O.B.I.T.

This episode takes place mostly in a hearing room at a secret government installation where the OBIT machine was created. It seems that an investigator has been sent there but he keeps getting stonewalled when he tries to talk to the man in charge. Eventually, he is able to see this 'sick man'--but learns he isn't sick at all but afraid. You see, OBIT is an amazing spy machine that can be used to track anyone anywhere--and he's afraid of the repercussions. Plus, the machine is addictive and has ruined his life. What exactly is OBIT? How did they create it? And, most importantly, who is behind all this? OBIT is not a great episode until late in the show. Because of this, I have to strongly admonish you to stick with this one--there is an amazingly good payoff at the end. But, until then, expect a rather claustrophobic episode that is mostly played out in one dull room. A sleeper!

Last night I refamiliarized myself with another "OL" episode that I had not seen in a good number of years: "O.B.I.T." In this one, as you may recall, a government research installation is being investigated by a Congressman (Peter Breck, who starred that same year in Sam Fuller's cult movie "Shock Corridor") after the murder of one of its workers. It turns out that morale in the facility is at an all-time low, following the introduction of the O.B.I.T. (Outer Band Individuated Teletracer) device of the title, which allows for intrusive surveillance of everyone in the compound. Ultimately, the facility's director (character actor Harry Townes), who had been declared insane after claiming that he saw a "monster" in the device's screen, is brought in to testify, leading to the revelation that his replacement, Lomax (Jeff Corey), is nothing less than an alien, from a race that has planted O.B.I.T. devices all over the world to sap Earthlings' morale and make them ripe for an eventual conquest. It is a talky and stagy episode, wall-bound but never dull, with reams of fascinating dialogue and a script that has much to say about governmental snooping...a subject that is, of course, as timely as ever. Director Gerd Oswald utilizes extreme close-up shots (especially of Corey) to engender an off-kilter atmosphere; the look of the episode, in a word, is striking. Probably not anyone's idea of a Top 10 "OL" episode, but still, an intelligent and well-crafted affair, much better than I had remembered, with fine performances across the board and a message that still resonates.

Big Brother type-hardware is used on people to track all movements.

For decades I hated this episode as it seemed like a dull court room drama, too removed from the usual Outer Limits stuff.

However, a recent viewing went over a lot better as we seem to be living in the age of O.B.I.T today and the hour nicely fits into the 21st century. The direction and make-up work is also of a high standard.

Invasion of privacy is an issue that should hold interest to all viewers...so the episode is now timeless...even if you are not a regular viewer of this series.

Except for two scenes of aliens murdering people, this episode would be a boring court room drama. All we get is people talking for an hour about something that could be summed up in one sentence: "There is a device that lets you see what other people are doing, and aliens built it. They want to destroy us with paranoia." There, done! We didn't need to hear different testimonies on that fact. Except for the very end, where you have the alien's true appearance on the screen combined with his human appearance, and the two aforementioned scenes of aliens murdering people, this is episode is probably the most boring thing ever put on screen; certainly one of dullest things I've seen in my life.

The sad thing about this circa 1962 episode is that there are things in place these days that aren't much less invasive. Granted, aliens aren't running them, but equally dangerous people are. In this episode, a U. S. Senator is investigating a murder and the reasons behind an incredible number of depression cases, suicides, and other morale related issues. He gets stonewalled all along the way. The murdered man, who spends his days watching people and recording every bit of communications and activity in their lives, is just the tip of the iceberg. People are being sent to mental institutions and their privacy invaded on a daily basis. It turns out that there is an amorphous white figure that is in contact with him. He is viewed in a circular monitor and seems to be in charge. Apparently, if one becomes contrary, they will pay the price. Most of the activity takes place in an ersatz courtroom. The proceedings are top secret. This shows the original Outer Limits starting to gain some legs. This is certainly one of the better episodes.