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Director Paul Stanley's, SECOND CHANCE, is a nifty,
alien abduction yarn.
This episode's story poses a great what if: What if a Disneyland-style
space ride took off for real, with a space alien at the controls? The
imaginative Teleplay is credited to Lin Dane and Lou Morheim, with Lin
Dane receiving Story credit.
Don Gordon ("The Invisibles") under Stanley's sensitive direction,
gives a thoughtful performance as a former scientist, now working as
the "pilot" of an amusement park outer space ride. He brings
strength and sensitivity to lines like, "The possibility of discovering
other beings is no longer fantasy."
Simon Oakland ("The Night Stalker") is the alien who abducts
the humans. Oakland's rich baritone is perfect for the authoritative
delivery of lines like, "Perhaps you were compelled to come here
by some sleeping need for unreality. An escape from reality is usually
costly. This one is free."
John McLiam ("Sleeper") and Angela Clarke are sympathetic
as "The Beasleys," a middle aged couple who haven't gotten
any breaks from life. Janet De Gore is okay, in the role of "flight
attendant" on the space ride. She looks the part, but is only required
to look pretty and/or scared, depending on the circumstances.
Director Stanley cheats the audience by not showing the alien-altered
amusement park spaceship taking off. Perhaps the FX guys were not up
to the challenge. Too bad!
Director of Photography, Kenneth Peach, makes the most of the roomy,
two level space ride set, courtesy of Art Director, Jack Poplin, and
Set Decorator, Chester Bayhi. Peach gives us a great shot, over alien/Oakland's
shoulder, looking down at Gordon and De Gore on the passenger deck below.
The music is your standard/typical "Outer Limits" score. Dominic
Frontiere, as usual, gets the credit for the familiar music.
SECOND CHANCE should be highly watchable for most Sci-Fi viewers. Those
into alien abduction tales will dig this episode. BACK
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