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Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea Season Two Volume Two
01/06/2008 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
region 1. pub: 20th Century Fox B000FFJ87Q. 3 double-sided DVDs 657 minutes 13 * 50 minute colour episodes plus extras. Price: $29.98 (US)) stars: Richard Basehart and David Hedison. Buy Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea Season Two in the USA - or Buy Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea Season Two in the UK  check out www.foxtvdvd.com
The second half of the second season of 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea' revealed some odd information. For instance, the absence of Richard Basehart from two episodes today would have been considered contractual. The same might also apply to Terry Becker who played Sharkey. Mind you, considering he heroically stepped in helping to shield the full impact of a grenade in one episode, one might consider extended shore leave essential. Other odd things to consider is how Nelson, Crane and Morton seem incredulous about sea monsters considering that they've seen in their other adventures. More so, when you consider 'Terror On Monster Island' where more dinosaurs turn up. Not so much a reset button more an act of amnesia.
These stories also see the loss of two more Flying Subs. Hopefully, Nelson has the franchise or a fleet on building that lovely vehicle for the Nelson Foundation. It's also interesting to note who is trained to fly it. Apart from the Admiral and Crane, Morton, Sharkey, Kowalski and Riley all seem proficient. There's also more a lacking on senior officers in these episodes although they could be on different shifts. There's quite a variation of doctors on-board for each voyage and even 'Sparks', the radio-operator, changes occasionally contradictory to whatever you've read that he's always the same actor.
These thirteen episodes are still amongst those most remembered. 'The Sky's On Fire' is practically a re-make of the original film except one of the scientists on board is determined to stop the Seaview cos he believes his belief is the right way for the world. Ah! They don't make mad scientists like they used to. Some times not so mad just weak, as with Paul Ward, the creator of Mr. Omir in 'The Mechanical Man' which introduced actor James Darren to the Irwin world and got him sufficiently noticed to star in 'The Time Tunnel' a couple years later. In many respects Omir looks like a distance relative to Commander Data from 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' with his back full of flashing lights. You should also beware the scientist who wants to kill crew-men to make fish-men in 'The MenFish' especially when one grows too big and grapples with the Seaview. It's also revealed that some models of the Flying Sub are equipped with an offensive laser to accompany the Seaview's own. Considering that the submarine is equipped with the ability to electrify the hull when it has to, then it really has a nifty nuclear reactor. The things they could do with nuclear power in the fictitious 1978. I'm still trying to figure out how they could get the Seaview to go in reverse unless it has some hidden propellers set in the opposite direction.
Two ghostly episodes, 'The Phantom Strikes' and 'The Return of The Phantom' co-starred Alfred Ryder as the spooky Captain Krueger. In the extras interviews, David Hedison wasn't very keen on Ryder's German accent but Ryder had incredible presence and worthy of two episodes.
L.B. Abbott and Howard Lydecker's special effects are still spot on with a remarkable sea-spider in 'The Monster's Web'. I'm beginning to understand why Abbott's 1984 book on his film special effects is a hard-to-find book at a low price which really ought to have a reprint now.
All these episodes are worth watching again and as said before, although you can buy separately, its cheaper to buy the collected boxset and wonder when Fox is going to release seasons four and five.
GF Willmetts
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