DVD Region 2. pub: MGM Home Entertainment 10005401 MZI. 5 DVDs 17 episodes no extras but an informed booklet 14 hours. Price: £29.99 (UK) and its easy to get at the good price of £18.72 looking around).

check out website: www.mgm.com

I was nearly two-thirds of the way through the second season of the original 'Outer Limits' when I read and reviewed the 'Outer Limits Companion' book reviewed a couple months ago. It caused me to stop and reassess myself before continuing to the end. Mostly because of the insight of the changes when Leslie Stevens and Joseph Stefano were no longer involved and to consider from their replacements point of view, which as the book points out, their experience prior to tackling a SF anthology series was from scripting series like 'Perry Mason'. That becomes more apparent with the 'I, Robot' story which is set in a courtroom. Oddly enough, there are also some fine episodes here as well, which just goes to show that even people lacking knowledge in SF can either pick good stories or learn requirements very quickly even back in the 60s.



'Soldier' and 'Demon With A Glass Hand' were heavy influences on a certain 'Terminator' film series. The same could be said for 'The Premonition' where time stands still and the characters have to work out what is going on has appeared elsewhere over the years. Watching this episode triggered my memory of seeing it in its first UK run back in the 60s. I missed the opening credits but I was spell-bound then as I was this time. You focus more on the dilemma rather than the set stages for some of the effects. The two-part 'The Inheritors' and 'The Probe' also illustrated a desire to show not all alien invaders were malevolent, keeping in frame with the first season. That's not to say that a couple stories like 'Behold Eck!' and 'The Invisible Enemy' weren't questionable but I doubt back then any one had thoughts that 'The Outer Limits' would be revered as much as it still is today. Whether you're a nostalgia buff or just want to see some decent interesting SF then this is still a bargain to own.

GF Willmetts