Science Fiction Theatre episode review — 1.1 — Beyond

Original air date: April 9, 1955
Director: Herbert L. Strock
Writers: Robert Smith and George Van Marter (story by Ivan Tors)

Rating: 5/10

I’ll be honest — I’m not sure if I’m going to make it through this entire series. While it only had two seasons, they managed to pump out 78 episodes, so that’s more than a little intimidating for something that I’m just really watching because I’m a little curious. This is George McFly’s favorite 1955 television show in Back to the Future, so that’s where I first heard of it, and I’m really just kind of interested in it otherwise because I enjoy some ’50s science fiction, and this seems like it might be a half-decent precursor to The Twilight Zone and The Outer Limits.

If the first episode is an indication, it’s really not.

We start with the host, Truman Bradley, going on about how there are things we can’t see or hear, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist. It’s actually kind of enjoyable, to be honest.

The actual story proper is a pretty unspectacular one, featuring a test pilot who claims to have seen a UFO. It’s very talky, poorly paced, and it doesn’t have a satisfying conclusion.

My patience is already being tested with this first episode.