Crater 101
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| “Crator 101” | |
|---|---|
| Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 17 |
| Written by | Tony Barwick |
| Directed by | Ken Turner |
| Production no. | 22 |
| Original airdate | 26 January 1968 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Renegade Rocket" | "Shadow of Fear" |
| List of Captain Scarlet episodes | |
"Crater 101" is the 17th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was the 22nd episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was 26 January 1968 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Ken Turner. It is the sequel to the episode "Lunarville 7".
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
Scarlet, Blue and Green return to the Moon to remove the power source from the Mysteron complex in Crater 101. Entering the city, they try to disable their enemies’ powers of reconstruction before the complex is irrevocably destroyed in an atomic explosion. But during their investigation, will they notice that a Mysteron agent has set the bomb to detonate two hours early?
[edit] Plot
In Cloudbase control, Colonel White announces that the development in Crater 101, on the far side of the Moon, has been positively identified as a Mysteron complex. White tells Captain Scarlet, Captain Blue and Lieutenant Green that arrangements have been made with the Lunar Authorities to destroy the city. However, if the destruction is to be permanent, a volunteer party will first need to remove the power source and thus disable the Mysterons’ reconstructive powers - by venturing into the complex.
Transmitting to Earth, the Mysterons warn that anyone who enters their lunar complex will be destroyed. On Cloudbase, Scarlet, Blue and Green all agree to carry out the mission. The Spectrum officers travel to the Moon and plan the assault with the staff of Lunarville 6. After a two-hour Moonmobile journey to Crater 101, they will have four hours to explore the complex and leave with the power source before the city is destroyed with a low-yield atomic device. The Controller, Linda Nolan, presents Captain Scarlet with a lucky charm. Blue recognises the inscription and recalls that she coordinated the first CB29 Neptune probe launched from the Moon. Another colonist, Frazer, points out Scarlet’s courage and good looks but Nolan says that she did not notice.
Scarlet, Blue and Green set off in the Moonmobile. Nolan instructs Frazer to depart in a Lunar Tank and set the bomb for midnight. Frazer is strangely unresponsive, but slowly agrees to carry out his orders.
Two hours later, the Spectrum officers arrive at the lip of the crater. Transferring to a Lunar Tractor, they drive into the hollow and prepare to engage computerised guard vehicles. While Blue swerves to avoid the crushing arms, Green mans the tractor’s missile gun but misses the master vehicle. Scarlet and Blue fail to spot a rut carved by one of the vehicles and the tractor becomes stuck in the groove. Just before they are attacked, Green destroys the master vehicle and the other units are disabled.
When contacted by Nolan over the radio, Frazer reveals that he is a Mysteron. He has set the bomb to detonate at 10 o’clock instead of 12. Lunarville 6 is powerless to help because the Spectrum party are below the lunar horizon and thus out of radio range. In Crater 101, Green dons a spacesuit and frees the tractor from the outside while Frazer arrives in the Lunar Tank. Gazing deeply at the complex, he lowers the bomb to the ground using the vehicle’s arm and departs.
Having acknowledged the arrival of the bomb, the Spectrum officers stop their vehicle beside the complex and Scarlet and Blue get into their spacesuits. Inside the complex, they are faced with a dazzling array of colourful, transparent walls. Green ventures further to record images on a camera but Scarlet and Blue, analysing their surroundings with instrumentation, quickly lose him. They discover that he has become transfixed by a hypnotic light but Scarlet is able to shoot it with his gun before they are all entranced. Scarlet discovers a weightless area and is lifted to the level above. Believing to have found the heart of the complex, he calls up Blue and Green and they find a pulsating crystal rotating in machinery. Blue’s instrumentation has gone crazy and the power source has definitely been located.
Nolan informs her colleague, Shroeder, that the operation has been sabotaged. With radio communication impossible, Shroeder states that a CB29 rocket is the only thing that could arrive at Crater 101 before 10 o’clock. Nolan orders for an immediate launch and the rocket blasts off from its pad.
As Scarlet tries to force the crystal pulsator out of its socket, the CB29 crashes into the crater. Scarlet sends Blue to investigate the shockwave and the captain reports that it was caused by a rocket. Scarlet’s lucky charm described how Nolan’s mission arrived "ahead of schedule" and the captain fears that the CB29 is a warning about the bomb. Blue discovers that only five minutes remain before detonation. Ordering Green to rejoin Blue in the Moonmobile, Scarlet stays behind to disconnect the Mysteron power source. Accomplishing this, he rushes to the Lunar Tractor, but the counter on the device reaches zero and the explosion rips through the complex. Blue and Green believe that Scarlet has been killed, but are relieved when the Tractor comes into view with the captain holding the pulsator at the wheel.
Back at Lunarville 6, Shroeder reveals that the operation has been a complete success. Scarlet announces that they must return to Earth at once to begin tests on the pulsator. Nolan mentions Scarlet’s charm and bravery but Shroeder thought that she would not notice.
[edit] Cast
[edit] Regular Voice Cast
- Captain Scarlet — Francis Matthews
- Captain Blue — Ed Bishop
- Colonel White — Donald Gray
- Lieutenant Green — Cy Grant
- Captain Magenta — Gary Files
- Voice of the Mysterons — Donald Gray
[edit] Guest Voice Cast
- Linda Nolan — Sylvia Anderson
- Frazer — David Healy
- Shroeder — Jeremy Wilkin
[edit] Notes
- The Mysteron pulsator makes its second appearance in the episode "Dangerous Rendezvous".
