The Outer Limits (TV Series) Birthright (1995) User Reviews

Intergalactic Politician

[Hitchcoc · 7/10 · 20 March 2014]

This is an interesting premise though a bit stodgy science-fiction wise. The plot has to do with an alien race that has already established itself pretty well in our nation's capital. It even has a senator in its pocket. Unfortunately for this poor guy, due to circumstances, he has forgotten his "mission." He is a liberal who is attempting to find a way to lower the carbon footprint. He is an up-and-comer with an attractive demeanor. After a short press conference, he is being driven to another meeting and his aide, after using some contaminated (for him) eye drops, loses control of the car and crashes into an oncoming truck. The senator finds himself in a hospital and all hell breaks loose. He meets a young nurse (Mimi Kusack) who tells him that his scans have revealed great abnormalities in his physiology. He is also acting irrationally and his vital signs are screwed up. Suddenly, a band of supposed CIA people enter the hospital and take him hostage. He is targeted for extermination, but as is the case in stories like this, he gets out of a badly secured van and escapes. From then on, he is treated to a series of discoveries. He enlists the aid of the doctor and they begin the process of trying to figure all this out. His absence is in all the newspapers, of course. There is a true sense of hopelessness that pervades this episode (something that will infest future episodes as well), but it is interesting to see it unfold. Some of the science asks the viewer for a lot of patience, but it's certainly worth a look.

Good plot, good acting

[habren · 8/10 · 15 January 2011]

For me, what defines the quality of a sci-fi TV show episode, is the feasibility of the scientific oddity presented, the story of the characters surrounding it and the acting qualities of the actors.

This episode was quite entertaining to me. The plot gradually build up from one 'huh?'-moment to the next. I could sympathize with the main character as in slowly not being able to trust anyone anymore. The story and acting were both quite good.

SPOILERS: I thought the science of the physical abnormalities was well thought of, but the idea of methane-based lifeforms and the need for methane injections were a bit too far fetched, however, the way it was presented was good enough, leaving me hardly questioning the plot. The big alien copy of the main character was not necessary and did have me more skeptical than before, but since that was nearly at the end, I was forgiving at this point. The ending was unexpected and good.

"In other living creatures, the ignorance of themselves is nature, but in men, it is a vice." - Boethius (Roman philosopher)

[Bored_Dragon · 7/10 · 2 February 2019]

So far, one of the most interesting premises, developed in a story that begins confusing and gradually unfolds, revealing little by little, until it slaps us with the unexpectedly sinister twist and leaves us with a feeling of hopelessness. I suppose the whole story is an allegory, in which aliens represent the leaders of the oil industry that are willing to do anything, including the destruction of the planet for future generations, in order to profit in their lifetime. However, at times the episode is a bit over the top and unconvincing, mostly because they once again chose explicitness instead of leaving some things for viewer's imagination. For that reason, it did not pull me in its atmosphere enough to leave a particularly strong impression.

7/10

clever allegory

[roedyg · 1 August 2011]

This is one of the better episodes. It is a clever allegory about alien life forms (corporations that live on petrochemicals (methane)) transforming the earth for their own ends, which unfortunately are diametrically opposed to human life. The aliens are not slathering monsters, but intelligent beings looking out for their self interest.

Perry King is completely believable as the senator Richard Adams who is confronted with ever stranger things happening to him. I am surprised this actor is not better known.

The Dr. Leslie McKenna character is an unusually heroic role for a female. She is brave, loyal and intelligent. I just beamed admiration for her every move. Yet she was believable. She had noble motivations and it pushed her to heroic action. She was not a Sydney Fox, out spoiling for a fight.

I think part of the reason this episode works so well, is the strange plot in only very gradually revealed. Each little revelation does not strain your credulity too much. The writers Michael Berlin and Eric Estrin did a bang up job on this.