The Outer Limits (Syfy, Syndicated)

Any given episode of THE OUTER LIMITS might take place just about anywhere, from the old West to a far-off alien planet to the modern world -- and the main characters might be humans, aliens, robots, or something else altogether. But the situations and conflicts are always something that any viewer can understand, because the plots of this thoughtful sci-fi anthology series always center on classic human themes like greed, love, power, and fear. Much like the venerable classic The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits usually starts with an easily believable situation, then adds just a touch of advanced technology, alien power, or mystical influence to create a sci-fi story that seems like something that could almost happen to anyone. Now-well-known actors often appear as guest stars, including Kim Cattrall, Adam Goldberg, Antonio Sabato Jr., and Lou Diamond Phillips.

The modern incarnation (which originally ran from 1995 to 2002 and still airs in syndication and is available on DVD) has dramatically improved special effects and production values over the original black and white version (which ran from 1963 to 1965). But like the original, today's version builds through each episode to a surprising plot twist. Though some episodes are better than others (and some of the twists are easier to spot than others), the show is generally quite satisfying to watch, especially when watching ordinary people who are thrust into extraordinary situations struggle to make impossible decisions.