Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
Episode Guide, Year Four, Shows 9-12
Production information and notes by Mark Phillips
Story synopses, Mike Bailey

Rescue  (Airdate: November 19, 1967)
STORYLINE:   
     Seaview looks for a marauding sub while Crane cruises the depths in the Flying Sub hunting for an underwater installation that might be the marauder's base. When Seaview is attacked, Nelson responds and CPO Beach, a new man, oversees the preparation of two torpedoes that misfire. Crane no sooner finds the marauder's base than the Flying Sub is pounded to the bottom by a laser blast. Nelson must rescue Crane before his air runs out, but Beach confounds the rescue and secretly informs his base of Seaview's planned actions. Nelson finally figures out Beach is the culprit but is trapped in the escape hatch and almost drowned by the scoundrel before Sharkey sends Beach to a watery grave. Crane is rescued and the mystery marauder blown to bits.

Written: William Welch Directed: Justus Addiss Guest Cast CPO Beach...................Don Dubbins Beach’s Accomplice.....Marco Lopez Corridor Guard..............Paul Stader Crewman......................Ronald Quay Enemy sub from Rescue last seen in Season Three's "The Lost Bomb".

Marco Lopez: "I was never given screen credit on Voyage but it didn’t matter, it was a joy to do and I loved working with Irwin Allen.  He was a very dedicated and loyal man and he later gave me roles in other productions, like The Poseidon Adventure , where you can see me listening to Gene Hackman’s sermon."

Mark Says:   Richard Basehart tried different ways to liven up his character and here he makes Admiral Nelson incredibly annoyed and grumpy for most of the episode. Even an exasperated Morton rolls his eyes after being chewed out by the Admiral. An exciting story beset by the usual inconsistencies (why is the missile room left unmanned when everyone knows a saboteur is loose aboard ship?) This was the first episode broadcast that used Phil Norman’s new introduction, the sonar circle freeze-frame, and it’s a gripping main-title sequence.

Mike Says:   Not only did this episode feature for the first time the exciting new opening credits Mark Phillips refers to above, but hey--no monster!!!   The mystery sub seen is the same one seen in season two's "The Lost Bomb" and much if not all of the footage is reused from that episode.  I have read elsewhere and seem to recall from the last time I saw this episode, that Beach has an on-board accomplice who is never identified and apparently still on board Seaview at episode's end.

Terror  (Airdate: November 26, 1967)
STORYLINE
          Nelson, Sharkey and crewman Dunlap row to a small island in search of a research botanist who had radioed for help. They track down a man who mumbles about invaders, then screams and dies. Alien Orchids take control of Dunlap who opens fire on Nelson and Sharkey, then he too screams and dies. Unaware of the tie, Nelson returns with a mysterious orchid he figures may be tied to the deaths and the claims of invasion. All too soon, the alien plant has the crew fighting amongst themselves and takes control of Nelson, who sets the plant up in the reactor room and pulls the rods so thing can absorb energy and duplicate into many alien orchids. This time it's Crane who pulls a quickly devised weapon out of thin air—it shatters the plants and frees Nelson of the monster plant's control.

Written: Sidney Ellis Directed: Jerry Hopper Guest Cast Dr. Thompson........Damian O’Flynn Dunlap....................Patrick Culliton Storage Guard..............Jerry Catron Reactor man #1..............Brent Davis Reactor man #2.........Thomas Brann Reactor man #3.......Denver Mattson Reactor man #4..............Paul Stader Dr. Brinks.....................Bart La Rue Crewman....................Ralph Garrett

Nogoodnik Orchid nails Admiral Nelson.

Mike Says:   The plants in this episode are reminiscent of the similarly dangerous flora in the Star Trek episode "This Side of Paradise" and even more so of those in the original Outer Limits episode, "Specimen Unknown."   The threat posed by the deceptively beautiful and seemingly harmless plants makes an interesting counterpoint to rampaging rock beasts.

Mark Says:  A routine story, although the scene where a furious and possessed Admiral Nelson is seen, standing in the escape chamber dripping wet, is memorable.

A Time To Die  (Airdate:December 3, 1967)
STORYLINE
          On maneuvers, Seaview encounters strange effects including dinosaurs, a total eclipse of the sun when one isn't due for years, clocks that run backward and eerily, a complete loss of communication with the outside world. Nelson determines by the position of the stars, that they're a million years in the past. Further intriguing time effects occur, until Nelson, returning to his cabin, finds a funny little man who identifies himself as Mr. Pem. Pem, it seems, has mastered what he calls the most potent weapon in existence—time, and he wants Seaview as a mobile power source to run his pocket-watch time booster. Nelson pretends to throw in with Pem, and as they're touring Seaview, casually instructs Crane to shut down frame 35, which unknown to Pem, houses the reactor. Nelson tricks him into the circuitry room were is killed (well, maybe) when he throws a high-voltage power switch. All that is left of Mr. Pem are the smashed and smoking ruins of his pocket-watch time-booster.

Written: William Welch Directed: Harry Harris Guest Cast Mr. Pem..................... Henry Jones Monster................. Dawson Palmer                    Henry Jones played Mr. Pem

Blow Up  (Airdate:December 10, 1967)
STORYLINE
     With Seaview en route to rendezvous with the 11^th Fleet out of Pearl, Nelson attempts to repair a leak in one of the missile fuel systems, and after a small explosion, is forced to use a new emergency breathing apparatus.  Recovering in sick bay, Nelson suddenly attacks Doc, then runs out and proceeds to act erratic and paranoid.  Driven at top speed by Nelson, Seaview begins to come apart and finally hull plates buckle and she crashes on the bottom, flooding several compartments.  Crane tries to support Nelson and the crew works to raise the sub.  Again seaworthy, Seaview gets underway with Nelson eventually locked in the missile room, preparing to launch weapons at the Fleet.  Crane is able to order a counter-missile fired, saving the day, and Nelson, after passing out, comes to, again himself and recovered from his paranoia.  Doc concludes it was the gas in the breathing apparatus that made Nelson temporarily crazy.

Written: William Welch Directed: Justus Addiss Guest Cast NONE           Basehart as Nelson draws           a  dangerous breath