Rating: 
Summary: Great series, horrible packaging. Be aware.
Review: While The Outer Limits is an all time classic that I was very eager to get, the thrill has been tempered somewhat by the utterly shoddy packaging that MGM has given the series. MGM has decided to do the first 32 episodes on 4 disks, making each disk double-sided. While not a problem in itself, the label for each disk is reduced to the small 6-point type around the inside hub, and you will spend much time squinting to see what disk it is, much less what side. Add to this the fact that none of the episode lists (either on the package or insert booklet) tells you which side of a disk a particular episode is on, and you're bound to have needless frustration trying to find a particular episode without a major search. MGM has produced a substandard product with this presentation.(And why on Earth, in the SECOND set, did they split the series only two-parter up to TWO sides of a disk?) Picture quality and sound are good, thankfully, though the opening menu is extremely irritating. I try to keep the sound off during it.
Rating: 
Summary: Season One a Well-seasoned One
Review: The original 1960s version of THE OUTER LIMITS is arguably one of the best science-fiction series ever created for television. The writing was fresh, innovative, and literate, and episode plots were often inspired by the real-life scientific and social issues of the day. True, the show's limited budget sometimes resulted in cheesy special effects, but the producers and their crews worked hard to ensure that the stories were of the highest quality. Even though the series lasted only two seasons, the intelligence and overall quality of the program have helped it to remain an influential sci-fi favorite for more than 40 years. This set of DVDs contains the entire first season of THE OUTER LIMITS, which originally aired during the 1963-1964 TV season. Many fans and critics regard this to be the best of the two seasons, but that is highly debated by fans and critics who feel the second season to be superior. Whatever the case may be, there are definitely some standout episodes in Season One. Some of those include: "The Zanti Misfits" is a story that addresses, among other things, the issues of overcrowded prisons and capital punishment. When Earth agrees to incarcerate criminals from the planet Zanti, the Earthlings learn that they aren't quite prepared to deal with the gangsters, racketeers, and murderers from another planet. (This remains to this day one of the most popular episodes among the show's ardent fans.) In "The Man Who Was Never Born," an 20th-century astronaut inadvertently travels through a time-warp to Earth's future, where he learns that the human race is doomed to extinction as the result of a biological experiment designed by a 20th-century scientist. When the astronaut and one of the last members of the human race decide to return to the 20th century and prevent the disaster, they learn that toying with history and destiny comes with a high price. In "The Architects of Fear," a group of the world's great thinkers decide that the only way to unite Earth's warring nations is to give them a common non-terrestrial enemy to battle--so they cook one up in the laboratory. A myriad of actors and actresses who would later go on to become big stars appeared in various first-season episodes. This estimable group includes Cliff Robertson, Robert Culp, Donald Pleasence, David McCallum, Martin Landau, Sally Kellerman, Martin Sheen, Edward Asner, Bruce Dern, Dabney Coleman, Carroll O'Connor, Richard Dawson, Russell Johnson, Marion Ross, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Duvall, Vera Miles, and Barbara Rush. The producer during this first season was Joseph Stefano, probably better known to non-genre fans as the screenwriter who adapted Robert Bloch's novel to the big screen for Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO. There have been alot of complaints circulating regarding the picture quality of this DVD set, and it is true that there seems to have been little, if any, work done in the digital restoration of these wonderful sci-fi teleplays. This is unfortunate, because some of the episodes do show minor amounts of scratches, spots, and other wear artifacts. However, these are DVDs, so the picture quality is still quite acceptable and does not include any of the tape-noise artifacts or signs of tape wear that consumers suffered through with the previously released VHS editions. All in all, Season One of THE OUTER LIMITS makes a fine addition to the DVD collection of any science fiction fan. (NOTE: The four-star rating does take the non-restored picture quality into account, as well as the fact that the DVDs do not offer any special features or extras. Otherwise, this DVD set would earn a five-star rating.)
Rating: 
Summary: Like eating peanuts, you can't stop after just one
Review: This four disc set brings you this landmark series in all its' monochromatic glory. A beautiful transfer with crisp sound makes these still unsettling episodes a pleasure to watch. That they can still be watched at all after 40 years is a tribute to the creative forces behind the series, Joseph Stefano and the late Leslie Stevens. Guided by their vision, The Outer Limits scared a generation of nascent television watchers and became an icon of the 60s. (I can still remember being sent to bed about half way through THE ZANTI MISFITS because it frightened me!)Like any anthology, the quality of the stories was variable, but episodes such as THE 100 DAYS OF THE DRAGON, THE ARCHITECTS OF FEAR (my vote for the best episode)and A FEASIBILITY STUDY more than made up for weaker offerings such as TOURIST ATTRACTION. Over the years, I've watched the Outer Limits many times, and each viewing is always a fresh new experience. To be sure the special effects are dated and on the surface, the LOOK of the series is firmly rooted in the mid 1960s, but the feel of The Outer Limits and the polemic of the series remains vibrant and relevant. Now, if only they could have thrown a few bones our way when it came to extras....
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