When this was first aired back in the 60s, I felt a strange love and empathy for 'Regina'. I was only 6 and I fell in love. I felt gutted by the episode's conclusion. But that was when I was 6. Decades later I was happy to be able to view this again through the magic of DVDs. Yes, I own them ALL. I was hesitant to watch this episode. I still had this pit in my stomach. There was something about this episode that lingered and haunted. The title....UGH! Is it corny or clever? After putting it off long enough I finally sat down with it. Here is an excellent example of an outrageous story...an unlikely tale. I know the Outer Limits of the 60s had nearly no budget, but these special effects were surprisingly poor. And yet, despite the apparently ridiculous plot and the dismal effects, I found myself suspending disbelief. The effects, as bad as they were, were simply a device to portray the idea of what was happening, not an attempt to dazzle the eye. Somehow, I overlooked the poor effects and found myself focusing on the story. The acting was superb. Joanna Frank's unsettling beauty and unbalancing sultriness brought me back to being 6-years old again. (As I understand it, Frank complained that she was given no helpful direction as to how to play Regina. This turns out to be a genius move because she delivers her lines as if she really isn't certain of her humanity or the impact of what she would say) I fell in love and was ultimately gutted at the conclusion, again. I wouldn't take anything away from Philip Abbott or Marsha Hunt. Both are more than convincing in what would by all other definitions a ludicrous idea for an episode. The tension between Frank and Hunt ends up being fine drama as does Abbott's final tirade to an unwelcome Frank. Frontiere's usual anxiety provoking music seemed to be practically non-existent here. It's there, but this is an anomaly...a quieter episode. So, I may have a bias since I hold the original series in reverence. It was a part of my childhood and was the only fantastic oddity on TV then. But, I was once again enchanted by this episode. It should have been lame. It wasn't. A fine example of better than average story telling enacted by a committed cast of professionals delivering credible performances. I'm sorry I didn't watch it sooner.
24 Reviews
Who knows what those bees are thinking.
Sleepin_Dragon4 June 2023
Professor Ben Fields is visited by a strange young woman, who's there for the post of his assistant, Regina, holds a very strange secret, and is there for one purpose alone.
First off, I love the title, ZZZZZ, plain and simple, from that you know exactly what the topic is going to be, and it doesn't disappoint. It takes a bit of time to develop, but when it does, it's another classic, unforgettable episode.
It instantly put me in mind of a great, memorable episode of Tales of the unexpected, called Royal Jelly, if you've not seen it, check it out, I can't help wondering if ZZZZZ had some degree of inspiration for it.
Joanna Frank is captivating as Regina, she exudes quality, she is beautiful, but sinister and odd in equal measure, you could imagine Ben would eventually fall for her charms. Those eyes of hers are quite something.
Philip Abbott and Marsha Hunt are very good as the devoted couple, but it's the intruder that held my attention.
Best scene has to be the final confrontation between Ben and Regina, it's quite a moment.
8/10.
First off, I love the title, ZZZZZ, plain and simple, from that you know exactly what the topic is going to be, and it doesn't disappoint. It takes a bit of time to develop, but when it does, it's another classic, unforgettable episode.
It instantly put me in mind of a great, memorable episode of Tales of the unexpected, called Royal Jelly, if you've not seen it, check it out, I can't help wondering if ZZZZZ had some degree of inspiration for it.
Joanna Frank is captivating as Regina, she exudes quality, she is beautiful, but sinister and odd in equal measure, you could imagine Ben would eventually fall for her charms. Those eyes of hers are quite something.
Philip Abbott and Marsha Hunt are very good as the devoted couple, but it's the intruder that held my attention.
Best scene has to be the final confrontation between Ben and Regina, it's quite a moment.
8/10.
The best thing about the episode is the presence of Joanna Frank
asalerno1031 May 2022
An entomologist conducting research on bee behavior is visited by an exotic and intriguing woman who offers herself as his assistant. In reality, she is a queen bee that has taken on the human aspect for the sole purpose of copulating with the scientist and turning him into a human drone. The worst thing about this episode is unfortunately the FX, absolutely poor and simple. The best are the performances mainly by Joanna Frank who has a hypnotic, intriguing and mysterious appearance, her mere presence is disturbing, and the script is very solid.
Excellent, Exotic Joanna Frank as Queen Bee...
francodomenico18 February 2007
...attempting to advance the "Bee World" by luring an entomologist, Ben(Philip Abbott)to fall in love with her--Only Problem: He is married.
Excellent Commentary on Humanities by the "Voice" at end of the Episode- reminiscent of Communism being anti-human: "...without love, drones can never be men, and men can only be drones..."
PS: I have always been in "love" with Joanna Frank--She looks like an Italian Princess!
Philip Abbott is a wonderful actor, who unfortunately recently passed away. And, pay close attention to "Regina's"(Frank) facial expressions, and how she really looks like a Bee.
There is one incredibly sensual clip of her jumping around a bed of Lille's in the garden of her employer's residence. Don't miss it.
She was only 19 years old when she played "Regina."
Excellent Commentary on Humanities by the "Voice" at end of the Episode- reminiscent of Communism being anti-human: "...without love, drones can never be men, and men can only be drones..."
PS: I have always been in "love" with Joanna Frank--She looks like an Italian Princess!
Philip Abbott is a wonderful actor, who unfortunately recently passed away. And, pay close attention to "Regina's"(Frank) facial expressions, and how she really looks like a Bee.
There is one incredibly sensual clip of her jumping around a bed of Lille's in the garden of her employer's residence. Don't miss it.
She was only 19 years old when she played "Regina."
One Voloptuous Queen
bkoganbing22 September 2020
Dr. Philip Abbott is an entomologist and is working on a machine that will enable
him to communicate with bees. But the bees are evolving as well and their queen
has morphed into human form.
Joanna Frank's mission is to somehow seduce Abbott into mating with her and creating a new hybrid intelligent species that can take over.
The bee scientists must have done some considerable research into what attracts the male of the human species. Joanna Frank is the total package including some eye popping breasts. Still Abbott stays loyal to his wife Marsha Hunt.
Another Outer Limits story that will stay with you for decades after you saw it.
Joanna Frank's mission is to somehow seduce Abbott into mating with her and creating a new hybrid intelligent species that can take over.
The bee scientists must have done some considerable research into what attracts the male of the human species. Joanna Frank is the total package including some eye popping breasts. Still Abbott stays loyal to his wife Marsha Hunt.
Another Outer Limits story that will stay with you for decades after you saw it.
Joanna Frank
lwolf-326 December 2008
francodomenico mentioned that Ms. Frank was only 19 when she was in this episode, but if you click on her name in the above credits, it will take you to the IMDb page for Joanna Frank. It plainly shows that she was born in 1941. Unless they filmed this episode of The Outer Limits in 1960, and waited to air it in 1964, then she couldn't possibly have been 19 years old when she was in it. Her year of birth was confirmed on another website before I posted this comment, so it is unlikely to be an error on the part of IMDb for posting the incorrect year of her birth.
I do agree that she gave a wonderful performance in the episode. She definitely gives you the impression that her character (Regina) is trying to 'blend in' but not picking up on the nuances of human interactions in order to accomplish that completely.
I do agree that she gave a wonderful performance in the episode. She definitely gives you the impression that her character (Regina) is trying to 'blend in' but not picking up on the nuances of human interactions in order to accomplish that completely.
Plot vs. characters
lithops-134-78332015 August 2011
Warning: Spoilers
As far as plot lines go, the plot for this episode is FAR from one of the best. However, this didn't stop a boy of 10(at the time) from being TOTALLY infatuated with the character "Regina", playing the role as a queen bee who has gone through some TOTALLY unexplained metamorphosis into a gorgeous human female, in order to breed with a human entomologist, and somehow increase the genetic capabilities of homey bees(they sure could have used it!!). The character of Regina was played by Joanna Frank, who is actually the elder sister of famous TV producer Steven Bochco, who attended my alma mater; Carnegie-Mellon, where he earned a B.A. in Fine Arts. At the time, it was still known as Carnegie Technical Institute, later(1967) to combine with the Mellon Institute, and thereby becoming the Carnegie-Mellon that I knew. What I cannot understand, is why an actress that LOOKED like Joanna Frank didn't appear in MORE TV and/or movie productions? She certainly had the looks, and she carried off the role as "Regina", the not-quite-assimilated-into-human-society queen bee quite well, giving a very convincing "there's SOMETHING just not right about that girl" performance. When browsing the IMDb database, there really isn't a very large resume for someone who has such a prolific producer as a brother! Someone like Ron Howard, for instance, manages to use both his Dad AND his brother Clint in virtually EVERYTHING he produces for the large and small screens alike!
Not bad
mikelcat8 May 2009
An interesting idea for an episode , which is usually what '' The Outer Limits '' came up with on this groundbreaker of the 60s .Joanna Frank is tasty for sure as Regina the queen bee turned human seductress and she certainly is striking enough and does have a kind of bee look (in a good way ) to her face .Phil Abbott is a fine actor with many films to his credit and Marsha Hunt is also good as his unfortunate wife . Also in the cast as the doctor is Booth Coleman who played the bad guy Morries in the sci-fi thriller ''World Without End ''. All in all fairly well done and while not the best of the great sci-fi series it makes for an entertaining watch .
Impressive
bluesbear-15 February 2010
One of my favorite OL episodes. I remember watching this when it originally aired and it certainly helped expand my eight year old imagination. Especially when I was around my grandfather's beehives.
Having recently watched it again for the first time in 45 years it was just as good as I remembered it but for slightly different reasons.
I can now better appreciate the beauty of Regina. And I am also very impressed with the ability of the bee colony to not only engineer a queen who could transform into human form (and what a form) but also a human form complete with a designer dress and underwear. However I still don't know where the bees had hidden their laboratory.
Having recently watched it again for the first time in 45 years it was just as good as I remembered it but for slightly different reasons.
I can now better appreciate the beauty of Regina. And I am also very impressed with the ability of the bee colony to not only engineer a queen who could transform into human form (and what a form) but also a human form complete with a designer dress and underwear. However I still don't know where the bees had hidden their laboratory.
The Outer Limits--ZZZZZ
Scarecrow-8818 April 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Sound, credible acting and intelligent back and forth dialogue almost (some might think does for the most part) compensate for a silly premise (bees using their power to transform their queen into a luscious young woman with designs on mating and reproducing with a human man of an older vintage) and inferior special effects (The Outer Limits was always about strong acting, intelligent dialogue, and moody photography; the special effects never were the show's strong suit; the opening scene has the bee turning into a woman and there is way too much emphasis on her face returning to bee form). Certainly fascinating is the tense dynamic that exists between the two women over the man. Besides the doc who informs the entomologist that his assistant is a mutant with a funny physiology, this is a three-person story, with the results tragic and unfortunate for all involved. While seeing Regina talking about their master plan with her bees through a communication device in Ben's entomology lab left me cringing a bit (they want to prolong their lives with Regina mating with a human and reproducing), Marsha Hunt's impeccable portrayal of an older wife (but still quite beautiful) trying to persuade her husband that his assistant is not who she claims to be (and that she threatens the very fabric of their caring, fruitful marriage and loving relationship) really brings a ton of brevity to the episode. It is the kind of performance that speaks volumes in just reactions and expression. You can see how insulting Joanna Frank's snide comments are to her. Like the use of "old age" and the nasty subtle swipes regarding the inability to have offspring; Frank's gloves come off because her queen bee wants the man currently attached to Hunt's Francesca. There's a really great early scene where the three are at supper, with the conversation veering towards insects and how dangerous they can be (and, in particular what insects think
), Frank with knowledge that is slightly injected into the dialogue. Frank is trying to determine if Hunt has a fear of insects so she can exploit it (and late in the episode does
). When Ben and Francesca discuss Regina, the angst is palpable and believable even though this married couple seems to remain on sound footing despite the young beauty trying to shake their foundation. When Regina vies to gain Ben's love towards the end multiple times, rejected each time, it comments on how inexcusable the fate of Francesca ultimately was. Frank is quite yummy; curvy and sultry, hair in a wave that hovers over one side of her face, a smile that seems to hide hostile intent, this is quite a delicious part for the sexy femme fatale. Ben's anguish at the end is heart-felt and understandable. I like how Hunt and Philip Abbot's entomologist have such an affection and respect for one another. That is important, I think, if we are to be emotionally invested in how Frank's queen bee, Regina, destroys that love through the release of her species, sicking them on her adversary. Frank is hard to forget after the episode is over. She is pure sex given form.
The Queen Bee
claudio_carvalho16 April 2018
The entomologist Prof. Benedict O. 'Ben' Fields is hiring an assistant to help him since he is developing a machine to communicate with bees. The Queen Bee Regina takes human form and applies to the position. Ben´s wife Francesca Fields finds the situation strange but her husband hires Regina. Ben does not know that Regina has the intention to seduce Ben to mate with him to create a better hybrid species. Will she succeed?
"ZZZZZ" is an absolutely dated episode of "The Outer Limits" in 2018. The story of a queen bee turning into a seductive woman to seduce a scientist to improve her species is silly even for a child in the present days. The cast has good performances but unfortunately the plot is not satisfactory. My vote is five.
Title (Brazil): "ZZZZZ"
"ZZZZZ" is an absolutely dated episode of "The Outer Limits" in 2018. The story of a queen bee turning into a seductive woman to seduce a scientist to improve her species is silly even for a child in the present days. The cast has good performances but unfortunately the plot is not satisfactory. My vote is five.
Title (Brazil): "ZZZZZ"
What's All the Buzz About? Oops! Sorry!
Hitchcoc9 January 2015
Along with "The Zanti Misfits," this is the episode that I most recall from my childhood. An entomologist is perfecting communication with bees. He has a machine that actually translate their sounds into English. He is a bit of a distant character, as are some of these scientific types, but lives with his loving wife in a kind of idyllic setting. As the story opens, we see a bee in a garden, morphing into a beautiful young woman. The professor has been seeking a lab assistant and she is suddenly there, with a real knowledge of these creatures. She is also sultry and defiant, seeing the wife as an adversary. We come to realize that she is the queen from the colony, designated to mate with the professor, give the bees longevity, and take over the world. There are so many holes in the story, but the sexual byplay taking place with the professor is really quite erotic. This is a really embracing episode at times and we watch the professor to see if he is going to allow his maleness get in the way of his good judgment.
How enhance a genetic code thru two unequal breeds!!!
elo-equipamentos7 February 2021
The Bees always attracts the human being for many reasons, its prominence is lifeline to mankind survives, in this weird episode the Bees have been surveyed by an expert entomologist Dr. Benedict O. Fields (Philip Abbott) that developed an upscale electronic device that somewhat translate what the Bees are talking each other through a disguised bug, when he requires through a newspaper an assistant to aid him at laboratory, even before the adds be printed a young girl Regina (Joanna Frank) presents herself for the job, actually Regina is a Queen Bee that had a kind of shape-shifting into human body.
Her assignment is lures the brilliant scientist to mate him and get pregnancy in order to enhance the genetic code of the Bees, nonetheless his insecure and jealous wife Francesca Fields (Marsha Hunt) tries figure out how this young girl appears before the adds went to the public, also Francesca distrust of some odd behavior of the girl sniffing flowers at late night on the garden, all rolled up lift suspicions of the mid age woman, ZZZZ obviously ain't a rather episode until now in this fabulous series, however as wrote by some reviewers has their upholders!!
Thanks for reading.
Resume:
First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
Her assignment is lures the brilliant scientist to mate him and get pregnancy in order to enhance the genetic code of the Bees, nonetheless his insecure and jealous wife Francesca Fields (Marsha Hunt) tries figure out how this young girl appears before the adds went to the public, also Francesca distrust of some odd behavior of the girl sniffing flowers at late night on the garden, all rolled up lift suspicions of the mid age woman, ZZZZ obviously ain't a rather episode until now in this fabulous series, however as wrote by some reviewers has their upholders!!
Thanks for reading.
Resume:
First watch: 2021 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7
ZZZZZ
Prismark106 July 2023
There is a buzz about this episode caused by Joanna Frank, who plays Regina. A Queen Bee who has taken a human form.
Regina manages to get a job as an assistant for Professor Ben Fields. A renowned entomologist who has created a machine to communicate with bees.
His wife Francesca (Marsha Hunt) is immediately suspicious of Regina and her odd behaviour. Pretty soon Francesca buzzes off permanently.
Regina plans to mate with the professor and procreate a new hybrid species of bees.
No wonder the professor finds Regina so alluring. However his eyes sees the situation better, after his wife dies. Regina could never completely understand human nature.
This is a goofy story, and Joanna Frank is great. The rest of it is underwhelming. The special effects of the time do not help even for making allowances.
Regina manages to get a job as an assistant for Professor Ben Fields. A renowned entomologist who has created a machine to communicate with bees.
His wife Francesca (Marsha Hunt) is immediately suspicious of Regina and her odd behaviour. Pretty soon Francesca buzzes off permanently.
Regina plans to mate with the professor and procreate a new hybrid species of bees.
No wonder the professor finds Regina so alluring. However his eyes sees the situation better, after his wife dies. Regina could never completely understand human nature.
This is a goofy story, and Joanna Frank is great. The rest of it is underwhelming. The special effects of the time do not help even for making allowances.
Bee mine
nickenchuggets15 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
After over 4 months, I am back to talking about The Outer Limits, a show so strange that many of its episodes will linger in your mind half a century after you watched them. This episode is one of the most memorable of the entire show, even if the plot is kind of ridiculous and unrealistic. The episode begins with a queen bee morphing into a pretty young girl named Regina (Joanna Frank), which occurs in the garden of an entomologist named Ben (Philip Abbot). Ben needs a coworker for his science experiments involving bees, and Regina takes up his offer, but only because she wants to create a new, advanced, human/bee hybrid race by procreation. At first, Regina seems like a fairly normal (if easily excitable) girl, until Ben reveals to her a machine he's invented that allows him to talk with bees. When Ben steps out of the room, she takes control of the machine and tells her underlings that she has to accomplish her goal of breeding with Ben and then killing him. At dinner one night, Ben, Regina, and Ben's wife Francesca (Marsha Hunt) are having a conversation about bees, and Regina's vast knowledge of how drone bees are killed in the mating process unnerves her, especially because she seems giddy when talking about it. Francesca tells Ben she doesn't trust Regina, and she later sees her drinking from a flower in Ben's garden. Regina uses the communication machine a second time, but collapses and screams. Ben's doctor is called in but can't seem to find anything wrong with her physically. The doctor however confesses Regina is the closest thing he's seen to a mutant because her biology doesn't resemble that of a human. Once Regina gets over what the doctor called her "food poisoning", she tries using the machine again, but this time, Francesca catches her red-handed. Regina commands the large swarm of bees kept in the laboratory to kill Francesca by stinging her. Because Ben left the house shortly before this, he doesn't get to see his wife one more time. Regina eventually comes back one last time to see Ben, still wanting to marry him, but she gets visibly angry when Ben tells her about how humans mate. Regina backs up too far and falls out a balcony. Her time in her human form comes to an end, but she is still alive and well as a queen bee. I remember the first time I watched this, I thought all the characters in it were played competently, but now, I feel only Joanna Frank is truly a cut above the rest. I realize that she was born in 1941, thus making her only 23 years old at the time of filming this, but it's not hard to see why she's confident Ben will fall for her. She's also extremely young compared to Ben's wife, which makes it clear why Francesca grows to dislike her. Joanna also puts on a great performance to accentuate the way she looks, since she appears happy and outgoing most of the time (but for all the wrong reasons). She's a great monster because like all well written villains, she's unconscious of the suffering she causes. Overall, I thought this episode's plot was quite absurd, which can sadly be said for a lot of Outer Limits episodes, being as old as they are. A lot of them just don't hold up to scrutiny, but the sheer uniqueness of this type of storyline is what makes me like it so much.
"I smell the things that bloom in the night."
classicsoncall16 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The weirdest thing happened while I was watching this program. I had it on while doing a light workout, and I always place a blanket on the floor to do push-ups and leg bicycles. There's no plausible reason for what occurred next. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a yellow jacket, a form of wasp, crawl across the blanket looking kind of worn out and feeble. If I didn't know better, I would have thought our pal Regina (Joanna Frank) from the episode summoned forth the insect to give me the heebie-jeebies. No kidding, it really happened on the morning I'm writing this.
Well, enough of that, I guess. You really have to hand it to old Professor Ben Fields (Philip Abbott) for not succumbing to the charms of Queen Bee Regina. Filmed mostly in profile to exhibit her natural charms, Regina couldn't get the professor to sway even one little bit while practically in his face. After drawing some blood, the good Doctor Howard (Booth Colman) proclaimed her a virtual mutant, and if he'd seen her sipping nectar from a water lily, he might have had a coronary himself.
If you found this show to be entertaining, you're probably a good candidate to check out the 1959 movie "The Wasp Woman". In that one, the head of a beauty products company decides to take a few years off her age by taking an unproven youth serum developed by a company scientist. And if that's doesn't give you a buzz, try getting your hands on an episode of "Tales of the Unexpected" titled 'Royal Jelly'. It should come as no surprise that both of them, along with 'ZZZZZ", would generally be considered B(ee) programs.
Well, enough of that, I guess. You really have to hand it to old Professor Ben Fields (Philip Abbott) for not succumbing to the charms of Queen Bee Regina. Filmed mostly in profile to exhibit her natural charms, Regina couldn't get the professor to sway even one little bit while practically in his face. After drawing some blood, the good Doctor Howard (Booth Colman) proclaimed her a virtual mutant, and if he'd seen her sipping nectar from a water lily, he might have had a coronary himself.
If you found this show to be entertaining, you're probably a good candidate to check out the 1959 movie "The Wasp Woman". In that one, the head of a beauty products company decides to take a few years off her age by taking an unproven youth serum developed by a company scientist. And if that's doesn't give you a buzz, try getting your hands on an episode of "Tales of the Unexpected" titled 'Royal Jelly'. It should come as no surprise that both of them, along with 'ZZZZZ", would generally be considered B(ee) programs.
Joanna Frank - buzzing with quirky, enigmatic charm
michael-115124 August 2022
Sometimes you want to shout at actors: stop pretending, be yourself! Not this time.
The somewhat far-fetched tale of an entomologist translating bee-talk is dominated by the dazzling, tongue in cheek - or should I say wing in mouth - performance of Joanna Frank. It's said she was left to her own devices to interpret the role, she does so with sensuality, effortless intrigue - and the occasional waspish aside to Marsha Hunt, the Professors' wife, sadly apparently childless, having lost her female offspring, who would now have been Regina's age. Phil Abbott plays it straight as the Prof, fending off the Queen Bee's advances, rather better and more decisively than many other men would, or could.
It's a Darwin-esk episode about mating and survival, but the dialogue also includes metaphorical allusions to other issues - such as the role of emotion and feelings, in science.
Ultimately, the slightly suspect special effects made no difference to the excellent calibre of this intense, meaningful drama, within which, a strange scientific phenomenon arose, whereby Ms Frank was able to sizzle as well as buzz.
The somewhat far-fetched tale of an entomologist translating bee-talk is dominated by the dazzling, tongue in cheek - or should I say wing in mouth - performance of Joanna Frank. It's said she was left to her own devices to interpret the role, she does so with sensuality, effortless intrigue - and the occasional waspish aside to Marsha Hunt, the Professors' wife, sadly apparently childless, having lost her female offspring, who would now have been Regina's age. Phil Abbott plays it straight as the Prof, fending off the Queen Bee's advances, rather better and more decisively than many other men would, or could.
It's a Darwin-esk episode about mating and survival, but the dialogue also includes metaphorical allusions to other issues - such as the role of emotion and feelings, in science.
Ultimately, the slightly suspect special effects made no difference to the excellent calibre of this intense, meaningful drama, within which, a strange scientific phenomenon arose, whereby Ms Frank was able to sizzle as well as buzz.
Not a great episode, but Joanna Frank is quite alluring....
planktonrules23 July 2012
This is a pretty goofy episode if you think about it. There's an odd-ball scientist who has learned to communicate with bees...yes, bees! Somehow, the bee queen is transformed into a woman and comes to work as the professor's assistant. Why? Because she wants to mate with him--thus ushering in a new hybrid bee species that will rule the world!! Seriously.
Overall, the folks try to make this work but I must say that this and the previous episode ("Do Not Open Until Doomsday") were both pretty weak. Fortunately, the next one, "The Invisibles", is probably the best show of the series. The only thing that saves this particular episode, a bit, is Joanna Frank as the bee queen. She is very alluring and easy on the eyes (don't tell my wife I said this or I'll be in hot water with her). And, according to IMDb, she's Stephen Bochco's sister.
Overall, the folks try to make this work but I must say that this and the previous episode ("Do Not Open Until Doomsday") were both pretty weak. Fortunately, the next one, "The Invisibles", is probably the best show of the series. The only thing that saves this particular episode, a bit, is Joanna Frank as the bee queen. She is very alluring and easy on the eyes (don't tell my wife I said this or I'll be in hot water with her). And, according to IMDb, she's Stephen Bochco's sister.
Well done!
nataliebauerokc26 January 2024
The 'Zzzzzzzz' episode of The Outer Limits is a fascinating tale that revolves around the life of Ben, a brilliant etymologist, and his loving wife, Francesca. The story takes an exciting turn when a Queen Bee undergoing experimentation in Ben's laboratory suddenly transforms into a human being, leaving the audience stunned and bewildered. The unexpected transformation has a profound impact on Francesca's mental health, and she experiences a nervous breakdown due to the shock of witnessing such a bizarre occurrence.
As the story progresses, Regina, the Queen Bee who now has a human body, begins to exhibit unusual behavior. She develops strong feelings for Ben and desires his love in her Queen Bee form. Ben, on the other hand, finds himself realizing how Regina feels a d is conflicted about her growing attraction to him. As the situation becomes increasingly complex and bizarre, Ben must navigate a treacherous maze of moral and ethical dilemmas to find a way out of this strange and surreal predicament that he has created because he wanted to know what bees are saying. Despite the challenges he faces, Ben remains determined to uncover the truth behind Regina's transformation and the strange forces that seem to be at work in his laboratory.
The story's setting is quite realistic, with Ben's study coming across as a genuine laboratory. The laboratory's details, including the bee communication machine, make it quite convincing. The cast of actors played their roles perfectly, making the plot believable despite its potential to come across as improbable.
The drama is highly entertaining, with its realistic bee close-ups spliced into the plot at the right time, adding to the authenticity of the story. Francesca the wife is the typical character that sees things as they are, yet her husband does not believe her. Regina wants to survive in her human form and plays a scary character with an evil giggle. Ben is the typical scientist so caught up in his experiment that he cannot see what his experiment is creating. It is a blend of a mad science experiment and how it would affect earth.
Regina has a gorgeous mod-cut hairstyle that was very fashionable and characteristic in the early sixties. The wife has a coiffed hairstyle typical of fifties making her look homey compared to Regina. Regina wears a secu fitted dress, Francesca wears pressed conservative dresses. The juxtaposition of sexy Regina and conservative Francesca made me feel bad for Francesca. Her husband thinks she is crazy and Francesca comes off as alluring and charming.
What makes this drama even more intriguing is the fact that the bees have human conversations from their hive they have a creepy also buzz, creating a creepy atmosphere that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Overall, 'Zzzzzzzz' is a well-crafted drama that combines elements of horror and science fiction, making it an exciting watch for fans of these genres.
I will not give any spoilers, but leave you to see what happens.
As the story progresses, Regina, the Queen Bee who now has a human body, begins to exhibit unusual behavior. She develops strong feelings for Ben and desires his love in her Queen Bee form. Ben, on the other hand, finds himself realizing how Regina feels a d is conflicted about her growing attraction to him. As the situation becomes increasingly complex and bizarre, Ben must navigate a treacherous maze of moral and ethical dilemmas to find a way out of this strange and surreal predicament that he has created because he wanted to know what bees are saying. Despite the challenges he faces, Ben remains determined to uncover the truth behind Regina's transformation and the strange forces that seem to be at work in his laboratory.
The story's setting is quite realistic, with Ben's study coming across as a genuine laboratory. The laboratory's details, including the bee communication machine, make it quite convincing. The cast of actors played their roles perfectly, making the plot believable despite its potential to come across as improbable.
The drama is highly entertaining, with its realistic bee close-ups spliced into the plot at the right time, adding to the authenticity of the story. Francesca the wife is the typical character that sees things as they are, yet her husband does not believe her. Regina wants to survive in her human form and plays a scary character with an evil giggle. Ben is the typical scientist so caught up in his experiment that he cannot see what his experiment is creating. It is a blend of a mad science experiment and how it would affect earth.
Regina has a gorgeous mod-cut hairstyle that was very fashionable and characteristic in the early sixties. The wife has a coiffed hairstyle typical of fifties making her look homey compared to Regina. Regina wears a secu fitted dress, Francesca wears pressed conservative dresses. The juxtaposition of sexy Regina and conservative Francesca made me feel bad for Francesca. Her husband thinks she is crazy and Francesca comes off as alluring and charming.
What makes this drama even more intriguing is the fact that the bees have human conversations from their hive they have a creepy also buzz, creating a creepy atmosphere that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. Overall, 'Zzzzzzzz' is a well-crafted drama that combines elements of horror and science fiction, making it an exciting watch for fans of these genres.
I will not give any spoilers, but leave you to see what happens.
Going Ape Over An Apiary Wonder
ferbs5419 May 2017
What a difference between episodes 17 and 18 of the groundbreaking '60s TV program "The Outer Limits"! While the earlier episode, "Don't Open Till Doomsday," had been one of the series' very finest outings, and had featured one of its most memorable female grotesques, the haglike Mrs. Kry played by screen legend Miriam Hopkins, the latter episode, "ZZZZZ," was one of the series' least impressive efforts, BUT one that featured a woman who is possibly the most fetching of all the many "OL" starlets. But a recent rererererewatch of "ZZZZZ," as has been the case with so many of the other episodes, has only served to enable me to reevaluate and upgrade my previous ratings, and I found that I actually quite enjoyed seeing this lesser effort last night.
The episode features what might be the most far-fetched story line of any "OL" hour. Here, a hive of bees somehow transforms its queen into the very human-looking Regina, remarkably portrayed by Joanna Frank. Regina's purpose would seem to be to insinuate herself into the household of local entomologist Benedict Fields (played by Philip Abbott), to acquire a job as his lab assistant, to disaffect him from his wife (Marsha Hunt, who had co-starred in my favorite Susan Hayward movie, 1947's "Smash-up, The Story of a Woman"), to have sex with the befuddled professor, and thus beget a new order of long-lived superbee. But Mrs. Fields has her suspicions of the mysterious Regina from the outset, and these suspicions are only confirmed when she notices the young lady suck the nectar from a nighttime garden bloom, and then transform herself into a giant bee! Later, after Regina is disabled by a case of food poisoning (she really should stick to just nectar and pollen!), a doctor is called in, and, after an examination, proclaims that she is "the closest thing to a complete mutant that I've ever seen." Quite an assistant, the Fields have brought into their household!
As I mentioned, the plot of "ZZZZZ," for this viewer, anyway, is patently ridiculous, and the main stumbling block of this episode for me has always been that I just couldn't get past the improbability of its central conceit. I mean, it would be easier for me to believe in energy monsters created from dustballs, parasitic rock creatures, an attempt by a Communist country to influence the U.S. presidential election (actually, that last one now seems VERY believable), and human-faced, alien ant creatures than the possibility of bees creating a human woman in the form of Joanna Frank. Thus, this episode used to bore me with its extreme unlikelihood, the "ZZZZZ" of the title connoting snores rather than insect buzzes. But as I said, attitudes do change. For me, last night, this episode was salvaged by the performance of Joanna Frank herself, who David Schow, in his "Outer Limits Companion" book, has called the series "one-and-only Bee Girl." And is she ever...if "B" stands for "beautiful," "brunette," "busty" and "babelicious"! Indeed, Joanna Frank just might be the most overtly sexually appealing of all the many "OL" female performers, and is perfectly well suited to play the role of the humanized queen bee. You'll forgive me for saying so, I trust, as I go a little ape over this apiary wonder, but she is a B girl who is more of a double-D girl, playing a role in "ZZZZZ" and who most male viewers would probably like to see doing XXX! No wonder series producer Joseph Stefano cast her instantly when he first saw her (in Elia Kazan's great autobiographical film "America, America"). "I have passed the threshold and I am beautiful," she declares after her initial transformation, and few viewers, I have a feeling, would disagree. Frank does wonderfully well in her role, and looks the part, too; her sleek black hair almost looks like an insect's chitinous shell at times, while the close-up shots of her oversized eyes reveal a mysterious starburst pattern deep within. But as it turns out, "ZZZZZ" offers even more than just Joanna Frank's overwhelming presence.
The film features some nice dialogue by Meyer Dolinsky, verging on the poetic at times; winning direction from John Brahm (who had previously helmed such "psychotronic" films as "The Undying Monster" and "The Mad Magician," as well as such superlative episodes of "Thriller" as "The Cheaters," "Well of Doom" and "Flowers of Evil"), and typically impressive lensing by the great Conrad Hall. Indeed, this episode really is beautifully shot, with wonderful use of soft-focus lenses (such as in the exquisitely done dinner sequence, with those mellowed candles) and many gorgeous close-up shots of the three central players. The combination of great talents behind the camera and Joanna Frank in front of the camera does serve to rescue this improbable outing, as it turns out. But...one central question remains, among many others: Was it REALLY necessary for Regina to set her sights on an entomologist, especially one who is so dedicated to his longtime wife? Wouldn't any human dude have sufficed, if all she wanted was a goodly dose of manly DNA? After all, it would be hard to imagine any living male turning down her offer....
The episode features what might be the most far-fetched story line of any "OL" hour. Here, a hive of bees somehow transforms its queen into the very human-looking Regina, remarkably portrayed by Joanna Frank. Regina's purpose would seem to be to insinuate herself into the household of local entomologist Benedict Fields (played by Philip Abbott), to acquire a job as his lab assistant, to disaffect him from his wife (Marsha Hunt, who had co-starred in my favorite Susan Hayward movie, 1947's "Smash-up, The Story of a Woman"), to have sex with the befuddled professor, and thus beget a new order of long-lived superbee. But Mrs. Fields has her suspicions of the mysterious Regina from the outset, and these suspicions are only confirmed when she notices the young lady suck the nectar from a nighttime garden bloom, and then transform herself into a giant bee! Later, after Regina is disabled by a case of food poisoning (she really should stick to just nectar and pollen!), a doctor is called in, and, after an examination, proclaims that she is "the closest thing to a complete mutant that I've ever seen." Quite an assistant, the Fields have brought into their household!
As I mentioned, the plot of "ZZZZZ," for this viewer, anyway, is patently ridiculous, and the main stumbling block of this episode for me has always been that I just couldn't get past the improbability of its central conceit. I mean, it would be easier for me to believe in energy monsters created from dustballs, parasitic rock creatures, an attempt by a Communist country to influence the U.S. presidential election (actually, that last one now seems VERY believable), and human-faced, alien ant creatures than the possibility of bees creating a human woman in the form of Joanna Frank. Thus, this episode used to bore me with its extreme unlikelihood, the "ZZZZZ" of the title connoting snores rather than insect buzzes. But as I said, attitudes do change. For me, last night, this episode was salvaged by the performance of Joanna Frank herself, who David Schow, in his "Outer Limits Companion" book, has called the series "one-and-only Bee Girl." And is she ever...if "B" stands for "beautiful," "brunette," "busty" and "babelicious"! Indeed, Joanna Frank just might be the most overtly sexually appealing of all the many "OL" female performers, and is perfectly well suited to play the role of the humanized queen bee. You'll forgive me for saying so, I trust, as I go a little ape over this apiary wonder, but she is a B girl who is more of a double-D girl, playing a role in "ZZZZZ" and who most male viewers would probably like to see doing XXX! No wonder series producer Joseph Stefano cast her instantly when he first saw her (in Elia Kazan's great autobiographical film "America, America"). "I have passed the threshold and I am beautiful," she declares after her initial transformation, and few viewers, I have a feeling, would disagree. Frank does wonderfully well in her role, and looks the part, too; her sleek black hair almost looks like an insect's chitinous shell at times, while the close-up shots of her oversized eyes reveal a mysterious starburst pattern deep within. But as it turns out, "ZZZZZ" offers even more than just Joanna Frank's overwhelming presence.
The film features some nice dialogue by Meyer Dolinsky, verging on the poetic at times; winning direction from John Brahm (who had previously helmed such "psychotronic" films as "The Undying Monster" and "The Mad Magician," as well as such superlative episodes of "Thriller" as "The Cheaters," "Well of Doom" and "Flowers of Evil"), and typically impressive lensing by the great Conrad Hall. Indeed, this episode really is beautifully shot, with wonderful use of soft-focus lenses (such as in the exquisitely done dinner sequence, with those mellowed candles) and many gorgeous close-up shots of the three central players. The combination of great talents behind the camera and Joanna Frank in front of the camera does serve to rescue this improbable outing, as it turns out. But...one central question remains, among many others: Was it REALLY necessary for Regina to set her sights on an entomologist, especially one who is so dedicated to his longtime wife? Wouldn't any human dude have sufficed, if all she wanted was a goodly dose of manly DNA? After all, it would be hard to imagine any living male turning down her offer....
Very good ep but two problems
smithbea18 September 2020
This OL ep has two hot females in it and they are both fine eye candy. The trouble is the following:
1. You may be squeamish at looking at bees so up close 2. Why did they not give a better explanation as to how one of the bees came to take on human form. Are these bees mutants?
1. You may be squeamish at looking at bees so up close 2. Why did they not give a better explanation as to how one of the bees came to take on human form. Are these bees mutants?
Bee My Honey
AaronCapenBanner12 March 2016
Joanna Frank stars as a literal queen bee of a intelligent bee hive who has gained the ability to metamorphose into the human form of a beautiful woman(calling herself Regina) who becomes a lab assistant to a Professor Ben Fields(played by Philip Abbott) who has created a device that can communicate with bees in their hive, effectively translating their insect language into English. Regina decides to mate with Ben in order to create a hybrid race, despite him being already married, which confuses her because of the new emotions like love she struggles to understand, though the rest of the hive is determined to keep her their queen. Joanna Frank is quite alluring and believable here, and gains viewer sympathy, though not enough is made of this wild premise ultimately. Still worthwhile, and no relation to later film "Sssssss".
One Of The Six Stinkers In The Series
StuOz5 July 2014
A doctor and a "Bee girl" create terror.
Many male viewers will get a buzz out of the cute female lead, but come on reviewers, this is The Outer Limits not Baywatch, this series needs more than an attractive female each week!
This studio-bound hour does not really feel like The Outer Limits to me, I don't know what it is, but not The Outer Limits. I wish I could single out something good about ZZZZZ but I just can't.
Many male viewers will get a buzz out of the cute female lead, but come on reviewers, this is The Outer Limits not Baywatch, this series needs more than an attractive female each week!
This studio-bound hour does not really feel like The Outer Limits to me, I don't know what it is, but not The Outer Limits. I wish I could single out something good about ZZZZZ but I just can't.
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