Opening title card for The Outer Limits
Opening title card for the 1995-2002 revival
The Outer Limits is a science fiction anthology series that was broadcast on ABC from September 16, 1963, to January 16, 1965. Created by American producer and writer Leslie Stevens, it shares many similarities to Rod Serling's iconic CBS show The Twilight Zone (as it was just one of the many television shows that Twilight Zone inspired), though the former had a much more science fiction approach to storytelling, while the later incorporated both science fiction and supernatural themes. Later the series was revived on March 26, 1995 on Showtime and syndication, moved to Syfy in March 2001 to aired the seventh and final season of the revival; the 152nd and final episode aired on January 18, 2002.
History[]
The Architects of Fear[]
Dr. Allen Leighton after his transformation into an "alien"
On September 30, 1963, The Outer Limits premiered the third episode of the first season titled "The Architects of Fear", directed by Byron Haskin and written by Meyer Dolinsky In the episode, a secret collective of concerned scientists at United Labs devise a plan to prevent a global nuclear war by tricking the world's nations into allying with each other against a common enemy by staging a fake alien invasion. In order to create such a hoax, one of the scientists would have to go under several drastic medical procedures and surgeries in order to look an alien inhabitant of the planet Theta (for which they have studied surface conditions of). As they draw lots over who will be transformed into the creature, Dr. Allen Leighton (played by Robert Culp)[1] is chosen and his death is later faked to cover up his disappearance.
When Dr. Leighton's metamorphosis was complete, the scientists equipped him with a energy weapon and a spaceship before being launched into orbit as a satellite, where (according to their plans), it would crash land at the United Nations building. However, the hoax quickly falls apart when the ship goes off course and lands in a wooded area near the United Labs facility. When Leighton disintegrated the station of three hunters, they shoot him back in retaliation, leaving him mortally wounded. As Allan Leighton scrambles back to the lab, his wife Yvette (Geraldine Brooks) senses that something is wrong and goes to the facility, where upon she encounters her now unrecognizable husband then suddenly collapses to the floor. Before Leighton dies, he makes a sign with his hand that only Yvette, leading to her realizing the horrible fate of her husband.
"Mr and Mrs. Hollis" visiting Sally Jupiter at her retirement community in California while The Outer Limits plays in the background.
Events of Watchmen[]
A few months later following the 11/2 Psychic Shockwave disaster in New York City and their failed attempt to stop it in Antarctica, Dan Dreiberg (Nite Owl II) and Laurie Juspeczyk (Silk Spectre II) visit the original Silk Spectre, Sally Jupiter, at her retirement community in California during the holiday season. Now living under new identities and hiding from the authorities, Janey opens to her mother about discovering the identity of her biological father and and forgiving Sally for keeping the dark truth hidden from Janey all these years.
DC Timeline[]
Adrian Veidt utilized the plot from that episode as his inspiration to uniting humanity against a terrifying enemy believed to be from another world.
Trivia[]
- The basic premise of Ozymandias' plan in Watchmen is almost identical to that of "The Architects of Fear", as both involve grand conspiracies to save the Earth from nuclear annihilation by uniting humanity against a manufactured alien threat. Although Alan Moore claims it was merely a coincidence, he deliberately added the homage in the final issue upon discovering the similarity. DC Comics editor Len Wein, however, stated that Moore admitted to stealing the plot from The Outer Limits episode and when Wein pushed him to change it to something original, Moore refused, and Wein quit the book over it. In the Before Watchmen: Ozymandias limited series, Len Wein retroactively had Adrian Veidt be directly inspired in-universe by "The Architects of Fear" episode, a reference to his breakout with Moore.
- While the film adaptation of Watchmen omits the "space squid" entirely, the opening titles of The Outer Limits are shown on a television screen towards the end of the film.
- In the fifth episode of the limited HBO series Watchmen, a direct reference to "The Architects of Fear" is made when Adrian Veidt claims that the only weapon that can stave off mankind's extinction is fear, and subsequently claims to be its architect.
External Links[]
The Outer Limits (1963 TV series) on Wikipedia- The 1995-2002 revival on Wikipedia
- The Architects of Fear on Wikipedia
