Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Reviewing the final episode.

It's been a year since I wrote about the first episode, so here's something about the finale. Maybe one day I'll fill in the episodes in between.

NO WAY BACK

Written by: William Welch
Directed by: Robert Sparr


Guest Cast:
Henry Jones: Mr. Pem
Barry Atwater: Maj. Gen. Benedict Arnold
William Beckley: Major John Andre

Voyage ends on a more reserved note than one might expect. At this point in the series, there was little hope for a return to the higher level of writing and direction of the glory days. However "No Way Back" is indeed a pleasant surprise for those who had hung in for so long.

Henry Jones returns to the role of Mr. Pem for the second and final time. He is no less a mystery than before as he comes with no backstory, motivation or even real character. His attraction is brought solely by Jones himself. However, the actor is so good, one enjoys his contributions as simple entertainment, which is what the series always strived to be. His chemistry with Richard Basehart is still excellent and his death at the climax is something of a shame because the character isn't unlikeable. Had the series been given a fifth season, no doubt some excuse would have been given for his return.

We'll see who wins....

Pem's plan is muddled, but, as usual, it is glossed over by writer William Welch in the closing seconds (see episodes like "The Mummy" for a sterling example of this). Nelson is able to vaguely discern the plan and give it to us rapidly, with only his natural air of authority selling it. Somehow, it seems, bringing Seaview to a specific point in the American Revolution, and with the help of Major General Benedict Arnold, and British Major John Andre, would win the war and eventually make Pem the most powerful man of the twentieth century. Why he needs the two officers is never explained, but it gives Welch an excuse to indulge his knowledge of American history.

Judging by the TV of the era, audiences were fascinated by early American history and Benedict Arnold was mentioned and portrayed (along with Abraham Lincoln) quite often. However, Arnold was always simply known as "the worst traitor in the nation's history." This does the man a disservice and Barry Atwater depicts him as a monster and a bully. It was forgotten that, before his betrayal, he contributed greatly to the cause of the revolution. However, Nelson is a patriot and his reactions are quite in character.

Major Andre is treated somewhat better (apparently because he is not a traitor), and he comes off as an innocent and likeable young man. Nelson and the men, Kowalski in particular, take a shine to him (however Andre fights as hard as any foe in the big missile room brawl). He was truly a man of great refinement and dignity and William Beckley makes his ultimate fate touching, considering how poorly drawn the characters are.

With all the talk of the revolution, and considering the ample wardrobe at Fox, the back lot, and the stock footage, it's something of a disappointment the story didn't involve a shore party and at least one action sequence with soldiers of the past. Money spent on effects as late as "Savage Jungle" would have been better spent here, giving the series finale a scope unseen since the second season. However, the episode is still a great deal of fun as we see every main and recurring series character have something to do. Paul Trinka has a brief bit after the opening credits one last time. It's sadly ironic that the two characters not on the Seaview when it exploded were the first two actors to pass away following the end of the series.

Seaview's destruction in the teaser is a bold and shocking move, one that was surprisingly never done before. This being the final episode, it works beautifully and sets the tone immediately. When Nelson receives the notice of Seaviews end, Basehart brilliantly underplays his reaction. He was only just bantering with Pem when he was delivered the blow and before it could truly sink in, Pem was already at work conning his way into getting his new time device. He gambles that Nelson would be so caught off guard that he would buy almost anything Pem was selling to get his ship and crew back, and he plays Nelson perfectly. However, Nelson's no dummy and once back on the Seaview, he keeps the man on a short leash. Unfortunately, Pem is still a step or two ahead. At this point we see a demonstration of Voyage's penchant for "magical science" as Pem takes his stopwatch and dips it in a vat of bubbling chemicals. Considering the absurdly simple nature of a pocket watch (and it being an "energy booster"), one would assume it works on brain waves. A person picks a place in time in his mind, clicks the button and the device brings the subject there. This would explain how both Pem and later Nelson are able to move in time and space simply by clicking one button on a watch.  

There is some fun in the reactions to Nelson's unexplained appearance on the sub well after they had left port, but some of them are frankly overdone. After 109 over the top, crazy adventures, it seems unbelievable that this is enough to freeze people in their tracks, dumbfounded. The reactions to General Arnold and his men are much more realistic; Baseart's near eye rolling expression at meeting Arnold is telling, as is David Hedison's frustrated groan when his way is blocked by "one of those characters." They betray a kind of weariness which shows that four years of this sort of insanity was quite enough.

"Lee, I don't think the world is ready for this quite yet..."

The Irwin Allen Universe was never consistent or even logical in its depiction of time travel. Still, Pem gets a wonderful line of dialog that skewers many time hopping stories and series, such as Irwin's own The Time Tunnel:

"I don't understand why everyone doggedly insists it's not possible. Young man, of course history can be changed, simply by changing the past."

All this boils down to a fun romp through time, culminating in the ship being rocked and rolled, a fist fight or two, and Nelson beating the clock by seconds, saving the ship and crew one last time. The episode, and the series, concludes on a calm and wistful note as Nelson and Crane discuss the events they just experienced. The final fade out over the time device and some very nice, atypical music, is a bittersweet end to a series that, while often quite silly, gave me and many people great joy.

I wasn't there for the first run of the series, but Voyage is a major reason why I love 60's TV. Television then was more fun, providing light, escapist fare in response to the social upheaval occurring outside our homes. My fondest memories are tied into childhood TV watching, when these shows were being rerun endlessly during the day. Ironically, however, I didn't discover Voyage until 1992. I was 25 and the Sci-Fi Channel was premiering. They ran Voyage six days a week then and I finally had a chance to see it. I was instantly hooked and I've been in love with the series ever since. I know that I would have been crushed over the cancellation if I was a kid during the first run and I still feel a little sadness as I watch the show in context of the time (as I watch everything). By 1968, relevant television was starting to seep in and violence was coming out thanks to viewer protests and focus groups. There were still a couple of years left for my kind of programming, but the end was in sight.

Still, for 110 episodes of fun and excitement, I must thank Richard Basehart, David Hedison and, of course, Irwin Allen. It was a great run.