tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post3483354072526947392..comments2024-03-01T15:55:16.858-08:00Comments on My Life in the Glow of The Outer Limits: Episode Spotlight: " 'I, Robot' " (11/14/1964)Craig Beamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01039251711343080950noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-10094690873408943922020-05-22T23:58:01.465-07:002020-05-22T23:58:01.465-07:00Clunky robots were commonplace in 50's and 60&...Clunky robots were commonplace in 50's and 60's entertainment. Look at the one in 'Target Earth'. I enjoyed the episode enormously. The remake left me cold. Tastes differ, I guess. Best wishes, I, ZokkoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-47431925188787704442020-01-05T19:52:04.418-08:002020-01-05T19:52:04.418-08:00Did Adam Link kill his creator or was it ...Did Adam Link kill his creator or was it the Butler who did it or maybe Professor Plum did in the Library with a lead pipe well Perry Mason was not avlible so he was found Guity would they have put him in a Scrap Metal Baler and made cube out of Adam Link? and recyled him into a manhole coverStar Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-17030513383119499452019-02-24T15:11:52.202-08:002019-02-24T15:11:52.202-08:00... it read everything book in Doc Link's libr...... it read everything book in Doc Link's library, including Nina's books.<br />s/b<br />... it read every book in Doc Link's library, including Nina's books.<br />or<br />... it read everything in Doc Link's library, including Nina's books.hockey24hrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665339445715581362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-74660235616713078172019-02-24T15:09:15.462-08:002019-02-24T15:09:15.462-08:00It's amusing that, in all of Craig's (just...It's amusing that, in all of Craig's (justified) railings against the triple-dipped, double-sided DVDs, he keeps referring to MGM as if it was a real thing (an actual office building with executives wearing suits and ties, sitting around a mahogany table in a conference room). In reality, MGM is just a brand name that has been passed around Hollywood like the town pump. MGM is now such a 'virtual' entity that one could make it's history into an episode of Black Mirror! If the licensing fee to use the real MGM name, logo, and roaring lion are too high, just mock it by calling the studio GMG and change the roaring lion into a chirping weasel (what studio executives are). The "ARS GRATIA ARTIS" (Art for art's sake) motto becomes "PECUNIA AD SINUM MEUM" (Money for my pocket), etc.,hockey24hrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665339445715581362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-75499148041280095202019-02-24T15:06:50.623-08:002019-02-24T15:06:50.623-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.hockey24hrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665339445715581362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-56670557265605186902019-02-24T15:04:00.484-08:002019-02-24T15:04:00.484-08:00"THIS, more than anything else, is apparently..."THIS, more than anything else, is apparently the defining image of season two."<br /><br />Actually, robots are one of the defining images of science fiction, which is perhaps a more useful motif to use to entice in-store browsing humans who are not familiar with The Outer Limits' canon.hockey24hrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665339445715581362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-62888169653593525872019-02-24T15:03:05.328-08:002019-02-24T15:03:05.328-08:00"The Empire Strikes Back (easily the best fil..."The Empire Strikes Back (easily the best film in the trilogy... you know I'm right)."<br /><br />You're not tilting at windmills here, Craig. TESB is universally regarded as the best Star Wars film ever. And given the banality of everything in the post-1983 Star Wars library, that opinion is unlikely to change soon.hockey24hrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665339445715581362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-63748909325769164952019-02-24T14:55:02.871-08:002019-02-24T14:55:02.871-08:00"And the last thing I thought you'd be co..."And the last thing I thought you'd be covering is robot weiners."<br />". . . . niece Nina Link to pull the retired DA Thurman Cutler from retirement."<br /><br />Maybe Nina Link had to pull something on Thurman Cutler (ala The Tin Woodman of Oz cover) to coax him out of retirement. Although he should have held out for a toot on his horn. (If Craig is going to keep accusing readers of being pervs, we're going to start acting like pervs)hockey24hrshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17665339445715581362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-63173672153348068932019-01-06T22:27:52.997-08:002019-01-06T22:27:52.997-08:00A Robot on trial and found Guilty(Shoul...A Robot on trial and found Guilty(Should have hired Perry Mason)taken to be disassembled little girl walking into traffic Robot gives its life to save her kind of like R2D2 in the middle of a battle and getting shot its just that R2D2 can be fixed Star Birdnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-1371850513763049732017-07-25T07:28:28.896-07:002017-07-25T07:28:28.896-07:00"moment of idiocy" ... perhaps ... emoti..."moment of idiocy" ... perhaps ... emotive ... shock ... does he learn? ... redemption > handcuffs > truck > girl > truck > girl ... [ Anakin > lost hand > Luke > Emperor > Luke > Emperor ...martelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09436550475248550741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-37592317237614568932017-07-23T12:56:54.086-07:002017-07-23T12:56:54.086-07:00I recently found this blog and I guess I missed th...I recently found this blog and I guess I missed the salad days of participating in this particular conversation. At this point I'm commenting for posterity. The blog is thoroughly enjoyable with classic comic images that sometimes make me laugh out loud on a crowded train. It's OK though, people can see my obvious geek pedigree from my accoutrements. Being older than most of the commenters, it seems, I think I can shed some light on this episode since I watched it back when it was originally broadcast (like Steve and Adrian) I want to comment on it from the eyes of a child who was drawn to sci-fi in any form but knew what he enjoyed...and what made him think. I cried at the end of this episode. We look at these shows now through the eyes of critics who have had their frame-of-references expanded by tremendously good sci-fi literature, movies, TV shows and especially special effects. When I saw this episode it was totally believable to me. Adam didn't age well but at the time he made me believe that robots existed. Please be kind to these treasures. Without these early experiences many of the spectacular imaginations that brought us our modern sci-fi classics may not have come about. I'm watching this episode as I write this and can't help wishing that I could have that impactful experience like I had when I first watched it. I want to be able to have that moving experience again. I want to watch something that will make me cry again.FrankieBoyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15991122497868649159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-83993317661265925892015-04-04T04:41:16.319-07:002015-04-04T04:41:16.319-07:00I found this blog quite interesting and concern in...I found this blog quite interesting and concern in the blog is really impressive you guys really doing the good job by updating this kinds of post really impressed..!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://unlimitedanimationmovies.com/watch-ex-machina-online.html" rel="nofollow">Watch Ex Machina Online</a><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14679841930541566047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-13158182084207988692014-11-24T18:39:46.685-08:002014-11-24T18:39:46.685-08:00Steve, I had the same experience. We've grown ...Steve, I had the same experience. We've grown used to faster-paced, better-produced TV shows -- and we were just kids in 1964, so our expectations were different (that probably applies to our perception of TOL overall). But, Craig, "fair and balanced" as usual, you have stressed the value of the story itself, which impressed us despite the shortcomings of the production.<br />I'm still a Nimoy fan (I envy a co-worker of mine who enjoyed meeting him recently -- and not even at a Trek convention).Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14734209804925803298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-32830047339743364392014-11-24T08:06:34.042-08:002014-11-24T08:06:34.042-08:00Much more watchable and impressive when I saw it t...Much more watchable and impressive when I saw it the first time in 1964. While it is still watchable today (Marianna Hill comes to mind) it tends to be somewhat laughable. It has the plain flat look that far too many of the Season 2 episodes had. Was I spoiled by Season 1? HELL YES! Weren't we all?Steve Mitchellhttp://www.ilensartography.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-58597043813155468192014-11-22T06:55:50.707-08:002014-11-22T06:55:50.707-08:00I wasn't overly impressed by "I, Robot&qu...I wasn't overly impressed by "I, Robot", either. But as you pointed out, it managed to relay a sort of comic-book-come-to-life feel. It's too bad it just seems so ham-handed and corny. <br /><br />This episode gives off such a recycled story vibe. The main characters are all familiar; the crusty, good guy defense attorney, the overzealous prosecutor and the hang-em-high sheriff, etc.. <br /><br />Leonard Nimoy as cynical reporter Judson Ellis is fun to watch. Seeing him play a manipulative, calculating character is a nice turn. His character doesn't seem to serve any purpose though, other than to convince niece Nina Link to pull the retired DA Thurman Cutler from retirement. <br /><br />The robot itself is only a half satisfying creation. Its head somehow portrays its feelings even though its mouth is the only moving part and its voice is monotone. The rest of the robot's build is laughable, with its flexible ductwork arms and legs and its chest and back plates held together with what appears to be duct tape. <br /><br />The ending is a bit of a surprise and it casts doubt on the trial judge's verdict, but its not satisfying, really.<br /><br />And the last thing I thought you'd be covering is robot weiners. I'm still laughing.whitsbrainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18171082058163775614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-66822793114865480232014-11-19T17:55:18.454-08:002014-11-19T17:55:18.454-08:00We'll all be sorry to see your blog end in Jan...We'll all be sorry to see your blog end in January, so we're eagerly anticipating your promised critical overview of dried meats. However, if your jerky was glowing (!), as you imply, then perhaps you grew up in the vicinity of Three Mile Island, not in Oregon, as you somewhat suspiciously claim.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14734209804925803298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-27012889365919840152014-11-14T14:02:51.129-08:002014-11-14T14:02:51.129-08:00Glad to be of service, Big D.Glad to be of service, Big D.Craig Beamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01039251711343080950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-26332640850609361382014-11-14T14:01:48.094-08:002014-11-14T14:01:48.094-08:00Yeah, good point. There are a couple of nice verba...Yeah, good point. There are a couple of nice verbal exchanges.... not nearly enough to save things, however.Craig Beamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01039251711343080950noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-76205400875126392282014-11-14T12:27:51.701-08:002014-11-14T12:27:51.701-08:001. "I, Robot" has at least one entertain...1. "I, Robot" has at least one entertaining aspect that Craig doesn't mention: the interaction between Cutler and Ellis (some of which was quoted by David Schow in the Companion) is amusing, and probably better written than anything else in the script.<br /><br />2. What is it with the second season and little girls being threatened by trucks? First, we have the climax of this episode. In January, we'll see the Darcys' adorable daughter slowly pedaling her tricycle into the path of an improperly parked truck in "The Premonition". Mark Lungohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14470025194827675845noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4584587054071618235.post-8426749768690343002014-11-14T09:50:01.859-08:002014-11-14T09:50:01.859-08:00Well, I've been waiting with bated breath all ...Well, I've been waiting with bated breath all week for this post, and it did not disappoint. I remember this one from way back, and suffered some of the same "WOW LAME ROBOT" trauma then....it is just not that great as a sci-fi episode, or even a good episode of TOL. HOWEVER. This review certainly got me to chuckling and helped me see it in many new lights - thanks, Craig!Donovannoreply@blogger.com