“The Day the Sky Fell In” is episode four of season one of The Time Tunnel.
At the end of the previous episode, “End of the World”, Tony briefly returned to Tik-Toc. However, this was before he had joined the project and no-one recognised him. He had to be transferred away again otherwise he could have been shot. Tony and Doug then arrived somewhere where the occupants were destroying files. Said occupants ask how they got in; they claim they were sightseeing. Apparently, no-one sightsees in the Japanese Consulate. To the statement that they didn’t know where they were, they are told that everyone in Honolulu knows that.
In the present, General Kirkwood recognises the date. The day before the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the consulate, the man in charge is why he let Doug and Tony go, because they are probably spies. Because their superiors would trace them and it would be dangerous to create an incident today. He sends one of his men after Doug and Tony with orders to kill them if they act suspicious.
Outside, Doug and Tony are talking about the attack tomorrow. Doug wonders how far they are from Honolulu. About 15 minutes, according to Tony; he used to do the drive with his father. He was seven and living with his father after his mother’s death the previous year. His father was a Lt. Commander based at the naval station and was reported missing after the attack, never found, dead or alive. Tony realises he will be alive now. Maybe Tony will be able to warn him. Tony was having dinner at his best friend’s house, Billy Neal, and his father came to dinner. Meanwhile, the man sent to follow them is lurking behind the shrubbery so obviously it’s a miracle he’s not seen.
Doug and Tony arrive at the Neal home; the house will be destroyed by a direct hit. Louise Neal tells them that Cmdr. Newman isn’t here but he’s expected any minute. He’s bringing the admiral to dinner. Mrs Neal is concerned there’s something wrong with her husband, who is on the Enterprise. It won’t reach Pearl Harbor until 8AM tomorrow. Doug and Tony’s tail is let in by the maid, who tells him the butler isn’t one of them. So, the man kills him.
When Tony’s father arrives, he finds Tony familiar. Tony explains that they’ve come to warn him that his life is in danger. Explaining wouldn’t make much sense, but Tony tries anyway, talking about his father’s familiarity with relativity and the potential of travelling in time. They are from the future. Cmdr. Newman isn’t impressed but Young Tony and Billy arrive at this point. Afterwards, Tony realises he and Billy would be in the house when it’s destroyed. They head to the kitchen and their tail takes them prisoner with a gun. In the present, Tik-Toc has a lock on the Japanese fleet.
The Japanese consul and another arrive at the warehouse where Tony and Doug are being held prisoner. Their guard doesn’t believe their crazy stories. The consul doesn’t believe them either and is going to have them questioned under truth serum.
Tony’s father is with the admiral and the latter mentions that the Japanese fleet has been sighted. Exactly where Tony said it was. Newman Sr mentions this and the admiral says that was a lucky guess. However, Tony’s father wants to check on something.
Doug is under the truth serum and is still not being believed. He’s especially not believed when the consul is told his side will lose. They are going to try on Tony as well. Tony’s father is arriving at C.I.C. Naval Communications and wants the report on the Japanese fleet authenticated. Tony answers the same way as Doug and he isn’t believed either. However, the consul wants Tony’s father found and killed.
There are questions at Tik-Toc about what will happen to their Tony if young Tony is killed; will he disappear from existence? It’s even suggested they might both disappear. And will Tony be able to save his father or not? Can he change the past, or are they already part of the past?