The Man with the Power

Having had a technically advanced device installed in his head, Harold J. Finley has the ability to cause electric storms to appear and eviscerate those that get in his way.

It's another very high quality, impressive episode, this one is pure science fiction, the story of an everyday man being pushed into extreme action by those around him.

This comes at a really interesting point in the career of the late, great Donald Pleasance, definitely a big star by this point, with an already illustrious list of performances, and he was terrific here, adding real sincerity to the part.

Ok, so when you see Harold Finley use his powers to lift the rock, you can see the strings lifting it up, but we are watching things on a much higher resolution, I'm sure many wouldn't have picked up on it at the time.

Once again they were ambitious with the special effects, they attempted to do something pretty bold, it was a fair effort.

Good story, elevated by the lead performance.

8/10.

Donald Pleasance, a sort of Casper Milquetoast college teacher, dominated by his wife and his boss, the college dean, has agreed to be a guinea pig in an experiment to use the brain to cause do things beyond the scope of normal machinery. It can actually be used to cause things to happen in other places, including space, to mine precious metals and elements. Unfortunately, Pleasance begins to lose control of his own id impulses, actually killing his boss and injuring his wife. Once he realizes how dangerous this power is, he tries to put the kabosh on the project, but his own impulses can't be curtailed. To make matters worse, a young astronaut is going to have the same implant that Pleasance has, and this guy won't listen to reason. Pleasance sounds like a nut, so drastic measures must be employed for drastic times. Unfortunately, the conclusion can be seen coming a mile away.

Donald Pleasance has a brain operation that creates terror to his family and co-workers.

Other posters have compared this episode to Forbidden Planet (1956), I never picked up on that over the decades, but yes you are correct, so the IMDb has changed my view of this episode. Thanks.

An all-round good episode, not a favourite, not an episode I often return to with repeat viewings...but a well made hour of sci-fi...and all the guest stars really shine (even if one of them is now too associated with comic insanity of Get Smart).

We are now four episodes into the series an all four episodes have things of interest.

Donald Pleasance stars as Harold Finley, a quiet, much put-upon college professor who has also been secretly working on an innovative government project to enable astronauts to mine asteroid fields, and in order to do this, Harold underwent a trial operation on his brain in order to link him with hidden electrical fields in the air, the earth, etc. Unfortunately, it also has the side effect of unleashing the fury of his subconscious mind on anyone who has angered or frustrated him, killing several people, and driving the guilt-stricken Harold to stop the project(and himself) altogether... Pleasance is excellent here as usual, really making this otherwise predictable story work well.

Donald Pleasence is the meek science professor Harold J Finley. He went through a secret experimental surgery for NASA. It increases his brain activity. Giving it the power of energy where it can move rocks.

The astronauts would be next in line for the surgery by NASA.

At first Finley does not notice the side effects to the surgery. When he gets angry, some dark clouds gather and destroys what has been upsetting him. Such as the construction workers at the roadblock who closed the highway. Their trucks later get damaged.

What is upsetting Finley now is the Dean of his college. He will not give Finley time off so he can finish his work with NASA. The Dean likes to demean Finley constantly.

Another person always humiliating Finley is his own wife. She has emasculated Finley and pretty soon he comes close to snapping. This time realising the dangers of the powers inherent in him.

An interesting premise, some good acting by Pleasance but it does not work. The Dean was horrid and I could not understand why the NASA like organisation could not give Finley permanent employment after doing surgery on him.

There were just too many weaknesses in the story.