When I mention classic tv shows with a particular emphasis on fantasy or science fiction themes, most people will think of The Twilight Zone and a smaller number might think of The Outer Limits. There is a show that I rarely see get brought up in these conversations, and this is One Step Beyond. Although it only ran for under 3 years, this series introduced half hour long drama shows based on urban legends to audiences. Allegedly, the subjects of the episodes are actual historical events, but because most of them defy conventional explanation and logic, it's basically impossible to verify these claims. While it's a matter of preference, I like the fact that this is an anthology show, meaning each episode is its own, standalone story and you don't need to watch any of the previous ones to jump right into what's happening. Because each episode is unrelated, they had a large number of writers making scripts for the show, including (believe it or not) Charles Beaumont, who would make quite a number of classic TZ installments later on. Similarly to many other shows I've seen from around this era such as Combat or Sea Hunt, OSB featured a slew of guest stars to make the show have a greater impact in the public eye. Some of these include Charles Bronson, Elizabeth Montgomery, William Shatner, Jack Lord, Werner Klemperer, Skip Homeier, and even Christopher Lee. While I can't help but draw comparisons between the soundtrack of any old fantasy/sci-fi show and the music of Outer Limits, I will say that One Step Beyond has nice music that fits whatever ominous or inexplicable things are being shown. What really matters here are the episodes and how well they're able to hold your attention, and while I've only seen a small number so far, none appear subpar (yet). I know it's only a matter of time until I run across one I don't like, but with so many different writers of various skill levels writing the episodes, that's something you need to expect. So far, my favorite one is probably The Vision, which focuses on a group of French infantrymen during World War I and how they observe a strange bright light in the sky one evening that compels them to stop fighting and leave their trench. They are accused of being cowards and retreating from the enemy, slated to be executed, and an officer has to defend them in a court martial. It reminds me a lot of Paths of Glory, as it's pretty much the same setup and both feature french soldiers. Overall, while this show may not be as polished as something like Twilight Zone for me, it still has that classic quaint atmosphere most of these programs share. It's an old show, but it's not outdated, and these terms don't mean the same thing. If it were the latter, people wouldn't still be going back to it decades later. Keep in mind, tv was new at this stage, and taking a big risk with a show like this was not certain to pay off, but many would say it did.
Review of One Step Beyond
