episode #03 - The Architects of Fear

Air Date: 9/30/63 writer: Meyer Dolinsky director: Byron Haskin

Some clever (too clever?) scientists concoct a plan to unite the governments of Earth against a fabricated alien threat. The group of dedicated thinkers draw lots to determine which of their number will make the sacrifice; the winner is played by Robert Culp. Of course, he's the loser in all this. Enduring a long, painful procedure over the course of months, he's transformed into an alien. His wife is told he died in an airplane crash.
The episode is hampered by a long, interminable scene of Culp experiencing some kind of dementia during the early stage of the process - it just goes on and on, with no real point. More time should have been devoted to what happens after his final operation and the actual mission - the final act seems rushed. But, the final moment is truly haunting and tragic. The plot of this one may also cause some to be less impressed these days with Watchmen, both the graphic novel and the film. BoG's Score: 6 out of 10
Outer Trivia: Culp would return in a couple of other O L episodes and is known these days as "the" Outer Limits actor; his others were Corpus Earthling and the famed Demon With a Glass Hand in the 2nd season.