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  • I always found the first season of WWW to be bit dull. I used to think it might be because it was in black & white, but on reviewing the DVDs I think the show was still waiting to find its tone. This episode shows the series definitely hitting its stride, with science fiction, action, mystery, international intrigue, and disguises wrapped around the story of a man who can steal diamonds without being seen - and beat up James West at the same time.

    Best of all, they finally figured out how to handle Artemus Gordon's character. For a good portion of early episodes Ross Martin would hang around the edges of the story. Here he gets almost equal time with Conrad, and he does what he's supposed to do. He assumes disguises. He sets high-tech traps. He arranges diversions. They even know what he doesn't do. Arty has little taste for his partner's specialties like fighting outnumbered or pulling daring stunts. But they both do what they have to do to get the job done.

    A stand-out is the performance of Robert Drivas as the boyishly handsome but coolly confident Morgan Midas.

    Thrills and spills all the way!
  • The Star Trek episode referred to by Robert Conrad and questioned in a previous review is "Wink of an Eye" Season 3 episode 11. The science fiction elements are very similar to this episode of The Wild Wild West.
  • ShadeGrenade22 November 2013
    Warning: Spoilers
    Produced by Gene L. Coon, 'The Night Of The Burning Diamond' was the first 'Wild Wild West' episode to be scripted by Ken Kolb. Mysterious diamond thefts puzzle the U.S. Government. The Kara diamond is stolen from under Jim's nose at the Serbian consulate. Suspicion falls on Jim himself. 'Thaddeus Baines' ( Dan Tobin ), a special envoy from Washington, accuses Jim of starting an international incident. The Kara was to have been displayed in a special diamonds exhibition in San Francisco. Artemus decks the exhibition hall out with anti-theft gadgets. A lead takes Jim to one 'Morgan Midas' ( Robert Drivas ) and his fiancée 'Lucretia Ivronin' ( Christiane Schmidtmer ). Midas has concocted a potion made from burning diamonds that enables a man to move faster than the naked eye. An invisible man can steal whatever takes his fancy. He takes Jim prisoner and when Artemus shows up at the house disguised as a friend of Midas' aunt, he is too is overpowered. Midas offers both men unlimited power...

    Robert Conrad claimed years later that the idea for this story was swiped by 'Star Trek'. I have no idea which episode he means; I think he must have confused it with 'The Entrancing Dr.Cassandra', an episode of 'Batman' in which the titular villain made herself invisible by popping pills. Jim's gadgets are a cane that gives off stun gas and a cigar that doubles as a blow-lamp. A sound effect from 'Star Trek' can be heard - the communicator which is supposed to represent English spoken incredibly fast. The finale is a fight in Midas' laboratory, and features both him and Jim under the effects of the potion.

    By this point, 'The Wild, Wild West' was becoming incredibly wild indeed, and was all the better for it.
  • Oldschooldoom9 August 2022
    10/10
    FLASH
    Yet another magnificent episode from the first season of WWW.

    The Star Trek reference is subtle. The Flash reference is blatant.

    WWW was so far ahead of it's time!