Alien Radio

Almost every Outer Limits episode has Robots, time travel or Aliens in it. Except that it's never really about any of these things.

Just like with this episode; on the surface it's your typical Outer-Limits-body-snatcher-invasion-story, but in reality its a dark tale about prejudice. Written by A L Katz who wrote just about every Tales from the Crypt episode, this episode could also pass as a Tales from the Crypt episode, and a good one at that. It's scary, it's got a sick and twisted humor and it's got a bleak, but poetic ending.

The only thing I missed where the Crypt Keepers sadistic comments at the end, but then again the Outer Limits control voice more than makes up for that.

A shock-jock spends his time talking to the lunatic fringe. People who have been abducted by aliens call him and plead their case. He rails at them and belittles their very being. He is a really offensive, nihilistic man who has no scruples at all. After telling one man to help everyone out and do away with himself, the man waits for the radio guy and immolates himself with gasoline. As he is burning up, a glowing presence leaves his body. It is true, but the shock-jock can't reconcile this, imagining there has to be some sort of explanation. The executives start to see him as dangerous to their ratings and ask him to apologize to the family of the man, but he refuses. A young woman who is part of a group that is aware of these aliens inside our bodies enlists him, hoping to get him to assist their efforts. As time passes, he realizes that there are indeed great dangers out there which sets a series of events in motion. There is nothing wrong with the episode. It's just that it follows the pattern of so many of these Outer Limits offerings.