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UFO - Confetti Check A-OK
episode 22
UK 1971
produced by Reg Hill, Gerry Anderson (executive) for Century 21 Television, ITC
directed by David Lane
starring Ed Bishop, George Sewell, Suzanne Neve, Grant Taylor, Julian Grant, Michael Nightingale, Geoffrey Hinsliff, Shane Rimmer, Gordon Sterne, Alan Tilvern, Jack May, Jeffrey Segal, Dolores Mantez
screenplay by Tony Barwick, created by Gerry Anderson, Sylvia Anderson, Reg Hill, costumes by Sylvia Anderson/Century 21
TV-series UFO
review by Mike Haberfelner
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Circa 10 years ago: Ed Straker (Ed Bishop), a military man, and his
wife Mary (Suzanne Neve) couldn't be happier - they have just been married
and are now on their way to Athens for their honeymoon. But they only get
as far as the airport, then Straker is intercepted and flown to New York
on a secret mission to sell his plans for a secret alien defense
organisation (the later SHADO) to the UN. It is accepted, naturally, and
he is made commander. Mary understands that his husband has to postpone
her honeymoon, understands that he has an important job, even tries to
understand that he cannot talk about it - but it's a strain on their
relationship, especially because he comes home every night with always the
same excuses. After she gets pregnant, everything gets better for a while,
but not much better, and eventually, Mary feels more alone than ever. Mary's
mother soon suspects Straker has an affair and has him put under
observation - and indeed, the private eye spying after him soon finds him
with a young and beautiful girl, not knowing of course that she is
actually one of his new recruits. This is the last straw for Mary, who
know wants to leave him for good. He comes home just in time to see her
go, they get in a fight, and in a freak accident, she falls down a flight
of stairs. In the hospital, both her and the baby's life can be saved, but
when she comes to, Straker is already at work again. The two divorce soon
after ...
A sort of prologue to the series' actual story, Confetti Check A-OK
is not at all about UFOs, action or special effects but supposed to give a
little insight into the normally rather cold lead character of the series
... and that's not a good idea, because it derives Straker of a tad too
much of his mystery, and it's not made any better by the fact that his
past story is told via over-chlichéed soap opera mainstays and tries to
hammer home the little point it has way too hard and via constant
repetition of the same narrative pattern (Straker comes home late and/or
forgets to call, his wife is mad). Well, at least it's well played, but
it's still an overall disappointment, and probably the dullest episode of
the series.
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