Fans and critics seem to agree that this is the worst, most despised episode of the popular spy show from its campy third season. (Although the one with Sonny and Cher comes in a close second.) Appears to be an inside joke as NBC had just created the Ron Ely "Tarzan" series three months earlier. Most likely the network saw this as a back-handed way to promote "Tarzan". (Plus save money reusing the jungle and village sets.) Otherwise, there's no logical reason for awkwardly forcing the beloved U.N.C.L.E. agents into such a contrived and idiotic story.
The only bright spot is statuesque Vitina Marcus as "Girl", a leopard-skin wearing female Tarzan who doesn't speak English. Girl was raised in the jungle by a gorilla and can do a Weissmuller-type yell. Robert Vaughn's dopey attempts to communicate with her via pantomime and dancing the Watusi (with her and the gorilla) are excruciating to watch. Sloppy, cliché-filled story concerns mad scientist trying to create an army of super-warriors using drugs. This has an amusingly inept match-cut of an elephant stampede with the cast running away from an obvious stock footage insert.
The same month this came out, "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.", also aired a silly African safari yarn, "The Jewels of Topango Affair". NBC was either pushing hard to promote Tarzan via two African-based adventure stories or just cutting costs by producing two matching episodes back-to-back.
The only bright spot is statuesque Vitina Marcus as "Girl", a leopard-skin wearing female Tarzan who doesn't speak English. Girl was raised in the jungle by a gorilla and can do a Weissmuller-type yell. Robert Vaughn's dopey attempts to communicate with her via pantomime and dancing the Watusi (with her and the gorilla) are excruciating to watch. Sloppy, cliché-filled story concerns mad scientist trying to create an army of super-warriors using drugs. This has an amusingly inept match-cut of an elephant stampede with the cast running away from an obvious stock footage insert.
The same month this came out, "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.", also aired a silly African safari yarn, "The Jewels of Topango Affair". NBC was either pushing hard to promote Tarzan via two African-based adventure stories or just cutting costs by producing two matching episodes back-to-back.