The Grid (The Outer Limits)

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“The Grid”
The Outer Limits episode
Episode no. Season 6
Episode 125
Written by Duncan Kennedy
Directed by Brad Turner
Production no. ?
Original airdate July 14, 2000
Episode chronology
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List of The Outer Limits episodes

Contents

[edit] Introduction

"The Grid" is an episode of The Outer Limits television show. It was first broadcast July, 14th of 2000, during the sixth season.

[edit] Opening Narration

"Technology is designed to serve us, to ease our burdens. But will our machines become so sophisticated that it is we who do the serving?"

[edit] Plot

When Scott Bowman gets an urgent message from his brother Peter, he decides to drive back to their hometown of Halford, Washington to see what is wrong. When he gets there, he discovers that Peter is dead and his wife Eilleen has been charged with his murder. But that's not the only shock awaiting Scott. The town where he grew up has been transformed. Antenna towers dot the landscape and the people act strangely, as if they are under some kind of sporadic mind control. Scott goes to the jail to visit Eileen, where she warns him about the towers - just moments before grabbing the Sheriff's gun and killing herself. This turn of events convinces Scott that he needs to investigate further. He meets with a former colleague of Peter's, Dr. Jim Holbrook, who seems friendly, but doesn't give Scott any information. Scott doesn't know where to turn next, when out of the blue, one of Peter's former students shows up. She tells Scott about a book that holds the secret to what is known as Project Halford. Scott finds the book and a videotape that reveals the Army's plan to construct a neural computer network that would communicate directly with the brain. It also reveals that the project spun out of control and that Peter stole vital codes in an attempt to halt the computer's drive to take over the minds of the townspeople. Sadly Scott was too late and the towers are placed all over the nation, including near his home. Scott's wife is already under their control and shoots Scott.

[edit] Closing Narration

"When the human mind is made obsolete by advancing technology, the soul may not be far behind."