Small Friends (The Outer Limits)

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“Small Friends”

The Outer Limits episode

Episode no.

Season 5
Episode 91

Written by

Tom Szollosi

Directed by

Neill Fearnley

Guest stars

Ralph Waite (Gene Morton), Richard Yearwood (Lawrence), Roddy Piper (Marlon), Ingrid Torrance (Becky), Andrew Johnston (Warden Taylor), Benz Antoine (Fence Guard), Marc Baur (Board Member), Bill Croft (Gabriel), Tim Progosh (Walter Black), Gerry Rousseau (Jimmy), Dean Wray (Tito), Joel Palmer (Phillip)

Original airdate

5 February 1999

Episode chronology
← Previous	Next →
"Donor"	"The Grell"

List of The Outer Limits episodes

"Small Friends" is an episode of The Outer Limits television show. It first aired on 5 February 1999 .

1 Opening narration
2 Plot
3 Closing narration
4 External links

[edit] Opening narration

"The longing for redemption can express itself in many forms and sometimes, indeed, the greatest obstacle we face is found within our own conscience."

[edit] Plot

When he was young, Gene Morton killed a man who tried to steal the credit for his brilliant research. Now working on a prison assembly line fixing the busted tape decks of fellow inmates, his chances at parole have been sabotaged by his own honesty and sense of guilt. Although it's a lonely life, late at night, after lights-out, Gene brings out his small friends, a swarm of microscopic machines that he made from prison scrap and keeps in a matchbox. The MEMS (short for microelectromechanical systems) are controlled by a small keypad and can work together to perform an amazing variety of tasks, from sculpting steel to picking locks. The MEMS are Gene's little secret until one night when he takes pity on Lawrence, a fellow inmate who has broken a CD player belonging to Marlon, the prison tough guy. Knowing Marlon might kill Lawrence, Gene sends the MEMS to fix the player. Lawrence is dazzled, but repays the favor by teaming up with Marlon to blackmail Gene. The two cons threaten to kill Gene's daughter Becky and grandson Phillip unless he uses the MEMS to help them break out of prison. When things turn ugly during the jailbreak and Marlon's demands increase, Gene knows he's in big trouble and the only help available is from friends who are smaller than the eye can see.