THE FANTASTIC JOURNEY – This was a very promising hour-long science fiction tv series that somehow just never gelled well enough to last even for a full 13-episode tryout. The premise involved a 1976 nautical expedition into the Bermuda Triangle by a group of scientists and a few of their family members.
Their ship encounters green mists connected to the many sea and air disappearances in the Triangle and they wind up stranded on a continent-sized island called Evoland. Beings from many time periods and planets are trapped there as well and at times try to help or hinder our main cast in their efforts to escape the Bermuda Triangle.
VARIAN, played by Jared Martin. Varian was an Earthling from the 23rd Century. He is cultured, refined and highly intelligent. Like many scholars from his time period, Varian is capable of focusing his mental energies through his crystal rod/ tuning fork called a Sonic Energizer. The device responds only to his mind and lets him diagnose and heal others, as well as manipulate matter in various destructive and constructive ways depending on the needs of each episode’s story.
Yes, the Sonic Energizer was every bit as much of a Deus ex Machina as the Sonic Screwdriver on Doctor Who. In fact, I’ve always felt that if American television had decided to do an Americanized version of that BBC series rather than import the episodes starring the terrific Tom Baker, that Jared Martin would have made a perfect U.S. incarnation of the Doctor. (Or maybe even a rebooted Gary Seven.)
FRED WALTERS, MD, played by Carl Franklin. Fred is fresh out of medical school and is co-leader of the group along with Varian.
Dr. Walters is a brilliant physician in his own right and his 20th Century cynicism lets him read many potentially dangerous situations more accurately than Varian, whose largely innocent and pacifistic 23rd Century nature leaves him a bit naive. Fred was like an 80s badass in a 70s tv show.
SCOTT JORDAN, played by Ike Eisenmann. Scott is the son of one of the original scientists from the Bermuda Triangle expedition.
The 20th Century young man is very knowledgeable about Earth history and lore but struggles to be taken seriously by the larger-than-life figures who surround him. Scott comes to view Fred as an older brother and Varian as kind of a father figure.
LIANA, played by Katie Saylor. Liana is from Atlantis when it was in its high-tech ancient past. She is half-Atlantean and half-alien since Atlantis interacted with extraterrestrial civilizations.
This woman possesses incredible physical strength, psychic abilities and can mentally control animals including her cat Sil-El. Liana can also telepathically “see through the eyes of Sil-El” as the cat moves about. The potential romance between Liana and Varian didn’t have enough time to develop.
DR. JONATHAN WILLAWAY, played by Roddy McDowall. Willaway is a renegade and ruthless scientist from the 1960s who at first is part villain and later part reluctant ally of our heroes.
Unlike his counterpart Dr. Smith from Lost in Space, Dr. Willaway is not a wimp. He’s just calculating and sometimes has his own personal agenda. He becomes more reliable as the series rolls along.
THE EPISODES:
VORTEX (Feb 3rd, 1977) – The 90-minute premiere of Fantastic Journey. This episode establishes the premise of researchers winding up trapped by the forces at work in the Bermuda Triangle. They encounter fellow time-space “castaways” including evil privateers from the 1500s and a 23rd Century figure named Varian. At first, Varian is passing himself off as a Native American trapped in the Triangle. (?)
D.C. Fontana herself has admitted that she and her colleagues were given very little time to develop this series before its launch, so that may account for Jared Martin’s masquerade. Per Fontana it definitely accounts for why three cast members were abruptly dropped by the end of this 90-minute premiere episode.
At any rate, our main characters begin traveling between “Time Zones” on the enormous island called Evoland. They pass through teleportational portals to travel from one zone to the next, with each Time Zone having a different setting and circumstances like the compartments on The Starlost. Supposedly, if our heroes can reach the furthest, main Time Zone they will be able to escape the Bermuda Triangle and return to their respective time periods.
ATLANTIUM (Feb 10th) – This episode picks up from the cliffhanger at the end of Vortex. Varian, Fred and Scott are in the next Time Zone, called Atlantium, and meet Liana, who bravely resists the evil entity called the Source.
That entity has enslaved Liana’s fellow survivors of Atlantis. She joins our heroes in the end as they defeat the Source and move on to the next Zone. Gary Collins, Mary Anne Mobley and Jason Evers guest star.
BEYOND THE MOUNTAIN (Feb 17th) – In the next Zone, a red cloud separates our lead foursome. Liana ends up in a seeming Utopia ruled by Dr. Jonathan Willaway and populated by androids. Varian, Fred and Scott end up in a swampland fighting green-skinned humanoids.
They all reunite as the story unfolds. Willaway is stripped of his position, so he tags along with the others into the next Zone. Guest starring Marj Dusay.
CHILDREN OF THE GODS (Feb 24th) – In a Zone ruled over by child survivors of a holocaust unleashed by high-tech weaponry, Scott is welcome, but the adults are regarded as enemies.
Adults unleashed the apocalypse that the children survived but in their paranoia and scientific ignorance they may destroy themselves and their Zone with the sole remaining superweapon.
A DREAM OF CONQUEST (Mar 10th) – The always-great John Saxon plays Tarant, an alien warlord stranded in the Bermuda Triangle.
Our quintet of heroes wind up battling to thwart Tarant’s plans of militarily conquering all the Time Zones on Evoland. Also guest starring Lenore Stevens.
AN ACT OF LOVE (Mar 24th) – In the next Zone, the seemingly benevolent inhabitants “accidentally” inject Varian with a love serum which makes him willing to marry one of their own.
His friends must save him when it turns out the bride-to-be and her people use the love serum to sucker in and sacrifice travelers to their volcano god. Christina Hart and Jonathan Goldsmith guest star.
FUNHOUSE (Mar 31st) – Marcus Appolonius (Mel Ferrer), a man from ancient Greece, runs his Zone as a creepy 20th Century carnival.
He pretends to welcome our main characters but secretly plans to take over Willaway’s body in order to escape the nightmarish prison. Mary Frann is in the guest cast.
TURNABOUT (Apr 7th) – Joan Collins guest stars in this episode about a Zone in which women rebel against brutish male domination.
Liana pretends to play along with the vindictive female rebels in order to free Varian, Fred, Scott and Willaway from the black void where they’ve been imprisoned as “male menaces.”
RIDDLES (Apr 21st) – Liana temporarily stayed behind to help the new government forming in the Joan Collins Zone. NOTE: That excuse was used to explain Katie Saylor’s absence while she was very ill.
In the new Zone a mysterious Rider (Dax Xanos) gives Varian, Fred, Scott and Willaway a stone tablet bearing a mysterious message which might help them escape the Bermuda Triangle. Meanwhile, an enigmatic couple pose as friends to our heroes.
THE INNOCENT PREY (Jun 16th) – In this final episode of the series, our heroes help two survivors (Gerald McRaney and Richard Jaeckel) of a crashed spaceship reach the latest Zone’s peaceful, futuristic civilization based on pacifism and trust.
It turns out the pair are really criminals and the crashed vessel was a prison ship. Varian and company must save the peaceful citizens from the depredations of the duo. Also starring Cheryl Ladd, Nicholas Hammond and Lew Ayres.
*** And that was it for Fantastic Journey. Katie Saylor’s illness didn’t just prevent her from appearing in the final two episodes, it also made her reassess her life. She decided to leave the entertainment industry and got married to a man she is STILL married to today!
FOR MORE FORGOTTEN TELEVISION CLICK HERE.
Balladeer's Blog 