User Reviews

Steve and Rudy go to check up on scientist, Cheryl Osborne, who was performing research on chimpanzees but who has ceased communications. When they arrive they find something has destroyed the lab, and Rudy is bitten by a rampaging chimpanzee. Rudy begins to turn psychotic and Steve must both stop him and find Osborne before it's too late.

It's interesting to see a scientist in control lose control and that's Rudy - usually just a side character, here he gets a chance to shine a bit and after getting bitten by a serum that drives a money bananas he has much strength as Steve but there's a side effect - his life is in dander if he doesn't get an antitode. A good episode. Ana Balin co-stars.

And watching it again tonight I can see why. It's a real departure from formula. It has Rudy Wells as the enemy. And it's a Rudy Wells with super-powers, as well!

The setting, a deserted island, is great. And heightens the tension.

Martin E. Brooks really shines when given a lot to do. He's an excellent baddie. He effortlessly masters the villain-alone-and-talking-to-himself-out-loud trope we see so often in comics.

Ina Balin is a good guest star. Completely credible as the scientist who (inadvertently) caused all this trouble.

The action and stunt work is a cut above the norm. First, the bit with Steve upside down. A great sequence. And directly after it we have the superb quicksand rescue. It's brilliant to see the show, now it's 4th season, doing something visually different/exciting with the bionics.

Finally, the epilogue is hilarious. This one is a winner from start to finish. Flawless.

33 episodes left in my rewatch.

This is one of the duds. There are actually quite a few duds in this series, a series I liked as a kid but now find to be very erratic in terms of quality. Some episodes are quite fun, but this isn't one of them. It's a bad idea, badly written, and badly executed. Not really much to like in this one unless you like people wrestling chimpanzees. If that's your "bag" then you might enjoy it. Good luck.