"Now I must break the last barrier between flesh and the spirit."
An intelligent coal miner, Gwyllim(David McCallum), who hates the town he lives, desiring for something more, begins to work with an English scientist, Professor Mathers(Edward Mulhare) seeking a genetic breakthrough to increase evolution in man which would move us away from the primitive emotions of violence and yearning for power. Through the use of a time machine which can alter the genetic make-up of whoever enters, affects Gwyllim, both from an intelligent and physiological standpoint. Outside the machine, Gwyllim's body continues to change(..he grows a sixth finger, pointy ears, a large cranium, with an overall appearance quite alien and his brain power(..to both read minds and inflict harm without physically touching those who possibly threaten him) evolves to a vast degree. Cathy Evans(Jill Haworth), a 'basket girl' who delivers goods to locals, may be the only one who can reach the remaining 20th century human left in Gwyllim for she was the only person who truly believed in him. His hatred for the town could result in devastating consequences, considering the power he is now equipped. Can Professor Mathers stop him or will the evolutionary process itself advance Gwyllim past the primitive feelings that afflict us all?
As was always the case, The Outer Limits has yet another episode featuring a thoroughly fascinating and thought-provoking script, questioning and exploring themes of the time, including the desire to remove the emotional entanglements which cause cruelty, hate, revenge, and other benevolent feelings that had created the Atom bomb and World Wars. Again, science, meant to cure what ails mankind, instead creates an even more dangerous monster. Interesting development is when we discover, as Gwyllim's highly evolved mind reveals to us through his newfound power of telepathy, that one of Mathers' reasons for conducting his experiments was for his contributions to the creation of the Atom bomb. The make-up for McCallum, and David's performance as well, develop a chilling effect on the viewer as we watch him slowly morph into a superior being, losing his humanity as he gains unlimited power and intelligence.
An intelligent coal miner, Gwyllim(David McCallum), who hates the town he lives, desiring for something more, begins to work with an English scientist, Professor Mathers(Edward Mulhare) seeking a genetic breakthrough to increase evolution in man which would move us away from the primitive emotions of violence and yearning for power. Through the use of a time machine which can alter the genetic make-up of whoever enters, affects Gwyllim, both from an intelligent and physiological standpoint. Outside the machine, Gwyllim's body continues to change(..he grows a sixth finger, pointy ears, a large cranium, with an overall appearance quite alien and his brain power(..to both read minds and inflict harm without physically touching those who possibly threaten him) evolves to a vast degree. Cathy Evans(Jill Haworth), a 'basket girl' who delivers goods to locals, may be the only one who can reach the remaining 20th century human left in Gwyllim for she was the only person who truly believed in him. His hatred for the town could result in devastating consequences, considering the power he is now equipped. Can Professor Mathers stop him or will the evolutionary process itself advance Gwyllim past the primitive feelings that afflict us all?
As was always the case, The Outer Limits has yet another episode featuring a thoroughly fascinating and thought-provoking script, questioning and exploring themes of the time, including the desire to remove the emotional entanglements which cause cruelty, hate, revenge, and other benevolent feelings that had created the Atom bomb and World Wars. Again, science, meant to cure what ails mankind, instead creates an even more dangerous monster. Interesting development is when we discover, as Gwyllim's highly evolved mind reveals to us through his newfound power of telepathy, that one of Mathers' reasons for conducting his experiments was for his contributions to the creation of the Atom bomb. The make-up for McCallum, and David's performance as well, develop a chilling effect on the viewer as we watch him slowly morph into a superior being, losing his humanity as he gains unlimited power and intelligence.