After setting up the cast and situation, the majority of this movie is almost entirely a bomb-defusing procedural, padded out with Mariette Hartley's dead-doll impression. (Seriously, I don't think she makes a single expression even once, despite committing a majorly emotional act mid-story. Gary Lockwood looks like he wishes he'd gone into selling life insurance instead of acting. Almost nobody seems to feel anything, and every room is devoid of personality or interest; I guess sterility seemed futuristic in 1971.
Despite this, the show clearly had some real intelligence going into it, and actually made televised political debates interesting by adding subtext commentary. Less bomb defusion and warmer characters could have made this a minor classic.
Despite this, the show clearly had some real intelligence going into it, and actually made televised political debates interesting by adding subtext commentary. Less bomb defusion and warmer characters could have made this a minor classic.