Blood Brothers

Charles Martin Smith (the Nerdy guy from "American Graffiti") is a researcher named Deighton. He has discovered a serum that he believes can extend life indefinitely, Deighton C. It has the ability to allow cells to regenerate, allowing one with a cell-related disease to fully recover. This would mean an end to cancer and other cellular diseases (in this episode, Huntington's disease). He is a good man and a capable scientist and follows the rules as they should be. He has a brother, Spencer, who feels Deighton is a fool. This could be turned into the ultimate cash cow, if distributed properly. He has always used avarice as a guide and, in this case, is even willing to kill to get what he wants. The two plots at work are Spencer's manipulation of the situation, taking something that he has done nothing to create for his own. On the other hand, the scientist wants answers to evolve over time and to publish so that other scientists can continue to test the theories. He also has the ridiculous idea that if this stuff really works, it can be used to aid the stricken and help humanity. This is a very good episode and ultimately presents a show of love under the worst possible circumstances.

Another sadly predictable, though still very well acted, episode of The Outer Limits, with the only real highlights being the opportunity to see a rather young Tom Cavanagh as a lab assistant to the always-fun Charles Martin Smith.

The story itself, though very capably handled, is the age-old tale of altruism vs greed when a possible Cure To Everything drug - effectively an immortality elixir - is discovered by a scientist just trying to find a 'better cure' for viral infections. The ending is also pretty predictable for anyone who's spent any decent amount of time watching science fiction movies and TV shows.

Still, it's well worth a look even if just for the cast.

The scientist Spencer Deighton is researching with his partner Carl Toman a retrovirus that can cure and eradicate all disease from mankind. However his brother Michael Deighton, who is a businessman and aspirant CEO of their laboratory, convinces Spencer that the virus could be a threat to mankind if the insect population were mutated and the human population could die of starvation and they shut down the research. But Michael real intention is to sell the drug for wealthy people only and no one can stop him.

"Blood Brothers" is an episode of "The Outer Limits" with great potential with the fight of an idealistic man and his greedy brother. But the motive to shut down the research is absolutely silly. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Blood Brothers"

Two brothers inherit a pharmaceutical company. One is a scientist who thinks he has discovered a universal cure for all diseases and a means of multiple prolongation of human life and who wants to share this discovery with the world. The other is a businessman who is aware that a universal medicine means death for the pharmaceutical industry and he justifies his greed with the planet's overpopulation and the possible negative consequences of this drug.

Technically and visually, the episode is mediocre at best, but addresses some universal questions worthy of attention. While it is too short and not sufficiently developed to deal with them seriously, at least it drives us on our own thinking, so I'll give it little slack.

5/10