episode #61 - The Most Dangerous Enemy

episode #4 of 4th season / Air Date: 10/17/76 written by Judy Burns Directed by Richard Moder

The most dangerous enemy is... your best friend? This one had a slightly exotic appeal, taking place on an island where a pretty scientist (Ina Balin) is conducting experiments to increase an animal's intelligence. Her subjects, chimpanzees, become crazed and right after, contact is lost with her. Steve Austin heads in with Rudy Wells (Martin E. Brooks), who knows the lady. The true danger turns out to be not the chimps but Rudy, who gets bitten by one of the primates. The chimps all die off very soon - in their crazed state, their strength had been multiplied 5 times. The same thing now happens to Rudy; coupled with severe paranoia and a knowledge of Austin's bionics, Rudy does become most dangerous..!
This was a pretty good outdoors adventure, though it was limited by its own structure. There was nowhere for it to go except offer an interesting, temporary challenge for Austin; we know Rudy Wells is a regular and nothing permanent will happen to him. It was also unusual to see Rudy, usually the most friendly of people, behaving like a megalomaniac, at first impressed with himself & arrogant, then simply crazed. We even get to see him running in slow-mo like Austin; his new powers, I guess, also include super speed. This also has some minor shades of The Island of Dr. Moreau. BoG's Score: 6 out of 10