The Mysterons (Captain Scarlet episode)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| “The Mysterons” | |
|---|---|
| Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 1 |
| Written by | Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson |
| Directed by | Desmond Saunders |
| Production no. | 1 |
| Original airdate | 29 September 1967 |
| Episode chronology | |
| ← Previous | Next → |
| – | "Winged Assassin" |
| List of Captain Scarlet episodes | |
"The Mysterons" is the first episode of the science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Its original air date on ATV Midlands in the United Kingdom was 29 September 1967. It was written by Gerry and Sylvia Anderson and directed by Desmond Saunders.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
While exploring Mars, Captain Black destroys an alien complex only to be hijacked by its vengeful inhabitants. With the power of retrometabolism and a converted Spectrum officer at the Mysterons’ disposal, the story of Captain Scarlet’s indestructibility begins with the threatened assassination of the World President.
[edit] Plot
In 2068, the crew of the Zero-X Martian Exploration Vehicle, under the command of Spectrum officer Captain Black, are about to return to Earth after a fruitless investigation into unidentified signals emanating from Mars when they discover a mysterious alien city. While the men are astounded at what they see, a voice inside the complex acknowledges the arrival of human space travellers and demands closer inspection of their vehicle. However, Black interprets the rotating exterior cameras as signs of an imminent attack and orders his subordinate, Lieutenant Dean, to open fire on the complex. Although the city is destroyed, blue rays emerge from turrets and revert the wreckage until the complex is completely reconstructed. The voice booms out again, revealing its identity as that of the Mysterons and vowing total destruction of life on Earth for the unprovoked attack. The Mysterons then take control of Black, enabling them to use him as an instrument in their task. Their first act of retaliation will be to assassinate Earth’s World President.
On Cloudbase, 40,000 feet above the Earth’s surface, the commander-in-chief of Spectrum, Colonel White, orders Lieutenant Green to launch the Angel jets. He then calls Captain Scarlet, en route to New York City to organise protection for the President, for a mission update. Having been appointed commander of the operation, Scarlet’s colleague, Captain Brown, asks for Scarlet’s views on the Mysteron threat. Without warning, a tyre on their Spectrum Saloon suddenly punctures, causing the vehicle to swerve off the road and crash onto the hillside below. Both men are killed instantly, but Scarlet’s body is dragged behind a bush by an unseen force and an exact duplicate appears alongside.
Later, a man identical to Captain Brown escorts the President to the Spectrum Maximum Security Building in New York. Once alone in the President’s office, however, smoke begins to exude from Brown’s body. The President is just able to escape through an emergency hatch before the Mysteron reconstruction explodes, devastating the entire building.
Realising that the Mysterons’ first attempt to assassinate the President has failed, Colonel White orders the Scarlet duplicate to transport the President to a second Maximum Security Building in London. However, shortly after Scarlet and the President take off in a Spectrum Jet, news reaches Cloudbase that the body of Captain Brown has been discovered at the scene of a car crash. Deducing that the Brown who exploded must have been a Mysteron impostor, and that Scarlet was also present at the crash, Colonel White orders for the jet to return to Cloudbase. Scarlet, however, has other plans and ejects himself and the President after crossing the British coast. Holding the President at gunpoint, he steals a car and then sets off towards London.
Another Spectrum officer, Captain Blue, requisitions a Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle at a filling station and follows Scarlet’s route. The Angels destroy a bridge to cut off any escape, forcing Scarlet into a dead end at the top of the 800-foot-tall London Car-Vu. Meanwhile, Captain Black, now pallid and speaking in a Mysteron voice, observes from a dilapidated warehouse and telepathically reminds Scarlet that the President must be kept alive. Spectrum Helicopter A42 has been taken over by the Mysterons and will pick Scarlet and the President up from the sky-park.
Blue arrives at the top of the Car-Vu and dons a Spectrum jet pack. Coordinating A42 to gun down Scarlet, he just manages to evade the shots of the aircraft as it instead fires upon him. Destiny Angel shoots down the helicopter, but it crashes and explodes beneath the Car-Vu’s top level, irrevocably damaging the structure. Cornered, Scarlet shoots at Blue, but Blue hits the Mysteron agent and Scarlet plunges 800 feet to his death. Blue is able to hoist the President to safety before the Car-Vu collapses.
Back on Cloudbase, Colonel White announces Spectrum’s success in its first operation against the Mysterons. However, the Captain Scarlet who fell from the Car-Vu is inexplicably returning to life, with his human consciousness restored…
[edit] Cast
[edit] Regular Voice Cast
- Captain Scarlet — Francis Matthews
- Captain Blue — Ed Bishop
- Colonel White — Donald Gray
- Lieutenant Green — Cy Grant
- Destiny Angel — Liz Morgan
- Rhapsody Angel — Liz Morgan
- Harmony Angel — Lian Shin
- Captain Black — Donald Gray
[edit] Guest Voice Cast
- Captain Black (Original) — Jeremy Wilkin
- Lieutenant Dean — Charles Tingwell
- Captain Brown — Charles Tingwell
- World President — Paul Maxwell
- Radio — Jeremy Wilkin
- Spectrum HQ, London — Charles Tingwell
- Petrol Pump Attendant — Jeremy Wilkin
- Helicopter A42 Pilot — Charles Tingwell
[edit] Notes
- Although the episode title is not featured on-screen, "The Mysterons" is the generally accepted title for this episode.
