# The Time Tunnel (1966)

> Two American scientists are hurled through time by a malfunctioning government tunnel and stranded in one historical crisis after another.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/90

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 30
- Episode runtime: 60 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: science fiction, adventure
- Created by: Irwin Allen
- Network: ABC
- Cast: James Darren, Robert Colbert, Whit Bissell, Lee Meriwether, John Zaremba, Carroll O'Connor, Lyle Bettger, Robert Walker Jr.
- TMDB rating: 7.5/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060036/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: mild
- Tone: earnest, breezy, nostalgic, suspenseful, optimistic

## What critics say

Audiences rate the single season positively, valuing its colorful time travel adventure and period spectacle despite its dated, episodic plotting.

## Synopsis

The Time Tunnel (1966-1967) is an American color science fiction adventure series created by Irwin Allen and broadcast on ABC, produced by 20th Century Fox. Scientists Tony Newman (James Darren) and Doug Phillipps (Robert Colbert) are trapped in a secret government time tunnel project when a malfunction hurls them into the past. Their engine is simple and relentless: every episode drops them into a famous historical moment, where they must improvise survival and somehow find a way back to their own era while the project's director, General Heywood Kirk (Whit Bissell), and scientist Dr. Ann McGregor (Lee Meriwether) struggle to bring them home. Dr. Raymond Swain (John Zaremba) supports the team from the control complex. The single season of 30 episodes is a self-contained case-of-the-week structure, with each stop a standalone adventure rather than a serialized arc. The tone is earnest, brightly optimistic and breezy, with a mid-century faith in science and a wholesome family-friendly sensibility. Its vivid color palette and retro futurist sets give it a nostalgic charm. Fans of Doctor Who, Lost in Space and Quantum Leap will find resonance in its blend of time travel wonder and episodic peril.

## Shows like The Time Tunnel

- [Land of the Lost (1974)](https://ember.film/tv/2065)
- [The Outer Limits (1963)](https://ember.film/tv/19868)
- [The Girl from Tomorrow (1992)](https://ember.film/tv/644)
- [Voyagers! (1982)](https://ember.film/tv/5110)
- [Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964)](https://ember.film/tv/297)
- [Odyssey 5 (2002)](https://ember.film/tv/1790)
- [The Fantastic Journey (1977)](https://ember.film/tv/10469)
- [Lost in Space (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/2902)
- [Primeval: New World (2012)](https://ember.film/tv/37837)
- [The Wild Wild West (1965)](https://ember.film/tv/10166)

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