The Outer Limits: Season One

Science fiction in the visual realms—film and TV—frequently bear little resemblance to their bookish cousins, which makes this new incarnation of the 1960s anthology show The Outer Limits a particular joy. The 21 episodes here, from the series' 1995 first season on Showtime, are intelligent, literate, even provocative, and indeed some episodes are written by or adapted from works by respected sci-fi authors—including Melinda Snodgrass and George R.R. Martin—or by scriptwriters who have gone on to raise the bar for sci-fi on TV, such as Stargate SG-1's Jonathan Glassner. Boasting remarkable production values and uniformly dedicated and smart performances, these 45-minute mini-movies from the Cable Ace award-winning and Emmy-nominated show also feature an amazing roster of guest stars, including sci-fi familiars Nancy Allen, Michael Dorn, Robert Patrick, Leonard Nimoy, David Warner, and others (as well as big name stars, such as Beau and Lloyd Bridges, here appearing as father and son). DVD extras include five featurettes. Highly recommended. (M. Johanson)