The Night of the Brain (17 Feb. 1967)

Jim and Arte investigate the early predictions of a friend's death. Before they can warn the next victim, they discover a plot underway to murder all the world leaders and replace them with look-alike.

Director:

Larry Peerce

Writers:

Calvin Clements Jr., Michael Garrison (creator)

Stars:

Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, Edward Andrews

Cast

Episode complete credited cast:
Robert Conrad	...	James T. West
Ross Martin	...	Artemus Gordon
Edward Andrews	...	Braine
Brioni Farrell	...	Voulee
John Warburton	...	Col. Royce Arnette
Allen Jaffe	...	Leeto
Phil Arnold	...	Almeric
Jay Jostyn	...	Butler
Don Rizzan	...	Guard

Storyline

Jim and Arte investigate the early predictions of a friend's death. Before they can warn the next victim, they discover a plot underway to murder all the world leaders and replace them with look-alike.

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Plot Keywords:

look alike | stabbed in the back | newspaper | wheelchair | shot in the eye | 

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Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller | Western

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 February 1967 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Sierra Railroad, Jamestown, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min 50 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

A newspaper is shown, dating the beginning of this episode as July 11, 1872.

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Goofs

Artie explains to Jim how a printing press works. However, in the first season in TNOT Fatal Trap, Jim operated a similar printing press.

User Reviews

The Steam driven "Wheel Chair"

I enjoyed watching THE WILD WILD WEST because of the crazy 19th Century versions of 20th Century devices that were constantly being thought up. 19th Century technology was nothing to sneeze at, with steam driven railroads, ocean liners, telegraphs, telephones, electric lights, and phonographs. Yet THE WILD WILD WEST takes place during the two administrations (March 4, 1869 - March 4, 1877) of President Ulysses S. Grant. The gramophone of Thomas Edison Edison first appeared in 1877, after Grant left office, but it is frequently used in the show. Steam powered missiles, and huge weapons that were impossible to imagine in 1871 or 1875 pop up. It was curious to see these - but they were never on the drawing boards of that day.

Also, the villains tended to be vindictive or power hungry madmen, using their abilities to get back at enemies or to get into positions of authority. Ed Begley Sr. as a corrupt Federal Judge hoping to massacre the Supreme Court so he can get a seat (after he was rejected). Or John Dehner as a man who was left for dead in a Mexican War incident by soldiers including then Captain U.S. Grant, and who has been repaired with steel and wire so that he can't be shot - now he wants to kill Grant. Or, best of the lot, diminutive in size if not talent Michael Dunn as Dr. Miguelito Lovelace, who keeps trying to take over first California, then the U.S (and later the world) and rebuild it according to his ideas of a future (which would include smaller sized people).

This episode illustrated the strengths and weaknesses of the series.

Somebody is killing off various friends of West (Robert Conrad) and his partner Artemas Gordon (Ross Martin). These include West's old military commander (Col. Arnette - John Warburton), who is killed while West is momentarily paralyzed by a drink that has been targeted, and a comedian friend of West and Gordon killed by a bomb on stage while they are watching. It turns out, after they are summoned, that the perpetrator is one Braine, a super genius and megalomaniac (played by Edward Andrews) who rides around in a wheel chair driven by a steam engine. He has plans for taking over the globe (naturally), involving replacing Grant, and several other world leaders with doubles who will do his bidding - here to cause universal warfare.

Whoever did the research got somethings close to right - but not quite. One of the leaders is Archduke Maximillian of Austria. In 1869 - 1877, Maximillian would not have been much use anywhere - he was dead by a Mexican firing squad in 1867 after Juarez finally defeated the Austrian archduke/ would-be Mexican Emperor at Querataro. Braine would have had some problems convincing anyone to support a dead Archduke.

The episode of course would follow how James West and Artemus Gordon would defeat Braine and his plan (eventurally hurtling the madman towards the doubles, so that the steam driven wheel chair becomes a weapon of mass destruction (another anachronism, but this one from me)).

I liked the technological goofs, and Ross Martin's impersonations (mostly for laughs). But for logical plots, you did not watch this type of escapism.