Judgment Day (The Outer Limits)

"Judgment Day"
The Outer Limits episode
Episode no. Season 6
Episode 1
Directed by Brad Turner
Written by A L Katz, Scott Nimerfro
Production code 111
Original air date 21 January 2000
Guest appearance(s)
Episode chronology

"Judgment Day" is an episode of The Outer Limits 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

“ In the face of violent crime, the thin line between justice and vengeance can grow ever thinner, but what happens when society becomes as violent as the criminals it seeks to contain? ”

Plot

Judgement Day is a television show wherein the family of a murder victim are allowed to get revenge. Dropped off at a location of his choosing, the convict is given a twenty-minute head start. A camera is implanted in his eye that allows the audience to view his whereabouts and what he sees. Furthermore, a chip capable of producing a lethal electrical shock is implanted in the convict's body, which can be triggered by the taser of the hunter, or even by the executives who can use it on convicts who 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 24 hours they are instead given life imprisonment rather than the death penalty.

In this particular episode, Allison Channing hunts down Declan McMahon, who was convicted of killing her sister. Declan, however, is a petty criminal and claims to be innocent.

The show begins with the opening of "Judgement Day". When asked why he chose to participate in "Judgement Day" he responds simply that he "has no choice". When Declan is escorted from the courtroom he tries to tell Allison that he did not kill her sister, which only provokes her. The viewer is introduced to Jack Parson, the producer of the show who enthusiastically tells the staff how this will be their big break. Parson is also with a man from the network referred to as "Ev", who opposes the show out of concern for the danger involved in releasing convicts. Ev even tried to convince the network to reject the show but was outvoted, a fact which Jack Parson brings up with relish. The perspective switches to Declan, who is dropped off in a part of town near where his brother works, Declan intending to find evidence of his having been framed. His brother tells him that he has evidence but they need to meet in a safe place. Declan then tries to find Allison and explain his innocence by offering to show her the evidence that would exonerate him.

Allison seems ready to attack Declan with the taser but hesitates, eventually Declan retreats as it seems she will kill him. He starts heading to meet with his brother, and during this the perspective jumps between himself, Allison, the producer, and the show itself. The evidence Declan's brother found was the old security tape, which 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 takes drastic actions, removing his eye with the implanted surveillance camera with a grapefruit spoon; he hands the eye to his brother who heads out in a different direction, hoping to buy Declan some 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 hears from Jack that Ev was the likely perpetrator for the frame up as Ev 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 was ineligible for the death penalty. Declan confronts Jack with a newly installed camera eye and manages to record Jack's confession as well as his attack on Allison and Declan himself. The episode ends with Jack as the show's new convict; Declan still considers the show a moral outrage, but when asked why he's participating he says simply that he "doesn't have a choice".

Closing narration

“ To those who would corrupt the search for truth, be warned; the sword of justice cuts both ways. ”

Cast

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