by Mark Murton

Original Air Date: March 10, 1977

Starring: The Felix Team

Directed by: Vincent McEveety

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains spoilers for this episode!

Synopsis: An alien dictator, Tarant (John Saxon), is planning to invade other Time Zones and conquer the island. The travellers learn that the true leader of the group, Luther (Robert Patten), is dying from a mysterious illness and endeavour to help him while Willaway (Roddy McDowell) chooses to try and gain Tarant’s confidence by offering his scientific expertise. Meanwhile, Liana (Katie Saylor) takes pity on the Neffring (Bobby Porter), an abused furry ape-like creature.

Featured Feline: The travellers materialise in a new time zone just in time to witness the brutal capture of the Neffring by Tarant’s guards. They watch as the creature is taken away.

As the travellers start to move off, Liana sets her cat companion, Sil-L, on the ground. Almost immediately they are confronted by two of the guards and as they are lead away, Sil-L watches from behind a rock before following them.

At the alien city the travellers learn that the Neffring is Luther’s pet, and was being hunted after having escaped. They are forced to watch in horror as Tarant uses the Neffring in a display of military might. The injured creature is taken back to the city. Sil-L has been watching this from behind a rock (presumably we’re not supposed to notice it’s actually the same rock as earlier!) and follows them into the city.

He quickly makes his way to the creature in its cage and communicates with it telepathically, finishing by offering a sympathetic lick on the nose.

Sil-L makes his way to Liana in the lab where Varian (Jared Martin) and Fred (Carl Franklin) are analysing samples to try and work out what is wrong Luther. Liana scoops up the cat and reads his mind. She is horrified to learn the Neffring is being held in a cage under the city.

Sil-L leads Liana and Scott (Ike Eisenmann) to where the Neffring is being held. Scott holds Sil-L while Liana communicates with the creature and promises no further harm will come to him.

As the story unfolds it transpires that Willaway inveigled his way into Tarant’s confidence to try and assess the location and strength of his forces and when his duplicity is discovered Tarant has him incarcerated in the cage next to the Neffring. Tarant orders the others to be taken prisoner as well. Meanwhile the Neffring has escaped from its cage once more and soon finds Sil-L. Together they manage to evade the guards.

The Neffring communicates with Sil-L who departs and quickly makes his way back to the lab and Liana.

Learning Willaway has been locked up and they are going to be next they hurry to the underground cages where they duly find Willaway.

Eventually, with Tarant defeated and Luther restored as leader the people celebrate while Liana and Sil-L thank the Neffring.

At the end of episode Luther leads the travellers to the portal to the next time zone, with the Neffring initially carrying Sil-L. Liana takes Sil-L and they walk into the ball of blue light.

Final Mewsings: Who says cats aren’t empathetic?

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