Ep 5. The Price of Doom

In Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea season 1 episode 5, entitled "The Price of Doom," the crew of the diving bell Seaview must track down a rogue scientist who plans to use a powerful laser to destroy the Earth's atmosphere and allow deadly cosmic rays to penetrate the planet's surface.

The episode begins with Admiral Nelson (Richard Basehart) receiving a warning from a former colleague, Dr. Arkin (Henry Hull), that a fellow scientist named Dr. Gamma (Maurice Manson) has gone mad and plans to use his laser weapon to commit eco-terrorism. Dr. Gamma believes that the Earth must be destroyed in order to prevent overpopulation and environmental destruction.

With Dr. Arkin's help, the Seaview sets out to find Dr. Gamma's secret laboratory, hidden deep in an underwater cave. Despite Gamma's booby traps and armed guards, the Seaview's crew manages to infiltrate the lab and confront the mad scientist.

However, just as they are about to disable the laser, Dr. Gamma reveals that he has set up a self-destruct mechanism that will trigger the weapon anyway. The Seaview's crew now has only 30 minutes to escape before the Earth's atmosphere is destroyed.

The episode builds to a tense and thrilling climax as the Seaview races against the clock to escape the doomed lab. The crew must contend with collapsing tunnels, exploding dynamite, and an attack by Gamma's henchmen, all while trying to reach the safety of the surface before it's too late.

Along the way, viewers are treated to some great action set pieces, including a underwater chase between the Seaview and Gamma's specially-designed submarine, and a harrowing scene where the divers must navigate a maze of dark tunnels filled with deadly traps.

"The Price of Doom" is a standout episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea's first season, thanks to its fast-paced action, high stakes, and memorable villain. Maurice Manson gives a chilling performance as the fanatical Dr. Gamma, while Henry Hull's Dr. Arkin provides a sympathetic counterpoint to Gamma's nihilistic worldview.

In addition to its exciting plot, the episode also features some great character moments for the Seaview's crew, particularly between Admiral Nelson and his second-in-command, Captain Crane (David Hedison). The two men must work together to come up with a plan to stop Gamma, despite their differing approaches to the problem.

Overall, "The Price of Doom" is a compelling and thrilling episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea that showcases the series' strengths in action, suspense, and character development. It is a must-see for fans of classic sci-fi and adventure stories.