Senator Leroy Clark ( Gary Merrill ) arrives at a top secret underground base known as 'Project Tic-Toc'. Here scientists have spent the past decade attempting to master time travel. Clark is there to see whether the billion dollar project should be shut down or not.<br /><br />After being shown around a fantastic complex by Dr.Doug Phillips ( Robert Colbert ), he meets General Haywood Kirk ( Whit Bissell ), who escorts him to the Time Tunnel - an awesome two-tone vortex that seems to stretch into infinity.<br /><br />Determined to prove the Tunnel works, Dr.Tony Newman ( James Darren ) makes an unauthorised trip, materialising on the deck of a passenger steamship bound for New York. It is not any old ship either; the date is 14 April 1912, and he is aboard R.M.S. Titanic...<br /><br />The opening episode of Irwin Allen's sci-fi series begin in much the same way as the feature film of 'Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea' with V.I.P.'s being shown around a Government-funded project. The scenes where Phillips shows Clark round 'Project Tic-Toc' impress even now, with sets that look designed for the cinema ( I was reminded of the Krel complex in 'Forbidden Planet' ) rather than television. Shots of guards running across a bridge would be reused in later episodes.<br /><br />Neither Doug nor Tony have given much thought to what to do with time travel once they have perfected it. Both recklessly attempt to change the course of history by warning Captain Malcolm Smith ( a bearded Michael Rennie ) of the impending maritime disaster. The consequences for the future are not given any consideration.<br /><br />British actress Susan Hampshire plays 'Althea Hall', making her first and only trip to New York as she is suffering from a brain tumour. Tony urges her to leave in the lifeboats as there is a doctor in America who might be able to cure her. This sets up a pattern for the rest of the series; Doug and Tony are powerless to prevent major disasters, but can and do save individual lives.<br /><br />As the two scientists wear the same clothes throughout the series, its fair to assume the Tunnel must contain some sort of deodorising element, otherwise the people they meet each week would be repelled at their lack of personal freshness! <br /><br />A strong opening episode. And no sign whatever of Kate Winslet and Leonardo Decaprio!