tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post185649434543722601..comments2024-03-13T23:42:41.022-07:00Comments on We Are Controlling Transmission: Spotlight on "The Probe" and a EulogyJohn Scolerihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15830334036783163702noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-55360737159387272652021-10-11T23:50:01.217-07:002021-10-11T23:50:01.217-07:00"As for the lame set".... they're th..."As for the lame set".... they're the most memorable things about the episode for me. I think that big whole up in the corner of that big room with those billowy walls looks mysterious and inviting. Indeed, lots of non parallel surfaces to make for a good sounding home theater system, or just to hang out and be alone. As always, thanks to Chester Bayhi and Jack Poplin. Greghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12007548640789388359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-88124462267210194662015-07-19T22:14:25.896-07:002015-07-19T22:14:25.896-07:00It was sad to see the show end with Harry Lubin...It was sad to see the show end with Harry Lubin's music,--fine for One Step Beyond--but for TOL, dreadful.The show's decline in the second season was a sad one but there were some good episodes, and some changes of pace that weren't that awful, just different.<br /><br />Now ThisTV is starting up with the first episode of the first season, and it's a winner. The classic original opening, with a longer, more ominous (but also more fun) control voice introducing it is just right. I've always found Cliff Robertson an odd choice for this one, as he doesn't strike me as a sci-fi actor (whatever that is). Still, it was a coup for the producers to have got him to headline the first season's first ep.<br /><br />Anyway, thanks giuys for your contributions and insights. Even when I disagreed with them they were great fun to read and showed love and enthusiasm for the old series.<br /><br />For the record, I too was a fan of Fireball XL5. Talk about great opening music! <br /><br /> john kenrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00710666533854296630noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-52380726615866839692014-12-18T07:30:00.410-08:002014-12-18T07:30:00.410-08:00Due to JACKIE GLEASON, I never saw most of the 2nd...Due to JACKIE GLEASON, I never saw most of the 2nd season.<br /><br />For the 1964-65 season, MY weekly does of science-fiction was what was probably the single best-written series Gerry Anderson did in all of the 60s-- FIREBALL XL5. That ran for 2 years on Saturday mornings here, which is a long time when you're a little kid.<br /><br />Then at the end of the summer, it was GONE.<br /><br />A few weeks later, I discovered ANOTHER "space" show to take its place. Oh well, it had to do.<br /><br />And so, out went Dominic Frontiere, Harry Lubin, and Barry Gray... in came JOHN WILLIAMS. You know what I'm talking about.Henry R. Kujawahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01607373491331529952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-26650520724804624502014-04-22T20:59:33.720-07:002014-04-22T20:59:33.720-07:00I agree with Hamhock about it being perfectly all ...I agree with Hamhock about it being perfectly all right, maybe not by Outer Limits standards, but on its own. One of my few problems with (and even this one goes away long before the end) is that the Amanda character moves close to that "helpless female character" cliché that the show usually stayed away from. She never actually becomes one, but she asks so many of those scared questions in a row that I'm always waiting for Jeff to blow up at her completely, instead of just getting annoyed the way he does.<br />Even though I don't see nearly as much unintentional funny stuff in it as most of you do, there is one moment, and that's when they leave Dexter on his own that way, right after unthawing him. He's the only one so far who came close to getting killed, and he's the one they leave alone! Did they think he wasn't going to run out of luck any time soon?Grantnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-31941383241281937782013-12-19T14:28:38.918-08:002013-12-19T14:28:38.918-08:00With Harlan Ellison playing such a big role in Sea...With Harlan Ellison playing such a big role in Season 2, they should have had him doctor up The Probe as a kind of "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" for 8-year-olds. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-2791864085305880002013-01-25T00:33:03.459-08:002013-01-25T00:33:03.459-08:00I'm sorry, but I must disagree with your gener...I'm sorry, but I must disagree with your general assessment of this episode. THE PROBE has always been one of my favourite episodes of the series. It was a well contrived concept IMHO. First Contact stories are nothing new in science-fiction. Yes, this is a FC story with a twist -- the aliens never are seen. Instead we encounter a piece of their technology and the attempts by these lay-people to communicate with the force controlling it. As for the lame set, this is the early 1960's, high quality SF sets were still a thing of the future -- compare with the sets used in NIGHTMARE. The concept here was well thought out and scripted and had a good cast. This is one episode I wish they HAD remade in the 1990's series.Hamhockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16163655302116087944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-56123894148548170512011-04-01T17:19:27.790-07:002011-04-01T17:19:27.790-07:00hey, i like The Standells!...
great site, just fo...hey, i like The Standells!...<br /><br />great site, just found it & looking forward to plowing through it...Prof. Grewbeardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16132543249418576650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-72565565472915268122011-03-15T14:26:59.769-07:002011-03-15T14:26:59.769-07:00LOL good 1 Larry. I been an OL fan for years ever ...LOL good 1 Larry. I been an OL fan for years ever since seeing them in syndication as a kid in the 70's. Bought the complete set from Amazon and now my poor girlfriend has to pretend to enjoy them with me haha.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-24944689860846030412011-03-15T01:26:15.517-07:002011-03-15T01:26:15.517-07:00Ted--
Very amusing walk-through of the Prod (I me...Ted--<br /><br />Very amusing walk-through of the Prod (I mean..Probe). Your eulogy is a fitting and proper way to close the book on this baby; beautifully articulated, as always.<br /><br />Mark H--- FUNNY limerick; good one!<br /><br />Closing thought....<br />Ted's mention of the fact that you can't tell whether the "Mikie" is coming or going reminds me of a joke-----<br /><br />A blind man is at a street corner with his seeing-eye dog, when the dog suddenly lifts his leg and pees on the guy's pants and shoe. Soaked. So the blind chap takes a treat out of his pocket and excitedly says to his pooch "Here, boy---here's a treat; good boy!" etc.<br /><br />A curious observer walks up and says "Excuse me, sir..but your dog just lifted his leg all over your pants; why are you offering him a treat???--to which the blind man replies: "I'm trying to find his head so I can kick him in the ass."<br /><br />THE END<br /><br />LRLarry Rapchaknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-63486935504727480902011-03-14T21:06:55.615-07:002011-03-14T21:06:55.615-07:00Nice, Ted, a very enjoyably amused/bemused rundown...Nice, Ted, a very enjoyably amused/bemused rundown(over) of "The Probe". I think I mentioned before at some point; this episode was shot not long after Mark Richman also did the final TWILIGHT ZONE, an odd distinction (that one wasn't very good either).<br /><br />And a fine OLogy, and I imagine we'll have more thoughts (and stuff) tomorrow. Been quite a ride.Larry Blamirenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-9001558590455803852011-03-14T19:54:05.957-07:002011-03-14T19:54:05.957-07:00Thanks, Ted (and as Mark mentioned, DJS as well). ...Thanks, Ted (and as Mark mentioned, DJS as well). <br /><br />If an episode did ever come close to the OL comic books I highlighted over the weekend, this would be it. All that was missing was a boy to save the world.<br /><br />Farewell, WACT: somebody make sure to put it in a freezer bag and stash it in The Way-Back Machine, yeah?David C. Holcombnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-47894638417944887082011-03-14T17:28:09.122-07:002011-03-14T17:28:09.122-07:00Mark H---
Uranus is probably where the aliens con...Mark H---<br /><br />Uranus is probably where the aliens contracted Mikie. And, hey---GREAT Outre Limerick! I knew my riposte to your challenge wouldn't go unanswered!<br /><br />Thanks, folks, for the kind remarks. The daily habit of the blog had to end---we all knew that. And it had to end with a whimper---we couldn't evade that. But my only regret is that most of us are bound to drift away from regular active contact. That's a shame. We've demonstrated that we have a lot of other genre product in common. <br /><br />I mean, we'll probably try. We'll connect, maybe, in J&P's Batcave, or on some other brainstorm blog they concoct---I'm beginning to see how their devious minds work. But the sad fact is, for most of us here, this was THE blog; the chance to unite in a major common passion and create a synergy of productive and expansive insight.<br /><br />We joke about the "Ass.Prod" position on a production. I actually WAS an Ass.Prod on a little indie horror film shot here in Ohio a couple of years ago. (My lone IMDb credit, last I looked. CLOSED FOR THE SEASON---finally coming out on DVD this summer. Ubiquitous DJS sighting: I got to work with Aimee Brooks, who also starred in the DJS-scripted CRITTERS 3---"Six degrees of David J. Schow"!) When a month of almost exclusive night shoots had ended, I think I felt the same way as I do now: <br /><br />A whole lot of fun people to be with---all fiercely dedicated to a crazy project that caused outsiders to shake their heads and buzz about what a weird breed we were---suddenly reached the end of their common involvement. It was over. Time to go back to whatever. "Keep in touch! See you on Facebook! Let's do another!"<br /><br />Many of us have. Let's do likewise here. Don't make me more of an Ass.Prod than I already am.Ted Rypelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-91314267045873305812011-03-14T16:51:30.994-07:002011-03-14T16:51:30.994-07:00A fine eulogy, Ted, and a valiant spotlight.
Than...A fine eulogy, Ted, and a valiant spotlight.<br /><br />Thanks for the shout-out, too, and same goes to Mr. Schow for continuing to host the HBOL sitelet on his site. David H. and I talk about giving the thing a proper facelift -- adding a few more episode reviews, posting some naked pictures of Sally Kellerman and whatnot, but who knows if we'll ever find the time. Especially now that WACT lives... to infinity, I hope.<br /><br />Oh, and it turns out I <i>do</i> have something to say about today's episode:<br /><br />If ever an hour did strain us<br />And make S2's bankruptcy as plain as<br />A raft-humping Mikie<br />Of which we cried, "Crikey!"<br />At least "The Probe" flew past UranusMark Holcombnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-5500698963889791352011-03-14T16:05:36.945-07:002011-03-14T16:05:36.945-07:00Excellent wrap-up, Ted. How cool was it to re-liv...Excellent wrap-up, Ted. How cool was it to re-live OL with its most dedicated fans? Everyone pitched in with incisive and often heartfelt comments, celebrating a truly unique series worthy of ongoing praise. As far as I'm concerned, WACT has been a wonderful way of life these past few months. Thanks so much for taking the initiative, Peter and John... and David, kudos as usual.Gary Geraninoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-56511585727777429792011-03-14T15:55:38.618-07:002011-03-14T15:55:38.618-07:00Your comments on the episode were as funny as Pete...Your comments on the episode were as funny as Peter and John's. Perhaps that is the gift of The Probe, that it should leave us laughing rather than feeling sad. And, of course, by comparison it reminds us of how good the OL could be at its best. Ugly stepchild or not, as you said elsewhere, The Probe is part of the OL, so we take it along with us and try to find room for it in the pack, perhaps without looking too closely.<br /><br />Beautiful and moving eulogy as well to the series and to WACT. You nicely captured those far-gone and rapidly receding days that played such a big part in making those of us of a certain age who we are. I'm not sure that I'd want to relive every minute of those days, but it's fine to revisit once in a while, and to pay homage to the things that enriched our lives in one way or another. Here's to the OL and to its fans everywhere--may we all meet again someday in the Outer Limits Tavern!David Hornenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8535833613343533564.post-8427276084169636402011-03-14T14:29:41.851-07:002011-03-14T14:29:41.851-07:00Bravo, Ted. Wonderful eulogy to a show (the origin...Bravo, Ted. Wonderful eulogy to a show (the original series) that still keeps me coming back for more (doesn't matter that they're reruns). BTW, perhaps it was a formatting glitch, but the black text of your post against WACT's blog template black background is a little hard to see ;-). My RSS reader doesn't have this issue so I read and enjoyed your piece immensely, but others coming arriving here might. Thanks, Ted.le0pard13https://www.blogger.com/profile/09421175808461787862noreply@blogger.com