Irene Shubik's BBC horror anthology, "Out of the Unknown," is nothing short of groundbreaking. The series, which ran from 1965 to 1971, celebrates science fiction as a genre while embracing the humanity inherent in stories that evoke awe or terror on a grand scale. Series creator Shubik understood that few genres could provide commentary on topical issues like sci-fi, as even the most outlandish genre plots could serve as an allegory for something more pressing and immediate. What's more, our relationship
with technology is always on the cusp of change — a theme that "Out of the Unknown" captures by alternating between taut drama and playful satire, brought to life with stories written by some of the best literary authors from the 20th century.
Everyone from Ray Bradbury to EM Forster contributed to the BBC series, highlighting various corners of sci-fi that help us understand human impulses better than ever before. The list of literary talents also includes the likes of John Wyndham and JG Ballard, but the genre feels incomplete without Isaac Asimov, whose oeuvre takes a historical approach to science fiction (while melding it with mystery and fantasy elements). Some of Asimov's best stories are included in "Out of the Unknown," where the series takes advantage of Asimov's penchant for penning complex allegories and presenting them in crisp, straightforward prose. There's a sense of ease in the translation from text to screen, as Asimov's worlds rarely indulge in unknowable abstractions, even when they veer towards fantastical developments from a worldbuilding perspective.
As you might already be aware, Asimov's most influential work is his "Foundation" novel series, which has been adapted countless times, including the more recent Apple TV+ series (which does a commendable job of capturing its vast scope and nuance). While the BBC show doesn't draw from "Foundation," it highlights a plethora of overlooked genre titles that are worth checking out. Let's take a closer look at these Asimov-centered episodes.
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Out Of The Unknown Adapted Asimov's Overlooked Shorts Into Thrilling Episodes
Some episodes in the series have adapted entire novels, such as Asimov's "The Naked Sun," a whodunit that incorporates science fiction on the most technical level to explore the complicated social customs of the hostile planet, Solaria. Homicide detective Elijah Bailey (Paul Maxwell) steers the events after teaming up with humanoid robot R. Daneel Olivaw (David Collings), and the two embark on a tense adventure to protect Earth from intergalactic threats. Sadly, this particular episode is now considered lost, owing to the standard practice (at the time) of the BBC wiping their tapes after broadcasts. However, you can still watch some of it, thanks to a reconstructed DVD version that combines surviving stills with CGI to recreate this precious piece of art lost to time.
The fact that most episodes of "Out of the Unknown" have suffered a similar fate is heartbreaking, as its legacy can only be patched together with the help of out-of-context stills and media criticism that has managed to survive. Even these incomplete snippets are a testament to the show's ambitious nature, highlighting Shubik's zeal to put seminal genre tales on the small screen. Asimov's short story adaptations have also survived in fragments — for instance, his positronic robot tale "Liar!" and robot-human parable "Satisfaction Guaranteed" exist only in tele-snaps and audio extracts.
This is also the case with the Asimov novella "Sucker Bait," which explores the pitfalls of niche scientific knowledge that can lead to situations brimming with double-edged morality. Some of the themes in this early 1954 novella bled into Asimov's authorial ethos, as it encouraged his tendency to write sci-fi stories that were accessible to the mainstream. This doesn't mean that his stories are devoid of complexity. On the contrary, Asimov is held in such high regard for his ability to simplify complex concepts, allowing anyone with an interest in the genre to develop an appreciation for worlds far removed from our own (while also drawing parallels on an allegorical level).
Not every story (Asimov's or otherwise) in "Out of the Unknown" is extraordinary, but whatever can be gleaned from the reconstructed disks is riveting, as these fractured stories have a way of appealing to the curiosity for the unknown. Even if you're unable to get a hold of these episodes, I encourage you to seek out more Asimov short stories (especially "The Dead Past," his only quasi-autobiographical tale) if you wish to experience a wide range of genre themes that science fiction can accommodate.
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