Zone", often made some comedic anthology episodes, "The Outer Limits" was almost always deathly earnest and serious---making this a radical departure.
The show begins with a Martian agent (Barry Morse) making contact with another Martian who's been living undercover with humans for many years (Carrol O'Connor). It seems that the Martians are worried about people, as they are very violent and MAY need to be eradicated for the good of the universe. So, Morse's job is to observe them--and specifically to understand why murder occurs, as no other sentient being does this. And, his bosses back on Mars are worried that humans might infect others with this desire to kill. So, using a special time machine that allows them to stop and restart time, they investigate in EXCRUCIATING detail one particular murder. What's next? See the show.
While this was a pretty forgettable and slight show, it did make me smile from time to time and was entertaining. Worth seeing...and very strange for this show.
The show begins with a Martian agent (Barry Morse) making contact with another Martian who's been living undercover with humans for many years (Carrol O'Connor). It seems that the Martians are worried about people, as they are very violent and MAY need to be eradicated for the good of the universe. So, Morse's job is to observe them--and specifically to understand why murder occurs, as no other sentient being does this. And, his bosses back on Mars are worried that humans might infect others with this desire to kill. So, using a special time machine that allows them to stop and restart time, they investigate in EXCRUCIATING detail one particular murder. What's next? See the show.
While this was a pretty forgettable and slight show, it did make me smile from time to time and was entertaining. Worth seeing...and very strange for this show.
Loved this Episode of Outer Limits, funny, touching Controlled Experiment
runbamberun25 May 2018
I was amazed to find this episode of Outer Limits, which I'd never seen before! . OL usually scares the crap out of me, and has since I first watched it as a child (older now!") So this episode was a pleasant surprise! Suspenseful to a point and too many special effects and noise but overall this one got me smiling. There is hope for change and humor. Great episode! Left me in a good mood and ready for bed. Recommended.
Silly but also Funny Episode
claudio_carvalho23 February 2018
When Deimos, who is the owner of a pawnshop, receives the visit of Phobos, they present their Martian identification to each other. Deimos is a Martian agent based in an outpost on Earth disguised of pawnshop a long time ago to observe the Earthlings. Phobos is a supervisor with a time controlling device worried with the atomic energy that has come to understand what a murder is. Soon they receive a message to go to a low budget hotel to witness a murder in the lobby of the hotel. When they arrive, they identify the blonde Carla Duveen that is waiting for her boyfriend Bert Hamill that has had sex with his lover. Phobos uses the time controlling devise to repeat the murder many times to understand the details. However the experiment runs out of control and they receive a report that the future will be affected by the event. Will they fix the problem?
"Controlled Experiment" is a silly but also funny episode of "The Outer Limits". The genre comedy does not fit well to the sci-fi genre, but the episode is entertaining despite the repetitions of the same scenes. The romantic conclusion is not well resolved with Phobos interference in the timeline but is commercially attractive. My vote is seven. . Title (Brazil): "Experimento Controlado" ("Controlled Experiment")
"Controlled Experiment" is a silly but also funny episode of "The Outer Limits". The genre comedy does not fit well to the sci-fi genre, but the episode is entertaining despite the repetitions of the same scenes. The romantic conclusion is not well resolved with Phobos interference in the timeline but is commercially attractive. My vote is seven. . Title (Brazil): "Experimento Controlado" ("Controlled Experiment")
Lazy episode that's just an hour of playing with camera speed
joey_isham10 August 2022
Not a fan of this one. It was almost as if the producers and writers discovered they can fast forward, slo-mo and rewind their cameras... And so they decided to do a whole one hour episode of these actions. It just got monotonous for me. And I also got tired of seeing Carroll O'Connor fake squint his eyes from the bright lights over and over and over again. 🙄
A FUN STUDY IN HUMAN NATURE
asalerno1029 May 2022
Two aliens begin a meticulous study of human behavior. They go to a hotel where a crime of passion has been committed, they use an ingenious device that controls time and this will help them advance or delay the action quickly or slowly and even stop it if necessary. Perhaps with today's technology where any of us can fast-forward, rewind, or freeze frame any movie with a simple remote control, this chapter may not seem that sophisticated, but if we go back to the 1960s, being able to see all that action is quite a novelty. What also makes this story interesting is that the aliens can study the details from different angles and the conclusions they draw as the investigation progresses is hilarious.
"It's their way of life. Bang, you're dead!"
classicsoncall13 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Watching the 'Outer Limits' series in order, I think this one is my favorite so far. I realize that takes me out of the mainstream viewership for a sci-fi anthology program like this, and I think I owe it all to the understated performance of Carroll O'Connor performing Martian caretaker duty here on planet Earth as the proprietor of a pawn shop! His observations on the human condition are so droll and unassuming that you just have to chuckle with each utterance he makes. His character 'Deimos' finds himself with fellow Martian investigator, Phobos One (Barry Morse) attempting to discover the human propensity to murder, since from their vantage point, it seems like an everyday occurrence and totally foreign to the Martian psyche. I would have to agree however, that the story makes repetitious use of the way Carla Duveen (Grace Lee Whitney) shoots her boyfriend Bert (Robert Fortier) when she suspects him of repeatedly cheating on her. For actor Fortier, it's a pretty thankless role as all he gets to do is get shot and fall down pretty much throughout the entire show, while the instant replays by virtue of Phobos's time altering gadget has him to do it over and over again. The episode hinges on what other stories of this nature might dub the 'butterfly effect', when an abrupt but insignificant alteration in the timeline might carry through to disastrous circumstances in the future. Sort of like when Mr. And Mrs. Hitler got together to have a son named Adolph. In any event, Phobos has to think quickly on his feet to avoid serious demotion for exceeding his authority with the Martian Probability Division. I can't say that his backup plan would have solved anything, but it made for a humorous and amusing episode.
Martian Observations
AaronCapenBanner12 March 2016
Barry Morse and Carroll O'Connor star as two Martians who come to Earth to understand how humans think and behave, chiefly why they commit the otherwise unheard crime of murder. They choose as their test subjects a beautiful but jilted woman named Carla Duveen(played by Grace Lee Whitney) who is going to shoot her cheating boyfriend Bert Hamill(played by Robert Fortier) in a hotel lobby. The Martians have the ability to stop time, and use that power to reverse and replay the killing repeatedly until they can decide what action needs to be taken to set things right... Odd comedic episode has a first rate cast and some funny bits, but is otherwise too silly, obvious, and predictable to succeed.
Every Chance They Get
LSTHNSTMAN31 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I admit that I have not seen this episode in years. The last time I did was when I rented it from a Blockbuster Video store over a decade ago. If I mess up a few points (please correct me) and do not excoriate me as much is devoted to memory. I first saw this episode when it was played on TV. I was taken with the subject. The OL used to scare the beejesus out of me, but this episode had a simple charm about it. If one believes that we are not alone and that ET's walk among us you can readily understand what I mean. The Et's that cohabit our society are not looking to enslave or conquer us, but rather are here to see what "makes us tick" so to speak. As Martian observer, Barry Morse is a quizzical, cynical, investigator amazed that such a species can exist. In fact if he reports negatively about Earth, or it might have to be eliminated for the good of the galaxy. Carroll O'Connor as the other Martian (he has been living on Earth for years) has a subtle appreciation of the "outpost" to which he has been assigned. While he finds it strange and at times violent (the intent of the episode is to figure out a quaint human custom known as MURDER) place) he has developed a fondness, even love of the human race and condition. This again was pre anti tobacco days and as he lights a cigarette and takes a "drag" he comments to Morse about the intake of nicotine and remarks something to the effect of they enjoy such mild decadence every chance they get. By the end of the experiment (and the deed of homicide is reviewed most tediously) Morse becomes enamored with the uniqueness and aforementioned charm of the heretofore disdained planet and its inhabitants. If memory serves me correctly at the end of the story O'Connor lights and hands a cigarette to Morse who takes a deep drag and muses to his to his colleague "every chance they get". His way of appreciating the human condition of always seeking self satisfaction and indulgence, regardless of conduct.
Un-Controlled Experiment
StuOz5 July 2014
Two Martians land on earth to do a silly experiment.
Firstly, let me say loudly and proudly, I love this series, I am even reviewing all 49 episodes on the IMDb, but having said that, I have real issues with this BORING hour. I have watched it about four times in my lifetime and each time it struggles to keep my attention. Limits had six stinkers and this is indeed one of them.
But only six bombs in a 49 episode TV series is actually a very good track record. Most 49 episode TV shows would have more bombs than that! This is just the nature of TV. So Limits still stands as a knockout TV series...and better than The Twilight Zone (1959).
Perhaps I have just spent too much time watching Barry Morse in deadly serious roles in QM's The Fugitive, one episode of QM's The Invaders and Space 1999 to take him as a comic actor in Controlled Experiment. But it is not just the two leads that bore the crap out of me but also the constant use of reverse motion footage that may of looked funny in 1964 but looks rather stupid in 2014.
Some males might enjoy looking at the cute lady in this hour but that is the only good thing I can say about "Un-Controlled Experiment".
Firstly, let me say loudly and proudly, I love this series, I am even reviewing all 49 episodes on the IMDb, but having said that, I have real issues with this BORING hour. I have watched it about four times in my lifetime and each time it struggles to keep my attention. Limits had six stinkers and this is indeed one of them.
But only six bombs in a 49 episode TV series is actually a very good track record. Most 49 episode TV shows would have more bombs than that! This is just the nature of TV. So Limits still stands as a knockout TV series...and better than The Twilight Zone (1959).
Perhaps I have just spent too much time watching Barry Morse in deadly serious roles in QM's The Fugitive, one episode of QM's The Invaders and Space 1999 to take him as a comic actor in Controlled Experiment. But it is not just the two leads that bore the crap out of me but also the constant use of reverse motion footage that may of looked funny in 1964 but looks rather stupid in 2014.
Some males might enjoy looking at the cute lady in this hour but that is the only good thing I can say about "Un-Controlled Experiment".
Controlled Experiment
Prismark1018 June 2023
The Outer Limits does comedy. Two Martians disguised as humans investigate the phenomenon of murder which seems to only afflict the people of earth.
A woman caught in a love triangle takes matter in her own hand. Carla Duveen (Grace Lee Whitney) is waiting for her boyfriend Bert Hamill to arrive in a restaurant. She then guns him down as he has been cheating on her.
The Martians, Deimos (Carroll O'Connor) who runs a pawnshop on Earth and Phobos (Barry Morse) a recent arrival. Both examine the cause and effect of Carla's actions. They rewind time with a device so they can find out more that led to the killing.
The comedy is a change of pace. Deimos and Phobos make a good team as Phobos learns to adapt to humanity such as coffee and cigarettes.
The story is let down with the events constantly getting repeated. Even the denouement was lame with Carla eventually buying Bert's weak excuse. An example of weak writing for women.
A woman caught in a love triangle takes matter in her own hand. Carla Duveen (Grace Lee Whitney) is waiting for her boyfriend Bert Hamill to arrive in a restaurant. She then guns him down as he has been cheating on her.
The Martians, Deimos (Carroll O'Connor) who runs a pawnshop on Earth and Phobos (Barry Morse) a recent arrival. Both examine the cause and effect of Carla's actions. They rewind time with a device so they can find out more that led to the killing.
The comedy is a change of pace. Deimos and Phobos make a good team as Phobos learns to adapt to humanity such as coffee and cigarettes.
The story is let down with the events constantly getting repeated. Even the denouement was lame with Carla eventually buying Bert's weak excuse. An example of weak writing for women.
Anatomy of a Murder
richardchatten14 June 2022
'The Outer Limits' has often been criticised for it's earnestness, but to the best of my knowledge this was the only episode played entirely for laughs, with hugely endearing results that anticipate the later Czech film 'Tomorrow I'll Scald Myself With Tea'.
The fussy extra-terrestrial investigators devoting all their energies into studying the act itself need only ask a fellow earthling the motivation; while the longstanding easy availability of guns in the United States goes a long way to explaining why it happens so frequently. I wouldn't have liked to be around when the couple's son grows up, but the fact that we still are presumably means the prediction hasn't come true. Yet.
The fussy extra-terrestrial investigators devoting all their energies into studying the act itself need only ask a fellow earthling the motivation; while the longstanding easy availability of guns in the United States goes a long way to explaining why it happens so frequently. I wouldn't have liked to be around when the couple's son grows up, but the fact that we still are presumably means the prediction hasn't come true. Yet.
The Power Of Coffee!
ferbs5412 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
There have been many amusing oxymorons compiled during the history of the English language--"jumbo shrimp," "icy hot," "living dead," "genuine imitation" and on and on--but on the evening of January 13, 1964, a brand-new one was added to the lexicon: "'Outer Limits' comedy"! And who would have ever expected laughs from a television show that had, in its previous 15 episodes, so gloriously succeeded in scaring the bejeebers out of its audience with a steady succession of monsters, space aliens and assorted strangeness? But in episode #16, halfway through its initial 32-episode season, "The Outer Limits" managed to provide just that in "Controlled Experiment," delivering an hour of sci-fi comedy that, to my great surprise, manages to hold up very nicely, now over half a century later. I had only a vague recollection of this television hour, merely remembering that it was easily one of the least impressive of this great series' 49 episodes, but a recent watch has served to upgrade this hour in my estimation, although I still insist that it is a very lightweight affair, especially when compared against the rest of Season 1's glories.
In this episode, the Martian Inspector Phobos One (played by Barry Morse, who was at this time starting a four-year run playing Lt. Gerard on TV's "The Fugitive," and who would, 12 years later, blast off into space again in Brit TV's "Space: 1999") arrives on Earth via spaceship (in a glaring inconsistency in this episode, he later states that he arrived on Earth from Mars in a matter of microseconds!) to investigate the quaint Terran custom known as "murder." He is aided by the Earth caretaker known as Diemos (Carroll O'Connor, here seven years away from portraying an Earthling with a decidedly alien--to many--viewpoint, on "All in the Family"), whose cover is a pawnshop proprietor, and together, the two repair to the seedy Lux-Del Hotel to watch and record a homicide that the Martian authorities have predicted will soon be taking place. Once ensconced in the lobby, the two witness blonde Carla Duveen (future "Star Trek" alumnus Grace Lee Whitney) gun down her "two-faced, no-good, black-hearted two-timer" of a boyfriend, Bert (Robert Fortier), and proceed to use their "temporal condenser" gizmo to study the killing over and over. Thus, they repeatedly turn the clock back, study the murder at 7/10 speed and 1/10 speed, rewind it and fast forward it, until Phobos gets the bright idea that he might be able to change the course of events, leading to eventual galactic catastrophe....
As reported in David Schow's indispensable "Outer Limits Companion" book, "Controlled Experiment" was filmed in just 4 1/2 days and cost a mere $100,000 to produce...one of "The Outer Limits"'s most inexpensive episodes ever. (Of course, this fact might have caused director Roger Corman some amusement, as he had, four years earlier, shot his "Little Shop of Horrors" in just two days, at a cost of $28,000!) The episode was written and directed by "OL" creator Leslie Stevens himself; one of only four episodes written by him (the others being the original pilot show "The Galaxy Being," "The Borderland" and "Production and Decay of Strange Particles"). Stevens also directed this episode, and shows some genuine talent in bringing home a fun hour of television on a very modest budget. To this episode's credit, the script is often very amusing, the two lead players are hugely ingratiating, and the FX (the light show that betokens that temporal condenser, the sped-up and slowed-down film, etc.) are clever. Of course, this very padded episode could easily have been condensed down to a more compact half-hour running time, and might have thus been more appropriate as a typical outing for "The Twilight Zone"; in truth, this episode FEELS more like a goofy "TZ" offering than one from the typically humorless "Outer Limits." As it is, this is surely the oddball outing of the classic 49, but one that, as I say, managed to entertain me last night as I sat down with minimal expectations. It is worth the price of admission just to see Phobos trying cigarettes and coffee for the first time, and to see the Martians' reactions to the Earthly habit of kissing. At the episode's finale, Phobos, for some unconvincing reason, decides to stay on Earth long term (another victory for the wonderful power of coffee?). Just wait until he gets to experience the act of kissing and, uh, etc. for himself!
In this episode, the Martian Inspector Phobos One (played by Barry Morse, who was at this time starting a four-year run playing Lt. Gerard on TV's "The Fugitive," and who would, 12 years later, blast off into space again in Brit TV's "Space: 1999") arrives on Earth via spaceship (in a glaring inconsistency in this episode, he later states that he arrived on Earth from Mars in a matter of microseconds!) to investigate the quaint Terran custom known as "murder." He is aided by the Earth caretaker known as Diemos (Carroll O'Connor, here seven years away from portraying an Earthling with a decidedly alien--to many--viewpoint, on "All in the Family"), whose cover is a pawnshop proprietor, and together, the two repair to the seedy Lux-Del Hotel to watch and record a homicide that the Martian authorities have predicted will soon be taking place. Once ensconced in the lobby, the two witness blonde Carla Duveen (future "Star Trek" alumnus Grace Lee Whitney) gun down her "two-faced, no-good, black-hearted two-timer" of a boyfriend, Bert (Robert Fortier), and proceed to use their "temporal condenser" gizmo to study the killing over and over. Thus, they repeatedly turn the clock back, study the murder at 7/10 speed and 1/10 speed, rewind it and fast forward it, until Phobos gets the bright idea that he might be able to change the course of events, leading to eventual galactic catastrophe....
As reported in David Schow's indispensable "Outer Limits Companion" book, "Controlled Experiment" was filmed in just 4 1/2 days and cost a mere $100,000 to produce...one of "The Outer Limits"'s most inexpensive episodes ever. (Of course, this fact might have caused director Roger Corman some amusement, as he had, four years earlier, shot his "Little Shop of Horrors" in just two days, at a cost of $28,000!) The episode was written and directed by "OL" creator Leslie Stevens himself; one of only four episodes written by him (the others being the original pilot show "The Galaxy Being," "The Borderland" and "Production and Decay of Strange Particles"). Stevens also directed this episode, and shows some genuine talent in bringing home a fun hour of television on a very modest budget. To this episode's credit, the script is often very amusing, the two lead players are hugely ingratiating, and the FX (the light show that betokens that temporal condenser, the sped-up and slowed-down film, etc.) are clever. Of course, this very padded episode could easily have been condensed down to a more compact half-hour running time, and might have thus been more appropriate as a typical outing for "The Twilight Zone"; in truth, this episode FEELS more like a goofy "TZ" offering than one from the typically humorless "Outer Limits." As it is, this is surely the oddball outing of the classic 49, but one that, as I say, managed to entertain me last night as I sat down with minimal expectations. It is worth the price of admission just to see Phobos trying cigarettes and coffee for the first time, and to see the Martians' reactions to the Earthly habit of kissing. At the episode's finale, Phobos, for some unconvincing reason, decides to stay on Earth long term (another victory for the wonderful power of coffee?). Just wait until he gets to experience the act of kissing and, uh, etc. for himself!
Many Layers Here
redryan6419 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
WHILE THIS EPISODE may have appeared to be hard core, straight down the middle SciFi, it is far more complex and delivers a lot more than first may meet the eye. To even limit its range to any pledge particular genre would be unfair.
TO BEGIN WITH, we are confronted with a couple of strictly scientific genius types from Mars. They are Phobos (Barry Morse) and Demos (Carroll O'Connor). Their mission on Earth is a sort of anthropological one. They are to observe human behavior; but not interfere with the normal course of events.
THE RESEARCHING PAIR winds up in the middle of a tryst where the third member of the triangle is present. We have a great on-screen moment illustrating the saying that "Hell knows not the fury of a women scorned!" In direct violation of their scientists' credo of non-interference with what goes on between various members of Homo Sapiens Sapiens and between the members of the opposite sexes; they prevent, indeed reverse a passionate killing.
ON THE WAY to this end, the two are introduced to man's use of caffeine ("Good To The Last Drop", that's coffee, Schultz) and nicotine (Tobacco). It appears that the two stoics were converted and perverted to being corrupted to the ways of these primitive Earthlings!
YES, AS WE said before, "THE OUTER LIMITS: Controlled Experiment" was mounted as a straight forward piece of pure Sci-Fi, but it wandered into some other categories of story. In the end, we have not only science fiction, but also a very deeply moving and quite subtly funny half hour.
THE NAMING OF the two researches Phobos and Demos should have tipped us off that there was a lot more than meets the eye. After all, "Phobos" and "Demos" being the names of the two moons of the planet Mars.
THIS HAS TO be about the best installment that the great anthology brought us. On that even Schultz concurs.
AS AN EXAMPLE of what our readership (as extensive as it isn't) will probably think that we have truly flipped our lids, Schultz and I respectfully present for your consideration the following.
WE BELIEVE THAT in addition to all of the previously enumerated attributes, we think that maybe, possibly be sort of allegorical; in that the events and characters portrayed represent events in our real world. Take the situation. Two stoics from the "Red" Planet arrive in order to study the life of Earthlings; in this case, specifically Americans.
AS AN UNINTENDED result of their clandestine observations of these obviously primitive and quite inferior beings, these hard-line researchers are co-opted into taking up some of the soft and degenerate Americans. Could this be satire in action? Do the Martians represent agents of the Soviet Union?
THERE WAS SOME fear during these days of the Cold War that our side would be corrupted by the Commies. The production team says that the Marxists were also vulnerable to such influences, possibly more so.
OH WELL, BELIEVE it or not, nothing ventured nothing gained!
TO BEGIN WITH, we are confronted with a couple of strictly scientific genius types from Mars. They are Phobos (Barry Morse) and Demos (Carroll O'Connor). Their mission on Earth is a sort of anthropological one. They are to observe human behavior; but not interfere with the normal course of events.
THE RESEARCHING PAIR winds up in the middle of a tryst where the third member of the triangle is present. We have a great on-screen moment illustrating the saying that "Hell knows not the fury of a women scorned!" In direct violation of their scientists' credo of non-interference with what goes on between various members of Homo Sapiens Sapiens and between the members of the opposite sexes; they prevent, indeed reverse a passionate killing.
ON THE WAY to this end, the two are introduced to man's use of caffeine ("Good To The Last Drop", that's coffee, Schultz) and nicotine (Tobacco). It appears that the two stoics were converted and perverted to being corrupted to the ways of these primitive Earthlings!
YES, AS WE said before, "THE OUTER LIMITS: Controlled Experiment" was mounted as a straight forward piece of pure Sci-Fi, but it wandered into some other categories of story. In the end, we have not only science fiction, but also a very deeply moving and quite subtly funny half hour.
THE NAMING OF the two researches Phobos and Demos should have tipped us off that there was a lot more than meets the eye. After all, "Phobos" and "Demos" being the names of the two moons of the planet Mars.
THIS HAS TO be about the best installment that the great anthology brought us. On that even Schultz concurs.
AS AN EXAMPLE of what our readership (as extensive as it isn't) will probably think that we have truly flipped our lids, Schultz and I respectfully present for your consideration the following.
WE BELIEVE THAT in addition to all of the previously enumerated attributes, we think that maybe, possibly be sort of allegorical; in that the events and characters portrayed represent events in our real world. Take the situation. Two stoics from the "Red" Planet arrive in order to study the life of Earthlings; in this case, specifically Americans.
AS AN UNINTENDED result of their clandestine observations of these obviously primitive and quite inferior beings, these hard-line researchers are co-opted into taking up some of the soft and degenerate Americans. Could this be satire in action? Do the Martians represent agents of the Soviet Union?
THERE WAS SOME fear during these days of the Cold War that our side would be corrupted by the Commies. The production team says that the Marxists were also vulnerable to such influences, possibly more so.
OH WELL, BELIEVE it or not, nothing ventured nothing gained!
Don't take it seriously and it's fun
shill-7760015 June 2022
Having waited nearly 40 years to watch The Outer Limits again, I'm sorry to say I've been distinctly unimpressed and really disappointed with most of the first season. Good sci-fi is at least a good adventure story, and great sci-fi - like all great literature & drama - makes us question ourselves, either as individuals or as a society. Although it does sometimes make one think, most of the time TOL barely rises above the level of 50s sci-fi b-movies. This episode isn't any better, but in my own opinion (feel free to disagree with me - I won't be offended!) it's far more enjoyable because it's tongue is firmly in it's cheek.
Being a fan of Barry Morse (am I the only one left outside of Canada?) I was looking forward to seeing a typically strong performance but didn't expect to discover he had a talent for understated comedy. Even more of a surprise was the performance of Carroll O'Connor. He plays his part completely straight, but towards the end you realise that his character's comedy is equally as strong as that of Morse, possibly even more so. And then there is the wonderful Grace Lee Whitney - almost unrecognisable without her Star Fleet uniform and with an early 60s hairstyle - and Robert Fortier (known for getting drunk with Scotty in the Star Trek episode 'By Any Other Name') both deliberately hamming up their parts for comedic effect and being all the more enjoyable because of it.
Is this great drama? Absolutely not. Is it an exciting adventure? Not in the slightest. Do we get a new perspective on the human condition? Do me a favour! But do we have an hour of brilliantly performed lightweight entertainment? Yep.
Watch this without any high expectations and you'll enjoy it.
(Btw, I know there are some real TOL fans here. Sorry for being so negative about the series - I really wanted and expected to be impressed with it, but, well, it is what it is.)
Being a fan of Barry Morse (am I the only one left outside of Canada?) I was looking forward to seeing a typically strong performance but didn't expect to discover he had a talent for understated comedy. Even more of a surprise was the performance of Carroll O'Connor. He plays his part completely straight, but towards the end you realise that his character's comedy is equally as strong as that of Morse, possibly even more so. And then there is the wonderful Grace Lee Whitney - almost unrecognisable without her Star Fleet uniform and with an early 60s hairstyle - and Robert Fortier (known for getting drunk with Scotty in the Star Trek episode 'By Any Other Name') both deliberately hamming up their parts for comedic effect and being all the more enjoyable because of it.
Is this great drama? Absolutely not. Is it an exciting adventure? Not in the slightest. Do we get a new perspective on the human condition? Do me a favour! But do we have an hour of brilliantly performed lightweight entertainment? Yep.
Watch this without any high expectations and you'll enjoy it.
(Btw, I know there are some real TOL fans here. Sorry for being so negative about the series - I really wanted and expected to be impressed with it, but, well, it is what it is.)
Deeper than it looks
joesoundman29 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Well you can't say that these fearmongers can't write a comedy, understated though it is. Much like "The Trouble With Tribbles", it is pure camp yet a bit of the sinister delicately installed.
Atomic bomb aftermath on a scale far beyond Earth, the allure and danger of addiction, the drug culture (yes caffeine too >>> it is ironically sold in schools by way of soda ya know...), and the episode is taking place during the Cold War with some subtle nods. And who could have even known then, as we now do, that yes! - the Milky Way really is heading to a collision with Andromeda.
Couple all this with seeing Morse and O'Connor in really offbeat (for them) and enjoyable roles, adding in Yeoman Rand as a jilted murderer, and the murder itself so dissected it becomes amusing, and ultimately thwarted, in direct violation of the orders 'from above' - because of the newly arrived austere inspector's growing affection for we silly Earthlings, with O'Connor's now-acclimated alien's fondness being already accomplished.....folks it's a truly enjoyable yet deeper-than-expected piece of science fiction, just as the writers intended, mixing a bit of comic relief from the usual dead-serious intensity but not eschewing the deeper messages of every episode, only camouflaging them a bit. As an 8 year old, this episode was boring. As an adult, not at all.
Atomic bomb aftermath on a scale far beyond Earth, the allure and danger of addiction, the drug culture (yes caffeine too >>> it is ironically sold in schools by way of soda ya know...), and the episode is taking place during the Cold War with some subtle nods. And who could have even known then, as we now do, that yes! - the Milky Way really is heading to a collision with Andromeda.
Couple all this with seeing Morse and O'Connor in really offbeat (for them) and enjoyable roles, adding in Yeoman Rand as a jilted murderer, and the murder itself so dissected it becomes amusing, and ultimately thwarted, in direct violation of the orders 'from above' - because of the newly arrived austere inspector's growing affection for we silly Earthlings, with O'Connor's now-acclimated alien's fondness being already accomplished.....folks it's a truly enjoyable yet deeper-than-expected piece of science fiction, just as the writers intended, mixing a bit of comic relief from the usual dead-serious intensity but not eschewing the deeper messages of every episode, only camouflaging them a bit. As an 8 year old, this episode was boring. As an adult, not at all.
Phobos vs Deimos, 0-1.
fedor821 April 2021
Warning: Spoilers
A rare comedic episode. Those were more common in "The Twilight Zone".
The premise is interesting, but there is one crucial flaw that keeps rotting away at the entire story: the total futility of the Martian's experiment. What's the bloody point of replaying and analyzing a random murder scene over and over? The visiting Martian comes off as a clueless clown rather than a scientist from an advanced species. Mulling over dollar bills and lipstick may be good for some pleasant social satire, but in terms of the Martian's mission of actually finding out whether man's murderous nature is contagious, it's an utterly useless experiment.
Additionally, the Phobos Martian seems to have come to Earth completely unprepared and utterly uninformed about the culture he's visiting. It seems to me that the Deimos Martian who'd been on Earth a long while is far more competent to provide answers than the clown Martian - who is the one in charge. Would an "advanced alien species" be so stupid as to not put the far more experienced Deimos alien in charge?
That the Phobos alien is a moron is doubtlessly proven and confirmed by his bewilderment that he doesn't understand English when it is played in reverse. He actually needed his assistant to explain this to him.
We also have to patiently wait until the Phobian moron finally concludes what we've known since the beginning - that the murder happened out of jealousy.
Which begs the question: how could the Martians not know about murder and the various motives for it? Even if there were no murders on Mars, they'd still have to have figured it out by now, having observed the Earthlings for many years. Surely, it can't be that difficult. I mean, we'd managed to figure out the amoeba...
This notion that other alien civilizations might be totally above hate, violence and killing is anyway a fairly moronic, naive idea which only sub-species such a Trekkies adhere to. Since the same laws of physics govern the entire universe, it is hence logical that all creatures would be involved in some kind of competition over resources, shelter, territory, and sexual partners. Maybe not all of those, but they must be involved in competition on some level. Or, if they "evolved" out of the need to be brutal, then surely they should have records of their violent past - hence they should understand violence, i.e. Know that it is an integral part of existence in a violent, non-forgiving cosmos. The notion that an advanced civilization must always be Gandhian, pacifist, very NOBLE - by default - is frankly always amusing to me. I subscribe much more to the "Alien" camp whereby any advanced civilization is far more likely to be brutal, or at least indifferent to our suffering.
Not that the Phobos Martian is shocked by the murder, mind you. He is indifferent to it, but he clearly regards it as bizarrely primitive behaviour. If Martians really did exist, the odds are extremely high that they'd be just as vicious as humans and animals. And given how hostile their planet is, they'd probably be even worse.
The idea of using an alien as a neutral outsider whose observations are riddled with satirical commentary on the absurdity of human behaviour is nothing new, of course. In fact, I am almost certain this premise had been already covered in pulp sci-fi or comic-books of the 30s, 40s and 50s, as indeed the vast majority of sci-fi-based ideas used in TV and cinema are stolen from these sources. ("The Matrix"? A smorgasbord of stolen ideas from comic-books and novels, nothing original there, unlike what the movie's deluded fans believe.)
The problem is that this premise offers so many more possibilities than this repetitious episode provides. Instead of moving around the plot a bit, we are stuck with one setting for nearly the entire episode, namely the hotel's lobby.
Check out my TOL list, with reviews of all the episodes.
The premise is interesting, but there is one crucial flaw that keeps rotting away at the entire story: the total futility of the Martian's experiment. What's the bloody point of replaying and analyzing a random murder scene over and over? The visiting Martian comes off as a clueless clown rather than a scientist from an advanced species. Mulling over dollar bills and lipstick may be good for some pleasant social satire, but in terms of the Martian's mission of actually finding out whether man's murderous nature is contagious, it's an utterly useless experiment.
Additionally, the Phobos Martian seems to have come to Earth completely unprepared and utterly uninformed about the culture he's visiting. It seems to me that the Deimos Martian who'd been on Earth a long while is far more competent to provide answers than the clown Martian - who is the one in charge. Would an "advanced alien species" be so stupid as to not put the far more experienced Deimos alien in charge?
That the Phobos alien is a moron is doubtlessly proven and confirmed by his bewilderment that he doesn't understand English when it is played in reverse. He actually needed his assistant to explain this to him.
We also have to patiently wait until the Phobian moron finally concludes what we've known since the beginning - that the murder happened out of jealousy.
Which begs the question: how could the Martians not know about murder and the various motives for it? Even if there were no murders on Mars, they'd still have to have figured it out by now, having observed the Earthlings for many years. Surely, it can't be that difficult. I mean, we'd managed to figure out the amoeba...
This notion that other alien civilizations might be totally above hate, violence and killing is anyway a fairly moronic, naive idea which only sub-species such a Trekkies adhere to. Since the same laws of physics govern the entire universe, it is hence logical that all creatures would be involved in some kind of competition over resources, shelter, territory, and sexual partners. Maybe not all of those, but they must be involved in competition on some level. Or, if they "evolved" out of the need to be brutal, then surely they should have records of their violent past - hence they should understand violence, i.e. Know that it is an integral part of existence in a violent, non-forgiving cosmos. The notion that an advanced civilization must always be Gandhian, pacifist, very NOBLE - by default - is frankly always amusing to me. I subscribe much more to the "Alien" camp whereby any advanced civilization is far more likely to be brutal, or at least indifferent to our suffering.
Not that the Phobos Martian is shocked by the murder, mind you. He is indifferent to it, but he clearly regards it as bizarrely primitive behaviour. If Martians really did exist, the odds are extremely high that they'd be just as vicious as humans and animals. And given how hostile their planet is, they'd probably be even worse.
The idea of using an alien as a neutral outsider whose observations are riddled with satirical commentary on the absurdity of human behaviour is nothing new, of course. In fact, I am almost certain this premise had been already covered in pulp sci-fi or comic-books of the 30s, 40s and 50s, as indeed the vast majority of sci-fi-based ideas used in TV and cinema are stolen from these sources. ("The Matrix"? A smorgasbord of stolen ideas from comic-books and novels, nothing original there, unlike what the movie's deluded fans believe.)
The problem is that this premise offers so many more possibilities than this repetitious episode provides. Instead of moving around the plot a bit, we are stuck with one setting for nearly the entire episode, namely the hotel's lobby.
Check out my TOL list, with reviews of all the episodes.
This is a down to earth problem.
Bernie444410 January 2024
We are always portraying the Martians as evil and cruel as in The War of the Worlds (1953) or sadistic as in Mars Attacks! (1996). But did you ever stop to think what the Martians must think of us?
In this episode (Outer Limits - "Controlled Experiment" (1963)), instead of being rash they send observers to fathom out a human phenomenon called murder. Never mind that the researchers look like Barry Morse (Phobos) and Carrol O'Connor (Dimeos).
Using their temporal condenser, they play the scenario over and again backward and in slow motion in the process. You will love their interpretations. Remember this was before 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996).
If you like this serious side to Outer Limits then you will like Alien Avengers (1996) where the vacationers (observers) take a more active interest.
In this episode (Outer Limits - "Controlled Experiment" (1963)), instead of being rash they send observers to fathom out a human phenomenon called murder. Never mind that the researchers look like Barry Morse (Phobos) and Carrol O'Connor (Dimeos).
Using their temporal condenser, they play the scenario over and again backward and in slow motion in the process. You will love their interpretations. Remember this was before 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996).
If you like this serious side to Outer Limits then you will like Alien Avengers (1996) where the vacationers (observers) take a more active interest.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
