Post by zimmerman on Dec 28, 2013 17:18:37 GMT -5
As the action-packed interesting Second Season for The Wild Wild West came to a close, the final episodes manage to stay true to the overall format while still occasionally adding a new twist to a common thread among episodes of the series--a group of men or a man intent to assinate President Grant for a previous incident, as is the case with this episode, a gem amongst a wide variety of storylines in the interesting (To say the least) Second Season.
The primary plot of the episode--involving mind control to assainate the President--was very much in tune with the '60's drug culture so prevalent during the time period when this episode was originally aired on CBS.
Veteran character actor Tol Avery does an amazing job as the psycho warden who seems to be mild-mannered for several minutes, but acts like a super-human destroyinng hunk as Ralph Kleed blows the whistle activating the franconium crystal. This scene is very intense, and for a death scene, is surprisingly well-done. According to the Warden, "It is (his) policy to give a condemned man a final statement before he faces his punishment."
Dan Gordon does a wonderful job playing the episodes primary lead villian--the self-promoted General Titus Trask, who, as Cavalry Seargent, was kicked out of General Grant's platoon by basically taking the soldiers out on a "Forced March" to die in "Desert Maneuvers", giving them salt water for this treacherous trip. His Cadre consists of likewise ruthless killers who share in his hatred to kill the President and are controlled like robots thanks to the franconium crystal that is surgically implemented by General Trasks surgeon.
Veteran Villan actor Richard Jaekel does an okay job as Seargent Stryker, General Trask's second-in-command. He does a very good job leading the controlled men out on menuevers and when he gets his controlled-soldiers to fight back at James, who gives them a very good beating! His scenes with General Trask are very well-done.
The requisite female villian du-jour in this episode is Josephine, the somewhat intellectually-challenged secretary of General Trask. At times bordering on whiny, but yet still has a charming distinctive personality, she certainly stands out as one of the better female villians in the series. She also has some wonderful scenes with our fellow agents: When she is ready and waiting for James' stunned surprise as he wakes up from the General's men knocking him out, leading to a great conversation between the two of them when she is stunned to find out that James' eyes are green, not blue! Her scenes with Artie as "Kelton" are a true joy to watch, as she turns down most of Kelton's stuff, save for the mirror and the box of candy. It is in that scene that we find out that she gets hives whenever she wears pearls!
Artie has a couple of disguises in this particular episode: First as the wagon driver carrying James as "Carl Storch" and then as the delghtfully funny British propiter of "Kelton's Travelling Emporium". As I said in a previous review on the archived forum. he has a certain way with this accent that reminds this TV viewer of Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings as Poirot. His scenes with Josephine and the guards, plus changing the wagon while he is humming his theme song, are a real delight to watch. Lots of Artie creations in this episode as well, including the knockout gas that knocks him out in the tag.
James also has some great fights with General Trasks men as he tries to escape his clutches! This is another episode wherein James goes undercover again, this time as "Carl Storch", the last Grant Assasin now in the Indian Springs Penitiary. Lots of great scenes with James surprised and confused at what just happened to him!
Despite the fact that I don't think that President Grant would travel by Wagon Train, this is a very well-done episode, with great direction by Bonanza's Leon Benson
9 out of 10 from me.