The Outer Limits

The Outer Limits (1963)

11 revealing mistakes - chronological order

(3 votes)

The Architects of Fear - S1-E3

Revealing mistake: In this episode's present-day 1963, the scientists view film footage said to have been taken "yesterday." But the rather obvious crowd scene stock footage is ten years old, featuring cars and clothing no newer than 1953. (00:02:00)

Jean G

O.B.I.T. - S1-E7

Revealing mistake: When the alien posing as a human is exposed, the OBIT screen shows his "true" alien form while he continues to appear human to the naked eye. The actor in alien costume on the screen copies Jeff Corey's movements, but at one point rather badly shatters the illusion by forgetting to raise his arms when Corey does. (00:47:00)

Jean G

The Invisibles - S1-E19

Revealing mistake: The injured Spain falls and tries to crawl away from the alien, leaving handprints in the dust on the floor. Just to his left, you can see several handprints already on the floor from previous takes. (00:47:30)

Jean G

The Guests - S1-E26

Revealing mistake: The actress is playing chord progressions on the piano. As the camera starts to pan away, she takes her hands off the keys entirely - but the piano chords continue to play. (00:18:55)

Jean G

Cold Hands, Warm Heart - S2-E2

Revealing mistake: This 1964 episode is supposed to take place in its own near-future (the late 1960s). But some of the shots in the beginning reveal the use of outdated stock footage. During the parade, there's a close-up of a 48-star US flag, a relic even in '64, as Alaska and Hawaii became the 49th and 50th states in 1959. Old flags are supposed to be burned, and wouldn't have been used for civic events such as ticker-tape parades. (00:00:50)

Jean G

Cold Hands, Warm Heart - S2-E2

Revealing mistake: Mismatched stock footage puts the Venus-bound Barton in four different spaceships during his journey. We see brief shots of a Vanguard rocket launch, an Atlas missile, a V-2 rocket sequence, and finally, special effects shots of the ship borrowed from the 1950s SF series "Men Into Space." Not one of these vehicles even remotely resembles any of the others. (00:23:15)

Jean G

The Duplicate Man - S2-E13

Revealing mistake: This episode's futuristic video-phones seem to be a production afterthought not in the original script. Consequently, Mrs. James talks to her husband's clone on the phone, but doesn't seem to see him on the screen. She tells James, "He sounded like you," and goes on about his voice, but never mentions his appearance. Later, her reaction to seeing both of them together indicates she's never seen the duplicate before - even though she has, on the video-phone. (00:25:00)

Jean G

The Premonition - S2-E16

Revealing mistake: Janie is frozen in place on her tricycle, but the 5-year-old actress has a hard time holding still. She's visibly fidgeting. And when a freeze-frame of her is used for close-ups, there's a black blotch on the film over her neck. (00:26:30)

Jean G

The Probe - S2-E17

Revealing mistake: Indicative of previous takes, the floor inside the alien probe already has several human footprints all over it before the characters exit their life boat and walk on it. (00:10:00)

Jean G

The Human Factor - S1-E8

Continuity mistake: When the lab equipment shorts out after the earthquake, the unconscious Major Brothers is lying with his head propped up against the wall. But when Hamilton reaches him in the next shot, he's suddenly lying flat and is nowhere near the wall. (00:21:45)

Jean G

More mistakes in The Outer Limits

The Control Voice: It is said that if you move a single pebble on the beach, you set up a different pattern, and everything in the world is changed. It can also be said that love can change the future, if it is deep enough, true enough, and selfless enough. It can prevent a war, prohibit a plague, keep the whole world... whole.

More quotes from The Outer Limits
More trivia for The Outer Limits

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