Judgment Day (The Outer Limits)
Encyclopedia
"Judgment Day" is an episode of The Outer Limits
television show. It first aired on 21 January 2000, during the sixth season.
Today Allison Channing hunts down Declan McMahon, who is believed to be a killer of her sister Kaitlin. However, Declan, being a petty criminal, claims to be innocent.
The show begins with the 'opening' of the show Judgement day. When asked why he has chosen to participate in Judgement Day he responds simply that he 'Has no Choice' and coldly tells the judge that this isn't a matter of justice, merely the haves culling the have-nots, to which the Judge replies that there isn't anyone she thinks is more deserving of culling. Declan is then escorted from the courtroom to be given the 'Customary twenty minute head start' as he is leaving he tries to tell Allison that he didn't kill her sister, which only provokes her to respond that him saying that only makes it easier for her to kill him. The viewer is also introduced to Jack Parson who is the producer of the show and is quite enthusiastic, telling the rest of the staff for the show how this will be their big break and will turn their network into a major player. Parson is also with a man from the network referred to as 'Ev' who feels distrustful at the idea of the show, mostly due to the danger of convicts being released into populated cities and the danger they could pose, it is also revealed that he tried to convince the network to avoid taking the show on as he viewed it as perverse but was outvoted, a fact which Jack Parson brings up with some relish. The perspective switches to Declan is dropped off in a part of town near where his brother works, with an aim to find evidence that apparently will prove that he was framed. His brother tells him that he has evidence but can't give it to him here, that they need to meet in a safe place. Declan then tries to find Allison and explain his innocence to her, even offering to show her the evidence that would exonerate him.
She seems ready to attack him with the tazer but hesitates, eventually Declan retreats as it seems she will kill him. He starts heading to meet with his brother, and during this perspective jumps between himself, Allison, the producer and the 'Judgement Day' show itself. The evidence his brother found was the old security tape, which he discovered had been tampered with, removing signs of another person entering the building where the murder took place, this also makes Declan wonder if the network itself framed him, since the police would have been more focused on finding the real killer if they had such information available. He also takes more drastic action, going so far as to use a grapefruit spoon to remove the eye that has a camera in it, handing it to his brother who dons a ski mask and heads out with the eye in a different direction from Declan, hoping to buy him time. Declan eventually searches out and confronts Allison in her home, showing her the footage and arguing that it proves that at least something underhanded was going on. She contacts the network to try to get a clearer idea of what was going on while Declan gets a call from his brother and goes to meet with him. Allison hearing from Jack that Ev was the likely perpetrator for the frame up as he seemed quite eager to use the 'zapper' to take out Declan. However it is soon discovered that Jack was the one who manipulated the surveillance footage as the actual perpetrator was under the age of 18 and thus couldn't have the death penalty applies. Declan confronts him with a newly installed camera eye and manages to record Jacks confession as well as his attack on Allison and Declan himself. The episode ends with Declan hunting Jack through the streets, saying that he still considers the show a moral outrage and when asked why he's participating then he says simply that he 'Doesn't have a choice.'
The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
television show. It first aired on 21 January 2000, during the sixth season.
Introduction
In a television show, killers are hunted and killed by family of their victims. Judgment Day was produced by Jack Parson and hosted by Stan Draper and Heather Cattrell, the show has turned the Justice system on its ear by becoming judge, jury and executioner, allowing a murder victim's family to carry out the death sentence on live television.Opening narration
Plot
Judgement Day is a fictional television show wherein the family of a murder victim are allowed to get revenge on the perpetrator who murdered their loved one. The principle of the show is simple enough the convict is given a twenty minute head start and dropped off at a location of their choosing, in their eye a camera is implanted showing the audience where they are and what they see. They also have a chip implanted that can provide a lethal electrical shock to their system which can be triggered by the tazer of the person hunting them or to an equal or lesser degree by the executives who can use it on them if they leave the containment area of the hunt, try to take a hostage, or attempt to hide somewhere. If the person being hunted is able to survive for twenty four hours they are instead given life imprisonment rather than being killed.Today Allison Channing hunts down Declan McMahon, who is believed to be a killer of her sister Kaitlin. However, Declan, being a petty criminal, claims to be innocent.
The show begins with the 'opening' of the show Judgement day. When asked why he has chosen to participate in Judgement Day he responds simply that he 'Has no Choice' and coldly tells the judge that this isn't a matter of justice, merely the haves culling the have-nots, to which the Judge replies that there isn't anyone she thinks is more deserving of culling. Declan is then escorted from the courtroom to be given the 'Customary twenty minute head start' as he is leaving he tries to tell Allison that he didn't kill her sister, which only provokes her to respond that him saying that only makes it easier for her to kill him. The viewer is also introduced to Jack Parson who is the producer of the show and is quite enthusiastic, telling the rest of the staff for the show how this will be their big break and will turn their network into a major player. Parson is also with a man from the network referred to as 'Ev' who feels distrustful at the idea of the show, mostly due to the danger of convicts being released into populated cities and the danger they could pose, it is also revealed that he tried to convince the network to avoid taking the show on as he viewed it as perverse but was outvoted, a fact which Jack Parson brings up with some relish. The perspective switches to Declan is dropped off in a part of town near where his brother works, with an aim to find evidence that apparently will prove that he was framed. His brother tells him that he has evidence but can't give it to him here, that they need to meet in a safe place. Declan then tries to find Allison and explain his innocence to her, even offering to show her the evidence that would exonerate him.
She seems ready to attack him with the tazer but hesitates, eventually Declan retreats as it seems she will kill him. He starts heading to meet with his brother, and during this perspective jumps between himself, Allison, the producer and the 'Judgement Day' show itself. The evidence his brother found was the old security tape, which he discovered had been tampered with, removing signs of another person entering the building where the murder took place, this also makes Declan wonder if the network itself framed him, since the police would have been more focused on finding the real killer if they had such information available. He also takes more drastic action, going so far as to use a grapefruit spoon to remove the eye that has a camera in it, handing it to his brother who dons a ski mask and heads out with the eye in a different direction from Declan, hoping to buy him time. Declan eventually searches out and confronts Allison in her home, showing her the footage and arguing that it proves that at least something underhanded was going on. She contacts the network to try to get a clearer idea of what was going on while Declan gets a call from his brother and goes to meet with him. Allison hearing from Jack that Ev was the likely perpetrator for the frame up as he seemed quite eager to use the 'zapper' to take out Declan. However it is soon discovered that Jack was the one who manipulated the surveillance footage as the actual perpetrator was under the age of 18 and thus couldn't have the death penalty applies. Declan confronts him with a newly installed camera eye and manages to record Jacks confession as well as his attack on Allison and Declan himself. The episode ends with Declan hunting Jack through the streets, saying that he still considers the show a moral outrage and when asked why he's participating then he says simply that he 'Doesn't have a choice.'
Closing narration
Cast
- Chris ElliottChris ElliottChristopher Nash "Chris" Elliott is an American actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his comedic sketches on Late Night with David Letterman, starring in the cult comedy series Get a Life and for his recurring role as Peter MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond...
- as Jack Parson - Ian TraceyIan TraceyIan Tracey is a Canadian Leo- and Gemini Award-winning actor. Over the years, Tracey has participated in over seventy films and television series. Tracey has starred in series like Da Vinci's Inquest and Intelligence, both CBC television series produced by long-time colleague Chris Haddock...
- as Declan McMahon - Nicole OliverNicole Oliver-Education:She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from York University, and additional training from the British American Drama Academy in Oxford and London.-Career:...
- as Heather Cattrell - Molly RingwaldMolly RingwaldMolly Kathleen Ringwald is an American actress, singer and dancer. Having appeared in the John Hughes movies Sixteen Candles , The Breakfast Club , and Pretty in Pink , Ringwald has been frequently named the greatest teen star of all time...
- as Allison Channing - Peter KelamisPeter KelamisPeter Kelamis is an Australian-born Canadian actor and comedian.-Life and career:Kelamis was born in Sydney, Australia of Greek origin. In 1985, Kelamis enrolled in the University of British Columbia...
- as Stan Draper - Judith Maxie - as Judge Peale
- Louis ChirilloLouis ChirilloLouis Chirillo is an American-Canadian actor and voice actor.He was born in Seattle, Washington. He is famous for voicing Keefe in Zoids: Fuzors. He has also voiced Shaman in Pucca...
- as Cheech - Jennifer Sterling - as Detective Meacham
- Colin Foo - as Mr. Chow
- Tony AlcantarTony AlcantarTony Alcantar is an American actor. He may be best known for his improv work with the Windy City Women Improv Troupe.Alcantar toured and performed with The Second City in both Toronto and London, Ontario....
- as Director - Kevin McNultyKevin McNultyKevin McNulty is a Canadian actor.McNulty was born in Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. He has acted on three aviation movies: Falling from the Sky: Flight 174 with William Devane, Final Descent with Robert Urich and Snakes on a Plane with Samuel L. Jackson...
- as Everett Rothwell - Vincent Gale - as Dooley McMahon
External links
- Judgment Day at The Outer Limits official website
- Judgment Day at TV.comTV.comTV.com is a website owned by CBS Interactive. The site covers television and focuses on English-language shows made or broadcast in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Japan...