"Gentlemen, I promise you, I've just had a warning - a premonition if you like. Concerning an explosion."
Original UK broadcast: September 28th, 1969 (ATV Midlands)
Written by: Donald James
Directed by: Leo Eaton
Regular cast: Father Unwin, Matthew, The Bishop, Mrs. Appleby, Blake
Additional voice cast:
Hartley Keith Alexander
Tom Williams Jeremy Wilkin
Shaw David Healy
Doctor Keith Alexander
Nielson David Healy
Brooks Keith Alexander
Green Gary Files
Guard Gary Files
1st Frogman Jeremy Wilkin
Car Enthusiast Gary Files
1st Technician (North Africa ) Jeremy Wilkin
2nd Technician (North Africa) David Healy
1st Technician (Burgossa) David Healy
2nd Technician (Burgossa) Jeremy Wilkin
1st Technician (Port Trennick) Jeremy Wilkin
2nd Technician (Port Trennick) Gary Files
3rd Technician (Port Trennick) Keith Alexander
4th Technician (Port Trennick) David Healy
Two British-designed desalination plants have exploded as they neared 250 hours of operation, now an order for ten plants in the United States hangs in balance. Suspecting sabotage, Unwin and Matthew are assigned to ensure that the last remaining plant, at Port Trennick, stays operational.
The desalination plant control room set of this episode is another example of how highly detailed sets and props had become by this point for Century 21 studios. Designed by Keith Wilson, his art direction is exemplary, featuring extraordinarily detailed sets and props. Not only did he work on the rest of the series like The BISHOP's office, or the remote control tank from Recall To Service, or the new sonic rifle from The Deadly Whisper, he would later design the Main Mission set for Space 1999. The design for the desalination plants also stands out in the story.
This episode by far features the most guest characters for the series, which goes to show how talented the voice artists were. 18 guest characters had to be played by four very talented actors, so about four or five separate characters each. Once again, the quirkiness and weirdness of this series do show off; this time involving the miniaturized Matthew being dwarfed by food and drink from a picnic basket. However, remains to be a well-received and positively reviewed episode. The shots used underground were, like any series from Stingray were shot using a fish tank with the puppets and effects placed behind the glass to give off the effect that we are underwater, but doesn't get the models or puppets wet at all. Again, by this time the series had really made perfection in puppets, models and effects, showing a significant improvement within the last few years of puppet techniques.
Of course, like every episode of The Secret Service, revamped puppets were brought back out and re-wigged and redressed. Agent Blake makes his first appearance in the series, but a simple dye of brown hair and a pair of glasses was not enough to hide the fact that Agent Blake is so clearly the same puppet as Captain Scarlet, driving the recycled Sam Loover's car from Joe 90. Colonel White, who had already made several appearances in Joe 90, returns as Brooks. Captain Magenta plays a technician voiced by Gary Files coincidentally. Captain Grey plays Tom Williams, whilst the World President makes yet another comeback to help try and save the dying Agent Blake.
Although this episode has a full original score from Barry Gray, this episode also used cues from A Case For The BISHOP and The Feathered Spies had in fact yet to be recorded. A cue from the Stingray episode The Golden Sea can also be heard towards the end of the episode.
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The Secret Service: The Vault
Non-FictionThe Secret Service was a 1960s British children's TV series created by Gerry Anderson and the team of Century 21 studios in Slough, from the makers of Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and Space: 1999. This was the final of his television series to feat...
