Susan Granger’s review of “FINAL APPEAL: THE OUTER LIMITS” (Showtime TV)
On Sunday, Sept. 3, at 8 PM, the two-hour final episode of “The Outer Limits” concludes the popular sci-fi series which aired 132 original, made-for-television episodes during six seasons. Written by Sam Egan and directed by Jimmy Kaufman, “Final Appeal” is set in the year 2076, when the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear a landmark case. Amanda Plummer plays Dr. Theresa Givens, who has been sentenced to death for her “crimes against society.” Her transgressions center around the use of a time-travel device which violates a stringent ban on all technology in the wake of a devastating, world-wide technological holocaust. So it’s back to the horse ‘n’ buggy as transportation and communication are restricted to the lowest levels of development. Kelly McGillis is her defense attorney, while Michael Moriarty is the prosecutor. Charlton Heston is the Chief Justice who is joined on the bench by Robert Loggia, Cicily Tyson, Swoozie Kurtz, and Hal Holbrook. The trial’s outcome is unexpectedly prompted by a surprise witness, a terrorist played by Wallace Langham. The concept of using technology as a scapegoat for all of society’s ills is intriguing, particularly with the use of film clips from previous “Outer Limits” episodes to illustrate different points-of-view. But, as actors, Amanda Plummer and Michael Moriarty muddle their characters. It’s one thing for a thespian to choose an unusual line-reading, it’s another to waver uncomfortably on the edge of bizarre. Plus, the staid courtroom setting tends to grow static as the participants are confined to specific places. So, on the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, “Final Episode” culminates in a 5, begging the question: What will become of a world that has outlawed the tools it has traditionally used to solve its problems?
