bigmac
Revolting Revenant
You mean the movie lied!?!?!?
Posts: 1,508
|
Post by bigmac on Jun 7, 2010 20:12:59 GMT -5
I am sloooowly making my way through the series. The earliest eps were a bit repetetive in the focus on nuclear war (given the period it makes sense though), and I generally don't like the hour long format. Some eps really shine through, but many just feel padded. Its weird, but I feel like I could sit through five Twilight Zone's much more easily than two Outer Limits's, simply because of the shorter episode length. How can you be a fan of movies if you prefer much shorter content? Or does it only apply to TV shows for some reason? To be fair, I find a few of the shows padded out. Even as a fan, some of the episodes feel like they are better suited for a shorter running time. But, and this is not to diss on Twilight Zone, I feel The Outer Limits really tried to scare the audience. Sure, TZ offered some great twist endings, but a lot of the episodes were more whimsical than actually scary. I'm not saying that some of the episodes were not frightening, but they were often just not that horrific. Outer Limits, despite the science fiction feel of the show, offered up more scares in it's short run than TZ, IMO. The ending of The Man Who Was Never Born, Robert Culp meeting his possessed wife in Corpus Earthling, the POWs in Nightmare, the energy monster in It Crawled out of the Woodwork; these episodes haunt me far more than most of what TZ had to offer. Again, strictly IMHO. Not to say Outer Limits didn't have it's fualts. But in the end, for me, it was scarier than TZ any day.
|
|
|
Post by jmodlinc on Jun 7, 2010 20:17:01 GMT -5
How can you be a fan of movies if you prefer much shorter content? Or does it only apply to TV shows for some reason? To be fair, I find a few of the shows padded out. Even as a fan, some of the episodes feel like they are better suited for a shorter running time. But, and this is not to diss on Twilight Zone, I feel The Outer Limits really tried to scare the audience. Sure, TZ offered some great twist endings, but a lot of the episodes were more whimsical than actually scary. I'm not saying that some of the episodes were not frightening, but they were often just not that horrific. Outer Limits, despite the science fiction feel of the show, offered up more scares in it's short run than TZ, IMO. The ending of The Man Who Was Never Born, Robert Culp meeting his possessed wife in Corpus Earthling, the POWs in Nightmare, the energy monster in It Crawled out of the Woodwork; these episodes haunt me far more than most of what TZ had to offer. Again, strictly IMHO. Not to say Outer Limits didn't have it's fualts. But in the end, for me, it was scarier than TZ any day. I think "The Outer Limits," just like "The Twilight Zone," can be considered just as much horror as sci-fi.
|
|
misterd
Frightful Fiend
Posts: 1,220
|
Post by misterd on Jun 7, 2010 21:17:39 GMT -5
I am sloooowly making my way through the series. The earliest eps were a bit repetetive in the focus on nuclear war (given the period it makes sense though), and I generally don't like the hour long format. Some eps really shine through, but many just feel padded. Its weird, but I feel like I could sit through five Twilight Zone's much more easily than two Outer Limits's, simply because of the shorter episode length. How can you be a fan of movies if you prefer much shorter content? Or does it only apply to TV shows for some reason? It's more a pacing thing than anything. They often draw a story out well past where it needs to be. It doesn't help that each episode begins with a short "preview" segment that too often spoils a big part of the episode, so a lot of the suspense is already blown. And with a 60s tv budget, there is a stricter limit on the cast size. A feature can either add meat of flash to fill out that time, OL often just runs out the clock until the commercial break. I will agree with bigmac that the show does try to scare more consistently that Twilight Zone. However, I'm not sure that's to its benefit, at least not if (like me) you tend to watch multiple episodes in one sitting. Because the show is pretty uniform in being "spooky science fiction" there is a sameness that can get monotonous (though to be fair,k the show was never intended to be viewed as anything but a weekly series). Twilight Zone, OTOH, dabbled in science and magic (and sometimes reality), terror and humor and drama. That variety, coupled with the quick 24 minute episodes (and legendary writing staff) makes the eps go down more easily (again, especially when watching several in a row). I'll admit I'm nit picking a bit on Outer Limits. Overall it is a good show. Its got some strong stuff and some weak stuff like any anthology, but I'd be hard pressed to find a network anthology of its caliber in the past 30 years.
|
|
bigmac
Revolting Revenant
You mean the movie lied!?!?!?
Posts: 1,508
|
Post by bigmac on Jun 8, 2010 2:17:25 GMT -5
I think "The Outer Limits," just like "The Twilight Zone," can be considered just as much horror as sci-fi. Yes, Twilight Zone had some episodes that were truly frightening. But I think many of the tales as more whimsical fantasy than real horror. As I said, I'm not trying to discredit TZ; it's a stellar example of television at it's finest. But I was never really scared by most of it. But all I have to hear is The Controller's voice and I get shivers down my spine. Sterling's intro fills me with childlike wonder (not a bad thing by any means), but it doesn't scare me as much.
|
|
|
Post by bishop746 on Jun 9, 2010 16:51:41 GMT -5
A little off topic but I didn't want to start a new thread because this could be a quick answer.
Now that Justified is done I'm looking for a new show to start on Netflix and I've noticed Jericho. If I start this show will I get some sort of ending or after two seasons will it just be left open. Any input would be appreciated.
|
|
|
Post by Scary Gary on Jun 9, 2010 18:58:29 GMT -5
A little off topic but I didn't want to start a new thread because this could be a quick answer. Now that Justified is done I'm looking for a new show to start on Netflix and I've noticed Jericho. If I start this show will I get some sort of ending or after two seasons will it just be left open. Any input would be appreciated. What you'll get with Jericho is a damn good idea that was unfortunately diluted with too many piss-poor fillers to stretch the series longer than it ever had any business to be aired. There is a series finale, but it was rushed to the point of near confusion. And, in all honesty, I was so fed up with the series at that point that I cannot recall how open the finale was. I think they left a small opening, but I'm not sure. My advise would be to give it a try and watch the first season. The second season grows stale rather quickly and is only watchable for the occasional revelations of the characters. So after the first season, I'd go onto the internet and read about the second season. You will get all the character revelations that way without the waste of your time.
|
|
|
Post by Scary Gary on Jun 9, 2010 19:09:32 GMT -5
Unfortunately for me, all my favorite series are all dead. but some of them include:
Cheers Lost X-Files Star Trek, TNG, and DS9 Twilight Zone (original) Outer Limits (both, original and Showtime) Tales from the Crypt
There are seven off the top of my head (and with the helpful reminders from the previous posts).
|
|
|
Post by bishop746 on Jun 9, 2010 20:07:44 GMT -5
A little off topic but I didn't want to start a new thread because this could be a quick answer. Now that Justified is done I'm looking for a new show to start on Netflix and I've noticed Jericho. If I start this show will I get some sort of ending or after two seasons will it just be left open. Any input would be appreciated. What you'll get with Jericho is a damn good idea that was unfortunately diluted with too many piss-poor fillers to stretch the series longer than it ever had any business to be aired. There is a series finale, but it was rushed to the point of near confusion. And, in all honesty, I was so fed up with the series at that point that I cannot recall how open the finale was. I think they left a small opening, but I'm not sure. My advise would be to give it a try and watch the first season. The second season grows stale rather quickly and is only watchable for the occasional revelations of the characters. So after the first season, I'd go onto the internet and read about the second season. You will get all the character revelations that way without the waste of your time. Thanks. Sounds like the Chris Carter "Millennium". Great first season and then a spiral out of control. I think I will give it a shot. My other option was Supernatural and if it wasn't on the WB I would have already made the leap but I cant get excited about that channels programs.
|
|
|
Post by necronomics on Jun 9, 2010 20:26:23 GMT -5
funny you should write that, Millennium was my favorite TV series by far but only including seasons 1&2. The finally for season 2 was one of the most jaw clenching, ball dropping moments in televisions history imo. Season 3 was an abortion though.
Also love;
Twin Peaks Dead Like Me Buffy Dexter Twilight Zone A-Team
and while I would need to see it again I remember watching Werewolf as a kid and thinking it was brilliant, anyone remember that. The guy had a pentagram on his hand that would bleed before h changed?
|
|
misterd
Frightful Fiend
Posts: 1,220
|
Post by misterd on Jun 9, 2010 21:24:01 GMT -5
A little off topic but I didn't want to start a new thread because this could be a quick answer. Now that Justified is done I'm looking for a new show to start on Netflix and I've noticed Jericho. If I start this show will I get some sort of ending or after two seasons will it just be left open. Any input would be appreciated. What you'll get with Jericho is a damn good idea that was unfortunately diluted with too many piss-poor fillers to stretch the series longer than it ever had any business to be aired. There is a series finale, but it was rushed to the point of near confusion. And, in all honesty, I was so fed up with the series at that point that I cannot recall how open the finale was. I think they left a small opening, but I'm not sure. My advise would be to give it a try and watch the first season. The second season grows stale rather quickly and is only watchable for the occasional revelations of the characters. So after the first season, I'd go onto the internet and read about the second season. You will get all the character revelations that way without the waste of your time. I'll go the other way. I think Jericho started slow as hell in the first season, picks up at the end. Second season isn't quite as good, but it moves quicker, because I believe the writers knew they had little chance of being renewed. The ending does a good job of wrapping the story up while leaving the universe open (sort of like Heroes).
|
|
misterd
Frightful Fiend
Posts: 1,220
|
Post by misterd on Jun 9, 2010 21:25:40 GMT -5
funny you should write that, Millennium was my favorite TV series by far but only including seasons 1&2. The finally for season 2 was one of the most jaw clenching, ball dropping moments in televisions history imo. Season 3 was an abortion though. Also love; Twin Peaks Dead Like Me Buffy Dexter Twilight Zone A-Team and while I would need to see it again I remember watching Werewolf as a kid and thinking it was brilliant, anyone remember that. The guy had a pentagram on his hand that would bleed before h changed? WTF is A-Team doing on that list? Anyway, I remember werewolf (if that's what it was called). It was one of the very first FOX shows (along, I think, with Married... With Children) and co-starred Chuck Conners.
|
|
misterd
Frightful Fiend
Posts: 1,220
|
Post by misterd on Jun 9, 2010 21:31:40 GMT -5
What you'll get with Jericho is a damn good idea that was unfortunately diluted with too many piss-poor fillers to stretch the series longer than it ever had any business to be aired. There is a series finale, but it was rushed to the point of near confusion. And, in all honesty, I was so fed up with the series at that point that I cannot recall how open the finale was. I think they left a small opening, but I'm not sure. My advise would be to give it a try and watch the first season. The second season grows stale rather quickly and is only watchable for the occasional revelations of the characters. So after the first season, I'd go onto the internet and read about the second season. You will get all the character revelations that way without the waste of your time. Thanks. Sounds like ithe Chris Carter "Millennium". Great first season and then a spiral out of control. I think I will give it a shot. My other option was Supernatural and if it wasn't on the WB I would have already made the leap but I cant get excited about that channels programs. Believe me, Supernatural is worth getting excited about. Season 1 is very Monster of the Week, and feels very derivative of X-Files or Buffy (which is not a bad thing). The show gradually expands its scope (as much as a WB budget will allow) resulting in the apocalypse in season 5. And S5 was intended to be the end, even though there will be season 6, The creator was able to wrap up the show as intended (with the possible exception of the last 5 seconds which sets up S6) so you can invest knowing that everything leads somewhere. The show is not the caliber of a series like LOST, but for pure genre entertainment, week in and week out, it has been one of the best shows for the past 3 years.
|
|
|
Post by Scary Gary on Jun 9, 2010 21:51:57 GMT -5
How the hell did I forget Dexter?
|
|
|
Post by necronomics on Jun 10, 2010 1:22:27 GMT -5
WTF is A-Team doing on that list? Anyway, I remember werewolf (if that's what it was called). It was one of the very first FOX shows (along, I think, with Married... With Children) and co-starred Chuck Conners. Cause it wasn't a horror only question, and anything Mr T is in is gold
|
|
bigmac
Revolting Revenant
You mean the movie lied!?!?!?
Posts: 1,508
|
Post by bigmac on Jun 10, 2010 12:56:36 GMT -5
How the hell did I forget Dexter? *slaps forehead* D'uh! My favorite that's still on the air. Not a clunker episode yet.
|
|