Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea was at its best in its first (black & white) season. The Fear-Makers, the series' third outing, was its first truly great episode. The acting, budget and visual effects by L.B. Abbott were a given. Writer Anthony (Twilight Zone, The Invaders, The Fugitive) Wilson's script provided real crackle for a great cast (Richard Basehart, David Hedison, Edger Bergen, Lloyd Bochner--the supporting actors rose to the occasion and tackled the script as well.) Director Leonard Horn, one of Voyage's best, pulled out all the stops, pushing tension to the limit.
The episode revolves around a mission to find out why Seaview's sister submarine, Polidor, was lost during an initial test dive. Nelson MUST find out. As Polidor's main designer, the Admiral is riddled with questions - some say guilt. Is his motivation scientific or selfish? A psychiatrist and his assistant are aboard to monitor the effects of this deep dive on Seaview's crew. Unknown to them is the fact that one of their "guests" is a spy who has released a fear gas, the same agent that caused Polidor's destruction, on Seaview. When you view this episode, sit back and be astounded at how good sixties television could be. And how good, contrary to its general reputation, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea could be.