Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Episode Guide Year 3

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Production information and notes by Mark Phillips
Story synopses, Mike Bailey

Guest star Arthur Space

Destroy Seaview Original Airdate: March 19, 1967

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Dr. Land, Nelson and Crane first enter the cave in search of Zycron 143.

Nelson, Crane and physicist Dr. Land enter an underwater cave to get samples of Zycron 143, an element which could be the ultimate weapon in the wrong hands. Nelson, who has been brainwashed by an enemy power, takes a sample and then tosses explosives which trap Crane and Land in the cave.

With a snarl and what looks to be a piratical eye patch, Nelson heaves a Jupiter 2-like bomb into the cave.

Dr. Land, Nelson & Crane in cave.

Nelson gives heave-ho to bomb.

Nelson returns to Seaview with the story that the other two are dead. Sharkey and Patterson dive down to investigate, even as Seaview is rocked by an undersea quake. In his cabin, as Nelson radios the location of the cave to the enemy, Chip picks up the unauthorized signal emanating from within Seaview. Kowalski sets out with a detector and traces the signal to Nelson's cabin, where the Admiral knocks him out with a stun-gas.

Sparks informs Morton of strange signal.

Kowalski's stand-in takes the brunt of a gas booby-trap.

Nelson in cahoots with the enemy.

Sparks tips Morton off about spurious signal.

Kowalski's stunt double gets gassed.

Sharkey and Patterson dig at rubble to save Crane and Dr. Land.

As Sharkey and Patterson enter the cave and search for Crane and Dr. Land, another undersea quake almost buries the two would-be rescuers in rubble, but they finally get through to Crane, who warns them about Nelson. On Seaview, Chip reluctantly orders the Admiral detained. The brainwashed Nelson eludes the search and eventually pulls the dampening rods on the reactor.

That mischievous elf Nelson, pulls the reactor rods.

Nelson saves the day by short circuiting the nuclear reactor with a ray-gun blast, thus winning the specious science award for the episode.

Having effected their rescue, Sharkey and Patterson lead Crane and Land back to Seaview where Crane tries to reason with the mind-controlled Nelson. Nelson shoots Sharkey as he tries to shut down the reactor and Dr. Land fires a low-voltage charge at Nelson, noting it may bring him out of his brainwashed condition. It does, and Nelson saves the day in the nick of time by firing a laser beam into the reactor, short-circuiting it from going critical. He is himself again and the enemy has been thwarted.

Mouse over for hot ray-gun action!

Written: Donn Mullally
Directed: Justus Addiss
Guest Cast:
Dr. Land..................Arthur Space
The Voice...........Gregory Morton
Patrol leader.............Jerry Catron
Henchmen................Dave Dunlap
Darryl Scott McFadden
Crewman.......................Dick Dial

The very capable Arthur Space and Paul Trinka suited-up in scene from Destroy Seaview.

Mark Says: Another great teaser, as Nelson seals Crane in a cave but the rest is standard stuff. The enemy voice is kind of amusing, issuing no-nonsense commands to Nelson. Guest star Arthur Space turns in a hilariously flat (yet likeable) performance as Dr. Land.

Arthur Space as Dr. Land, and Patterson.

Mike Says: Pedestrian script with a lot of shuffling and loafing about. In an emergency of this degree, the very air would crackle with tension and people would rush to save their friends and the world, rather than saunter slowly about, as if they're on a stroll. The episode has no energy. The one saving grace is that when Dr. Land fires the laser gun at Nelson, instead of relying on a flash of light and a puff of smoke, as was so often the case in third-season shows, there is actually an animated laser beam. Well, OK, and there weren't any rubber suited monsters. This outing's shakiest science -- Nelson firing a laser blast into the reactor to prevent it from going critical. (???)

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