episode #24 - Sabotage

SABOTAGE - episode #24 / production #17 / Air Date: 3/30/69
written by Bob and Esther Mitchell; Directed by Harry Harris

The first sequence depicts an unusual (but in some ways natural) method to capture little people: a vacuum cleaner. Mark and Dan are cornered and captured by security chief Bolgar (Robert Colbert) and his assistant, Zarkin (John Marley). Mark injures his shoulder - unsurprising, if you can picture him going up a giant vacuum cleaner. Bolgar is like a gestapo agent or secret police on this world; he's a step up from the usual threatening giants - Dan describes him as "fanatical" in his anti-little people crusade. There's a suggestion of an undepicted backstory to this episode; the littles are familiar with Bolgar. Also, this involves a giant senator who is in favor of little people's rights (though I don't see how he fits in a totalitarian government - sounds democratic to me).

This episode has a bit more suspense than usual - maybe it's seeing Colbert, best known as one of the regular heroes on The Time Tunnel, as a chilling villain. He has his limits as an actor, but we're so used to seeing him behave heroicly... also, I dunno if this was by accident or purposely suggested a topsy-turvy world but, normally, we would be seeing older Marley as the chief, with younger Colbert as his assistant. The plot revolved around some giant politicking and false propaganda, painting little people as terrorists. Bolgar and Zarkin regard the general populace as the uninformed masses - easy to manipulate - and are the giant versions of fascistic dictators and despots. BoG's Score: 5.5 out of 10


Giants Trivia:
Star Trek TOS actor alert - a secretary in this episode is played by Elizabeth Rogers; she played the small role of Lt. Palmers on 2 TOS episodes - The Doomsday Machine and The Way to Eden