"Production And Decay of Strange Particles"

Production Order and Broadcast Order #30 Shooting Days: 19-25 February 1964 First Air Date: April 20, 1964

Production Credits: Writer: Leslie Stevens Director: Leslie Stevens Assistant Director: Phil Rawlins Director of Photography: Kenneth Peach Composer: Dominic Frontiere (stock music) Cast of Characters: George McReady as Dr. Marshall Signe Hasso as Laurel Marshall Robert Fortier as Dr. Paul Pollard Allyson Ames as Arndis Pollard Barry Russo as Dr. Terrel Rudy Solari as worker Griffin Joseph Ruskin as worker Collins Leonard Nimoy as worker Konig Paul Lukather as the Official Willard Sage as Coulter

Opening Narration:

"In recent years, nuclear physicists have discovered a strange world of sub-atomic particles, fragments of atoms smaller than the imagination can picture, fragments of materials which do not obey the laws of gravity. Antimatter composed of inside-out material; shadow-matter that can penetrate ten miles of lead shielding. Hidden deep in the heart of strange new elements are secrets beyond human understanding-new powers, new dimensions, worlds within worlds, unknown."

Plotline:

Dr. Marshall, the head of Broadridge nuclear power station, orders to put intense radioactive elements in the reactor that accidently touch the Nobelium-238 isotope. That combination of particles absorb the physical forms of the atomic workers, turn them into possessed carriers spreading anti-matter outside the complex so that they open a doorway, and leads to a possible destruction of the Earth.

Closing Narration:

"As Man explores the secrets of the universe, strange and inscrutable powers await him. And whether these powers are to become forces of destruction or forces of construction will ultimately depend upon simple but profound human qualities: Inspiration. Integrity. Courage."

Quote:

"I know what's in there... something from another dimension, invading our space-time continuum. Laurel, I did it! I placed the heavy elements in the cyclotron; particles from out there, from quasi-stellar radio sources... bombarded it, split a crack in time and space. It'll widen and tear. Gravity will collapse. Radiation. Contagion. It'll burn us... burn us!"

—Dr. Marshall (George McReady)

Comments:

This is the last episode written and directed by the beloved Leslie Stevens with "The Invisibles" George McReady as a torn-inside boss who looses his will and whose wife restores his lost flame ("Oh Marshall, you're a brilliant man, brilliant. You've got powers, powers of the mind, use them... use... them..."), his strength to fight and find a solution. Throughout the character of Dr. Marshall, this is, in fact, Leslie Stevens' ultimate attempt to save the show as in his previous series "Stoney Burke" and its last episode: "The Journey". The conclusion of the end narration gives you a solid idea of Stevens' dedication and belief for the show: "... forces of construction will ultimately depend upon simple but profound human qualities: Inspiration. Integrity. Courage." The name of the main character is already used in "The Mutant": Dr. [Evan] Marshall. The story is not too thick, rather sibylline, minimalistic and repetitive but there is always this good old acid and cold "Outer Limits" chemistry—the leading protagonist quickly builds a nuke in a cook's way: this is for the dessert-outcome!—made with simple ingredients: a desperate scientist, the rush and catastrophic feel, a power plant, the dark texture, electricity and negative reverse effects—you won't find anymore power plant plots next season. I enjoy watching these radioactive and gregarious zombies wandering in the corridors. In this one, the theme of possession is treated with the allegory of contamination. Leslie Stevens injects a lot of stock shots from a nuclear testing (as in "The Architects of Fear") and reverses an explosion. As in the pilot, one protagonist makes reference to the specific composition of the bear: "Human... But it's made out of... a blue light.", said working man Griffin (Rudy Solari). One part of the set—where the Marshall's plan a solution—is the recycled sound stage from "The Borderland". This episode features no original score but a selection of music from: "The Architects of Fear" [the atomic zombies march music which is known as "A 10 Cent Bug" and originally used for the Thetan], "Nightmare", "The Man Who Was Never Born", "The Borderland" and "The Galaxy Being"; and oddly enough, Conrad Hall never shot a single episode with his series creator-friend. We can admire Leslie Stevens' second wife: Allyson Ames, hysterical and georgeous at once. Her character first name is Arndis which is re-used later in Leslie Stevens' film: Incubus. Val Guest's "Quatermass 2: Enemy from Space" used the same power plant setting infested by contaminated labourers in overalls. Notes: Rudy Solari returns in "The Invisible Enemy", Leonard Nimoy in "I, Robot" and Paul Lukather in "The Brain of Colonel Barham".