The Outer Limits (1963–1965): Season 2, Episode 8 - Wolf 359 - full transcript

Outwards, stretches
the quest for truth.

Stars without end.

Timeless infinities.

A billion, billion galaxies.

Man's imagination
reaches out.

And out.

While betimes the farthest
reaches of knowledge.

Are found
in the smallest places.

Is it sealed?

Well, yes,
hermetically.

Same climate,
same atmosphere as the planet.



Yes, and density and gravity

and soil
and temperature.

And as accurate
as biometry and

spectography
and radiography,

and a dozen other sciences,
can make it.

You see that light?

That sun?

Looks as though its on
steady, doesn't it?

Well, actually it's blinking
so fast that you can't see it.

One blink,

one day, in there.

Well this whole thing
is really fantastic.

Now, as I
understand it, uh,

your Grant from
the Dundee Foundation



was for the purpose
of gathering information

about the planet in the
star system of wolf 359.

Hmm, yes,
that's right.

Ah, but then instead
of writing up a report,

you used the information

to create
in your own laboratory,

in the middle
of the desert,

a piece of a planet.

Actually an authentic piece
of planet 8 light years away.

Yes, that's right.

I've taken the Liberty
of calling it "Dundee" planet,

in your honor.

Well, not after me of course,
after the foundation.

Why not?

After all we've spent so
much money on this project,

we could
buy that planet.

Oh, what about
that, uh, lichen?

Is, uh, is that
what it is, moss?

Ah, yes, yes,
I... I introduced

the D.N.A. Factor in there
several weeks ago.

That's the basic
component of life.

And there's actually plant
life growing in there,

just as it's growing
on the planet, in wolf.

Speeded up, of course,
by the miniaturization.

The attachment's hooked up,
professor.

It's much better.

Much better?
What...

It's tremendous.

This new attachment
and your camera

are going to make all the
difference in the world.

Here, take a look.

Yeah, it's fascinating,
professor.

You've actually started
an evolutionary process.

Yes, yes, under that
planet's conditions.

Whew!

John,
do you suppose...

Do you suppose
that some form of

animate life will
develop in there?

No, no, I wouldn't even dream
of anything like that.

Well, it's a
great achievement.

Thank you.

No wonder Mr. Dundee was so
excited on the trip out here.

Well,
within a decade,

we'll be on our way
to Planet Dundee,

within the star system
of wolf 359.

There is nothing
wrong with your television set.

Do not attempt
to adjust the picture.

We are controlling
transmission.

For the next hour,

we will control all
that you see and hear.

You are about to experience
the awe and mystery.

Which reaches from
the inner mind to...

The outer limits.

Well, you're both
welcome to stay overnight.

Peter never uses
that spare room.

He drives
into town overnight.

Yeah, he wants
a little social life.

I can't say
that I blame him.

He is a bachelor,
isn't he?

Well, if he isn't,
he acts like one.

Oh, thank you, dear.

Oh, who was it that said the Martini
was the only civilized drink?

I think it was a reformed
bourbon man, wasn't it?

It was Devoto wasn't it, who wrote
an entire book about the Martini?

Hmm.

And John...
Mmm-hmm.

That attachment that we
brought this afternoon.

Why, what... what does
it actually do for you?

Well, it, uh, gives us
a magnification

of over 200,000 diameters,

which means a chance to examine
all the extraordinary things

going on in
that green house.

In one of your taped reports which
was sent to the foundation,

you mentioned something
to the effect

that one second
of our time equals

11 and a half days
on the planet.

Yes, you see there's...

There's a tremendous
evolutionary speedup.

For instance, uh...
Uh, suppose it rained,

uh, on that section
of forest that you looked at.

Suppose it rained, say
uh, oh, half an hour.

Now what would you
see in our time

if that lasted for less than
a 500th of a second?

Oh, nothing.
Exactly.

Well, now that's what
the, uh,

the new attachment
in the camera are for.

We've noticed that

there are odd changes
taking place in there.

There's, uh, seasons
and floods and volcanoes.

Of course,
while we can't see

what's happening
while it's happening,

afterwards
we see the result.

Um, but the camera can take a
picture while it's going on.

Right, right.
It can stop the action.

Uh-huh.

Well, at least that's
the theory.

Well, we should get some
results pretty soon.

How long, darling?

Oh, uh,
tomorrow, I hope.

The steaks?

Oh, no, no,
3 or 4 minutes.

Oh.

Time is relative.

You know,
quite apart from the fact

that you're industrious
and dedicated,

you're a very lucky man,
John.

I mean, to have a woman
like Ethel here,

to follow you like this into
the middle of a desert, hmm?

Keep telling him,
Mr. Dundee.

Well, perhaps we're
all lucky with our project.

We have men spread out from
Maine to Southern California,

each one working
in seclusion.

And each one
giving far more

than the foundation
could possibly hope for.

You see,
at first all we wanted

was to take part in the
space pioneering effort.

But now, I think we're going to make
a major contribution to science.

That... no, no, no,
thank you, Ethel.

If I were to have
another drink now,

I wouldn't be able to find
my way back to the city...

Especially at night.

Well, that was
a pretty fair dinner.

Like it?
Mmm-hmm.

So did the company.

Do you realize we've had company
twice now, in 14 months?

If we keep up this
mad entertaining,

I'm going to have
to have a social secretary.

Ah, it's been pretty
rough on you, hasn't it?

No.

Yeah,
but you're a good kid.

Another 3 or 4 months,

it'll all be wrapped up
and back to civilization.

Civilization?
Mmm-hmm.

What's that?

Oh, bright lights,

and champagne,
dress shops.

Hmm...

And diamonds...
I like it.

Mink coats,
yachts,

Monte Carlo...

Good night,
you silly fool.

Those Martinis were good,
weren't they?

Mmm-hmm.

Nobody makes
Martinis like you.

Hmm.

'Morning, darling.

'Morning.

Um, how did you sleep?

Fine. You?

Oh, I don't know.

I must have
had a bad dream.

Hmm?

I know it sounds silly,
but...

Oh, I had
the funniest feeling...

Oh, uh, Pete's here,
already.

I've got to go in.

OK.

Good morning, Pete.
We all set up in there?

I'm all ready for you.

Professor,
have a look at this.

What am I looking at, Pete?

The first culture
of lichen from the planet.

You know, I've been studying
it for the past week.

Ah, they're dead.

Yes, sir.

It was thriving when
I went home last night.

Well,
we can't expect it

to live too long out of
it's own atmosphere, Pete.

Oh, sir?

Even the ants.

Yeah, dead.

I noticed them
when I came in this morning.

Well, sometimes a whole
colony can go at once.

Disease, blight,
air circulation.

Let's go.

'Morning, Herbert.
Wanna get out?

With the electronic strobe,
we should be able to get

one shot about every 15
minutes, of the planet's time.

Mmm-hmm.

Well, we mustn't expect too
much the first time, Pete.

Is the dark room
all set up?

Yes, sir.

All right,

let's go for
our first roll of film.

Hmm, that's odd.

What do you make
of that, Pete?

Looks out of focus.

Well it is.
But what is it?

I don't know.

Hmm...

Well,
I guess it's, uh,

some sort of plant
or tree.

Hey, you guys,
it's after 6:00.

Oh, Ethel,
come here, uh...

What does that
look like to you?

The inside of a
tiger's mouth, what else?

When are you going
to close up shop?

Oh, uh, soon.

We have a few shots left on the
roll of film in the camera.

OK. Don't be long.

Pete...

Hmm?

Suppose we were...

We were in too close.

Now, if we were
focused on the ground...

Uh, in the middle
of the shot,

suppose something...

Something went between
the lens and the ground.

Now, it would be
out of focus, of course.

Something like what?

Do you mean something moving,
life of some kind?

Well, look, look here.

Just... just that part,
now look at it.

Now what...
What does it look like?

Just... just right there,
that line, hmm?

A tooth?

Well...

Now, right here,
look at this one, too.

Now, another tooth?

Those teeth would
be at right angles.

Yes, they would be,
wouldn't they?

Oh, but...

Suppose there were
2 animals of some kind.

Actually, Pete,

doesn't that look like...

Like the open jaws of some
kind of prehistoric beast?

It would have
to be so huge.

Yeah.

Like our mesozoic age.

Oh, that's fantastic,
isn't it?

I mean,
to think that life...

Would begin in there...

Like it began
on our planet.

Let's, uh...

Let's finish
that roll of film.

Uh, it might
sound crazy, but,

well, it could be
that the evolution

on Planet Dundee
is the same as ours...

At least up to this point...

Even without
the life forms.

Of course, the atmosphere is
pretty high in nitrogen in there.

But adaptation
is the basic require...

Pete, look!

What is it?

I don't know.

Whatever it is,
it seems...

He knows we're here,
professor.

That's...

That's nonsense.
How could he know we're here?

I mean,
assuming it's a "he."

Uh...

Finish that roll.

Yes, sir.

Uh, get that developed
right away.

Come here.

How could he stay
in one place for so long?

11 and half days
for every second,

it was several seconds.

He seemed...

He seemed to be
looking straight up at me.

Nothing.

And this is
the last shot, too.

Well,
that's impossible,

I took those shots myself.
You took 2 of them.

It had to be
a living creature.

That's impossible,

we're both seeing something
that doesn't exist.

Mmm-hmm. It's real
enough, professor.

You know, the only thing
I could think is that...

Well, that...

It could be visible
only in it's own atmosphere,

not in ours.

You mean, the difference
in light refraction,

optical aberrations,
and so on?

And we can only see it
under the microscope?

Yes.

I don't know.

I don't know. Maybe it
was an hallucination.

Oh, uh, Pete.

Yes, sir.

This, uh...

Thing that
doesn't photograph,

let's, uh...

Let's keep it to ourselves
for a while, shall we?

Until we know
more about it, OK?

Of course.

Well I'll...

I'll be finishing up
in here.

What's the matter?

You're shivering,
what is it?

It's nothing.

Working too hard.

Too late, too.

I should've nagged you.

I didn't hear
Peter go.

Uh, no,
well, he's, uh,

he's still, uh,
finishing up.

John?

You know,

I was frightened.

Of what?

I don't know.

The dark, maybe.
Hmm...

No, it was something else.

I don't know.

Don't you think you're
working too hard, John?

You know, there's so many extraordinary
things going on in there.

There's actually a piece of a
planet from a faraway star system,

and it's developing
its own evolution,

tremendously speeded up,
and we're watching it.

Even though those pictures
aren't technically perfect,

it's... it's... it's astonishing
the things that we're getting.

I mean,
like the one I showed you.

Oh, you mean, the one I said
looked like a tiger's mouth?

But, John,
I was only kidding.

I know.

But, it did, didn't it?
And I've seen more.

They're even closer to what we
can call animals or creatures.

Here, look.

Well, it's a lot
closer, I must admit.

Why is it
you can't see this

when you look
through the microscope?

Ah, the world in there
is infinitesimal.

A million miniaturizations
of a miniaturization.

Everything's happening
too fast to see.

Too fast for even the
camera to stop completely.

Too fast to stop
for dinner.

I know,
I should be dressing.

Maybe I should forget it,
if you're hungry.

No, no, go shave
and shower and dress.

I like you when
you're prettied up.

We must keep this our civilized
oasis in the desert.

John!

Oh, god!

John!

Ethel?

What's wrong?
What happened?

I...

Saw something in there!

What is it, darling?

Oh!

Sir, she...

Shh.

It's all right, dear.
Uh, let's... let's go. Hmm?

You'll be all right. All right.
Come, come with me.

It's all right, John.

I'm all right now.

You looked through
the microscope?

Yes, but I... I didn't touch
any of the dials or anything.

Well, I had it focused on a place
where I thought I saw something.

I saw it.

What?

I don't know.

I saw something...

Something not human.

And, suddenly,
I got a feeling from it.

What is it, John?

I don't know.

Some monstrous thing.

Yes.

Then you saw it, too?

I saw, uh,

I saw a flash of... of...

Something, uh,

a creature, not human.

And, that feeling,
I... I felt that, too.

You better destroy it, John.

Destroy it?
Destroy what?

The whole thing,

Dundee Planet.

The project?

It's a monstrous thing.
It's not of this world.

I don't think you know
what we've got.

We're looking at a... at a
planet, 8 light years away.

I mean that's so far

that the finest telescopes
we have can't pick it out.

We've had to use
second-hand information.

We've had to... we've had to
make assumptions until now.

But, now, right here
in our laboratory,

we can see
what's going on up there.

Why, we can...
We can watch...

We can watch
evolution at work.

Why don't we, uh...

Why don't we take
tonight off, hmm?

Let's go into town,
have dinner.

Pete can mind the store.

I think it'd be good
for both of us, OK?

I'm for that.

Well, you're not the greatest
dancer in the world,

but I enjoy it.

Ah, well,
I aim to please.

You know something?

You do.

Just the fact that you
wanted me to have a change,

and you took yourself away from
what you really want to be doing.

I know your work
is terribly important, John.

So I won't say
anything about it again.

OK?

Not after right now,
that is.

You said you've
been frightened.

John, I've been petrified.

For a second there,
I felt such...

Pure evil,

that...

Creature makes me afraid

in a way I've never
been afraid before.

It's the most awful feeling.

All...

Hollow and achy,

like death is near.

A kind of death
that has no peace.

We should run from it,
just as fast as we can.

It's not the kind of...

I won't say anything
about it again.

Tomorrow, I'm going
to pack you off back east.

I think 3 or 4 weeks at
home is what you need.

Now, come on,

let's have one more dance
before we start back.

I told Pete we wouldn't
be too late.

Hey, Pete's car is gone.
That's funny.

He knows better than
to leave the lab unattended.

I wonder where he went.

John?

John.

What happened to him?

He was so alive
when we left.

I don't know what's the matter with me.
I'm so emotional lately.

Honey, uh,
why don't you lie down?

I'll... I'll make you
a drink in a minute.

John, will you please tell
me what happened in there?

Why do you have to spirit me
off at this time of night,

instead of waiting
till tomorrow?

What did you see?

Nothing.

I just thought
it would be a good idea,

if you're going to go,
why not now?

That's what
you said before.

Well, it happens
to be the truth.

Not all of it.

Of course, all of
it... it's the truth.

Look, I don't want to get
involved in semantics.

Then don't.

Neither do I.

I've got work to finish.

Good afternoon,
professor.

What, uh,
happened last night, Pete?

I'm sorry.

And, uh, this morning?

I stayed in town.

Hmm, obviously.

Last night, uh,

here all alone,

I... I got frightened...

Of what?

What frightened you?

Something you, uh...

You saw in there?

I don't know.

So that's why you
didn't bother, hmm?

Now, there's nothing wrong
with being frightened, Pete.

But there is something wrong
in running out

on your responsibilities,

leaving the door wide open,
leaving our work unprotected.

I'm sorry.

I won't let it happen again.

No, Pete.

I won't let it happen again.

I'll, uh, send you a check
bringing your salary up to date.

And, uh, add a week's pay.
Is that, uh, satisfactory?

You're letting me go?

I'm sorry, Pete.

Well, this project has
become very important to me.

Working here with you...

Mmm-hmm.

I sent my wife away.

I sent Peter away.

I can't expose them to the
dangers of this... creature.

I wouldn't do it
myself except that

it appears that
the evolution going on,

on Dundee Planet,
is the same as ours.

And my observations here

could be of...

Fantastic importance.

There's that... that creature.

Now, I opened
the laboratory door,

and went back inside.

The light must've affected it.

It has form and a kind of,
uh, a kind of substance.

Yet, it's not like a creature
of Dundee Planet.

Not in the sense of
being an inhabitant.

Rather it seems to be
the... the spirit of the place.

A creature apart
from its animal life.

And it appears to be gaining
in strength and ability.

Witness its
predatory progression.

Insects. Plants.

A bird. Guinea pigs.

Then attacking me.

I'm tired.

I haven't been to sleep.

This, uh...

Creature on Dundee Planet,

must be, in some way, responsible
for what I see there.

Violence... death...
Destruction...

A place of
indescribable malevolence.

A place of death and hate.

A place without a god.

Perhaps that's why the...

The light of day,
or any light,

is an anathema to it.

At this time tomorrow,

Dundee Planet
will have caught up

with the 20th century,
here on earth.

And at that time,

I'll be able
to see our future,

by watching it unfold
on Dundee Planet...

If I survive.

And now, it's like
our medieval times...

Killings...
Senseless cruelties...

Even in the normal
course of living.

Indeed, brutality
is always there.

Professor?

Professor.

Professor!

Professor!

Professor!

What?
What is it?

We were worried,
professor.

He was here.

Who was here?

He was here
in this room.

My... my headlights...

I forgot
to turn them off.

What are you
doing here, Peter?

I called Mr. Dundee.

Why?

I had to, professor.
I... I was worried.

Oh, you fool.

Now, John, I think Peter
deserves better than that,

he's terribly worried
to see you looking like this.

When was the last time
you had any sleep?

When was the last time...

Dundee, I've a request to make.
Take Peter and go back to town.

Well, I think...

Don't think!
Just go back to town.

Now, I'm near the end of my work.
I don't want any interference.

That's why
I sent my wife away.

Sir...

No, you sent
your wife away

because you were
afraid for her.

Jonathan.

Look, you've pushed yourself too far.
You're exhausted.

There's nothing that can happen
here in the next few hours

that's more important
than rest for you.

Go on, go on, go!
I don't want your help!

I don't need
your help!

Professor, you're out
on your feet.

You do need help!

Will you shut up?

Now, how plain do I
have to make it?

Will you get out?
Both of you! Go on!

Get out!

Go on!

I know you're here.

I'm gonna go on.

I'm going to finish
as much of my work as I can.

You're not going to stop me.

19th century.

Where are you?

Where are you?

20th century.

The refinement of evil.

Scientific warfare.

And now it's the present.

The atom bomb.

The ability
to destroy ourselves.

And in a few minutes,

the future.

I'm going back
to the microscope

and then we'll know what's
going to happen here on earth.

John?

Destroy it!

The planet!

Break the glass!

Oh!

It's gone?

Yes.

It's gone.

You destroyed it.

That was kind of a...

A madness, an obsession...

I wanted to see
into the future.

Well,

maybe it's
just as well I didn't.

How did you know
I needed you?

You told me.

How?

You didn't answer when I
phoned you last night.

Final report.

Dundee Planet,
star system wolf 359.

The experiment is finished.

My planet is destroyed.

My recommendation
to the Dundee Foundation,

change the planet selected.

It's not a place
we can land our spacemen.

But the... the
project is feasible.

A planet can be recreated
in a laboratory.

The odds are...

The odds are, Mr. Dundee,
that the next time...

The next time,
it will be a place of

some love and warmth,

like our planet earth.

There is a
theory that earth and sun.

And galaxy, and all
the known universes,

are only a dust mote
on some policeman's uniform.

In some gigantic super world.

Couldn't we be under some
super microscope, right now?

We now return control of
your television set to you.

Until next week,
at this same time,

when the control voice will take you to,

The Outer Limits.