'One Way To The Moon' is one of my favourite 'Time Tunnel' episodes, made just before the show got bogged down with historical battles and alien invasions. Its one of only two spy stories in the series, the other being 'Secret Weapon', and its a pity they did not do more in similar vein.
The premise is this: enemy agent Beard has infiltrated a U.S. manned flight to Mars in the year 1978. The Russians want to stop the Americans from reaching The Red ( how ironic ) Planet first. Doug and Tony materialise aboard the rocket seconds before lift-off. Their excess weight slows it down, making the mission impossible without emergency refuelling. So they head for the Moon.
The crafty Beard denounces them as spies, and recommends dumping them out of an airlock. But after going outside to repair the damaged hull, the scientists remain aboard until the ship touches down.
At Project Tic-Toc in 1968, Beard watches his future self with amazement. His fellow enemy agent Dr.Brandon blows up one of the Time Tunnel's computers, breaking visual contact with Tony and Doug. When his treachery is uncovered, he begins shooting at guards and flees. Unable to leave the complex, he hides out in the Tunnel's coils, where he is found - and later murdered - by Beard.
Beard has successfully preserved his cover but is no longer able to see the fate of his future self - blown up by a bomb he planted in the fuel dump.
As the rocket lifts off without them, Doug and Tony are thrown back into the infinite corridors of time...
Stock footage from George Pal's 'Destination Moon' provides the space and Moon scenes ( watch the rocket change shape in mid-journey! ). Rather oddly, the fuel dump has gravity, but lacks oxygen. As the Time Tunnel whisks the scientists off to another adventure, it divests them of their spacesuits, leaving them on the lunar surface without air.
Bad science aside, this is a tense, exciting episode, neatly combining international intrigue and science fiction ( the first Moon landing was a good three years off ). James T.Callahan is impressive in the role of the duplicitous 'Beard'.
Neither Tony nor Doug inform General Kirk of Beard's base treachery, indeed the adventure is not referred to again. Its almost a pity Beard does not get to watch his own death - the look on his face would have been priceless!
The premise is this: enemy agent Beard has infiltrated a U.S. manned flight to Mars in the year 1978. The Russians want to stop the Americans from reaching The Red ( how ironic ) Planet first. Doug and Tony materialise aboard the rocket seconds before lift-off. Their excess weight slows it down, making the mission impossible without emergency refuelling. So they head for the Moon.
The crafty Beard denounces them as spies, and recommends dumping them out of an airlock. But after going outside to repair the damaged hull, the scientists remain aboard until the ship touches down.
At Project Tic-Toc in 1968, Beard watches his future self with amazement. His fellow enemy agent Dr.Brandon blows up one of the Time Tunnel's computers, breaking visual contact with Tony and Doug. When his treachery is uncovered, he begins shooting at guards and flees. Unable to leave the complex, he hides out in the Tunnel's coils, where he is found - and later murdered - by Beard.
Beard has successfully preserved his cover but is no longer able to see the fate of his future self - blown up by a bomb he planted in the fuel dump.
As the rocket lifts off without them, Doug and Tony are thrown back into the infinite corridors of time...
Stock footage from George Pal's 'Destination Moon' provides the space and Moon scenes ( watch the rocket change shape in mid-journey! ). Rather oddly, the fuel dump has gravity, but lacks oxygen. As the Time Tunnel whisks the scientists off to another adventure, it divests them of their spacesuits, leaving them on the lunar surface without air.
Bad science aside, this is a tense, exciting episode, neatly combining international intrigue and science fiction ( the first Moon landing was a good three years off ). James T.Callahan is impressive in the role of the duplicitous 'Beard'.
Neither Tony nor Doug inform General Kirk of Beard's base treachery, indeed the adventure is not referred to again. Its almost a pity Beard does not get to watch his own death - the look on his face would have been priceless!