The Test Case

The enemy has come up with the ultimate germ warfare weapon. It is a type of meningitis that has been made into an aerosol. Once sprayed, it kills within ten minutes and the gas becomes harmless only minutes later. So, they could theoretically explode this gas over an enemy army or city and only minutes later be able to go there without risk of infection. At this point, they are ready to do human subject experiments using the gas...and the IM Force must make sure the experiment and the gas are failures.

The plan is complex AND very dangerous. Rollin will be substituted for the human guinea pig and hopefully Barney will have substituted gases...with one that simulates the effects of meningitis but which is harmless. If he doesn't make the switch in time, good 'ol Rollin will be history. Then, what happens next you'll need to see for yourself.

The show is very deliberate in the equipment...making it seem very real. My only complaint, and it's very minor, is that it was incredibly easy for Barney and the rest to just walk into this top secret building. Regardless, it's still exquisitely written and a bit chilling. Well worth seeing.

Every season or so there would be the introduction of chemical or germ warfare that the team had to offset, generally headed by an arrogant, over zealous scientist. You have to admit, this was inspired by all those atomic sci fi flicks we grew up on -- and so did the writers. Make no mistake.

Also another --just hire a hitman and get it over with -- stories, HOWEVER, the M. I. team was not a league of assassins. It would be too, too easy. Accordingly, David Hurst plays Dr. Beck, a scientist working on a strain of meningitis that could be used as a chemical weapon. What a fiend! This is also one of the MOST daring assignments for Rollin, who takes the place of a "patient," testing the extremes of this bacteria. Martin Landau is exceptional in this part, and so good at playing victims in all types of bizarre situations. And this is bizarre.

In the meanwhile, to discredit Beck, Phelps goes to his superior, Captain Onli (played by Noah Keen), attempting to convince him the doctor is a good for nothing traitor, and even plans to kill him. Great drama, true, but again it would have been much easier just to hire a hitman and knock 'em all off, ya know? So many reviewers have said this, and I totally agree. A frustrating experience to the maxx.

Good acting by the co-stars; Hurst known for many tv and movie roles, such as in HELLO DOLLY, and Keen, a familiar face on DAYS OF OUR LIVES. Popular character actor Paul Carr also plays a doctor.

No question this was written by the ever imaginative Laurence Heath, who wrote over 20 classic stories for the series, later a regular writer for DYNASTY.

Unfortunately, Heath's untimely death (many years later) called attention to the plight of people suffering from the early stages of Alzheimers. He is missed.

Best of SEASON 3 EPISODE 14 remastered color CBS/Paramout dvd box set. Collector Edition with a cool cover photo of Peter Graves.