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UFO - The Responsibility Seat
episode 25
UK 1971
produced by Reg Hill, Gerry Anderson (executive) for Century 21 Television, ITC
directed by Alan Perry
starring Ed Bishop, George Sewell, Jane Merrow, Michael Billington, Gabrielle Drake, Gary Myers, Keith Alexander, Norma Ronald, Antonia Ellis, Mark Hawkins, Dolores Mantez, Georgina Moon, Jeremy Wilkin, Patrick Jordan, Ralph Ball, Janos Kurucz, Paul Tamarin, Ayshea Brough, Shakira Caine (= Shakira Baksh), Penny Spencer
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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Head of the top secret alien defense organisation Ed Straker (Ed
Bishop) gives an interview to reporter Jo Fraser (Jane Merrow) in his
cover profession of a flamboyant movie producer. After she's gone he
discovers she has left a recording device behind and might have recorded
some top secret conversations, and thus might be a spy. So he tracks her
down to make her confess - but all she tells him is that she is a
freelance journalist waiting for the big break, which an interview with a
big shot movieproducer of his ilk would have been. Against his instincts,
Straker tends to believe her, he somehow falls for her, they have a
romantic dinner together, and then she gets ready for bed, his bed, when
he gets the results of her voiceprint test he has made earlier on: Turns
out she is a tabloid reporter of the lowest kind, the sort who goes to bed
with her interviewees only to get extra juicy stories. He throws her out
immediately, but is left behind with a bit of a broken heart. Meanwhile
Straker's second-in-command Freeman (George Sewell) has taken over command
of SHADO, and he is quick to send one of his interceptors off on a wild
goose chase, mistaking a weather balloon for an UFO, then he almost loses
head when an out-of-control Russian moon vehicle heads for moonbase and he
wants to bomb it despite the fact that there are two Russian astronauts
(Janos Kurucz, Paul Tamarin) on board. Fortunately, moonbase commander
Foster (Michael Billington) keeps his cool ignores Freeman's orders and
enters the vehicle, risking his own life, to find the astronauts
intoxicated by the lack of oxygen caused by a pressure leak. Foster
manages to stop the vehicle only inches away from moonbase. Freeman is
beyond relief when Straker returns to take over SHADO-reigns again, while
Straker loves to be back in control, instead of being controlled by his
emotions ...
Pretty ok episode that manages to intertwine its
two totally seperate main narrative threads in a very engaging way, that
moves along at a steady pace, and that has all the plottwists and
highlights in the right spots (not always the case with UFO).
Add to that a competent ensemble cast and some great miniature effects,
and you get pretty decent TV science fiction entertainment!
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