Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
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Voyage Themes and Plot Devices

Voyage plots often relied on tried-and-true (or tried-and-easy :)) themes, to such a degree that it sometimes seemed as if there was nothing new under the sea. This table lists some of the more common repeated elements.

Espionage
James Bond stuff. Seen rarely after first season.
Obsession
Scientist obsessed with his work pushes Nelson to let him continue beyond the point of safety. To be fair, Nelson didn't often require much pushing!
The Cold War
Episodes dealing with that ever-present 1960s fear, the Red Menace; often featuring Voyage's own generic communist nation, The People's Republic.
Giants
A subcategory of monster, that which has become larger than it should be.
Monsters
Self-explanatory.
Aliens
Also self-explanatory
Identity Theft
When some person or entity appears in the form of a regular character.
Transformation
When someone is changed into something other than human.
Mind Control
When some person or entity takes over or influences the mind of another person.
Gunplay
Specifically, when a regular character draws a gun on, shoots at, or shoots another regular character.
"Natural" Disasters
Self-explanatory.
Time Travel
Again, self-explanatory
Espionage Obsession The Cold War Giants Monsters Aliens Identity Theft Transformations Mind Control Gunplay Natural Disasters Time Travel
Eleven Days to Zero - - - - - - - - - - X -
The City Beneath the Sea - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Fear-Makers - - - - - - - - X - - -
The Mist of Silence - - X - - - - - - - - -
The Price of Doom - - - - X - - - - - - -
The Sky is Falling - - - - - X X - - - - -
Turn Back the Clock - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Village of Guilt - X - X - - - - - - - -
Hot Line X - X - - - - - - - - -
Submarine Sunk Here - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Magnus Beam - - - - - - - - - - - -
No Way Out X - X - - - - - - - - -
The Blizzard Makers X - - - - - - - X - X -
The Ghost of Moby Dick - X - X - - - - - - - -
Long Live the King - - X - - - - - - - - -
Hail to the Chief - - X - - - - - - - - -
The Last Battle - - - - - - - - - - - -
Mutiny - - - X - - - - - X - -
Doomsday - - X - - - - - - - - -
The Invaders - - - - - X - - - - - -
The Indestructible Man - X - - - - - - - - - -
The Buccaneer - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Human Computer - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Saboteur X - X - - - - - X - - -
Cradle of the Deep - X - - X - - - - - - -
The Amphibians - X - - - - - X - - - -
The Exile - - X - - - - - - - - -
The Creature - X - X - - - - - - - -
The Enemies - - X - - - - - X X - -
Secret of the Loch X - - X - - - - - - - -
The Condemned - X - - - - - - - - - -
The Traitor X - X - - - - - - - - -
Espionage Obsession The Cold War Giants Monsters Aliens Identity Theft Transformations Mind Control Gunplay Natural Disasters Time Travel
Jonah and the Whale - - X X - - - - - - - -
Time Bomb X - X - - - - - - - - -
And Five of Us Are Left - - - - - - - - - - X -
The Cyborg - - - - - - X - - - - -
Escape from Venice X - - - - - - - - - - -
The Left-Handed Man - - X - - - - - - - - -
The Deadliest Game X - X - - - - - - - - -
Leviathan - X - X - - - X - - - -
The Peacemaker - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Silent Saboteurs - - - - - - - - - - - -
The X Factor X - - - - - - X - - - -
The Machines Strike Back X - - - - - - - - - - -
The Monster from Outer Space - - - - X X - - X - - -
Terror on Dinosaur Island - - - - - - - - - - - -
Killers of the Deep - - - - - - - - - - - -
Deadly Creature Below - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Phantom Strikes - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Sky's on Fire - - - - - - - - - - - -
Graveyard of Fear - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Shape of Doom - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dead Men's Doubloons - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Death Ship - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Monster's Web - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Menfish - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Mechanical Man - - - - - - - - - - - -
Return of the Phantom - - - - - - - - - - - -
Espionage Obsession The Cold War Giants Monsters Aliens Identity Theft Transformations Mind Control Gunplay Natural Disasters Time Travel
Monster From the Inferno - - - - - - - - - - - -
Werewolf - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Day the World Ended - - - - - - - - - - - -
Night of Terror - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Terrible Toys - - - - - - - - - - - -
Day of Evil - - - - - - - - - - - -
Deadly Waters - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thing from Inner Space - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Death Watch - - - - - - - - - - - -
Deadly Invasion - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Haunted Submarine - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Plant Man - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Lost Bomb - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Brand of the Beast - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Creature - - - - - - - - - - - -
Death from the Past - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Heat Monster - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Fossil Men - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Mermaid - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Mummy - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Shadowman - - - - - - - - - - - -
No Escape from Death - - - - - - - - - - - -
Doomsday Island - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Wax Men - - - - - - - - - - - -
Deadly Cloud - - - - - - - - - - - -
Destroy Seaview! - - - - - - - - - - - -
Espionage Obsession The Cold War Giants Monsters Aliens Identity Theft Transformations Mind Control Gunplay Natural Disasters Time Travel
Fires of Death - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Deadly Dolls - - - - - - - - - - - -
Cave of the Dead - - - - - - - - - - - -
Journey with Fear - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sealed Orders - - - - - - - - - - - -
Man of Many Faces - - - - - - - - - - - -
Fatal Cargo - - - - - - - - - - - -
Time Lock - - - - - - - - - - - -
Rescue - - - - - - - - - - - -
Terror - - - - - - - - - - - -
A Time to Die - - - - - - - - - - - -
Blow Up - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Deadly Amphibians - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Return of Blackbeard - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Terrible Leprechaun - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Lobster Men - - - - - - - - - - - -
Nightmare - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Abominable Snowman - - - - - - - - - - - -
Secret of the Deep - - - - - - - - - - - -
Man-Beast - - - - - - - - - - - -
Savage Jungle - - - - - - - - - - - -
Flaming Ice - - - - - - - - - - - -
Attack! - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Edge of Doom - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Death Clock - - - - - - - - - - - -
No Way Back - - - - - - - - - - - -
Espionage Obsession The Cold War Giants Monsters Aliens Identity Theft Transformations Mind Control Gunplay Natural Disasters Time Travel
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