FIREBALL XL5 – Ep. 1.2 – 'The Doomed Planet'

Air Date: November 4, 1962

A superior but weaponless alien race needs Earth’s help in destroying a rogue planet on a collision course with their home world, which the Fireball ship obliterates with several missiles at once. Super modern (mid-century futurist modern, that is) sets with Mondrian-like wall pattern, and a hi-fi stereo system that plays Side 2 of an album with the push of a button. Very disturbing, drunk-sounding monkey-like pet who is being taught English by Dr. Venus. Hovercars! Mind-blowing atmosphere featuring fogbound swamps, just like Dagobah. Steve Zodiac even says he feels like he’s being watched.

(5/5)

THE OUTER LIMITS - Ep. 2.1 - 'Soldier'

Air Date: September 19, 1964

Kind-hearted government philologist Lloyd Nolan takes a super-soldier from the future into his home, hoping to help him find his humanity. Time travel is my least favorite science fiction trope. Show proposes “peep” as new slang for seeing, getting, comprehending, a la ‘grok’ perhaps. Highlight: future-soldier talking to family housecat believing it to be his commanding officer which makes Nolan instantly deduce that in the future, the military uses trained psychic cats as communications media.

(3/5)

FIREBALL XL5 – Ep. 1.1 – ‘Planet 46’

Air Date: October 28, 1962

“I wish I was a space man, the fastest guy alive.” The World Space Patrol’s Col. Zodiac and crew are sent to intercept an alien craft carrying an atomic bomb large enough to destroy the Earth. Space age ASMR overload with all the beeping sci-fi sounds on the XL5. Filmed in the miracle of Supermarionation. Hoverbikes! (or “Jet Mobiles.”) Immediately fell in love with translucent talk-box-voiced Robert the Robot, the team’s onboard mechanical man.

(4/5)

THE OUTER LIMITS – Ep. 2.6 – ‘Cry of Silence’

Air Date: October 24, 1964

Eerie first act has a married couple stranded in the desert and attacked by sentient tumbleweeds. Mystery involves alien life trying to communicate by inhabiting various objects and life forms, including a horde of frogs. Show is almost spoiled by June Havoc’s hysterical overacting. Bonus point for Arthur Hunnicut as a troubled and lonely farmer trying to help. I loved the notion of nature turning on man, and the tumbleweeds especially are pretty spooky.

(4/5)