Ending up on different sides just prior to the Battle of Gettysburg, Doug and Tony must stop an attempt by Machiavelli (who had traveled in time from the Renaissance due to the Time Tunnel P... Read allEnding up on different sides just prior to the Battle of Gettysburg, Doug and Tony must stop an attempt by Machiavelli (who had traveled in time from the Renaissance due to the Time Tunnel Project) from trying to affect the outcome of the battle and send him back into time.Ending up on different sides just prior to the Battle of Gettysburg, Doug and Tony must stop an attempt by Machiavelli (who had traveled in time from the Renaissance due to the Time Tunnel Project) from trying to affect the outcome of the battle and send him back into time.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe Battle of Gettysburg was fought in Pennsylvania during the first three days of July 1863. It was the Confederate Army's final attempt to invade the United States and force an armistice. After failing to secure the region, the army withdrew to Virginia, where its tactics changed from attack to defense. This battle (along with the simultaneous defeat at Vicksburg) is often considered the turning point of the American Civil War.
- GoofsWhen Doug and the Major reach the other side of the stream, the Major takes off his boots and pours water out of them. He is soaked from being in the water. However, Doug seems completely dry, even though he was supposed to have followed the Major across the stream.
- Quotes
Dr. Tony Newman: [he and Sgt. Maddox break into Michaels' cabin] Don't move.
Dr. Doug Phillips: Tony. What happened to you?
Dr. Tony Newman: Take his gun.
[Sgt. Maddox takes Doug's gun out of his hand]
Dr. Doug Phillips: What's the matter with you? Don't you recognize me?
Dr. Tony Newman: You stay put! Or I'll kill you just like you killed my corporal.
Michaels: The other one's in there. He's dead, I'm afraid.
Dr. Tony Newman: Are you Michaels?
Michaels: Yes.
Dr. Tony Newman: You have 150 kegs of gunpowder. We want it.
Michaels: And you shall have it.
Dr. Tony Newman: There's no money in this. No bargains.
Michaels: The money's not important. Your side is the weaker side here. Unless you have the firepower, the battle will be most uninteresting. The gunpowder's in a cave above Wilson's Creek.
Sgt. Maddox: The foot of the suspension bridge. I know the place. But you- I don't understand you. What do you get out of this?
Michaels: I? I'm merely an observer. Nothing more. A historian in search of knowledge. I want to know the disposition of your forces.
Dr. Tony Newman: You make this war sound like some kind of mental exercise.
Michaels: Precisely, and of the highest order.
Dr. Doug Phillips: Nothing would make him happier than to increase the slaughter on both sides.
Dr. Tony Newman: And you'd like nothing more than to keep us from getting to that gunpowder.
Dr. Doug Phillips: It doesn't make any difference whether the South gets it or not, not in the long run. You don't remember me, do you? I'm Douglas Phillips, and you're Tony Newman. We came here together.
Sgt. Maddox: Is that true, Lieutenant? You know this man?
Dr. Tony Newman: I've never seen him before. I've never been a member of the Union Army.
Dr. Doug Phillips: Neither of us were. You were injured in an explosion. I thought you were killed.
Sgt. Maddox: He did have civilian clothes on him when we first saw him, like you did.
Dr. Doug Phillips: Don't you remember anything? The tunnel? General Kirk or Ann? Well, you're not even from this time.
Dr. Tony Newman: You're trying to save your own skin with some cock-and-bull story.
Dr. Doug Phillips: Alright. If you're not Tony Newman, who are you?
Dr. Tony Newman: My name is Andrews. I'm a courier, mister, for General Longstreet.
Dr. Doug Phillips: Why, that courier was killed. The major told me so before he died.
Sgt. Maddox: Now, wait a minute. Did he say how much money the courier was carrying?
Dr. Doug Phillips: Yes. $2,000.
Sgt. Maddox: That's right.
Dr. Tony Newman: You are a member of the troop that ambushed me. *You took the $2,000! You killed my corporal! And mister... I'm gonna kill you!*
This is my 4th or 5th favourite episode of Time Tunnel and when it comes to storyline, well, The Death Merchant has the most imaginative story of the series (I know another Irwin Allen fan who agrees).
Seriously, I have seen all B&W Twilight Zones, all 1960s Star Trek, Star Trek: The Voyage Home (1986), all Back To The Future films, and can say that this hour nailed the greatest time travel story in history!
In my other reviews of Irwin Allen TV, I often proudly go on record as saying that style over substance was the key to these shows, but not with The Death Merchant, it is story, story, story and style is also here as a bonus! Style comes in truck loads from Malachi Throne and a flamboyant music score that plays on his outrageous quirks.
This is a never talked about quality of The Time Tunnel, the casting of the figures from history. Billy The Kid, Merlin The Magician, a crazy pirate, Machiavelli, etc, all come to life in Time Tunnel thanks to some wonderful guest stars. And Malachi Throne is one of them. Most remember Throne from Lost In Space's Thief Of Outer Space (1966), but to me, he is Machiavelli in The Time Tunnel!
But I said this was Tunnel's 4th or 5th best episode, it is not the best, despite all that I have said, it has two minor problems. Firstly, the writers don't bother giving us much information on exactly who Machiavelli is, perhaps they thought he was so well known that no background knowledge was required. Well, sorry guys, not everybody did History is High School. Because of the standard of Throne's performance, he IS the episode, we want to know all about him...a bit like The Joker in Batman (1989).
Instead, we get too much of our time travellers running around in circles because one of them has memory problems. Boring!
However, by the time we get to the final 60 seconds, well, we no longer care about the lesser sections of the hour, without wishing to give too much away, the ending involves location filming, Machiavelli, dramatic lines, disaster, two explosions, and in the final five seconds - flamboyant music.
I hope you enjoy The Death Merchant, a true mind-blower!
- StuOz
- Aug 16, 2006
Details
- Runtime50 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1