Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

This was my favorite TV series, growing up in the 1960's. And it still is a fun show for a lazy afternoon, or late at night. Richard Basehart, as Admiral Nelson, was (and still is) like an uncle or grandfather to me. He always knew just what to do in any emergency, and his subtle sense of humor really makes him very likable too. David Hedison, playing Captain Lee Crane, was the person I wanted to be someday. And the relationship between Captain Crane and Admiral Nelson is almost like a father and son - some tension now and then, but they always respect each other in the end. Of course, the real stars of this TV series are the Seaview and the Flying Sub. Even today, many fans of the show collect and build model kits of these two amazingly cool submarines. No matter how silly some of the series plots and monsters look today, the Seaview and Flying Sub are still two of the best designed vehicles in the history of science fiction television. For this alone, Irwin Allen will always have my most heartfelt thanks and appreciation. Hopefully someone will attempt a new feature film of 'Voyage' someday, as was done with 'Lost In Space' in the late 90's.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea is one of the great series of 60's television. The special effects look are to laugh at, but that is what makes it great. The plot in each episode was the same: The Seaview being attacked by giant monsters from beneath the sea, and Adm. Nelson and Captain Lee saving the world from destruction. I would be cool if someone makes a new movie out of this TV series, because it's worth it. Action and adventure like only 60's TV could do it!

The Seaview is confronted by a giant seaweed monster with two eyeballs. "I've never seen anything like it!" Exclaims Nelson. Yes, you have, it was on three episodes previously. In fact that eyeball monster was a regular fixture on the show. Whenever they ran out of ideas (which was all too frequent) out would come Mr Eye balls. In one episode they couldn't be bothered to show some rogue scientists so they just had someone relay the information that there were a bunch of rogue scientists on the seabed controlling Mr Eyeballs. They had a villain on board who kept talking to them through a walkie-talkie. Spare no expense!

But you gotta love those titles, usually self explanatory such as 'Terror on dinosaur island' or my personal favourite, 'The monster from outer space.' Highlights include a scientist who took a drug that expanded him in size. It also expanded his clothes and he sprouted fangs ('Behemoth', God, why do I remember that?) Also the under-sea spider. Well cool. Every week Kowalski would be chewed out by the chief or the crew would fling themselves from side to side of the sub. Getting bored with this they introduced a flying sub that would fly around endlessly for little reason and inevitably crash land.

On and on the series went. Eventually they dispensed with all the monsters and had the crew just walking up and down the corridors with the odd lobster man dropping in to break the monotony. Richard Basehart, seeing a once promising career disappearing under the beach break, became increasingly irritable as the series staggered on. In one episode the Seaview was taken over by seaweed for the umpteenth time and he was hilariously indifferent and short-tempered. Grabbing a laser gun with a 'don't-bother-me-with-this' shrug he flatly said "We'll burn it with this" and proceeded to do so with all the urgency of a man filling in a tax bill. Eventually the writers ran out of final scenes so the cast would just stand there looking at each other uncomfortably waiting for Nelson to ad lib something like "er, let's get under way."

It's missed. Sort of.

If you want to be really entertained, then watch Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. With a wide variety of monsters, aliens, and special guest stars, you'll want to watch this show again and again. I personally think it was one of the most clever shows and it should always be remembered.

This was great stuff for the time. I remember that my family rarely missed this show! Richard Basehart as Adm. Harriman Nelson and David Hedison as Capt. Lee Crane were always searching for new undersea discoveries. These, of course, very often led to adventure and drama. We never knew when the Seaview was on her last voyage. There were often giant undersea monsters to deal with. And, of course, even though they haven't been spotted by man in all of written history, they were THE biggest danger of our time. They obviously had to be dealt with, now didn't they? By today's standards, the special effects were quite laughable but for their day, they did their job. I recall some of these shows even today, decades later.