written by Ruric Powell / directed by Alan Perry
When the Moonbase communications are down with tragic results, SHADO blames equipment operated from the private research company Dalotek who are operating nearby. But is there another force at work?
Despite the unpromising title, this episode is one of the better ones to far even if it slowed down by too much technical dialogue. Ruric Powell appears to specialise in ideas that spin off from ordinary things. Last week’s discussions on refuse collection are replaced by this week’s ones on interrupted radio signals as Moonbase’s video screens suffer the sort of interference familiar to 1970s viewers’ old style analogue television sets. Perhaps Powell’s domestic life inspired these scripts? Despite the seemingly trivial nature of the issue, matters build towards something more substantial. Had the production tried to be a little more covert in its revelations things might have been even better.
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| Jane hopes that if she pretends to be a puppet he'll go away |
