Streaming Sci Fi TV: Tracking down sci fi and fantasy shows of interest available on the streaming services.
[Updated]
What Is It?
There is nothing wrong with your television set. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. If we wish to make it louder, we will bring up the volume. If we wish to make it softer, we will tune it to a whisper. We will control the horizontal. We will control the vertical. We can roll the image, make it flutter. We can change the focus to a soft blur, or sharpen it to crystal clarity. For the next hour, sit quietly and we will control all that you see and hear. We repeat: There is nothing wrong with your television set. You are about to participate in a great adventure. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to… The Outer Limits.
Thus begins each episode of The Outer Limits, one of all-time great sci fi anthologies that often worked around a monster-of-the-week format and that also delivered the expected twist ending.
Aired: ABC, 1963-65, 2 Seasons Totaling 49 Episodes; Showtime/Sci Fi Channel, 1995-2002, 7 Seasons Totaling 152 Episodes
Created By: Leslie Stevens
Notable Guest Stars: Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, Shirley Knight, Barry Morse, Adam West
Why Watch It?
The Outer Limits is one of the most iconic sci fi anthology shows of all time (more on that at this link), second only to The Twilight Zone which preceded it in 1959. It first hit the small screen in 1963 during the same season when TZ was wrapping up its legendary five-year run. ABC insisted that The Outer Limits follow a monster-of-the-week formula which could have doomed it to routine scare-fest tales with little substance. But the creative team figured out how to use the formula to their advantage and produced a show that delivered some classic sci fi TV episodes during its all-too-brief run (two seasons totaling 49 episodes, and you can read more about the show at this link). When the series was revived by Showtime in 1995, it did not quite match up to the original, but it stuck around for seven seasons and 152 episodes, producing its fair share of gems during its tenure.
Where Is It Streaming?
This show tends to come and go on the streaming services, and it is currently available with a subscription to Prime Video. All of the original series episodes are streaming there as is the 1995 revival. It is also available on the Roku Channel, which is a free service with ads. That is of course available on Roku devices and can also be added to some other streaming devices, and the revival series can be found on that service as well. In addition, the original series is available for free with ads on Plex, which is connected to JustWatch.com. You can find it on the show’s page at that site. As mentioned, The Outer Limits moves around quite often, so you will want to tune in sooner rather than later if you want to give it a look.
Watch the original The Outer Limits on Prime Video
Watch the original Outer Limits on Roku
Watch the original Outer Limits on Pluto TV
Keep up with the status of all the current sci fi and fantasy shows as well as news and updates on new and upcoming shows at CancelledSciFi.com.
Cancellation Watch: Status updates and breaking news on renewals and cancellations
Sci Fi TV Highlights: Listings for the upcoming week along with the latest sci fi TV news and trailers.
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