Episode Guide, Year 1

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Episode Guide, Year One, shows 29-30.
Production information and notes by Mark Phillips
Story synopses, Mike Bailey

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The Enemies
Secret of the Loch

The Enemies (Airdate: March 29, 1965)
STORYLINE:

Angler's Captain Richardson goes berserk and opens fire on his exec. The result is tragedy.

US Submarine Angler goes to Davie Jones' Locker when, after tense disagreement with his exec, the captain hauls out a machine-gun and opens fire. After listening to tapes retrieved from the sunken submarine, Nelson concludes the events are highly suspicious. He knows the men involved; they wouldn't fall apart under stress. Seaview investigates a strange island which is linked to the disaster by evidence found in the captain of the Angler's safe. In short order, Nelson and Crane are taken captive by the island's villains. General Tau who is using the research of Dr. Shinera to pit people against one another, thereby causing their deaths.

Nelson studies the tapes and records from Angler

Nelson and Crane study retrieved tape of final moments of madness aboard Angler. What went wrong?

Plotting to pose Admiral against Captain.

Crane & Nelson search the island.

Captured by Tau.

Tau & Shinera plan test.

Victims fight one another.

Shinera needs one last test for his new weapon -- pitting friend against friend, Captain against Admiral. Back on Seaview, with solid evidence that Nelson and Crane are dead, Commander Morton appears to be readying to head for home.

Captain Crane out of his mind with anger.

Crane has been given the doctor's experimental drug, and the two Seaview officers set loose on the island. Nelson must stay alive long enough to be rescued from the now murderous Crane. Not only does he survive, but he also manages to divert the doctor's formula into the island's drinking water. It will only be a matter of time before the general and his men, tear each other apart. Seaview sails into the sunset till next week.

Mike Says: Felix Feist directed many first-season episodes to great effect. He had directed 1953's intelligent Donovan's Brain , and likewise, episodes of The Outer Limits, Wagon Train, Sea Hunt , and many others. Writer William Read Woodfield was at his best in Season one, and turns in a sharp script with "The Enemies." Although Malachi Throne was capable of overacting, he turns in a reasonably straight performance against the menacing Henry Silva, who is perfect in his role of the bad-guy military man. And yes, that really is good old Tom Skerrit who gets shot up and dead in the first reel. (What -- no mustache?) Guest Robert Lipton became a regular in 1969's The Survivors.

The Enemies

Written: William Read Woodfield
Directed: Felix Feist
Guest Cast
General Tau..........................Henry Silva
Dr. Shinera.....................Malachi Throne
Capt. Jim Williams........Robert Sampson
Frank Richardson................Tom Skerritt
Angler crewman................Robert Lipton
Crewman........................Patrick Culliton
O’Brien..............................Derrik Lewis
Diver..................................Hy Freedman

Mark Says: A definite classic. The way the show opens, with the mental collapse of Captain Williams (unnerving with his staring, crazed expression) is gripping, as is Richardson’s plaintive last cry as he grasps, too late, what is happening. Lots of shuddering moments - Nelson’s observation that the island seems to be "covered with slime," the agonized dead bodies of the tiger cats locked in a death grip and treacherous pools of quicksand everywhere. The scene where a "giant" General Tau confronts Nelson and Crane is a real, on-set "special effect" that is stunning. There is an out-take reel for this episode where David Hedison is munching on berries and he suddenly asks the director to "stop film" because a wailing ambulance siren in the back ground is drowning out his dialog. Henry Silva and Malachi Throne make an effective, evil duo.

Nice microphone you got their General Tau.

Secret of the Loch (Airdate: April 5, 1965)
STORYLINE:

People are dying on Scotland's infamous Loch Ness and a strange monster is sighted on the loch (Nessy?) Nelson orders Seaview to that lonely place at the behest of the US and British governments, which have a jointly run secret underwater research base in the Loch. Nelson and Crane are to rendezvous with the project's lead scientist (Crothers) but instead encounter Professor McDougal, who claims Crothers and his assistants were killed by the Loch Ness Monster.

Nelson & Crane leaving pub.

Assailant takes aim.

Mystery man steps in, stops attacker.

Somewhat skeptical, Nelson and Crane pose as newspapermen to fish around the local pub for the truth, and manage to flush out several attempts on Nelson's life. They are aided and protected by Inspector Lestor from London who is later killed, apparently by a strange creature. McDougal claims it's a prehistoric beast that gains access to the loch from the sea via an underwater tunnel. Although skeptical, Nelson (with McDougal on board Seaview) follows up on the lead, which leads him straight into trouble. For indeed, there is a tunnel and Seaview gains access to the Loch.

Authentic looking locals add ambiance to pub scene.

Monster-mimicking enemy sub in the distance.

What they find there is not a prehistoric beast, but rather an enemy sub disguised as a monster. McDougal reveals his identity as an enemy agent and that he has secretly disarmed Seaview's torpedoes. Nelson is to deliver himself, McDougal and the secret underwater base plans to the enemy sub, or boom -- no more Seaview. Nelson agrees to the enemy's demands, but locks McDougal in his cabin. He informs the enemy sub they'll be transporting over in the mini-sub. Turns out the mini-sub is loaded with explosives which blow the other submarine to bits upon contact. Scratch one Loch Ness monster.

Trivia: Paul Kremin was actually Paul Zastupnevich, Irwin Allen’s assistant and the man who created the costumes for all of Allen’s productions.

Mark Says: What this episode lacks in action it makes up for in ambiance - plenty of fog, dark forests, forbidding pools of black water and a frightening scene where Inspector Lester’s boat is destroyed by the monster. The revelation that the creature is an enemy submarine is disappointing, especially given the low-grade appearance of the submarine.

Secret of the Loch

Written: Charles Bennett
Directed: Sobey Martin
Guest Cast
Alistair McDougall.......Torin Thatcher
Inspector Lester.....Hedley Mattingley
Andrews..........................John McLiam
Angus..........................George Mitchell
Crofter................................Tudor Owen
Macroft..............................Joe Higgens
Boat skipper.......................Paul Kremin
Enemy sub voice..........________

Mike Says: Mood, mood, mood. The first forty minutes of this episode are a delight. The revelation at the end about the enemy sub is a big letdown. How much more interesting it would have been for Seaview to go head to head with a real live plesiosaur, possibly the product of enemy experiments or something. The effects of the enemy monster-sub at the end are not nearly as convincing as the earlier "monster" shots, but taken as a whole, this episode is loaded with ambiance and is well worth watching.

Mouse-over for messy, er, Nessy explosion.

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