Creator Irwin Allen always considered this his best television series, even though it had the shortest run of only a single season. The premise of two knowledgeable scientist, well-played by James Darren and Robert Cobert, being flung to actual and fanciful historical events was innovative and daring, even with Allen's bountiful use of stock footage from Tewntieth Century Fox productions. The show had a theatrical feel about it because of its incorporation of the footage and the occasional use of music composed by Bernard Herrmann from the films "The Day the Earth Stood Still," "Garden of Evil," and "Beyond the 12-Mile Reef," among others.
Another musical plus was the effective theme song, composed by a young John Williams, and its accompanying graphics. This was one of television's best opening sequences.
As far as the stories are concerned, the best installments involved Tony and Doug's appearances in American history. Two episodes, set during World War II ("Two by Two" with a bravura performance by Mako and "The Day the Sky Fell In," wherein Tony (Darren) comes face to face with his father who will die during the bombing of Pearl Harbor) were quite impressive. "End of the World," set during 1910, has an intriguing look at paranoia and also features great acting from veteran Paul Fix and James Westerfield. Robert Walker does a fine job as "Billy the Kid", which has interesting banter between the outlaw and Doug.
The time travelers did have some good treks in other corners and times of the world, too. "The Walls of Jericho" safely tackles the Biblical story and offers fine work from guests Myrna Fahey, Arnold Moss, and Lisa Gaye. Victor Jory steals the show as a Barbary Coast pirate that is accidentally transported to the Time Tunnel in "Pirates of Deadman's Island." And the pilot episode "Rendezvous with Yesterday" has the boys on the doomed Titanic in 1912.
The show did offer glimpses of future acting legends: Carroll O'Conner, who would later find fame and fortune as Archie Bunker on "All in the Family" does two parts in "The Last Patrol", and Oscar winner Robert Duvall appears in "Chase Through Time." Allen had his company of actors that would appear in each of his productions. However, because "The Time Tunnel" was more like an anthology, with each episode taking place in a different time and place, he could utilize actors in several episodes: John Crawford (4), Malachi Throne (2), John Hoyt (2), ABraham Sofaer (2), just to cite a few.
The worst episodes were actually the ones that owed more to "Lost in Space" than anything else. "Visitors from Beyond the Grave," "Raiders From Outer Space," "The Kidnappers," and the last episode, "Town of Terror", features aliens in that God-awful silver makeup or grotesque costumes and campy dialog and story lines. But, thankfully, those shows were few and far between.
Though not one of the better installments, "Reign of Terror" allows co-star Whit Bissell a chance to assay two roles, his regular one as General Kirk, as well as the general's French ancestor. And the aforementioned "The Kidnappers" hints that there is a romantic relationship between Colbert's "Doug" and Lee Meriwether's "Ann McGregor".
If Allen's other sci-fi show "Land of the Giants" lasted two seasons, the much-better "Time Tunnel" was entitled to season number two.
Another musical plus was the effective theme song, composed by a young John Williams, and its accompanying graphics. This was one of television's best opening sequences.
As far as the stories are concerned, the best installments involved Tony and Doug's appearances in American history. Two episodes, set during World War II ("Two by Two" with a bravura performance by Mako and "The Day the Sky Fell In," wherein Tony (Darren) comes face to face with his father who will die during the bombing of Pearl Harbor) were quite impressive. "End of the World," set during 1910, has an intriguing look at paranoia and also features great acting from veteran Paul Fix and James Westerfield. Robert Walker does a fine job as "Billy the Kid", which has interesting banter between the outlaw and Doug.
The time travelers did have some good treks in other corners and times of the world, too. "The Walls of Jericho" safely tackles the Biblical story and offers fine work from guests Myrna Fahey, Arnold Moss, and Lisa Gaye. Victor Jory steals the show as a Barbary Coast pirate that is accidentally transported to the Time Tunnel in "Pirates of Deadman's Island." And the pilot episode "Rendezvous with Yesterday" has the boys on the doomed Titanic in 1912.
The show did offer glimpses of future acting legends: Carroll O'Conner, who would later find fame and fortune as Archie Bunker on "All in the Family" does two parts in "The Last Patrol", and Oscar winner Robert Duvall appears in "Chase Through Time." Allen had his company of actors that would appear in each of his productions. However, because "The Time Tunnel" was more like an anthology, with each episode taking place in a different time and place, he could utilize actors in several episodes: John Crawford (4), Malachi Throne (2), John Hoyt (2), ABraham Sofaer (2), just to cite a few.
The worst episodes were actually the ones that owed more to "Lost in Space" than anything else. "Visitors from Beyond the Grave," "Raiders From Outer Space," "The Kidnappers," and the last episode, "Town of Terror", features aliens in that God-awful silver makeup or grotesque costumes and campy dialog and story lines. But, thankfully, those shows were few and far between.
Though not one of the better installments, "Reign of Terror" allows co-star Whit Bissell a chance to assay two roles, his regular one as General Kirk, as well as the general's French ancestor. And the aforementioned "The Kidnappers" hints that there is a romantic relationship between Colbert's "Doug" and Lee Meriwether's "Ann McGregor".
If Allen's other sci-fi show "Land of the Giants" lasted two seasons, the much-better "Time Tunnel" was entitled to season number two.