The Sixth Finger

What happens when you take an ordinary laboring man and accelerate his mental and physical evolution? A very familiar question posed over the years in sci fi literature, and one addressed here in one of the best shows in the series. A very good cast, a believable premise and execution.

David McCallum stars as Gwyillim Griffiths, a poor but bright young man in a rural Welsh mining village who is hired to be a lab assistant to a kindly research scientist named Professor Mathers(played by Edward Mulhare). He volunteers to subject himself to a breakthrough invention that somehow can accelerate the state of human evolution thousands of years, but this gives Gwyillim increased intelligence, and physically transforms him as well, which frightens the local villagers, though his girlfriend Kathy Evans(played by Jill Haworth) remains the one person he can still connect with before it is too late... Provocative episode with fine script and makeup effects that distinguish it, along with lines like "Your ignorance makes me ill and angry."

David McCallum is shown playing classical piano in one scene. Rather than using a piano double, it actually is his own playing. McCallum was trained from a very early age in both oboe and piano, and is capable of playing to professional standard. His father was leader of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Our episode begins In a remote Welsh mining town, a scientist Professor Mathers discovers how to speed up evolutionary mutation. Gwyllim Griffiths, a disgruntled local miner, volunteers for the experiment, threw a friend of his and potential love interest Cathy Evans, enabling the scientist to give him enhanced mental capabilities and, incidentally, a sixth finger on each hand. But when the mutation process continues while outside of the scientist's control, the mutant miner takes over the experiment. Now equipped with superior intelligence and telekinetic powers capable of great destruction, Griffiths decides to take revenge on the mining town he loathes. But, can Cathy and Mathers stop him for he does harm to the whole town and virtually himself. So once again were given an episode that pretty much follows the same plot line like I discussed in the last episodes review. A scientist usually taking something normal (usually a person) and conducting scientific experiments until said subject gets out of control and the whole thing pretty much ends horrifically with a morale narration at the end. This one is no different, but, the fact the the story goes at a really brisk pace and that we have two really good British actors in Edward Mulhare and David McCallum really helps. The ending is really good, but, you can defiantly tell the cheapness of the budget here, as the episode barely goes outside and and pretty much just has two inside sets. Plus Grittiths build up never really goes anywhere, he literally knocks a cop off his motorcycle and thats about it. The ending possibility that man can evolve past hate and what not is really great though. Overall the series manages to put out another good episode.

This episode features two British actors very familiar to 1960s American television--Edward Mulhare ("The Ghost and Mrs. Muir") and David McCallum ("The Man From UNCLE").

Mulhare is a genetic scientist who has been manipulating DNA in chimps in order to speed up evolution. The result is a chimp that is nearly as smart as a person! When a local dullard sees this, she begs the scientist to do this procedure on her boyfriend (McCallum)--a rather dull coal miner. Mulhare reluctantly agrees to his first human subject and McCallum is accelerated thousands of years--and becomes MUCH smarter and with psychic powers but also some contempt for mankind, as we are all very stupid in comparison. He continues to evolve--and each time, we become more and more like mere parasites to the point that he sees us as inconveniences. What's next? See this very interesting episode to find out for yourself.

I liked this one because it could simply have been about how noble mankind would one day become (BOOORRRIIINNGGG!). Instead, although McCallum seems pretty benign, over time his view of the human race is pretty scary! An insightful and clever show--well worth seeing because of this as well as it being incredibly unique!