episode #16 - The Revenge of Robin Hood

episode #16 / Air Date: 12.30.66
written by Leonard Stadd; Directed by William Hale

Doug & Tony land inside a British castle, which happens to be that of King John (John Crawford), who is being pressured by the Earl of Huntington to sign the Magna Carta, sometime in June, 1215. The Earl is also known by his outlaw name - Robin Hood. He is thrown in a dungeon with Doug and both are about to be tortured for information when Tony busts them free. But, Robin Hood is more into fighting than fleeing, so he fails to escape with the two visitors, who very soon meet up with the rest of Robin's merry band of outlaws, including big Little John and Friar Tuck. Tony suddenly picks a fight with Little John so we can see a variation of the contest with staves in Robin Hood films. The two men-from-the-future are surprised to meet people whom they thought to be merely legend. Little John soon gets injured with an arrow and the plan to rescue Robin is complicated by a baroness who betrays the cause for gold.

This episode is slightly different from the usual in that most episodes until now presented (or tried to) actual historical figures in the adventures. This one throws in the fictional characters of Robin Hood and his merry men. The sword fights are kind of stiff, as if it's a practice reel, almost in slow motion. It was also unintentional comedy to me to see Doug & Tony suddenly dressed in the same costumes as the merry men; it's not shown where they stashed their own clothes and, when they finally transport out abruptly at the end, they are mysteriously dressed in their usual clothes. There also seems to be a waste of time showing the Time Tunnel personnel sending a beacon gizmo to 1215 which never serves any purpose. Doug turns out to be a genius chemist, btw, concocting potions which knock out multiple foes immediately.    BoG's Score: 5.5 out of 10


Epilogue: Doug & Tony land on a tropical island which they quickly figure is a Japanese-held territory in the South Pacific in WW2...
Star Trek TOS Actor Alert: actor Crawford appeared as a stiff bureaucrat in the episode The Galileo Seven