Controlled Experiment

A pair of Martians named Phobos and Deimos are keen to learn and understand the human act of murder, they transport to one certain incident in which a young woman turns a gun on a man.

It's definitely the most curious, perhaps the most unique episode of Thr Outer Limits that I've seen so far. I can only imagine what viewers thought of this when it first went out, it is do different to previous episodes, this one really does play for laughs, there are no scares, no jumps, no horror, it is purely a fun episode.

It put me in mind of Two X Files episodes, From Outer Space and How the ghosts stole Christmas, both are very funny, and curious within the show, but they work.

I loved the two lead characters, it was interesting to see that a potential spin off had been touted featuring them, it would have been so interesting, Barry Morse and Carroll O'Connor are great.

I get why this one may be a little divisive, if your thirst is purely for the more horror toned episodes, you may be a little frustrated, and at times it is a little repetitive, but take it for what it is, a really unique story.

Charming, 8/10.

I was amazed to find this episode of Outer Limits, which I'd never seen before! . OL usually scares the crap out of me, and has since I first watched it as a child (older now!") So this episode was a pleasant surprise! Suspenseful to a point and too many special effects and noise but overall this one got me smiling. There is hope for change and humor. Great episode! Left me in a good mood and ready for bed. Recommended.

This is an unusual episode for "The Outer Limits" because this episode is played strictly for laughs. While its counterpart, "The Twilight Zone", often made some comedic anthology episodes, "The Outer Limits" was almost always deathly earnest and serious---making this a radical departure.

The show begins with a Martian agent (Barry Morse) making contact with another Martian who's been living undercover with humans for many years (Carrol O'Connor). It seems that the Martians are worried about people, as they are very violent and MAY need to be eradicated for the good of the universe. So, Morse's job is to observe them--and specifically to understand why murder occurs, as no other sentient being does this. And, his bosses back on Mars are worried that humans might infect others with this desire to kill. So, using a special time machine that allows them to stop and restart time, they investigate in EXCRUCIATING detail one particular murder. What's next? See the show.

While this was a pretty forgettable and slight show, it did make me smile from time to time and was entertaining. Worth seeing...and very strange for this show.

Two Martians land on earth to do a silly experiment.

Firstly, let me say loudly and proudly, I love this series, I am even reviewing all 49 episodes on the IMDb, but having said that, I have real issues with this BORING hour. I have watched it about four times in my lifetime and each time it struggles to keep my attention. Limits had six stinkers and this is indeed one of them.

But only six bombs in a 49 episode TV series is actually a very good track record. Most 49 episode TV shows would have more bombs than that! This is just the nature of TV. So Limits still stands as a knockout TV series...and better than The Twilight Zone (1959).

Perhaps I have just spent too much time watching Barry Morse in deadly serious roles in QM's The Fugitive, one episode of QM's The Invaders and Space 1999 to take him as a comic actor in Controlled Experiment. But it is not just the two leads that bore the crap out of me but also the constant use of reverse motion footage that may of looked funny in 1964 but looks rather stupid in 2014.

Some males might enjoy looking at the cute lady in this hour but that is the only good thing I can say about "Un-Controlled Experiment".

Two aliens begin a meticulous study of human behavior. They go to a hotel where a crime of passion has been committed, they use an ingenious device that controls time and this will help them advance or delay the action quickly or slowly and even stop it if necessary. Perhaps with today's technology where any of us can fast-forward, rewind, or freeze frame any movie with a simple remote control, this chapter may not seem that sophisticated, but if we go back to the 1960s, being able to see all that action is quite a novelty. What also makes this story interesting is that the aliens can study the details from different angles and the conclusions they draw as the investigation progresses is hilarious.