The Man with the Power

Donald Pleasance, a sort of Casper Milquetoast college teacher, dominated by his wife and his boss, the college dean, has agreed to be a guinea pig in an experiment to use the brain to cause do things beyond the scope of normal machinery. It can actually be used to cause things to happen in other places, including space, to mine precious metals and elements. Unfortunately, Pleasance begins to lose control of his own id impulses, actually killing his boss and injuring his wife. Once he realizes how dangerous this power is, he tries to put the kabosh on the project, but his own impulses can't be curtailed. To make matters worse, a young astronaut is going to have the same implant that Pleasance has, and this guy won't listen to reason. Pleasance sounds like a nut, so drastic measures must be employed for drastic times. Unfortunately, the conclusion can be seen coming a mile away.

Those isn't really a review so much as a statement of my reactions. My bedroom was off the living room where our tv was. I was very young; so it may have been when the show started in the 60s. I wasn't allowed to watch the show but my dad liked it. I snuck out and peeked out my bedroom door and remember seeing the storm cloud following Donald Pleasance. Scariest thing I ever saw. Gave me nightmares for weeks. Recently rewatched it. Not bad for its age, but I slept well that night.

Donald Pleasance stars as Harold Finley, a quiet, much put-upon college professor who has also been secretly working on an innovative government project to enable astronauts to mine asteroid fields, and in order to do this, Harold underwent a trial operation on his brain in order to link him with hidden electrical fields in the air, the earth, etc. Unfortunately, it also has the side effect of unleashing the fury of his subconscious mind on anyone who has angered or frustrated him, killing several people, and driving the guilt-stricken Harold to stop the project(and himself) altogether... Pleasance is excellent here as usual, really making this otherwise predictable story work well.

Donald Pleasence is the meek science professor Harold J Finley. He went through a secret experimental surgery for NASA. It increases his brain activity. Giving it the power of energy where it can move rocks.

The astronauts would be next in line for the surgery by NASA.

At first Finley does not notice the side effects to the surgery. When he gets angry, some dark clouds gather and destroys what has been upsetting him. Such as the construction workers at the roadblock who closed the highway. Their trucks later get damaged.

What is upsetting Finley now is the Dean of his college. He will not give Finley time off so he can finish his work with NASA. The Dean likes to demean Finley constantly.

Another person always humiliating Finley is his own wife. She has emasculated Finley and pretty soon he comes close to snapping. This time realising the dangers of the powers inherent in him.

An interesting premise, some good acting by Pleasance but it does not work. The Dean was horrid and I could not understand why the NASA like organisation could not give Finley permanent employment after doing surgery on him.

There were just too many weaknesses in the story.

The Outer LImits was way ahead of its time, and has aged very well. And for me The Man With The Power was the best episode of all of them. Professor Finley is a totally sympathetic character, morally impeccable, and the conclusion of the episode confirms his dignity. Perhaps my review says more about me than about the episode, but if so, so be it.