What was it about?: Far below the surface of the Arizona desert lay the home of Project TIC-TOC, a Government-funded time travel experiment. Frustrated that funding was likely to be cut off if results didn't come forth soonish - see also "Honeymoon Express," the second season opener of Quantum Leap - Dr. Tony Newman (James Darren) headed into the Time Tunnel and tumbled back to 1912 to land on the Titanic. Colleague Doug Phillips (Robert Colbert) went after him to bring him back, while Tony tried to prevent the ship from striking the iceberg. Neither succeeded, and the two discovered that the only bug to be worked out in the Time Tunnel was how to get back to their own time... cue excursions to the past and future, more often than not at key points in world history and running into everyone from "Billy the Kid" (in the episode of the same name) via "Merlin the Magician" (ditto) to Robin Hood, with Gen. Kirk (Whit Bissell playing American TV's other Kirk to debut in 1966), Dr. Swain (John Zaremba) and Dr. MacGregor (Lee Meriwether) valiantly trying to get them back.
Why was it good?: Pulp fiction it may have been, but it was good pulp fiction - our stalwart heroes battling against the odds to survive (and invariably succeeding, duh) on top of the ol' time travel hook. Like all Irwin Allen's 60s shows, it also boasted a terrific opening sequence (the man being buried under sand in an hourglass + the tick-tock-tick-tock of Johnny Williams' theme = poetry).
Who liked it?: Not many at the time - unlike IA's other 1960s shows, it only lasted a year; although its demise was more linked to network politics. But it's developed a strong cult following and proved quite popular in repeat airings; several episodes were later reedited into ersatz TV movies (e.g. "Revenge Of The Gods" + "Walls Of Jericho" = Revenge Of The Gods), and Fox and Regency Television are prepping a new TV version.
Who didn't?: see above.
Notes: Both Dr. MacGregor and security chief Jiggs took their own trips through the Time Tunnel (and unlike Tony and Doug, returned safely); the series ended on a cliffhanger because Irwin Allen didn't think ABC would dare cancel it. He was wrong. (Interestingly, Douglas Adams and Alan Spencer had precisely the opposite experience with The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy and Sledge Hammer! respectively.)
1967: Individual Achievement In Cinematography - L.B. Abbott, A.S.C. (Special Photographic Effects).
Click here to go back to the list or here to go back to the start.
Travel through time and space...
Tripod Time Tunnel
The Time Tunnel
TV Party's Time Tunnel Page
Irwin Allen Network's Time Tunnel Site