At the start, we meet Dr. Kimble as he's working and joking with his fellow crewman on a Nevada construction site. No one is yet in pursuit and Kimble has a stable job. He even puts his medical training to use as the crew's first aid man. Throughout the episode, we see that the men work well together and are able to count on each other, including Kimble in their fraternity.
The explosions and heavy construction look great. Trapped underground, inhabiting a small space, heroic Kimble saves them all by crawling through rubble to reach an air vent. It has the makings of a gripping story. But it's all spoiled by Nan Martin, who plays a one-dimensional congresswoman. She's nasty, totally unlikeable, and charmless, wielding an almost casual abuse of power. But the wonderful Christine White, as the secretary to the congresswoman, has an interesting supporting role and was pivotal to Kimble's crisis and eventual escape. It's because of her that Dr. Kimble realizes that Lt. Gerard is on the scene. And later, the congresswoman, who had earlier said, "She's like my own sister," realizes that her secretary isn't really her friend. White's a good actress and provides a little spark in each of her scenes. Who could blame her for her moment of disloyalty to her employer?
This episode would have fared better with someone other than Martin playing the congresswoman, or if the character had been written a little differently. Unfortunately, it wasn't unusual to have career women portrayed negatively on TV and film in the 1960s. But not all is lost.
The explosions and heavy construction look great. Trapped underground, inhabiting a small space, heroic Kimble saves them all by crawling through rubble to reach an air vent. It has the makings of a gripping story. But it's all spoiled by Nan Martin, who plays a one-dimensional congresswoman. She's nasty, totally unlikeable, and charmless, wielding an almost casual abuse of power. But the wonderful Christine White, as the secretary to the congresswoman, has an interesting supporting role and was pivotal to Kimble's crisis and eventual escape. It's because of her that Dr. Kimble realizes that Lt. Gerard is on the scene. And later, the congresswoman, who had earlier said, "She's like my own sister," realizes that her secretary isn't really her friend. White's a good actress and provides a little spark in each of her scenes. Who could blame her for her moment of disloyalty to her employer?
This episode would have fared better with someone other than Martin playing the congresswoman, or if the character had been written a little differently. Unfortunately, it wasn't unusual to have career women portrayed negatively on TV and film in the 1960s. But not all is lost.