Special Assignment
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| “Special Assignment” | |
|---|---|
| Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 10 |
| Written by | Tony Barwick |
| Directed by | Robert Lynn |
| Production no. | 20 |
| Original airdate | December 1, 1967 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| "Spectrum Strikes Back" | "The Heart of New York" |
| List of Captain Scarlet episodes | |
"Special Assignment" is the 10th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was the 20th episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was December 1, 1967 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Robert Lynn.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
The Mysterons threaten to annihilate North America. Captain Scarlet is dismissed from Spectrum for a night of uncharacteristic gambling, but Captain Blue suspects a hidden reason for the discharge and sets off after his friend. Meanwhile, a down-and-out Scarlet is approached by a pair of Mysteron agents looking to commandeer an SPV. Will Nuclear City be the key for the realisation of the aliens' plans?
[edit] Plot
Music is playing at Mason's filling station one night when Captain Black pulls up to have his car refuelled. Suddenly reversing, he runs Mason down and the Mysteron rings pan over the victim's body. His reconstruction appears alongside.
Later, two men, Steele and Kramer, arrive at the station for an oil and brake check. The duplicate Mason tells them that their brake fluid is low, but instead of replenishing the liquid he secretly drains the valves. Steele and Kramer resume their journey and encounter a hairpin bend, but Steele cannot decelerate and their car flies off a ledge and explodes on the hillside below. As the Mysteron rings track the bodies, Black stops his vehicle in the road and watches as Steele's and Kramer's reconstructions appear nearby.
Transmitting to Earth, the Mysterons threaten to obliterate North America. In the Cloudbase Conference Room, Colonel White briefs his officers. He then tells Captain Scarlet that a report has been sent by Spectrum Intelligence and that there will be a special assignment for him.
That night, Scarlet and Captain Blue visit a casino. Scarlet plays fiercely at roulette while Steele and Kramer discuss how he would be ideal for their plans. Even after losing all his chips, the Captain makes another unlucky gamble and leaves the establishment hopelessly owing nearly 5,000 dollars. He tells Blue that unless he pays the money within three days, Spectrum will be notified and he will be kicked out of the organisation.
On Cloudbase, Colonel White eventually dismisses Scarlet for gambling on duty. Blue is disturbed by the ease of the discharge. Washed-up, Scarlet moves into a hotel in Arizona. He spends much of his time at a nearby bar, but is unable to pay for his drinks and the owner withdraws his credit. Steele and Kramer are sure that they could use Scarlet and visit him in his room, claiming to know his entire story. The Captain is furious when they reveal that they want an SPV for "private use", but Kramer presents his IOU for 5,000 and offers to tear it up if he cooperates.
Later, at the bar, Steele and Kramer refuse to tell Scarlet their intentions. Thinking that they plan to rob a bank or gold reserve, Scarlet realises that there must be a "Mr X" overseeing the plot. Meanwhile, the barman is eavesdropping on the conversation.
In Spectrum, there is still no intelligence on how the Mysterons plan to destroy North America. On Cloudbase, Blue confers with Lieutenant Green on Scarlet's dismissal. He is still baffled by his behaviour at the casino and persuades Green to cover for him while he flies out to confront his friend. Scarlet has left his hotel, but the barman tells Blue that he and his associates are heading to a ranch a few miles out of town. On Cloudbase, Colonel White catches Green communicating with Blue over the radio. The Lieutenant unconvincingly says that the Captain is checking security at the bacteriological centre in Maryland.
Scarlet, Steele and Kramer arrive at the ranch in a car as Captain Black observes through the window. Inside, Black addresses Scarlet behind a closed door and announces that they will attack Nuclear City, Nevada. Scarlet realises that the resulting chain reaction could destroy the whole of North America and is uneasy about committing himself. He is now aware that Steele and Kramer are Mysteron agents. Blue drives up to the ranch in a Spectrum Saloon. As the door opens, Black orders Scarlet to prove his loyalty and the Captain shoots his friend. With an SPV, Nuclear City will be at their mercy.
Meanwhile, Green's deception has been exposed and White demands the truth. He is livid at Blue's plan and orders the Lieutenant to put him in contact with the Captain immediately. At the ranch, Blue wakes up to find himself alone and that Scarlet actually shot him with an anaesthetic dart. White comes through over the radio and reveals that the dismissed officer has been working undercover. Blue discovers a relief map indicating Nuclear City and White agrees that it is probably a target for the Mysterons.
Unable to show identification, Scarlet knocks out the attendant at a garage and seizes its SPV without authorisation. The Angel craft are launched from Cloudbase as Scarlet, Steele and Kramer speed through the desert, intending to crash the gates at Nuclear City and detonate a small atomic device to start the chain reaction. The Angels overfly the area and Scarlet operates a smoke-emitting control to signal to Spectrum. Steele draws a gun and commands Scarlet to keep driving. Melody reports the SPV to Cloudbase and White orders the squadron to attack and destroy. As shells rain down beside the vehicle, Scarlet warns the Mysteron agents that it is hopeless but Steele fatally shoots him. With his last strength, the Captain activates his ejector seat just before a decisive hit causes the SPV to explode.
Later, White, Blue, Green and the revived Scarlet are at the casino where Scarlet fictitiously lost 5000 dollars. White tells Blue that the special assignment succeeded because the Mysterons were deceived by natural reactions to Scarlet's discharge. Green informs Scarlet that he is developing a roulette system on the Cloudbase computer and asks if he would help. Scarlet is surprised and claims that he never gambles.
[edit] Cast
[edit] Regular Voice Cast
- Captain Scarlet — Francis Matthews
- Captain Blue — Ed Bishop
- Colonel White — Donald Gray
- Lieutenant Green — Cy Grant
- Captain Ochre — Jeremy Wilkin
- Melody Angel — Sylvia Anderson
- Captain Black — Donald Gray
- Voice of the Mysterons — Donald Gray
[edit] Guest Voice Cast
- Steele — Martin King
- Kramer — Gary Files
- Croupier — Gary Files
- Barman — Jeremy Wilkin
- Mason — Shane Rimmer
- Security Chief — Gary Files
- Attendant — Martin King
[edit] Goofs
- The fate of the reconstructed Mason is left unspecified.
- As Captain Blue arrives at the ranch, he is shown to be driving an ordinary car in the long-distance shot but this changes to a Spectrum Saloon in close-up.
[edit] Notes
- "Special Assignment" marks one of the few occasions in the series in which Colonel White is shown to be away from Cloudbase. The only other cases are his undercover departure in "White as Snow", attending the conference in "Spectrum Strikes Back" and piloting a Spectrum Jet with Captain Scarlet in "Flight to Atlantica".
