episode #15 - Invasion

episode #15 / Air Date: 12.23.66
written by Bob & Wanda Duncan; Directed by Sobey Martin

In German-occupied France, Doug & Tony are arrested after they land in the middle of some attempted sabotage by the French Resistance. They are swiftly brought over to be questioned by a Nazi major (Lyle Bettger), where they find out that it's June 4, 1944, a couple of days before the D-Day invasion. Thus, in a form of irony when such time travel is involved, even though they are obviously innocent of any of the major's suspicions, they happen to have very valuable information in their heads - valuable enough to turn the course of the war in Germany's favor. However, rather than the expected interrogation, a Nazi doctor experimenting with mind control brainwashes Doug into hunting down & killing Tony, who was allowed to escape and lead the Nazis to the French fighters.

When Nazis are placed into the story, it usually generates more than the average thrills. Here we get to see Doug suddenly dressed up as a Nazi officer and behaving in atypical hostile fashion. The action, however, begins to come across as highly unlikely, even for this show: this time, it's Doug who gets shot in the head (by Tony, who shoots out of reflex). Last episode, it was Tony who got shot in the head; of course, we know Doug will also survive the injury - these guys are either very lucky or some unknown forces are preventing their demise. BoG's Score: 6 out of 10

Epilogue: the two time travelers land in a castle which happens to be King John's (in Britain), just as he's supposed to sign the Magna Carta...