# "Time Tunnel" episode "Secret Weapon" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 19, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118 "2018-02-19T14:44:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/1 "2018-02-19T14:44:19Z")
I saw this again this weekend on one of the oldies stations. I seemed to recall when I saw it some years ago that in the unidentified ‘Eastern European’ country, that the \*Cyrillic letters were just gibberish. It was confirmed. Not only did the letters not spell any meaningful words, but the prop guys apparently made up some of their own Cyrlllic letters (like an upside-down ‘T’ and a backwards ‘E’). It would seem that it wouldn’t have been hard to find to find at least a [Slavic] dictionary and find words at least approximating common signs like ‘Café,’ ‘Jewler,’ etc. \*Just in case you’re wondering, no, I don’t any knowledge of Slavic/Cyrillic based alphabets, other than how the letters transliterate. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/2 "2018-02-19T15:13:29Z")
But that’s the charm. it’s like [Gellerese](https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A87883014) in Mission Impossible. If it was recognizable, then it would mean that the episode took place in a specific country, and the government of that specific Iron Curtain country would complain about how the capitalist pig Americans were slandering their fine country (as they butchered thousands). Of course, someone could complain about the fake language, but who would do that? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/3 "2018-02-19T16:24:18Z")
[quote=“Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker, post:1, topic:809118”] \ It would seem that it wouldn’t have been hard to find to find at least a [Slavic] dictionary and find words at least approximating common signs like ‘Café,’ ‘Jewler,’ etc. \ Earl, ya silly goose, that would have cost Irwin Allen at least $1.25 in filming delays and we can’t have that, can we? That’s the cost of a whole monster suit! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/4 "2018-02-19T16:59:07Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > But that’s the charm. it’s like [Gellerese](https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A87883014) in Mission Impossible. > > If it was recognizable, then it would mean that the episode took place in a specific country, and the government of that specific Iron Curtain country would complain about how the capitalist pig Americans were slandering their fine country (as they butchered thousands). > > Of course, someone could complain about the fake language, but who would do that? 🙂 It’s like Scott Adams and Elbonia. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/5 "2018-02-19T18:12:55Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > But that’s the charm. it’s like [Gellerese](https://h2g2.com/edited_entry/A87883014) in Mission Impossible. > > If it was recognizable, then it would mean that the episode took place in a specific country, and the government of that specific Iron Curtain country would complain about how the capitalist pig Americans were slandering their fine country (as they butchered thousands). > > Of course, someone could complain about the fake language, but who would do that? 🙂 You mean “Gaz” isn’t a real word? :eek: I loved that fake language stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/6 "2018-02-19T18:23:12Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > It’s like Scott Adams and Elbonia. It’s like Al Capp and Lower Slobbovia. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/7 "2018-02-19T19:04:43Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > You mean “Gaz” isn’t a real word? :eek: > > I loved that fake language stuff. My favorite was **Füel Mix** at the secret underground rocket laboratory. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![erysichthon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@erysichthon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erysichthon)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/8 "2018-02-19T19:36:06Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > If it was recognizable, then it would mean that the episode took place in a specific country, and the government of that specific Iron Curtain country would complain about how the capitalist pig Americans were slandering their fine country (as they butchered thousands). > > Of course, someone could complain about the fake language, but who would do that? 🙂 I always wondered why _Mission Impossible_ bothered with all those imaginary countries. What did the network think was going to happen? They might get a cranky letter from some low-level bureaucrat—so what? _Homeland_ has episodes set in real countries, and nobody seems to care. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/9 "2018-02-19T19:59:10Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > My favorite was **Füel Mix** at the secret underground rocket laboratory. 🆒 DÄNJER That was one of my favorites! From the two-parter “The Bunker” with Lee Meriwether and perennial guest Milton Selzer, See the specific panel at 8 seconds into the credits: [The Bunker Pt 2](https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2fz9x2) This was the episode GAF used for the ViewMaster reel set for the show. It’s also the one where Peter Lupus almost got killed doing a stunt. A rigging broke and it dropped him and Lee onto Peter’s neck. If it wasn’t so thick he’d probably have been killed. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/10 "2018-02-19T20:06:49Z")
The props department shopped at IKEA? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/11 "2018-02-19T20:38:35Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > I always wondered why _Mission Impossible_ bothered with all those imaginary countries. What did the network think was going to happen? They might get a cranky letter from some low-level bureaucrat—so what? _ **Star Trek** _ got a bad review in _Komsomolskaya Pravda_ because, at the time, there was no Russian on board the _Enterprise_. This is why Chekov (originally conceived as a Davey Jones clone) was added to the crew. ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2018, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/12 "2018-02-19T23:56:12Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > I always wondered why _Mission Impossible_ bothered with all those imaginary countries. What did the network think was going to happen? They might get a cranky letter from some low-level bureaucrat—so what? > > _Homeland_ has episodes set in real countries, and nobody seems to care. In the 1980s “Val Verde” was used as an imaginary South or Central American country by screenwriter/producer Steven de la Souza for movies like “Commando” or “Die Hard 2”. Supposedly to prevent legal or diplomatic problems. If a real country felt insulted, would they refused to buy the show and cost you money? Go against the United States in a U.N. vote? If you portrayed one as a dictatorship and a few years later, would it hurt your syndication viewership by making you look outdated? Take hostages and kill two people like some Muslims did when for the movie “The Message” in 1976? the A few months ago “Decades” had a weekend binge of the “Bob Newhart” show from the 1970s. In a brief clip Newhart said he deliberately told writers not to have topical jokes on things like Gerald Ford because 10 years from now it would look dated and silly. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/13 "2018-02-20T01:47:59Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > In a brief clip Newhart said he deliberately told writers not to have topical jokes on things like Gerald Ford because 10 years from now it would look dated and silly. Try watching _ **The Partridge Family** _ sometime. It’s full of references that would mean absolutely nothing to anyone who wasn’t in at least sixth grade in 1970. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/14 "2018-02-20T03:46:44Z")
There also was a “Spanishy” Gellerese for eps set in various Latin American dictatorships. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/15 "2018-02-20T04:25:17Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > My favorite was **Füel Mix** at the secret underground rocket laboratory. 🆒 Are you sure? I would have sworn it was just **FÜL** Maybe that was a different episode with a different underground rocket laboratory. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/16 "2018-02-20T08:06:09Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Are you sure? I would have sworn it was just **FÜL** > > Maybe that was a different episode with a different underground rocket laboratory. Yep, I’m sure. I guess their graphics designer had never studied German and knew not the meaning of the umlaut. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/17 "2018-02-20T16:36:19Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Are you sure? I would have sworn it was just **FÜL** > > Maybe that was a different episode with a different underground rocket laboratory. I linked the episode above. The subjict pänel can bê seeй theяe. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/18 "2018-02-20T23:21:57Z")
> [@erysichthon](#): > > I always wondered why _Mission Impossible_ bothered with all those imaginary countries. What did the network think was going to happen? They might get a cranky letter from some low-level bureaucrat—so what? > > _Homeland_ has episodes set in real countries, and nobody seems to care. That was then, this is now. Until … umm … the nineties, maybe? … the main goal of producers, and especially networks, wasn’t to present challenging and interesting material, it wasn’t to garner good press, it wasn’t to entertain. The primary objective was to not offend anyone. Anyone. Plus the things **Jim’s Son** said. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2018, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/19 "2018-02-20T23:51:35Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I linked the episode above. The subjict pänel can bê seeй theяe. I am thinking of a different episode, or at least a different scene. You know the way factories have pipes running along the walls or ceilings, and they’re often labeled with whatever liquid flows through them? This was one of those. It said FÜL, or some other bit of classic Gellerese. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2018, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118/20 "2018-02-21T00:30:07Z")
> [@Cayuga](#): > > That was then, this is now. Until … umm … the nineties, maybe? … the main goal of producers, and especially networks, wasn’t to present challenging and interesting material, it wasn’t to garner good press, it wasn’t to entertain. The primary objective was to not offend anyone. Anyone. > > Plus the things **Jim’s Son** said. Goes to show how naive I was back in sixth grade. Then, I assumed the producers and writers of shows like _ **M:I** _ and _ **TT** _ went to great pains to portray everything accurately. But hey, I thought \*\*\*Batman \*\*\*was true-to-life and scientifically accurate too. **DUH!** :smack: [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/time-tunnel-episode-secret-weapon/809118.md?page=2)