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UFO - Computer Affair
episode 21
UK 1971
produced by Reg Hill, Gerry Anderson (executive) for Century 21 Television, ITC
directed by David Lane
starring Ed Bishop, George Sewell, Peter Gordeno, Gabrielle Drake, Harry Baird, Dolores Mantez, Antonia Ellis, Gary Myers, Michael Mundell, Nigel Lambert, Keith Alexander, Jeremy Wilkin, Jon Kelley, Georgina Moon, Maxwell Shaw, Hein Viljoen, Dennis Plenty, Hugh Armstrong, Peter Burton, Shane Rimmer
screenplay by Tony Barwick, created by Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson, Reg Hill, visual effects by Derek Meddings, costumes by Sylvia Anderson/Century 21
TV-series UFO
review by Mike Haberfelner
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A UFO is approaching earth, and moonbase loses one of its three
interceptors trying to intercept it - and SHADO's second-in-command
Freeman (George Sewell) thinks it might have been the result of human
error. And thus, moonbase commander Ellis (Gabrielle Drake), who was in
charge of the evasive maneuvres during the operation, is brought home to
earth and to SHADO's head honcho commander Straker for questioning. After
being thoroughly probed by both psychologists and computers, Straker comes
to the conclusion that Lt Ellis is in love with another interceptor pilot,
Bradley (Harry Baird), and sacrificed the deceased pilot to save him. Now
Straker can't allow his personnel to be influenced by personal feelings,
so he considers appropriate measures, but Freeman is not so sure that
Ellis and Bradley have an affair, so he takes both of them on his next
mission to Canada, where they are to capture an alien, and Lt Ellis, again
in charge of parts of the operation, puts Bradley in harm's way to make
her point. He survives though, unharmed. Freeman, having now witnessed
first hand to what extremes Straker and his computer-run operation have
driven Ellis, wants to resign, and it's only when Straker admitsboth Lt
Ellis and Bradley back to the moon that he reconsiders - even if Straker'S
decision to re-admit the two of them to the moon is based on the report
from another computer.
You simply cannot not like this series
for its brilliant miniatures and special effects, for its
pseudo-futuristic sets and costumes, for its very British approach to the
genre and its excellent cast - but that said, this episode also shows the
series' weaknesses: Essentially, this episode is stuck way too much in the
porcedures and the hierarchy of its basic premise and lacks an emotional
center - and that despite the fact that the whole thing is rather low on
action and high on talk. Still, it's hightly loveable in a nostalgic
sort of way.
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