Instant classic from Truman Bradley.  He picks up a tree branch . . .

Actual Introduction:  Ordinarily one wouldn’t think of a stick as a scientific instrument.  The primitive man who first picked up this branch to knock down a ripe apple or to smack a new wife into obedience was taking a giant step in the history of science.

Say what?  Somehow this evolves into the ability of man to hear beeps from transmitters 20,000 miles away.  Where the f*** are they?  You can never be more than 12,000 miles from any point on earth, and even Sputnik would not launch for another year.  I’ve read how this series was loved by 1950’s nerds but, my God, the stupidity is astounding.

The Association of Government Physicists is having their 4th annual convention.  “Since the top physicists in the nation are all meeting in one hotel, rigid security regulations were strictly enforced.”  I guess the physicists in private industry are dumb-asses.

Dr. Wissman goes to the front desk asking for Dr. Sinclair.  Security makes him open the box he brought which contains his new invention.  He says it is a device to direct Meson Beams.  Sinclair is outraged by this security.  He tells Security Chief Ed Martin, “There are more security men than scientists.  We can’t go to a drinking fountain without one of your men checking credentials.”  And, in 1956, credentials = skin color.

Left to right: white guy, white guy, white guy

Wissman goes to Sinclair’s room.  While they are talking, they hear a high-pitched scream.  The housekeeper has found Dr. Coleman murdered.  Dr. Sinclair says, “There is no sign of bullet holes or a struggle.”  Dr. Wissman notices a shattered light bulb,  a cracked vase, and a broken watch crystal — all signs of, you know, a struggle.

Dr. Sinclair concludes that Dr. Coleman was killed by supersonic vibration.  He walked past a clandestinely placed photo-electric cell that triggered the device that killed him when he tried to sneak a Snickers from the mini-bar.  Keep this amazing device in mind . . . the one that was just used to murder a prominent physicist . . . the one that is so pivotal that the episode is named after it . . . the one that could revolutionize everything from warfare to medicine.  Good luck remembering it, because that is the last time it will be mentioned in this show.

What follows is an excruciating mix of procedural nonsense, exposition, and more padding than a chair with a lot of padding.  Finally they get to the big reveal.

Wissman’s invention is a camera which can detect cracked pipes underground.  Oh, by the way, it can also take pictures in bright light or pitch dark, through any solid object, to a distance of 7 miles.  WTF?  You’re using it to find pipes?  How about finding oil reserves, or rescuing trapped miners and spelunkers and minor spelunkers?  Maybe finding treasure chests.  If they can finally get that Oak Island series off the air, it would be worth a Nobel Prize.  Dudes, give it up!

The footage he projects shows detectives (in negative) chasing a man through the building across the street.  This device is so amazing that it is also able to switch between camera angles and edit the footage.  Now this is what the episode should have been named after!

This is either a negative or Mike Pence.

Wissman is able to identify the killer by his gold teeth which the miraculous camera detected.  Hey, what ever happened to that fancy super-vibrating machine?  And, uh, that housekeeper?  Guys, don’t bust in next time you hear another high-pitched scream.

This is episode 24 of Season 2.  In a more sane time, that would be it; the season would be over.  In an insane time — say, now — it might have been over 11 episodes ago.  But no, these maniacs cranked out 39 episodes a year.  And this was before cocaine was invented.

I rate this zero decibels.  No, give it 2 decibels — photo negatives are always cool.  But that’s vs an AC/DC concert.