The Sixth Finger

What happens when you take an ordinary laboring man and accelerate his mental and physical evolution? A very familiar question posed over the years in sci fi literature, and one addressed here in one of the best shows in the series. A very good cast, a believable premise and execution.

Truly one of my favourite OL episodes, but I have to agree with the other UK reviewer about the truly extraordinary world that it creates for British audiences.

Not only is the town apparently located in Wales whilst the cast all speak in a sort of bastardised Yorkhire dialect (with a couple of Cockney accents thrown in), but - and this slays me every time I watch "Sixth Finger" - the motorcycle cops who square off against the creature immediately reach for their sidearms. For those non-Brits who aren't aware, few of our policemen back in the 1960s would have been allowed anywhere near a pistol or rifle. (Even today only specially-trained officers are allowed to carry guns.)

For all that, it's a cracking tale, very well told, with great performances from the leads. Sadly, as I pen this review I note that Jill Haworth passed away just a few weeks ago, of natural causes but at only 65. RIP.

This episode features two British actors very familiar to 1960s American television--Edward Mulhare ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir") and David McCallum ("The Man From UNCLE").

Mulhare is a genetic scientist who has been manipulating DNA in chimps in order to speed up evolution. The result is a chimp that is nearly as smart as a person! When a local dullard sees this, she begs the scientist to do this procedure on her boyfriend (McCallum)--a rather dull coal miner. Mulhare reluctantly agrees to his first human subject and McCallum is accelerated thousands of years--and becomes MUCH smarter and with psychic powers but also some contempt for mankind, as we are all very stupid in comparison. He continues to evolve--and each time, we become more and more like mere parasites to the point that he sees us as inconveniences. What's next? See this very interesting episode to find out for yourself.

I liked this one because it could simply have been about how noble mankind would one day become (BOOORRRIIINNGGG!). Instead, although McCallum seems pretty benign, over time his view of the human race is pretty scary! An insightful and clever show--well worth seeing because of this as well as it being incredibly unique!

The British scientist Professor Mathers is researching human DNA and evolution in a chimpanzee in a laboratory in the countryside. When he meets the bread delivery girl Cathy Evans, she decides to bring her boyfriend Gwyllim Griffiths, who is an ambitious unemployed coal miner, to look for a job at Mathers´ laboratory. Gwyllim offers to be his assistant and to be submitted to his experiment. Mathers accepts the offer and soon Gwyllim´s intelligence and knowledge enhances, growing his head and a sixth finger. His evolution proceeds and Gwyllim achieves the power of telekinesis, threatening Mathers. Where will his evolution reach?

"The Sixth Finger" is an intriguing episode of "The Outer Limits". The story is engaging and the impressive makeup of David McCallum is top notch. Unfortunately the corny conclusion is disappointing. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Sexto Dedo" ("The Sixth Finger")

Our episode begins In a remote Welsh mining town, a scientist Professor Mathers discovers how to speed up evolutionary mutation. Gwyllim Griffiths, a disgruntled local miner, volunteers for the experiment, threw a friend of his and potential love interest Cathy Evans, enabling the scientist to give him enhanced mental capabilities and, incidentally, a sixth finger on each hand. But when the mutation process continues while outside of the scientist's control, the mutant miner takes over the experiment. Now equipped with superior intelligence and telekinetic powers capable of great destruction, Griffiths decides to take revenge on the mining town he loathes. But, can Cathy and Mathers stop him for he does harm to the whole town and virtually himself. So once again were given an episode that pretty much follows the same plot line like I discussed in the last episodes review. A scientist usually taking something normal (usually a person) and conducting scientific experiments until said subject gets out of control and the whole thing pretty much ends horrifically with a morale narration at the end. This one is no different, but, the fact the the story goes at a really brisk pace and that we have two really good British actors in Edward Mulhare and David McCallum really helps. The ending is really good, but, you can defiantly tell the cheapness of the budget here, as the episode barely goes outside and and pretty much just has two inside sets. Plus Grittiths build up never really goes anywhere, he literally knocks a cop off his motorcycle and thats about it. The ending possibility that man can evolve past hate and what not is really great though. Overall the series manages to put out another good episode.