Retro Sci Fi TV: A look at shows from the past that may not have stood the test of time and/or that are relegated to their era, but many of us still have fond memories of them.
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What Is It? Taking place in the then near-future of the 1970s, this series follows the adventures of the crew of the nuclear submarine S.S.R.N. Seaview–commanded by Admiral Harriman Nelson and Commander Lee Crane–as it explores the oceans and also defends against threats to the planet.
Aired: ABC, 1964-68, 4 Seasons Totaling 110 Episodes
Starring: Richard Basehart, David Hedison, Robert Dowdell, Henry Kulky, Terry Becker
Created By: Irwin Allen
Is it Must-Watch Sci Fi TV? Not necessarily. It might be worth catching some of the more serious first season episodes and a few from the later seasons to see its descent into high-camp, but a little bit of this show goes a long way.
The Skinny: Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea started out as a 1961 feature film–also created and produced by Irwin Allen–that proved quite successful at the Box Office. Allen took the property to the small screen in 1964 and began his reign as the king of schlock sci fi TV for the rest of the decade, following this one up with Lost in Space, The Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants. Voyage actually started out as more of a serious action-adventure show in its first season with Cold War-themed espionage stories as well as some sci fi oriented tales. But it still threw in the sea monsters, aliens, and other creatures for the crew of the Seaview to tangle with from time to time. By the show’s second season, ABC demanded a lighter tone and Voyage shifted mostly to monster/villain of the week tales for the rest of its four-year run. Admiral Nelson and his crew had to tangle with werewolves, mummies, evil leprechauns, fossil man, killer robots, and increasingly more ridiculous enemies as the show matched the high-camp of Batman but without the self-mocking tone.
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea did have its moments during its four-year run and the underwater scenes depicting the Seaview, the flying sub, and the other submersible vehicles looked pretty good for a 1960s television sfx. Many of us have fond memories of watching this show in our younger years (I caught it in reruns on the UHF channels), but this is one that does not quite hold up well to a re-watch. Sure, some of the early episodes are not bad, just like the early eps of Lost in Space, as they deliver mostly straightforward action-adventure with a sci fi twist. But by the time that the crew of the Seaview was fighting seaweed men, lobster men, killer toys, and traveling back in time to the American Revolution, the retro-appeal for this show starts to wear thin. This one regularly lands on lists of the worst sci fi TV shows ever, and deservedly so. But it can be worth catching a few episodes for some good, ’60s cheesy fun.
Buy Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea on DVD from Amazon.com
Cancelled Too Soon? No. Sure, it could have produced more episodes full of crazy monsters and over-the-top villains, but at 110 eps it had more than enough for a syndication run and Irwin Allen had already turned his attention to Lost in Space and The Time Tunnel with Land of the Giants not far away. Plus, Voyage was expensive to produce and it was never a huge hit in the ratings.
Should It Be Revived/Rebooted? Possibly. With the revival/reboot fever currently taking over the entertainment industry, it’s surprising this show has not been mentioned. Perhaps a more serious reboot along the lines of Netflix’s Lost in Space would work, but maybe it’s better to leave this one alone. Interestingly, Irwin Allen’s 1971 pilot City Beneath the Sea appeared to take place in the near-future of the same world as Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (more on that one at this link), but a direct link was never established (and Richard Basehart appeared on that playing a different character). But if that one had gone to series, perhaps there would have been a cross-over with a future Seaview at some point.
Interesting Facts: The Seaview was frequently attacked by some ocean-going menace and the bridge scenes would be shown with the camera shaking from side-to-side while the crew members act like they are being tossed around even though the set is not moving. This came to be known as “Seaview Rock and Roll” and was seen on other shows as well like Lost in Space and Star Trek. The Seaview‘s crew was all male–which would have been accurate for the time–and there were no female regulars on the show, only guest stars.
Where Can You Watch It? The entire series has been released on DVD, though not Blu-ray yet. It is currently not available for streaming, but with the many services out there, I would expect it to surface at some point.
Read More About the Show: Wikipedia | IMDb.com
More Retro Sci Fi TV at This Link
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There should be a reboot of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea TV series. If it comes into fruition. Use the 4’fronted window Seaview Submarine. Then have espionage & sometimes sci-fi aquatic stories.