"The Mutant" | |
---|---|
The Outer Limits episode | |
Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 25 |
Directed by | Alan Crosland, Jr. |
Story by | Jerome B. Thomas |
Teleplay by |
|
Cinematography by | Kenneth Peach |
Production code | 26 |
Original air date | March 16, 1964 |
Guest appearances | |
| |
"The Mutant" is an episode of the original The Outer Limits television show. It was first broadcast on March 16, 1964, during the first season.
Researchers on an alien planet live in fear of a man wearing goggles, a man who is paranoid and powerful—and can read minds.
An astronaut lands on an alien planet to investigate the death of one of a group of Earth scientists who are testing to see if the planet is suitable for colonization. The scientists, including Julie, his old flame, behave strangely, but refuse to explain why. They are particularly nervous around Reese Fowler, a fellow researcher who seems to wear his polarized goggles all the time, necessary due to the extreme brightness of the planet's sun. One of the scientists attempts to leave a hastily scribbled note in the astronaut's spacesuit pocket, warning him of what has been happening; he exits the room, only to bump into Reese, who seems to read his mind, and then destroys him with a mere touch. The astronaut is led to a remote cave by Julie and another researcher where he discovers that the others live in fear of Reese, who developed superhuman abilities when he was accidentally exposed to the planet's radioactive isotope-laden rainfall, which has mutating properties, resulting in the scientist's loss of hair and in the development of protruding eyes. Reese, knowing that if the others return to Earth he will be left behind because of the danger he poses, has been holding the others captive, while threatening his touch if they reveal the secret of his plight, all the time searching for a cure. The astronaut must somehow overcome a man who can read minds, and kill with a touch. To prevent Reese from knowing of his plans, the investigator is given a post-hypnotic suggestion to forget what he has learned, then—provided with a code word to recall the events—inform his superiors on Earth following his return. In an unfortunate twist of fate, Reese discovers the deception, and pursues the investigator and Julie into the cave, where they had met once before, with the intent to destroy them; however, due to his sensitivity to darkness, Reese apparently dies from the intense pain while trying to absorb the dim glow of a candle's flame into his light-starved eyes.
Space colonization is the use of outer space or celestial bodies other than Earth for permanent habitation or as extraterrestrial territory.
The Illustrated Man is a 1951 collection of 18 science fiction short stories by American writer Ray Bradbury. A recurring theme throughout the stories is the conflict of the cold mechanics of technology and the psychology of people. It was nominated for the International Fantasy Award in 1952.
"Elegy" is the twentieth episode of the American television anthology series The Twilight Zone. It originally aired on February 19, 1960, on CBS. The episode was based on a short story by Charles Beaumont published in the February 1953 issue of Imagination: Stories of Science and Fantasy.
William Edgar Thornton was an American NASA astronaut. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from University of North Carolina and a doctorate in medicine, also from UNC. He flew on Challenger twice, the STS-8 and STS-51-B missions.
Klaatu is a fictional humanoid alien character best known from his appearances in the 1951 science fiction film The Day the Earth Stood Still and its 2008 remake. The character of Klaatu gained popularity partly due to the iconic phrase "Klaatu barada nikto!" associated with the character.
The Counterfeit Man is a collection of science fiction short stories by American writer Alan E. Nourse, published in 1963 by David McKay. Several of the stories have a medical or psychological theme.
Colonization or settlement of Mars is the theoretical migration of humans to Mars and the establishment of long-term human presence on the planet. The prospect has garnered interest from public space agencies and private corporations and has been extensively explored in science fiction writing, film, and art. Organizations have proposed plans for a human mission to Mars, the first step towards any colonization effort, but thus far no person has set foot on the planet, and there have been no return missions. However, landers and rovers have successfully explored the planetary surface and delivered information about conditions on the ground.
The Saga of Seven Suns is a series of seven space opera novels by American writer Kevin J. Anderson, published between 2002 and 2008. The books are set in a not-too-distant future where humans have colonized a number of other planets across the galaxy, thanks in part to technological assistance from an ancient alien race, the Ildirans. The series chronicles the universe-spanning war that erupts when humans inadvertently ignite the fury of a hidden empire of elemental aliens known as the hydrogues. Internal conflict is sparked within both the human and Ildiran empires as other ancient elemental races reappear to renew their own ancient war with the hydrogues.
The Grand Tour is a series of novels written by American science fiction author Ben Bova.
Sucker Bait is a science fiction novella by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first serialized in the February and March 1954 issues of Astounding Science Fiction, and reprinted in the 1955 collection The Martian Way and Other Stories. It has also been adapted as an episode of the BBC anthology television series Out of the Unknown.
The Martian Chronicles is a 1980 television three-episode miniseries based on Ray Bradbury's 1950 book The Martian Chronicles and dealing with the exploration of Mars and the inhabitants there. The series starred Rock Hudson, Darren McGavin, Bernadette Peters, Roddy McDowall, Fritz Weaver, Barry Morse, and Maria Schell. It was aired on NBC in January 1980 in three episodes with a total running time of just over four hours. The series depicts Mars as having a "thin atmosphere" which humans can breathe, with water-filled canals and desert-like vegetation. The miniseries was directed by Michael Anderson and written by Richard Matheson.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to space exploration.
Planet 51 is a 2009 animated science fiction comedy film directed by Jorge Blanco and co-directed by Javier Abad and Marcos Martínez, from a script by Joe Stillman, based on an original idea by Abad, Blanco, Martínez, and Ignacio Pérez Dolset. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Seann William Scott and John Cleese, the film follows an astronaut who lands on an alien planet, as one of the aliens helps him return to his ship while evading the military.
Maddrax is a German science fiction series. It started in 2000 and is published by Bastei-Lübbe (Romantruhe) and Zaubermond. Maddrax is an end-of-the-world-scenario and has some similarities to Planet of the Apes or the DC storylines Kamandi and Warlord.
Mission: Earth, Voyage to the Home Planet is a children's literature book by science writer June A. English and astronaut Thomas David Jones that was published in 1996 by Scholastic. Jones was among the crew members of the Space Shuttle Endeavour during an eleven-day mission in space, which was launched in April 1994 to study the ecological well-being of Earth using specialized radar technology. The book, which is illustrated with radar images and picturesque photographs, chronicles the mission and Jones' experiences of it.
2312 is a hard science fiction novel by American writer Kim Stanley Robinson, published in 2012. It is set in the year 2312 when society has spread out across the Solar System. The novel won the 2013 Nebula Award for Best Novel.
Native is a 2016 British sci-fi film directed by Daniel Fitzsimmons, written by Fitzsimmons and Neil Atkinson. It stars Rupert Graves and Ellie Kendrick.