episode #77 - Time Merchant

episode #77 / Air Date: 1/17/68 (episode #18 of 3rd season)
written by Bob & Wanda Duncan; Directed by Ezra Stone

Crazy nonsense now - the title character (played by John Crawford) is accidentally captured by Will and Smith. Then they go to the Time Merchant's dimension - he's presented as able to control the time frame of anyone or even worlds; an early scene has him demonstrating the destruction of a world - its time had ran out. As for individuals, the Time Merchant just needs to snip a person's time tape; he can also bargain - he acquires several years from John as one deal. Then Smith sends himself to the past of 1997, just before the Jupiter 2 is about to lift off; Smith has finally made it home and plans on staying.
All this is a very goofy version of time travel, meant strictly for the kiddies. The only really interesting part is when the show presents their version of a Dali painting - the Time Merchant's domain includes these melting clocks draped over tree limbs. Otherwise, all the characters goof it up. Byron Morrow shows up as a general in the past. Only John, Will, Smith & the Robot are in this story, though Don and Maureen show up in a flashback. BoG's Score: 4 out of 10
NOTE: there is one interesting reveal - it's stated here that Smith's unplanned presence on the Jupiter 2, which affected its course and got it lost, actually saved everyone; according to the Time Merchant, the ship otherwise would get struck by a comet, killing everyone aboard.

Lost in Trivia: Star Trek TOS actor alert - Morrow played the first admiral to appear on the TOS show= Komack - in Amok Time, and appeared again in For the World is Hollow and I have Touched the Sky; he passed away only recently in 2006, aged 94
Crawford showed up as a commissioner bigwig in The Galileo 7