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Post by DR. QUIST on Jun 13, 2009 15:11:02 GMT -5
Please post your discussion relating to series 1 here please Thank you
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Post by colley on Aug 25, 2009 6:14:20 GMT -5
Special mention here for "The Red Sky"", which I bought on VHS way back in the mid-nineties - probably the episode which really got me interested in the series. Intriguing plot, nicely handled interplay between the main characters and well directed with some fine location filming. Love the then state-of-the-art special FX for Quist's hallucinatory experiences in the lighthouse and the downbeat nature of the closing scene (which would become something of a trademark of the series). Wonderful stuff - I can't recall how many times I've rewatched this over the subsequent years :-)
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Post by DR. QUIST on Sept 18, 2009 2:24:58 GMT -5
Tomorrow, The Rat has Terence Dudley doing triple duty as producer, director and writer. In fact Dudley getting both a producer and director credit at the end credits is unusual itself for a BBC show as it was the norm for the director credit to be absent when that task has been done by the producer.
Dudley has sure taken advantage of his triple role for this episode which starts with a boy who is implied to have been killed by a rat. The boy in reality is Dudley's son Stephen.
Tomorrow, The Rat is about a scientist Dr Mary Bryant conducting an experiment to solve the rat problem which ultimately goes wrong.
The rats looks terrifying whenever they appear on-screen. Director Dudley realised well on-screen the terror on ordinary citizens of seeing rats.
While Ridge romancing Bryant may not have been unexpected, the shock on his face is convincing upon seeing Bryant's corpse whose death was caused by a distraught mother whose son was killed by rats.
Matthew See
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Post by colley on Sept 18, 2009 7:50:51 GMT -5
I recall Simon Oates saying ( from an interview in an early issue of the UK magazine TV Zone) that his performance in that closing scene was unrehearsed and that his 'shock' on discovering the body was actually genuine.
There are a lot of references to this episode as the one that had "raised questions in parliament" - I've often thought this was effectively just ''hyperbole'' from the feature writers of the Radio Times, but does anyone know where this particular myth first originated?
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Post by DR. QUIST on Jan 11, 2010 7:31:25 GMT -5
FRIDAY’S CHILD by Harry Green
Cast
Doctor Spencer Quist JOHN PAUL
Doctor John Ridge SIMON OATES
Tobias Wren ROBERT POWELL
Doctor Baring Patrick ALEX SCOTT
Mrs. Sylvia Patrick MARY HOLLAND
G William RICHARD CALDICOT
Prosecuting Solicitor JOHN GRAHAM
Defending Solicitor MARGARET JOHN
Mrs. Norman DELIA PATON
Passer-by SUSAN LAWRANCE
Shopkeeper JOHN TUCKER
Detective Sergeant BILL STRAITON
Series devised by KIT PEDLER and GERRY DAVIS
Music composed by MAX HARRIS
Film Cameraman JOHN TILEY
Sound Recordist BILL WILD
Film Editor ALISTAIR MACKAY
Visual Effects JOHN FRIEDLANDER
Studio Lighting JIMMY PURDIE
Studio Sound LARRY GOODSON
Script Editor GERRY DAVIS
Designer IAN WATSON
Produced by TERENCE DUDLEY
Directed by PAUL CIAPESSONI
Uncredited Cast
Giles Patrick SAM CIAPPESSONI
Mr Norman RONALD NUNNERY
Secretary ANN LEE
Male Magistrates RICHARD GREGORY CHARLES ADEY GREY HERBERT ALDRIDGE
Female Magistrate PAT SYMONS
Clerks of Court CHARLES RAYFORD EDWARD KINGSLEY
Men in Court BRIAN GARDNER SALO GARDNER TONY SOMERS
Women in Court DOLLY BRENNAN PAT ORR
Uncredited Crew
Assistant to Producer GLYN EDWARDS
Production Assistant ROBERT CHECKSFIELD
Assistant Floor Manager JANE SOUTHERN
Assistant MARIA ELLIS
Floor Assistant ALISTAIR CLARK
Costume Supervisor DOROTHEA WALLACE
Make-up Supervisor ELIZABETH ROWELL
TM1 (Studio Lighting) JIMMY PURDIE
TM2 JACK SHALLCROSS
Sound Supervisor LARRY GOODSON
Vision Mixer JIM STEPHENS
Grams GERRY BORROWS
TX: 16th February, 1970 @ 9.40pm Working title: 'The Patrick Experiment'
Synopsis by Scott Burditt
Pre-titles
Mrs. Patrick leaves her flat to go to the shops with her son Giles. A Mrs. Norman secretly follows them both to the shops. At the shops Mrs. Patrick leaves her son in his pram outside and goes in. While in the shops Mrs. Norman attempts to kidnap Giles. Mrs. Patrick spots her while talking to the shopkeeper from inside the shop and abruptly ends the conversation, rushes outside and grabs her son from Mrs. Norman while some shoppers who have seen what has happened, and a man in particular hold Mrs. Norman until the police arrive. Mrs. Norman is held by a man and calls Mrs. Patrick a Thief!
The Doomwatch story captions are shown over a baby in a cot.
Inside Stipendiary Magistrates Court Mrs. Norman defends herself against the charge of abduction by explaining that she believes Mrs. Patrick's son (Giles) has her own baby's stolen heart. She counter accuses Mrs. Patrick's husband (Doctor Baring Patrick) who practices at St.Bridget's (as a research man) of operating on her son, killing him and taking his healthy heart for their own son and the "kidnap" was her attempt of reclaiming her own baby's heart.
At Doomwatch, Quist is reading the evening newspaper Toby has given him covering the earlier events and Mrs. Norman's claims.
Toby thinks it is odd that Mr Patrick was not at court and Quist tells him that he will either attend or be fetched, basically at this early stage he sees nothing in the story. Toby wants to attend the hearing because of this reason alone. Reluctantly Quist lets him attend. Before he leaves for court Quist tells him "You are good at smells, but not all smells are rats". He then tells Toby Doomwatch will not be officially involved in the case. Toby smiles understandingly at him at after Toby as gone Quist throws the newspaper in the bin and carries on with his work.
Before Toby leaves Ridge tells him that Quist doesn't like hunches. Toby tells Ridge he tried not to upset Quist as he would have had his guts for garters. Ridge reminds him that someone will someday.
Back at the court a suitably defensive Doctor Patrick is now in the witness box being cross examined by the prosecuting solicitor. He explains to the court that he has never met Mrs. Norman, but he did operate on her baby about three months ago. When pushed on the treatment of her son Doctor Patrick reveals that he was attempting to treat him by repairing a diaphragmatic hernia. An anesthetist and a theatre sister who can be called to court to verify this assisted him in the operation. Under examination Doctor Patrick confirms that for this procedure, he had to open the chest of the baby. Unfortunately, the operation was not a success and the baby died on the operating table.
The Prosecution asks him if he removed the heart after the baby had died and after a brief pause he tells the court that it was not. Pressing the issue he is asked again if it was transplanted into the body of another child, which Doctor Patrick also denies. It transpires that the baby was cremated after the operation, but not under the advise of Doctor Patrick. Apparently, the baby's father approved this and two doctors signed the death certificate. The prosecution rests and the defending solicitor takes the stand. Doctor Patrick confirms he operated on 17th October of last year at 10 a.m. and confirms the baby died 20 minutes later. Doctor Patrick is then asked to confirm that his own son Giles was also a patient at the same time.
Doctor Patrick confirms that his son was also at St. Crispian's and he was given a successful heart transplant on the same day (October 17th) that baby Norman died. He denies it was the heart from baby Norman. When asked whose heart was given to his son, he refuses to say, as he believes it would be professionally improper. He confirms that the operation on his baby began at 2.30pm.
The defending solicitor tells the court that he isn't suggesting that Giles received baby Norman's heart, but asks Doctor Patrick to reassure the court that there is nothing in the fact that the date and time would suggest this, to which Doctor Patrick suggests that Mrs. Norman is having a neurotic fantasy and prompted by his solicitor he even goes as far as to suggest that Mrs. Norman is deranged. To this accusation Mrs. Norman is seen to be looking angry.
Back at Doomwatch Doctor Quist is busy working on nitrate concentration samples using the Doomwatch computer with Doctor Ridge. Quist is happy with the results from the machine but Ridge says he would still like a word with the farmer, but Quist tells him that they were not instructed by the Ministry of Agriculture and he leaves the Doomwatch computer room and goes into the general office where Toby Wren is sitting. Quist asks him how the baby-snatching investigation is going and Toby tells him there is nothing in it, just Doctor Patrick's bad luck (that the two unrelated events happened on the same day) and there were too many witnesses (to back up Doctor Patrick).
Quist tells him he would have put his reputation in the hands of the theatre's youngest nurse. Toby tells him that even the mortuary attendant was a witness. Toby tells Quist that a week after Mrs. Norman's baby died she was admitted to a mental hospital and has only just been discharged. Quist feels that this was too soon and thinks Mrs. Patrick would feel the same. He asks Toby what he thinks Mrs. Norman would have done with the baby and he tells Quist that it doesn't bear thinking about.
A new piece of information come to light in the fact that Mrs. Patrick is in fact divorced last year and she was the petitioner. Toby adds that even though he doesn't like Doctor Patrick he is satisfied with the outcome. Ridge appears at the doorway and in his typical joking way starts a line from Tom Brown's nursery rhyme "I do not like thee, Doctor Fell..." Toby replies with "The reason why... my dog would bristle at first sight." Ridge follows this with "We do not employ bristling dogs in Doomwatch. Goodnight!" and then Quist leaves.
Toby tells Ridge that he no longer has a dog and Ridge offers to put in a word with his friend who has a litter of Bassett hounds to get a couple of guineas off one for him. Ridge thinks they are gorgeous things and jokes that he can't understand why infants don't look like them, if they want to be loved. Ridge waits for a reply from Toby, but he seems lost in thought and declines Ridge's offer. Ridge thinks he is still thinking about the Doctor Patrick case and asks him if he actually is satisfied and Toby reassures him that he is.
Mrs. Patrick is sitting in her home when she hears the a crashing sound from her sons room. She rushes into his room and sees that someone has thrown a brick through the window and she goes to comfort her son as he is now crying.
The next day at Doomwatch Toby is explaining to Quist in his office why Mrs. Patrick is at the office.
He tells Quist that she claims to know him. Toby was pointed out by Doctor Patrick to her and told her who he was. Quist asks him if he approached her and Toby says "Of course not". Quist eyeballs him and sits down. Toby admits that he did talk to a solicitor, who told him about the divorce and who he was and what he was doing. Toby asks if he should send her away and Quist is irritated as he thinks sending her and her "half brick" away will only make her think that they have something to hide and reluctantly asks Toby to get her in and get it over with. Toby goes to the door in the office, open it and calls her in and introducers her as Mrs. Sylvia Patrick. She thanks Quist for seeing her. Quist fires a direct question at her "Who's looking after the child?" Mrs. Patrick is a bit taken aback and tells him he is under police protection and a policewoman is looking after him at the moment, but she can't stay there forever. Quist asks her to sit down and Toby helpfully offers her a chair.
Quist reminds her that he wasn't in court and asks her if she was satisfied that her son was not given baby Norman's heart. Mrs. Patrick says she was. Quist tells her that Toby was too. She tells him that this wasn't the point, it was the Norman's that were not satisfied and she believes that it was one of the Norman family who threw a half brick through her window after seeing the look on her face in court.
During the conversation she reveals that after she had finished comforting Giles there was nobody to be seen outside and no evidence either. Quist reminds her that it is really a police matter and not a case for Doomwatch, but Mrs. Patrick tells him that the Norman's must be convinced. Quist asks her "How do you convince a mentally deranged woman?" Mrs. Patrick thinks that it was Mr Norman that was responsible for the half-brick and it is him that needs convincing. Quist tells her that they don't know it was Mr Norman and asks Mrs. Patrick what her relations are like with her ex-husband. Mrs. Patrick thinks Quist suggested it might be him, but he assures her he wasn't suggesting that, in any case Mrs. Patrick tells him although he might hate her, suggesting that she divorced him because he was cruel to her, he doesn't hate Giles and that Mr Patrick adores him. Mrs. Patrick tells them that there is a history of cardiac trouble in her family, and although not openly he blames her for the condition of his son. Mrs. Patrick reminds Quist that although her ex-husband is a scientist, it doesn't mean outside the lab he is more rational than anyone else. She says from the moment Giles was born Mr Patrick made her feel like she was the container that the goods came in.
After a moment Quist gives her his sympathy but can't see how Doomwatch can help her.
Mrs. Patrick says to Quist that she means to look into it just for her, but even though its clear to Toby she knows more information she won't say any more. Toby can't help himself and asks her if she is holding back. Quist jumps in annoyed by this and tells Toby that there is no point pressing Mrs. Patrick and as a hint to halt proceedings he gets up to leave, but Mrs. Patrick remains seated.
Quist sits back down, obviously defeated. Mrs. Patrick asks Toby if he felt that Mr Patrick was lying when he gave his evidence in court. Toby obviously didn't. Mrs. Patrick comes straight out with it and tells Quist that Mr Patrick was lying. There is silence while Quist formulates a reply. He isn't happy that Mrs. Patrick previously said that she believed his evidence. She explains that although everything Mr Patrick said in Court was the truth, he was still lying.
Quist asks her how she knows. She simply replies by telling him that they were married. "The bristling dog" Toby adds. Quist fires him an angry look. Mrs. Patrick is confused. Toby explains by telling her his hackles rose. Mrs. Patrick seems pleased. Toby expands on what Mrs. Patrick meant by asking her if Mr Patrick hasn't told the whole truth. Cryptically Mrs. Patrick says it is something like that, which one way or another is a lie.
Quist is obviously getting tired of this and attempts to interrupt her. Mrs. Patrick defends herself before Quist can get a word in. She tells him it's not women's intuition, and citing Toby as an example, she says that she wouldn't know if Toby was lying, but Quist would as he works with him. Mrs. Patrick says that the inflection of truth was to cover up an enormous lie.
At St. Crispian's Hospital Mr G William, the hospital secretary, is seated at his impeccably clean desk and is using on one of two telephones on it. On the outside line telephone he is speaking to The Daily Mail. He is explaining to the reporter that without the relative's consent he cannot give out the information they are asking for and bids them Good Day. He puts the phone back on the receiver and makes a note on a pad that it's the third time they have called. He then returns to work on an important looking document when he receives an internal call on the other telephone. He asks to speak to Dr Patrick, puts the receiver down and picks up the outside line telephone. He announces himself and confirms that he will keep the press at bay but asks D Patrick not to leave his receiver off, as he might want to call him.
At Doomwatch, Quist is still in his office with Toby and Mrs. Patrick. Toby wants to know where the lie is, but unhelpfully Mrs. Patrick tells him it’s all of what was said. Quist tells her she is being unhelpful. Toby surmises that as all the statements were true then it must the one statement he refused to make. He refused to say whose heart was given to Giles. Instead, Toby says that Dr Patrick he gave a formally acceptable reason for refusing to answer this and directly to Quist he says, "We've met those before".
Quist asks what he suggests they do. He isn't happy to just assuming there is another reason and witch hunting for it. Toby suggests that the witch-hunt has already begun because there are implicit lies in Doctor Patrick's evidence. Mrs. Patrick says she doesn't understand. Toby tells her that when heart transplants were rare. The press wanted to know the names of the donor, as there was such a great interest. Now, years on, they don't even bother enquiring. Mr Patrick says she knows this. Toby tells her that if it is suggested that the heart has been taken without permission, the Press will not rest until they know from whom it was stolen. Mrs. Patrick sees where he is going with this line of thinking, but tells him that the court believed Doctor Patrick's evidence. Toby reminds her that the court sit in week after week and year after year and they don't have to be married to a witness to know that he is lying. He also reassures her that for the last 24 hours the press have been looking for the donor by searching the death certificates on October 17th and across Britain bereaved parents are being interviews and the name will be found. Quist agrees and gets up again for the final time. He tells her she is wasting her time and tells her to read tomorrows newspapers and assures her Giles will be safe. Mrs. Patrick agrees, thanks Quist and leaves with Toby showing her to the door.
In the Doomwatch computer room Ridge is busy working as Toby and Mrs. Patrick pass him and reach the outer door. Just before she leaves, she stops to ask Toby if the press find the other baby and he finishes her sentence by telling her it doesn't change the position and there were too nay untested hypotheses this morning. Mrs. Patrick is upset by this term of phrase and tells Toby that Giles is not an untested hypothesis, he is flesh and blood! And it's his flesh now!
The next day Ridge is in the general office and Mrs. Patrick runs through followed by Toby. Toby says, "Read all about it. All - or nothing.
It's night and Giles is asleep in his cot. Mrs. Patrick enters the room and gets into bed.
The next morning at Doomwatch Ridge is already at his desk with a Bassett Hound pup. Toby arrives with a big briefcase and hags up his coat and takes letters from the morning post and noticing Ridge he says "Morning John". Ridge tells him he's got a little surprise for him but Toby says he doesn't like surprises, especially first thing in the morning. Ridge tells him it is a nice one and produces the Bassett Hound Pup. Toby is obviously delighted and makes a bit of fuss of the dog. "Isn't he gorgeous!" says Ridge. Toby tells him its not on but Ridge tells Toby he thought he would like a morning with him, just to make up his mind. Toby is surprised at Ridge seeing as rumor had it that he is the James Bond of M.I.6 and he was supposed to have killed to men.
Ridge goes to the Doomwatch computer room and Toby follows him in. Ridge asks him if he ever heard of the story of a man call Fffoulkes. He hasn't. Ridge says someone asked him his name and he said "My name's Fffoulkes. Ridge is obviously setting up a joke and in a mock posh accent: "oh yes," says the other fellow, "One eff or two? "Three, my dear fellow, three" says Fffoulkes. Spencer Quist arrives and heads towards his office. Toby hands him yesterday's papers from his briefcase. Quist tells him he has the Sunday papers but Toby wants to show him the others like the People's world. Quist stops at his door. He says he saw them too but he knows there was nothing in them or in today’s papers. He is disappointed that even "The Muck Rakers have failed" and asks Toby to come in to his office. Quist rushes into his office and with a surprised look at Ridge he simply murmurs "The dog didn't bark in the night..." and follows Quist into his office. Quist also meant for Ridge to accompany him and Toby beckons to him through the still open door. Ridge appears with the puppy and Quist eyeballs it. Cheekily he says "He gets lonely. He'd whine". Quist demands all their attention. Quist accepts Toby's assessment of the press and their pertinacity, thoroughness, ingenuity and pursuit of the facts, if not the truth. Toby thanks him. Quist tells them both that if a fact is to be found they will find it fast, but they haven't found out who provided the heart. Toby thinks this is because the facts have been ingeniously hidden by people who are more persistent and thorough. Quist agrees and asks if he is to assume that this is the case. Its clear that in a u-turn, Quist now wants to Doomwatch to be involved as he now feels uneasy as the press have been investigating the story of the year, for over a week. "An itch to be scratched?" Ridge adds. Everyone expects the dog to scratch on cue. Toby surmises that the hospital despite however isolationist they may be will tell them more than the press. Ridge agrees and thinks they would co-operate in order to hold them off and for discretion they would keep their traps shut. Quist says he intends to propose a limited formal enquiry and ask Toby to immediately investigate and he leaves.
Quist asks Ridge to investigate at the Ministry of Health. Ridge turns to leave grinning referring to the pup "He's not big enough for following any trail but his own. Quist reminds Ridge that it isn't a hunt and it certainly isn't hounding. This is a straightforward enquiry. Ridge says typically, "Of Course!"
At St Crispian’s G Williams is chastising Toby for turning up without telephoning first as he would have had the information ready on the desk. Toby suggests that for this matter he would probably be tired of answering the telephone. G William agrees and checks with Toby that he meant calls from the press. Toby agrees. G Williams seems surprised that they even pester Doomwatch. Toby says that they didn't and he was just jumping the gun as it was bound to be followed up by the press. G William's asks him why he didn't come last week, Toby tells him that he thought it best for formal enquiries to be made after the dust has settled describing the situation as a Mare's nest and G Williams agrees. As they are speaking a girl enters the hospital and puts some computer data printouts on G Williams desk. He thanks her and she leaves.
Toby asks him if she has access. G William tells him that half a dozen people do, but smiling tells him it's coded. He hands the information from baby Patrick's case to Toby. Toby gives it a quick check over and agrees that it is indeed coded.
G William tells Toby that most of it is medical and only the donor would be of interest to him. Toby points to the section and it simply says R.27. Toby asks what it means and G Williams tells him it means refer to Doctor Patrick. Toby thanks him for his help and leaves.
In Doctor Patrick's office the phone rings and he picks it up. It's The Echo newspaper and he tells them to refer all enquiries to the hospital secretary and spells out his name
At Doomwatch Quist and Ridge are looking at newspapers while Toby is at the door. When he comes in Quist eyeballs him. He tells them the documents he collected said refer to Doctor Patrick for the donor. Ridge chips in "Merry-go-round!". Toby agrees with him. Quist tells him that Ridge's visit to the Ministry of Health provided some interesting facts, particularly concerning the number of heart transplants and the number of donors. Ridge tells Toby that there were no names, but he didn't expect them, as it's not part of their records. Quist tells Toby he expected the Merry-go-round with the hospital, but what he didn't expect was the number of heart transplants and the number of donors doesn’t tally. Toby is surprised.
Ridge elaborates by telling Toby that there are more heart transplants than there were donors. Toby wants to know how they explain this, as he can understand if there were more donors than patients, as some of the hearts were not used.
Ridge tells him the man he interviewed said he couldn't explain this and he was given to understand that the computer was on the blink. Toby smells a rat with this information. Ridge continues to tell him the information would have been provided by lowly persons and not distinguished surgeons anyway. Toby asks him the time period in which the figures cover. Ridge says it covers three years. Quist is convinced the Ministry of Health knows what is going on but Toby feels although this is now obvious, that it’s not likely to be anything objectionable. Quist agrees but thinks the public might very well have a different view. Ridge also thinks it smells too.
Quist tells them that they must do what they are told and tells Toby that as he was referred to Doctor Patrick, that's what he should do. "The heart of the matter" Ridge quips. Toby leaves. After a minute Quist warns John to wait for formal channels first. "You drown in formal channels" Ridge replies. In response Quist tells him that Doomwatch has some buoyancy, obviously!"
Toby is with Doctor Patrick in his office. Toby is explaining to him that he is here on official business and asks him officially to tell him the name of the patient whose heart was given to his son. Doctor Patrick tells him it is none of his business. Toby is not happy and tells him that is not an answer and Doctor Patrick makes it quite clear for him and refuses to answer.
Toby apologizes for wasting his time, but before leaving asks Doctor Patrick if he can see his lab as he is in no hurry to get back to Doomwatch. Doctor Patrick refuses as he thinks Toby would be spying on them and offers to show him out, indicating by force if necessary.
At Doomwatch, Quist calls Ridge to his office after some careful thought. Quist knows Ridge is aware of the situation as it stands with Toby. Ridge knows what Quist wants from him. The Ministry of Health is not helping. Usually when a situation needs direct action, by force if necessary, Ridge is your man. Ridge is more than happy to oblige as he thinks it is time to get off the “merry-go-round” as he puts it. Ridge sets off to break into Doctor Patrick’s lab. Before he goes, Quist tells him to leave if he is discovered and not to cause trouble.
That night, Ridge is dressed in his spying clothes and climbs up the Victorian building that contains the room next to Doctor Patrick’s main lab. He breaks in through a window, switches on the lights and has a good snoop around. Ridge enters Doctor Patrick’s main lab. Ridge discovers two docile monkeys in cages. He notices some empty glass vessels in the room. He switches off the light and goes back into the outer lab. He notices a door with an “Infected Area” sign on it. He sniff’s the air before heading in.
Inside Doctor Patrick’s office Ridge has a good snoop around, checking behind pictures on the wall for a safe and trying to see if filing cabinets and desk drawers are locked. In one of the desk drawers and discovers some files inside which he examines becoming more engrossed as he reads. Meanwhile in the corridor outside the outer lab, Doctor Patrick enters and then heads straight for the lab containing the monkeys and has a quick look around. Outside Doctor Patrick has left the monkey room and decides to head for his office. As he enters he calls out “Evans…?” Ridge is discovered. Doctor Patrick is angry and demands to know who he is. Ridge comes straight out with the truth. Doctor Patrick realizes he has been rumbled and goes to his desk and sits down. Doctor Patrick is surprised that Ridge wasn’t more covert in his operation. He expected Ridge to have been snooping around with a torch instead of wearing one of the white lab coats with all the lights turned on. Ridge tells him that this way a wandering janitor wouldn’t have been alerted. Doctor Patrick asks Ridge what he is now going to do. Ridge says he is going to report back to Quist. Doctor Patrick tells Ridge he thinks that Quist is a self-righteous snooper and he will enjoy his report. Ridge tells nastily him he will enjoy it too. He swears at him and demands to know why Doctor Patrick decerebrated the monkeys. Doctor Patrick calmly tells Ridge that even monkey’s have the right to the brains they were born with. He even suggests that Quist should have sent Toby because at least he would have been clinical. Ridge is angry and tells him “ I’d like to decerebrate you!” Patrick tests him on this. Of course, Ridge doesn’t. Doctor Patrick defends his actions by telling Ridge that he is a father of a son and asks Ridge if he is to which Ridge doesn’t reply. Doctor Patrick tells him he gave his son a monkey’s heart.
The next day in Doomwatch’s computer room, Quist is thanking Mrs. Patrick for arriving so quickly. Mrs. Patrick says she practically ran whilst leaving Giles in care with a sort of bodyguard. As she is taken into Quist’s office she explains that the bodyguard is actually a neighbour with an Alsatian. Quist approves, but feels such actions won’t be necessary in the future. Quist explains that he can now convince the Norman family that Giles doesn’t have their deceased son’s heart, as he knows where it came from. Mrs. Patrick is very relieved to hear this news. She asks if she can be told where the heart came from. Quist tells her she does not need to know and the matter has been examined in Doctor Patrick’s presence by Ridge. She is annoyed that her husband hadn’t told her this news himself. Quist assures her that he will in due course and with that he gets up to politely show her it’s time to leave. Before leaving he asks her not to press him for this information. Before she leaves she thanks him for his help. Quist tells her, that Doomwatch aims to please but isn’t always successful. Quist asks Pat through the intercom to show Mrs. Patrick out. As she leaves his face falls, as he knows the truth. He decides to call Toby and Ridge into his office.
Quist tells them that now he has spoken to Mrs. Patrick that part of the investigation is closed. Ridge agrees that he is still not satisfied with the overall outcome. He reminds them that Doctor Patrick has displayed a complete disregard for life. Toby disagrees with him claiming that Ridge is being sentimental just because the experiments have been carried out on animal with a recognizable face and tells him that no one would care if they changed the genetic structure of an earthworm and reminds him to look at it scientifically. Ridge counters this by claiming that no human heart would ever be used to save a monkey and Doctor Patrick had no right to play God, deciding which animals live and die.
Toby then makes the case that a Pig bred for market matches the size of the oven it is cooked in and Toby asks what Ridge’s conscience has been doing since the day he was old enough to hold a knife and fork. Ridge tells him that has nothing to do with it and he is about to continue arguing with Toby when Quist tries to step in. Ridge is clearly wound up and tells Quist that if scientists continue to act like God they must also accept God’s moral responsibilities. Toby appears unshaken by the argument. Ridge controls himself while Quist asks them to consider what Doctor Patrick has done. Quist tells them that Doctor Patrick has transplanted seven monkey hearts successfully into humans and achieved a 20th century scientific breakthrough by doing it. He has done this by adapting tissue culture fluids enabling any surgeon to attempt to transplant these hearts successfully. Toby thinks he could win a Nobel Prize and Quist wants to know why he hasn’t yet published this breakthrough. He chastises John by telling him he did “a rotten job” as he let his emotions get in the way and so, stopped looking for more evidence and demands a report in the morning. Ridge suddenly realizes what he means by this accusation and remembers the other door at the lab…
That night, Ridge is again breaking into Doctor Patrick’s lab. This time though, he is using a torch to find his way around. Ridge gains access to the door in question by using a piece of celluloid to push back the tongue in the Yale lock. It works. He enters slowly and the bleeping of sound like a heart can be heard. A flashing green lamp at the other end of what is, a really dark room, accompanies this. Ridge approaches the machine. Suddenly, out of the dark Doctor Patrick speaks in German. “Ein herrlich Werk ist gleich zustand gebracht!” Ridge turns around and answers “ A noble work… on the point of accomplishment?”
Doctor Patrick corrects him and tells him that it is actually accomplished. He wants to know if Ridge is Faust or Mephistopheles. Doctor Patrick rises from his seat and tells Ridge he has been expecting him, as he knew Quist smelt a rat. He takes the opportunity to remind Ridge that is why Quist is the boss and he is an understrapper and asks what Quist wants to know. Ridge deflects this question and asks what is inside the hatch with the pacemaker attached. Doctor Patrick takes a key from a chain around his neck and opens it to show Ridge a living eight month old male human foetus conceived in vitro, inside in an artificial womb. Ridge wants to know why Doctor Patrick hasn’t published this amazing achievement. Doctor Patrick reminds Ridge that he didn’t get further than the top drawer of his filing cabinet… Doctor Patrick tells Ridge that a transplanted monkey heart only lasts ten years in a human patient and his first patient is now dying. Ridge takes it all in. Doctor Patrick explains that the human foetus is going to be used to give his son a new heart in ten years time… (obviously a more permanent solution that no scientist would ever condone).
Ridge can’t believe that he is prepared to kill a ten year old boy to save his own son. Doctor Patrick doesn’t see the growing foetus as a person and tells Ridge he is nothing more than an artifact. Ridge works out his reasoning and comes to the shocking conclusion that Doctor Patrick has decerebrated the growing foetus. He explains that the child won’t even have a mind, just basic cerebral functions and “Enough for the job”. Ridge is horrified and wants to leave and heads for the main door. Doctor Patrick asks him to leave through the window, like the thief he is. As he moves towards the door Doctor Patrick follows him. Ridge says, “You call me a thief!” referring to Doctor Patrick’s horrifying work.
The next day Mrs. Patrick is back in Quist’s office at Doomwatch. He explains some of the sensitive situation to her, but believes she is better not getting all the information second hand and after her request he agrees to go with her to Doctor Patrick’s lab. Quist wonders where in whom Mrs. Patrick’s loyalty lies.
In the general office Ridge and Toby are discussing Doctor Patrick. Ridge thinks Doctor Patrick was sick enough to use his own sperm to create the foetus. Basically, first adultery then infanticide. They wonder how he would have care for the decerebrated boy for ten years. Toby can’t help to be impressed by his achievement and thinks Ridge’s involvement has clouded his scientific judgement. Ridge is not swayed by Toby’s argument.
Later, at Doctor Patrick’s lab, Doctor Patrick is showing his wife the hatch containing the foetus. Doctor Patrick explains to his wife that the growing foetus has no intelligence. She is horrified by what Doctor Patrick has created. She accuses him of maiming the child’s intelligence and is shocked by his plans to murder it. Quist is unimpressed too. Mrs. Patrick tells her husband that he can’t go through with murder, to which he replies to that or to Giles his son. Mrs. Patrick reminds him that Giles is her son too. Doctor Patrick asks Quist to take her wife away as he only cares for his son and to have a think about what he is doing. He compares the killing to that of killing lambs to feed their son and sees no difference. Mrs. Patrick is unhappy and hopes that in ten years there will be some other way of helping Giles. Patrick asks her if she is prepared to let his son’s life depend upon chance. Quist says “Why not?” as he believes in the sanctity of chance.
Doctor Patrick reminds him that Giles isn’t his son and he is just seeing things from a scientific stance. Quist tells him that life is sacred and scientists should respect that. He asks what Doctor Patrick would do if his son died tomorrow, to which he replies “Nothing” he would carry on his work. Quist tells him that this isn’t a noble cause and asks Doctor Patrick to finish his work by killing the foetus and publishing his work. Doctor Patrick seizes the opportunity and encourages Quist to take the opportunity to do so, presenting him with the box that controls the pace-maker. Quist looks at the switch but does nothing. He tells Doctor Patrick that it isn’t his job find the answers and make the decisions. He says he will report to the ministers. Doctor Patrick offers him the key to the unit again asking him to carry his burden but Quist ignores it. Mrs. Patrick asks her husband to give it to her. Her hand goes for the key very slowly while he only noise in the room is the bleeping of the pacemaker…
Background by Richard Houldsworth in TV Zone 43 June 1993
As the first series of Doomwatch was launched, Friday’s Child was described by the show’s co-creator Dr Kit Pedler as “the story closest to home”. It starts as a case of suspected murder, builds to a mystery, then ends as a scientific Horror story. Pedler continues: “In that one, we moved into the field of producing animal hearts which cannot be rejected by human tissue. I know that may sound all right — but... there’s a horrifying twist in it.” As the Radio Times of the era observed, while the episode was being broadcast, Dr Patrick Steptoe of Oldham General Hospital successfully produced the world’s first test tube baby. “We thought this up as a warning,” Pedler told the press. “If this technique were perfected, a general, for instance, might be able to order 100,000 troops to be produced. The possibilities would be terrifying.” The theme of Doomwatch was explained by Pedler’s creative partner Gerry Davis. “The days when you and I marvelled at the ‘miracles’ of science — and writers made fortunes out of Sci-Fi — are over. We’ve grown up now, and we’re frightened. The findings of science are still marvellous, but now is the time to stop dreaming up Science Fiction about them and write what we call ‘sci-fact’. The honeymoon of science is over.”
The episode entered production in TC3 at BBC Television Centre on Friday 9th January 1970. The first studio day was occupied with a camera rehearsal throughout the afternoon and evening. This continued on Saturday 10th January, with the story being recorded in the evening between 19:30 and 22:00. Due to budget limitations, writer Harry Green gave directions in his script asking for modest sets for the court room sequence; all that was required was a witness box, the solicitor’ s area plus a section of the public area. A very limited amount of filming was achieved before the studio days. This consisted of the pre-credits sequence (duration two minutes, six seconds), two short sequences inside the Patrick household (duration: thirty-nine seconds and one minute four seconds) and a shot of Ridge breaking into Dr Patrick’s laboratory (duration: forty-nine seconds). Although broadcast as episode two, Friday’s Child was actually made after The Plastic Eaters (28th and 29th November 1969), Burial at Sea (9th and l0th December 1969) and Tomorrow the Rat (19th and 20th December 1969). Editing took place on Monday 12th January during the morning, while the evening of that day was used to complete editing on the debut story. The production was directed by Paul Ciappessoni, a man who had worked in BBC Drama during the Sixties. His previous credits include the first season Adam Adamant episodes: Allah is Not Always With You, The Terribly Happy Embalmers and The Doomsday Plan. By the time he came to direct Friday’s Child, he had already helmed The Plastic Eaters, and would later direct Re-Entry Forbidden. Judging by the cast list, it would appear that Ciappessoni chose his own son Sam to play Giles Patrick in this story.
Friday’s Child was broadcast on Monday 16th February 1970 at 21:40 on BBC1, and had an approximate duration of fifty minutes. Sadly, it is one of the few first season episodes that no longer exist in the BBC’s Film and Videotape library.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Jan 26, 2010 14:17:14 GMT -5
Friday's Child Episode Review
During the very same hour that Friday’s Child was being televised the newspapers were printing a headline story. At Oldham General Hospital, gynaecologist Dr Patrick Steptoe, in conjunction with others, had just succeeded in fertilizing a human egg outside a woman’s body. The egg was alive and developing. The episode showed a surgeon breeding a human embryo, which he planned to bring to life within his private laboratory, in a flask. ‘We thought this up as a warning,’ Kit Pedler explains. ‘If this technique were perfected a general, for instance, might be able to order 100,000 troops to be produced. The possibilities would be terrifying.’
The episode was not so visually chilling, but presented Quist with the thought provoking dilemma of human and animal genetic engineering. Pedler explained this as a warning that, for instance, if a technique like this were perfected, a General or would-be-dictator could order as many troops as he needed. The possibilities could be terrifying and was one of the many times the storylines would border upon fact. The next few weeks would be the most bumpy for the show, not for the actors but more for Pedler, Davis and Dudley at the BBC.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Feb 1, 2010 14:32:30 GMT -5
BURIAL AT SEA By Dennis Spooner
Cast
Doctor Spencer Quist JOHN PAUL
Doctor John Ridge SIMON OATES
Tobias Wren ROBERT POWELL
Colin Bradley JOBY BLANSHARD
Pat Hunnisett WENDY HALL
Admiral Tranton PETER COPLEY
Doctor Collinson GERALD SIM
Superintendent ALEC ROSS
Johnny Clive JOHN STONE
The Minister JOHN SAVIDENT
Gerald Astley JOHN HORSLEY
Peter Hazelwood BRIAN SPINK
Nurse VENETIA MAXWELL
Angela Connor NOVA SAINTE-CLAIRE
Cobie Vale JULIAN BARNES
Lifeboatman STEVE EMERSON and the crew of the PLYMOUTH LIFEBOAT
Series devised by KIT PEDLER and GERRY DAVIS
Music composed by MAX HARRIS
Film Cameraman EDDIE BEST
Sound Recordist BILL WILD Film Editor ALISTAIR MacKAY
Studio Lighting JIMMY PURDIE
Studio Sound LARRY GOODSON
Script Editor GERRY DAVIS
Designer MOIRA TAIT
Producer TERENCE DUDLEY
Directed by JONATHAN ALWYN
The BBC thanks the R.N.L.I. for their co-operation
Uncredited
Production Assistant CHRISTINA LAWTON
Assistant Floor Manager MARION WISHART
Assistant GWEN WILLSON
TM1 JIMMY PURDIE
TM2 JACK SHALLCROSS
Grams Operator GERALD BURROWS
Vision Mixer JIM STEPHENS
Floor Assistant JOHN WILCOX
Make-Up Supervisor ELIZABETH ROWELL
Costume Supervisor DOROTHEA WALLACE
Associate Producer GLYN EDWARDS
TX: 23rd February, 1970 @ 9.20pm - 10.10pm
When a lifeboat crew discovers a luxury cruiser adrift in the English Channel, they find on board are a group of wealthy pop stars and their playboy girlfriends. Two of them have died. Doomwatch investigate, and discover that the death was not from drug abuse as was previously suspected, instead they begin to uncover the facts behind the dumping of a deadly defoliant which should have been safe in canisters on the sea bed. Which seems to be far from dormant... Synopsis Picture Taken from The Radio Times 12th – 18th December 1970 For Davis and Pedler, the most incredible coincidence from this first series was ‘Burial At Sea’. They had taken the Rolling Stones as inspiration for that story: “It started off with a pop group who were deliberately chosen to look like the Rolling Stones. At that point in time Mick Jagger had had a yacht and had been diving and there was a lot of publicity about his activities. So, the story began with a yacht and it was like the Marie Celeste. The coast guards take it in tow and aboard they find everybody zonked out from what appears to be drugs. The law was going to hit them very hard and they were going to charge them with manslaughter because one of their guests aboard, a girl, had died through what appeared to be a drug overdose. But our team investigated and it turned out that a nerve gas had been dumped on a site and another dumper had come along and dumped radioactive waste. The one had worked on the other and these nerve gas canisters (we had black canisters) floated up looking like depth charges. We worked out from the currents that if they were put in this particular deep in the ocean just off the English Channel, anything there that came up would wash ashore on a beach near Torquay in Devon called Paignton.” Six months after the filming of that episode, and shortly after its transmission, a local photographer had a picture printed in the Daily Mirror next to a still from the programme. “We had one or two artistically arranged dead sea birds,” said Davis, “but both were of black canisters on the beach. When they were investigated they were found to be full of cyanide. Now you take your pick between nerve gas and cyanide.’ Not only were deadly canisters of cyanide found on Paignton beach in 1970, but toxic chemicals were found on that very same stretch of coastline last year. Pedler says: ‘After the episode was written, but before we’d had time to screen it, a branch of the American armed forces actually tried to dump something like ten thousand tons of toxic gases in the Atlantic. They were rumbled only just in time, and stopped by pressure of public opinion. Subsequently the Pentagon has dumped nerve agents in the sea near the Bahamas. This time public opinion was brushed aside.’ The script lacked the humour normally associated with Dennis Spooner and was better because of it. The episode came across as an absolutely masterful piece of television. It begins as a mystery story when a lifeboat is sent out to investigate a luxury cruiser adrift near the Plymouth Trench, a dumping ground for chemical waste. Apparently, some of it has escaped from the drums on the sea bed as toxic gas, and affected the pop star crew, who were also partial to midnight dips in the contaminated waters, and killing two of them. The police at first suspect drugs to be the culprit, but it is Quist's team who unearth the truth. Spooner claimed never to have felt at home writing for DOOMWATCH, but this segment is excellent. After it was written, but before transmission, American forces tried to sink thousands of tons of nerve gas into the Atlantic. However, public opinion finally pressured them into abandoning this action, although proof exists that similar agents had been dumped near the Bahamas.
Synopsis by Richard Houldsworth
A luxury yacht, the Saracen, drifts unmanned in the English channel. A lifeboat comes to its aid. The rescuers find four individuals collapsed on the floor. In his office, Quist reads about the incident in the newspaper – the mystery of pop stars Cobie Vale and Keith Rogers and their female companions found on the yacht. They remain unconscious. In Plymouth, Admiral Tranton is visited by his assistant Peter Hazelwood. Tranton is engrossed by a model of the new Westingham Docks; he will oversee its construction for the Transport Board when he retires. Peter raises the subject of the Saracen, and says, “You saw where this took place?” Losing his nerve, he retreats from the office. At the hospital, Dr Collinson is hounded by reporters asking about the state of his new patients. He is visited by the Superintendent, who wishes to talk to them. Two crewmen from the yacht are still missing. Quist telephones Collinson, and asks if drugs were involved in the incident. The Doctor is unsure. Admiral Tranton reads the newspaper report in his office. He glances worriedly at a naval chart, then throws the paper into the bin. A section of shoreline. A man floats face down in the water. Nearby is another body; his sweater has the Saracen logo emblazoned on it. John Ridge and Toby Wren arrive in Plymouth to investigate the case, unaware they are being observed by newspaper reporter Johnny Clive. The man introduces himself at their hotel, probing about Doomwatch’s involvement in this story. He tells them Cobie Vale and Keith Rogers were treasure hunting on their yacht. They manage to shake him off; Ridge elects to visit the hospital, while Wren goes to examine the Saracen. Admiral Tranton seeks out Gerald Astley at his military club. Tranton mentions the Saracen, and the fact that it could have sailed across an area known as Hounds Deep. Astley assures him that the theory is ridiculous, and that their task was completed without any risk to safety. Cobie Vale wakes in the hospital, and tries to leave his bed. He is in a trance. Wren steals his way onto the Saracen in the harbour. He notices an old cannon in the cabin. There is a patch of slime on the barrel. He touches it… In the hospital the Superintendent reveals to Ridge that Vale and his friends were searching for an Eighteenth Century wreck, and went diving. They brought up a cannon. Wren places a sample of the slime in a jar, but realizes that his hands are shaking. His whole body then starts to convulse. One of the women from the Saracen, Angela, has regained consciousness. She describes what happened; how they were celebrating their find with champagne, when she began to convulse, and then fainted. She insists they were not taking drugs. Toby is in a trance-like state. He sees someone entering the cabin. It is himself, smiling… He faints. Ridge calls Quist with his findings. Quist has heard of Hounds Deep; a deep trench in the English Channel. Concerned for Toby, Ridge goes to the Saracen, and finds his colleague slumped on the floor. At the hospital, Dr Collinson tells Ridge that Toby’s symptoms are identical to Vale and his friends – but less severe. In London, Dr Quist meets the Minister. He wants to know about dumping sites at sea; he is concerned that the oceans are being used as “dustbins”. Quist believes that Vale and his friends have been poisoned – Hound’s Deep is one of Britain’s dumping sites. The Minister says he is wrong, but promises to investigate Quist’s theory. When the Doctor has left, the Minister contacts Tranton. Back at Doomwatch, Quist is informed of Toby’s illness by Pat and Bradley. Quist decides to go to Plymouth. On arrival he is told by Ridge that Cobie Vale has died. In his hospital bed, Toby Wren is conscious and tries to communicate, but makes no sense to his nurse. In the Saracen. Quist runs a geiger counter over the cannon. There is a reading, but the radioactivity is not high enough to cause illness. They find the ship’s logs, and determine that the cannon was brought up from the wreck using explosives. They return to the hospital, where the jar has been found in Toby’s jacket pocket. Quist takes it back to London for analysis. The Minister is told the truth by Tranton and Hazelwood. Tranton explains that Hounds Deep was chosen as the dumping site because it was the cheapest option. The Minister tells Tranton that this could jeopardize forthcoming work for the Transport Board. On the Minister’s recommendation, Quist visits Tranton and Astley. Hounds Deep contains canisters of nerve gas, which caused the Saracen incident. These canisters will now have to be removed and destroyed — an expensive process. Astley assures him that the canisters are safe, but Quist points out that Vale and his friends used high explosives. Tranton is certain he can avert an enquiry, claiming this incident is an isolated one. At the hotel Ridge leaks the story to Johnny Clive. Later, Clive visits the Yelm Estuary. It is littered with dead birds. Two victims are brought into the hospital with the symptoms of nerve gas - they were on the beach. Wren, however, is now recovering. Quist presents the newspaper to the Minister. It is running Clive’s story. Quist insists the nerve gas be destroyed. In his office, Tranton has a copy of the newspaper. He receives his instructions from the Minister.
Review by Richard Houldsworth
Like most episodes of Doomwatch; Burial at Sea was based upon real life ecological disasters that had been reported in the national press. Co-creators Gerry Davis and Dr Kit Pedler, who had formed a strong working bond on some of the mid-Sixties Doctor Who adventures, found that their opinions on the escalating pollution of the planet were identical, “We began to keep scrapbooks about each new, devastating hazard,” Gerry Davis said of the show’s crea tion. “We have literally thousands of ‘examples now — and out f those scrapbooks Doomwatch was born.”
“Our objective was to base every Doomwatch subject on something real,” added producer Terence Dudley, “something that that could and probably would happen in time if nobody took steps to stop it.” Over its three season run, most aspects of pollution were discussed in the series, including radioactive fallout from Space vehicles (Re-Entry Forbidden) noise pollution (The Red Sky) and industriaI pollution (Public Enemy). However, the subject of Burial at Sea was perhaps then the most current — indeed, between the completion of Dennis Spooner’s script and the commencement of recording, American armed forces attempted to dispose of ten thousand tons of toxic gases in the Atlantic, This was averted by public opinion.
The late Dr Kit Pedler noted dispairingly at the time: “Subsequently the Pentagon has dumped nerve agents in the sea near the Bahamas. This time pub opinion was brushed aside.” Burial at Sea was taped in Studio 8 at BBC Television Centre on the evening of Wednesday 10th December 1969, with the afternoon and the previous day devoted to camera rehearsals. Location filming in Plymouth had taken place some weeks earlier, for the scenes of Ridge and Wren arriving at Plymouth Railway station, Johnny Clive on the beach, and of the Saracen at sea and docked in the harbour.
In his script, writer Dennis Spooner goes to great lengths to describe the pre-titles sequence as similar to the discovery of the Marie Celeste. The filming of this scene (which amounted to 2 mins and 37 seconds of footage) involved the co-operation of the Plymouth lifeboat crew, and the BBC was obliged to credit the RNLI for granting permission.
The episode aired at 21:40 on BBCl on Monday February 23rd.l970; the third Doomwatch to be broadcast, although it was in fact the second to be recorded. it remains one of five stories from the first season that do not exist in any form in the BBC Film and Videotape Library. For the series creators, Doomwatch really became a labour of love. Dr Kit Pedler went on to give a series of lectures focusing on ‘Doomwatch ‘themes’, and regularly met fellow scientists to discuss environmental catastrophes. He believed passionately that a real-life department based on Doomwatch should be created, investigating threats to the planet on behalf of the general public.
Over twenty years later, it is tragic to reflect that the show is as pertinant now as it was then. There is still escalating pollution — in all of its forms. Who knows what’s on the ocean bed by now...
Background
The dumping of waste products in the sea is nothing new. Figures suggest that Britain had dumped at the end of the Second World War, up to 200,000 tonnes of chemical weapons in the seas around the world. Britain dumped in the Atlantic, Baltic, the North Sea, Irish sea, and around the Channel Isles. In December 1969 countless fish, seals and birds were found dead in the Irish sea — was there a connection?
Chemicals involved were Organophosphorus nerve agents, mustard gas, and blistering agents. Some were tossed overboard, others packed into ships which were then scuttled or blown up. These are now beginning to breach their containment. One Russian scientist believes that the containers are all at a critical stage of thinning and that rather than expecting a gradual release, there may be a catastrophic surge in release. Containers are occasionally dredged up by fishing nets, endangering the health of fishers. At lease 7 fishers have had to be hospitalised after their nets brought up mustard gas residues. The chemicals will adversely affect the health of the marine ecosystem, concentrating as they pass up the food web.
Dumping of massive quantities of potentially lethal chemicals in the Earths oceans is still taking place. It is because of these real life parallels that Kit Pedler wanted a real life DOOMWATCH to be established, that would investigate on behalf of the people. The 1972 DOOMWATCH feature film contains elements from this Dennis Spooner story as it too concerns with the stupidity of dumping chemicals at sea in containers that will eventually leak and affect the environment in ways that are not fully understood.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Feb 3, 2010 14:56:51 GMT -5
Friday’s Child by Richard Houldsworth
TV Zone Special 14 September 1994
While she enters a shop, Mrs Patrick leaves her baby Giles outside on the street. A woman attempts to take him, but is caught by passers-by. The woman accuses Mrs Patrick of being a thief... The case reaches court. The defence of the accused, Mrs Norman, is that her own baby was killed to provide a heart for Giles. She wants her baby’s heart back... The Doomwatch team read about the case in the newspaper. Toby Wren is intrigued and intends to follow the case in court. Dr Patrick, Giles’s father, is called to the stand. He operated on Mrs Norman’s baby at the hospital, but the child died on the table. Patrick testifies that its heart was not removed; the body was cremated. The defending solicitor notes that on the day of baby Norman’s death, Giles Patrick received his new heart. Wren tells Quist there is nothing in the case to interest Doomwatch; there were too many witnesses in the operating theatre to allow Patrick to take the baby’s heart. It appears that Mrs Norman’s allegations are the results of her mental illness — she has only just been discharged from hospital. At night, a brick is thrown through the window of Giles Patrick’s room. Mrs Patrick visits Toby and Quist. She reveals that she divorced her husband for cruelty; she rarely sees him. She says intuition tells her that her husband lied in court — but every statement he said was true. Wren is confident that the press will not stop until they have tracked down the donor of the heart. After a week, the press have failed to identify the donor. Quist proposes a limited enquiry, and tells Wren to investigate at St Crispian’s hospital, and Ridge at the Ministry of Health. Wren’s inquiry reveals the donor was coded ‘R27: refer to Dr Patrick’. Quist’s information is more interesting: records of the number of heart transplants and the number of donors do not tally transplants outnumber donors. Ridge breaks into Dr Patrick’s laboratory. He finds some lethargic caged monkeys, then opens the filing cabinet. As he is reading some files, Dr Patrick returns. Ridge has discovered the truth, and says he will tell Quist. Patrick tries to defend his decision to give Giles a monkey’s heart. Later, Quist assures Mrs Patrick that her baby’s heart was not taken from Mrs Norman’s son, but will not tell her where it did come from. After she has gone, Ridge and Wren argue the ethics of Patrick’s work, transplanting monkey hearts into seven humans. The doctor has evolved techniques which tailor the donor heart to the patient’s body. Wren supports the doctor: “Every cow and pig bred for the market is a pre-determined assemblage of joints — the size of an oven decides the size and shape of the beast.” Ridge breaks into Patrick’s laboratory again; the doctor is expecting him. Ridge wants to know what is inside the cubicle in the office. Patrick shows him it is a human foetus, growing inside an artificial womb. He explains that his first transplant patient is dying, because the heart of a monkey only survives for ten years. The baby that Patrick has created will be a donor for Giles; in ten years’ time he will have no qualms about killing it. He has ensured that the ‘homonculus’ is decerebrate, and has only basic cerebral functions. Ridge compares him with the Nazis. The Doomwatch team discuss Ridge’s findings. Wren still sees it as an amazing scientific breakthrough. Aware of the truth, Mrs Patrick accompanies Quist to her husband’s lab. She wants Giles to have nothing to do with the obscene experiment, and Quist implores the doctor to kill the foetus. Dr Patrick guides him to the off-switch for the womb, and gives Quist the choice. He refuses, but Mrs Patrick moves in. She reaches out very slowly, then she clasps her hands to her face...
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Post by DR. QUIST on Feb 4, 2010 14:24:32 GMT -5
TOMORROW, THE RAT By Terence Dudley
Cast
Doctor Spencer Quist JOHN PAUL
Doctor John Ridge SIMON OATES
Tobias Wren ROBERT POWELL
Colin Bradley JOBY BLANSHARD
Pat Hunnisett WENDY HALL
Doctor Mary Bryant PENELOPE LEE
The Minister HAMILTON DYCE
Doctor Hugh Preston ROBERT SANSOM
Joyce Chambers EILEEN HELSBY
Fred Chambers RAY ROBERTS
Small boy STEPHEN DUDLEY
Reporter JOHN BERRYMAN
Nurse MARCELLE SAMETT
Ambulance driver IAN ELLIOTT
Series devised by KIT PEDLER AND GERRY DAVIS
Rats trained by JOHN HOLMES
Music MAX HARRIS
Film Cameraman EDDIE BEST
Sound Recordist BILL WILD
Film Editor ALASTAIR MACKAY
Visual Effects TONY OXLEY
Studio Lighting JIMMY PURDIE
Studio Sound LARRY GOODSON
Script Editor GERRY DAVIS
Assistant to Producer GLYN EDWARDS
Designer JOHN HURST
Produced and Directed by TERENCE DUDLEY
Uncredited Roles
Mother HILDE WALTER
Waiter Barman Customer Sewermen Policeman ROBERT HOWARD BARRY SUMMERFORD MICHAEL DURHAM NIGEL STEVENS RICKY LOGAN RICHARD HAINES
WPC STELLA MUNDAY
Bar Customers MARY HUNTINGDON BERYL BAINBRIDGE JO HALL CONNIE CARLING SYLVIA RATTRAY HAROLD WHITE GORDON STYLES ALASTAIR MELDRUM MATTHEW GREY JACK D’ARCY
Stable girl SAMANTHA TOMLIN
Alan Chambers PHILIP DE COSTA
Journalist Sewermen Photographer Driver Housewife Woman Children LINDSAY BARKER DEBORAH BAKER CRAIG MAITLAND ADAM RICHINS CATRINA MUNRO SIAN JONES PAUL NAMEER PASCHAL ALLEN LINDA STEWART
TX: 2nd March 1970 9.20pm - 10.10pm
Working title 'Rattus Sapiens'
This episode exists on UK 525 line Video Tape
Tomorrow, the Rat, one of the most notorious episodes of Doomwatch, began life as an additional storyline provided to the BBC by series devisers Dr Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis on Friday 21st February 1969; at this point it was entitled Rattus Sapiens? The idea behind this particular instalment combined the fact that rodents and vermin were developing a resistance to certain forms of poison which had previously been effective in controlling them, and also the controversial area of genetic engineering, where the work done by some scientists in ‘improving’ mankind but dropping ‘undesirable’ chromosomic elements was being labelled as inhuman, and akin to experiments undertaken by the Third Reich under Hitler with the aim of producing a ‘perfect’ Master Race.
The script developed from Pedler and Davis’s idea was crafted into a script by Terence Dudley, the series producer. Dudley had been appointed to Doomwatch in November 1968, and had been a BBC producer/writer/director for several years, notably with the 1962 ecological thriller The River Flows East; he had then produced series such as Cluff, The Mask of Janus and The First Lady, on which he had worked with Davis. In addition to the issues of genetic experimentation, Dudley was keen to investigate the moral dilemma of when powerful poisons and toxins should be deployed against vermin; the Animals (Cruel Poisons) Regulations of 1963 had restricted the use of some chemicals which were considered unnecessarily cruel, but Dudley wanted to develop a scenario where the government authorities actually found themselves effectively at war with dangerous, flesh-eating rodents. In his script, Dudley described his main protagonist, Dr Mary Bryant as ‘thirty-two years old and no bluestocking. She is sexually very attractive, but is female rather than feminine.’ Her employer, Dr Hugh Preston, was described as ‘fifty years old with a forceful personality, but the degree of contumely in it makes him unlikeable’. The mother of the child attacked by the rats was originally called Vera Chambers rather than Joyce Chambers, and was envisaged by Dudley as ‘a faded twenty-five with the timidity of the untutored’; her husband was merely referred to as a ‘nondescript man’. Dudley arranged that he should direct his own script, and that this would be one of the first episodes both to be made and broadcast. As the main guest star he cast actress/ director Penelope Lee in the role of Dr Mary Bryant; in 1972, he would cast Lee again as Mary Mitcheson, one of the regulars in the period drama series The Regiment. Robert Sansom, a veteran actor who had worked on TV since the war, was Dr Preston with Hamilton Dyce cast a the Minister, a role which would recur in the final episode of the season, Survival Code. As Joyce Chambers, Dudley selected Eileen Helsby, whom he cast as Charmian Wentworth in his next telefantasy series, Survivors, a few years later.
Pre-filming on Tomorrow, the Rat took place in London during the third week of production on Doomwatch (after filming in Bishops Stortford for The Plastic Eaters and at Plymouth for Burial at Sea). 16mm film was used for this material which included montage shots of the rat attacks, the dismembered pony in the stables, Alan Clements being returned home by ambulance and rats in the sewers. Only two of the regular cast members were required for filming; Simon Oates performed the scene of Dr John Ridge arriving outside Mary Bryant’s home on the evening of Tuesday 18th November 1969, while the following day John Paul shot the sequence of Dr Spencer Quist fending off the press and descending into the sewers (originally, it had been proposed to have a female extra double for the actress cast as Dr Bryant, but this idea was abandoned); the banter between Quist and the Fleet Street reporters was a late addition. For the pre-credit sequence of the toddler being attacked in the pushchair, Dudley cast his wife Hilde as the mother and his own son, Stephen, as the child; Stephen later featured regularly as John in Survivors. Tomorrow, the Rat was the third episode of Doomwatch to be recorded; at this point, it was also believed that it would be the third in broadcast order although the transmission date was not known. Camera rehearsals took place in Studio 3 at BBC Television Centre on Friday 19th December 1969, prior to the actual recording on Saturday 20th. Dudley opted to record the programme in sequence between 7.3Opm and 10.00pm, stopping only for costume changes and special effects. For the scene where Toby Wren and Colin Bradley were attacked by the rats in the kitchen, a recording break was scheduled and stuffed rats were attached to the trouser legs of actors Robert Powell and Joby Blanshard, who then proceeded to attack the ‘animals’; the props were then removed in another break. Shots of the real rats — such as the one scuttling around the Chambers’s kitchen at night — were usually done as cutaway shots at the end of scenes. For the close-ups in which the caged rat leapt at Wren’s bleeding finger, John Holmes, who had trained and supervised the rats used in the episode, doubled for Powell in a cut-away shot. Several fake newspapers were assembled for the show; a copy of The Guardian with the headline ‘Rats Roam London’ and The Daily Mirror with ‘Woman Breeds Man-Eating Rats’ (as specified in Dudley’s script).
SEVERAL BANDS of library music were played into studio during recording of the show The pre-credit sequence of the attack on the toddler was backed by 42 seconds of Strange Galaxy composed by Jack Arel and Jean-Claude Petit and taken from their album Gravere Universals; the same album provided the 10 second sting from the band Ahmedabab used on the film of the young girl finding her dead pony. For the longer sequence of the rats being poisoned, A Touch of Brass played by Harry Howard was used. During the scene in the Chambers’s kitchen, Dudley’s script had specified that the hymn All Things Bright and Beautiful should he heard being sung — ironically — in the background; a Music for Pleasure recording from the Salvation Army Sunbury Junior Singers was used. Editing of the episode took place on Monday 22nd December between 10.30am and 1.30am, with the final running time being 50 minutes and 1 second. When the series was introduced to the new audience via an article in the Radio Times on Thursday 5th February 1970, Tomorrow, the Rat was heralded by one of the scientific facts in the opening section of Elizabeth Cowley’s piece: ‘Fact: In Asia there are seven rats to every Asian, in Europe one to every European. Rats are used in advanced experiments in genetics. An experiment which ‘went wrong’ could produce a breed of killer rats.’ Tomorrow, the Rat was transmitted fourth on Monday 2nd March 1970 to an audience of 10.7 million; the shock effect of the instalment invoked a similar (although not as extreme) reaction as with the depiction of the rats which Winston Smith was exposed to in Room 101 in the BBC’s 1954 production of Nineteen Eighty-Four, and questions were allegedly asked in Parliament regarding the horror of the programme.
Some weeks later in the issue of Thursday 19th March, viewer John L Jennings criticized the episode for not having the source of the mutation treated, although admitting that its shock effect was powerful. Dudley replied that the source of the mutation was Dr Bryant’s lab, and its destruction would not have solved the problem; he re-iterated that the purpose of Doomwatch was to show ‘the biter being bit’. Another letter in the Thursday 19th April issue from Leonard F Clark accused the series of being anti-feminist, pointing out that Dr Mary Bryant’s breeding of the rats was placed alongside the secretary Miss Wills who spread the plastic eating enzyme in The Plastic Eaters and the female scientist Dr Robson who was the security risk in Project Sahara. Although the BBC wiped the original 625 line colour videotape as being of no further use, a 525 line copy of the episode was returned from Canada in the 1980s; this was released by BBC Video in May 1991 and on DVD in October 2000, and has been shown on UK Gold.
Andrew Pixley 2002
For the scene where Toby Wren and Cohn Bradley were attacked by the rats in the kitchen, stuffed rats were attached to the trouser legs of the actors. the story... In a suburban street, a mother leaves a toddler unattended in a pushchair for a few seconds, A rat appears... the child smiles and stretches out a hand... then there are screams... At the Doomwatch Laboratory, Dr Spencer Quist and his team of Dr John Ridge and Toby Wren study a caged rat; there have been 15 cases in 10 days of vulnerable people being attacked by the rodents in one area which was supposedly de-infested 18 months ago. Ridge is sceptical, saying rats do not attack unless threatened. Pat Hunnisett relays a new report; rats have attacked, and killed a boy’s dog in West London. When the caged specimen shows no interest in meat, Wren is sent to get another rat to study from the home one of the victims, the Chamberses whose son Alan was attacked in the kitchen and has been hospitalized. The Chambers comment about that ‘other lady’ who came to see then about the rat attack, The ‘other lady’ is genetic engineer Dr Mary Bryant, who is reprimanded by her Ministry employer, Dr Hugh Preston, for visiting the Chamberses and warned that Quist and Doomwatch are investigating her work into flesh eating rats. Mary had been encouraged to work at home to keep costs down, and now finds that the Minister may be unlikely to back up her experiments. Quist arrives to see Preston and briefly meets Mary; he discusses the rat problem with Preston and the fact that the rats are developing a resistance to poisons such as warfarin. Quist is aware that an experiment to induce sterility in rats and so control their population was underway within Preston’s department. Back at Doomwatch, Quist tells his team to investigate Dr Mary Bryant and Bradley reveals that a report on an attacking rat killed by a navvy has revealed its increased brain capacity. The suave ladies man Ridge is sent to chat up Mary in a bar. Meanwhile, Wren and Bradley set rat traps in the kitchen at the Chamberses’ house. The men wait in the hall and hear a scurry of activity. Entering the kitchen, they find the traps held open by cutlery and the bait gone; they realize that the creatures are reasoning rattus sapiens and not the usual rattus norvegicus. Suddenly, the men are attacked by the rats, and barely manage to fight them off. Having tracked down Mary in a bar, Ridge goes home with her and ensures that she is ‘physically satisfied’; becoming genuinely fond of her, he discusses her work with rats and the implications of her genetics work in preventing the birth of abnormal children… interfering with nature. Next morning, the newspapers carry headlines of attacks by killer rats in London and Ridge reveals to Mary that he works for Doomwatch as she is summoned before Preston. Preston plans to announce that Mary accidentally released a strain of cannibal rats — which she denies — and is to be transferred to another division where she will continue her work after the fuss has died down. She is told to co-operate with the press and Doomwatch. Suspended, Mary goes to Doomwatch, insisting that the rats which she enhanced the intelligence of were sterile when she released them and never touched Human flesh in her experiments. Quist and Ridge visit her home to see her concrete bunker in which her test specimens were housed. One of the vicious rats is trapped in an ambulance in Brentford; Mary says it is not one of hers as it is too young. Blood from Wren’s cut finger attracts the animal like a shark. That night at Mary’s, Ridge investigates the bunker. It transpires that the rats have been eating the Human flesh samples, but jamming measurement equipment relaying this fact to Mary’s lab. To do this, the rats have rudimentary tools such as the lever and wheel — and Ridge finds evidence of them using debris in this manner. Quist confronts Preston, who claims Mary’s experiments are vindicated, and asks about the moral aspects of her work; is striving for genetic perfection a good thing? Quist has also decided to descend into the sewers where the rats seem to be breeding. Accompanied by two sewermen, he and Mary find evidence of a highly organized hive built by the rats — and mice being herded as cattle. The rat attacks begin in earnest; three children die in Brentford including Alan Chambers. Quist and Preston are summoned before the Minister where Quist outlines the horrific facts; the genetic inheritance of the original rats will lead to a colony of 500 million in six months. He insists on mobilization and use of rodenticides banned by the Cruel Poisons act. The poisons are deployed and soon the rats lie dead in the sewers. Ridge telephones Mary from Doomwatch to say that the authorities are winning the battle against the rats and arranges to console her that evening. Mary receives a visitor, a distraut Mrs Chambers who stabs at her with a carving knife, cutting open Mary’s arm. Realizing what she has done, Mrs Chamblers leaves; bleeding severely, Mary turns and walks towards her laboratory. By the time Ridge arrives, Mary’s flat appears deserted. Seeing a trail of blood he goes to the laboratory bunker where he is horrified to see what remains of Dr Bryant after the rats have done their work...
Writer Terence Dudley was keen to investigate the moral dilemma of when powerful poisons and toxins should be deployed against vermin. BBCtv © UK airdate: March1970 (BBCI)
Tomorrow the Rat caused quite an extreme reaction, and questions were allegedly asked in Parliament regarding the horror of the programme.
TV Zone 147 in 2002
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Post by colley on Jun 3, 2010 7:35:12 GMT -5
Interesting to watch the Department S episode "A Small War of Nerves" recently, in which Anthony Hopkin's character becomes exposed to some toxic nerve gas. Amongst the symptoms he suffers are a number of visual halluncinations - including seeing a vision himself in the same room smiling back at him. Sound familiar? This was scripted by Dennis Spooner, who shortly later went on to rehash exactly the same confrontation in the Season 1 ep ''Burial at Sea'', in which poor Toby Wren encounters his smiling double on board the Saracen yacht after his exposure to nerve gas.
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Post by michael on Jun 25, 2010 14:45:43 GMT -5
FRIDAY'S CHILD
What strikes you about this episode is how it sows the seeds for the later blow up between Quist and Ridge in You Killed Toby Wren. Ridge allows his emotions to run away with themselves. Whereas Quist bottles them up, and Wren, according to Project Sahara, hits the bottle, Ridge becomes a judgemental messiah figure, pointing the accusing finger, something he accused Quist of doing in Survival Code about his role in the Manhatten Project. Ridge cannot deal with the form of animal experimentation Dr Patrick is endorsing, and swears at him. He later brings God's moral laws into the argument with Toby Wren who, in this case at least, is keeping his scientific detachment away from emotion. No one seems to point out that God can be seen as a scientist who observes and does not interfere (although he once did try to flush it all away.)
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Post by DR. QUIST on Jun 27, 2010 4:52:59 GMT -5
Spectre at the Feast
At the exclusive Hotel Jayson’s diner’s are eyeing up Lobsters in a giant fishtank before entering the restaurant. Quist is attending an Anti-Pollution Conference in London and sits with four men; Benjamin Fielding (Chairman of Newington Chemicals Ltd), Dr. Robert Whitehead (Chief Scientific Advisor to Newington Chemicals), Professor Miklos Egri (Hungarian Biologist) and Dr. Heiz Bau (German Ecologists). A waiter hands out cigars whilst another serves Brandy. The Headwaiter checks that Mr Fielding is happy, which he is as he requests that Kenri knows his soufflé was superb! Quist refuses a Cigar and Fielding jumps on this exclaiming that he knew he would be a non-smoker and probably thinks it is pollution as well. Quist diplomatically agrees. Mr Fielding continues to bait Quist making a joke about his alarmist nature to which the other men laugh. Quist as ever gives a brilliant repost “ You choking yourself to death’s not relevant to the conference and it doesn’t alarm me in the least. What does concern me is you choking everybody else by spewing peroxides into the air and pumping organic silicones into the rivers”. Fielding reminds him that he is at the conference to provide evidence.
Whitehead notices Cockroaches in the bowl of fruit in front of him and creates a stir. Egri helps him gather up the tablecloth. The Headwaiter appears and refutes Whitehead’s claims. When the cloth is opened there are no cockroaches in sight just a mess of broken glasses, china and fruit.
At Doomwatch, Quist, Bradley, Ridge and Egri are in Quist’s office examining evidence of five hundred and thirty cases of Hallucinations, deafness and loss of balance across the country. Bradley’s is obviously trying to feed the information into the Doomwatch computer but it is playing up and he asks to be excused. Dr. Ridge suggests that it’s substance misuse or alcohol abuse. Quist would agree if most cases were teenagers but Whitehead is in his mid fifties. Egri admits he saw something too even though he doesn’t drink before Whitehead’s outburst but he didn’t let on.
Regarding the conference Dr. Quist quips “Is there any doubt we’re up to the dandruff in dung?” Quist interrogates Egri but draws a blank. Bradley comes back into the office with the news that there were five other cases at the hotel. Dr. Ridge suggests the conference is being sabotaged. Quist asks Bradley to check with B.M.A for information on the hallucinations. Quist tells Dr. Ridge that sabotaging the conference is the last thing that Fielding would want to do as he’d only be putting off the inevitable. Quist thinks he actually wants to discredit it. He wants to answer the pollution accusations then justify them whilst delaying any political action.
At Jayson’s Fielding is dictating to his Sue, his secretary whilst drinking coffee in the luxurious penthouse suite. Whitehead enters and pours himself a coffee. Fielding continues his dictation touching upon the fact that antipollution measures have to be considered with the needs of the National Economy. When he finishes his dictation he asks Sue to distribute it to Sir George Robson and Lord Holland. Sue then leaves the two men. Fielding asks Whitehead if he is feeling better noting that he think’s that Whitehead drinks to much and asks him to restrain himself whilst at the conference. Whitehead retorts with “Power is an appetite I don’t indulge” Fielding tells him that he doesn’t know what he is missing and no cirrhosis of the liver to go with it”. Fielding laughs when Whitehead says “No, merely paranoia” Fielding asks him if Whitehead actually enjoys anything. Cambridge is his answer. Fielding wonders what bothers Quist. Whitehead tells him that he helped to make the atom bomb and radiation killed his wife. Fielding feels he has the measure of Quist as he says “Ah! That’s better. Revenge! The blindest passion of them all” Whitehead thinks that Quist isn’t the real concern as five more cases of hallucinations have been reported with Jonkheere the Dutchman confined to his bed. Fielding is concerned that he will be blamed for this and wants to know what is going on. White head makes a joke about Cesare Borgia being renowned for his hospitality. Fielding is amused by this.
At Doomwatch Quist introduces Egri to Toby and Egri tells him that he is delighted to neet him. Quist tells him that he’s a renegade physicist working in biology. Egri is impressed. Pat enters the room and Egri asks Doomwatch’s secretary Pat, for a dinner and he won’t take no for an answer.
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 8:15:53 GMT -5
A bomber from RAF Manston has gone missing. The RAF Operations Room is bustling with personnel trying to locate the craft last detected fifty miles off the Isle of Wright. Air Commodore Parks is discussing the situation with the Wing Commander, suggesting that the plane could be flying below radar range but a report comes in that the plane has crashed into the sea. Parks gives orders for three scrambled telephone lines to be opened: one to the Cabinet room, another to the Ministry of Defence, and one to Doomwatch. Quist brings Ridge and Wren up to date on the significance of the crash. Somewhere off the south coast are a cluster of three hydrogen bombs, Polaron mark twos. And no one knows where they are. As Quist says, 'It's Palomares all over again.'
TITLES:
Early the next morning, at about seven, a young man called Geoff Harker is dozing at the end of a pier at a place called Byfield Regis in Sussex. He is hurriedly woken by his wife, Toni, who had brought him some coffee and sandwiches but saw that his fishing line had become entangled in a sinister looking object coming closer and closer to the supporting timbers of the pier. As far as they can tell, it's an old world war two mine. Scared, she wants to get the police but Geoff sends her off to get her father instead whilst he climbs down below and keep the mine from hitting the pier. His efforts are mocked by his father-in-law, Sam Billings who had "seen more mines than you've had hot dinners. That's no mine.' Sam is all for bringing the object up to the workshop before the pier inspector calls round. Geoff is interested in the value of the object and agrees despite Toni's fears. As the men get to grips with the device, neither of them spot the international radiation hazard sign underneath...
By now, Quist has turned up at the Operations Room and refuses to be placated by Air Commodre Parks who disagrees that they are all set for another Palomares affair since nuclear weapons have been greatly modified since 1962. But Quist is aware of human error, and that the warhead may be damaged which, although may prevent a nuclear explosion it won't preclude a conventional explosion, releasing radiation. Cooly, Parks takes Quist through the events leading to the crash caused by 'clear air turbulence' and where they approximate the bombs will be in a five mile radius plus or minus. For Quist, that's nearly eighty square miles of ocean. As far as Parks is concerned, HMS Avenger is already on her way to the area carrying a deep sea search vessel, the Aluminaut 4 and is ready to dive. By now, the low frequency homing signal set off by accidental release should already have been picked up by the crew. 'We have learnt something since Palomares.'
Billings is more worried about one of his arcade games not working properly, and that his daughter has forgotten the toast and dripping with his tea rather than his son in law's efforts in getting the object from the sea and into the arcade's workshop! As the two men tuck into their snack, Toni is still concerned about their prize. As far as Sam is concerned, they've got a collection of nice spare parts with which to repair his machines. Geoff agrees. 'Just a couple of screws and a shred of plastic - that's all you'll see, by the time your old man's finished with it.'
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 8:16:56 GMT -5
The Operations Room is getting crowded with Ridge and Wren joining the fray along with the Minister and Commander Sefton from the Royal Navy. Quist has never felt so useless in his entire life. As he stomps over to study a map which has had new markers placed onto it by a WAAF girl, Wren and Ridge discuss Quist's reaction. Wren, frankly is as terrified as his boss but Ridge gets to what he feels is the root cause of his anxiety. 'Ever since Los Alamos he's almost been waiting for death. This one didn't land in the sea - it landed smack inside his head and it's hurting.' Every single case they have been into recently was someone else's brain child, allowing Quist to wag his moral finger at them. 'Now he's staring straight into the mirror, and don't think that the Air Commodore hasn't picked it up.' Quist takes up his fear that the bombs may have been damaged and that shipping should be warned of the risk of radioactive intake by fish and the contamination of the shore. Parks is aware of how insecure any restricted broadcast to shipping would be, and the panic that would spread amongst the public. Sefton says that there is no evidence of any damage and the Minister is satisfied with the assurances that there could be no nuclear explosion, but Quist maintains the risk of conventional explosion to be considerable. Despite Parks suggestion that Quist is prejudiced, Commander Sefton sees the Doctor's point. But the Minister is assured that there is no cause for alarm and is confident in the recovery operation's success and wants no release of information. Good news reaches the Operation Room after the Minister leaves: the Aluminaut has picked up the marker signal and should locate the warhead containing the three bombs within five hours. 'Nothing like a full scale test to improve safety, wouldn't you say, Dr. Quist?'
Geoff is busy stripping away the plastic surround from the object whilst Toni is washing up, listening on the news for anything about what they may have found. Her father is convinced all they have is a weather satellite, something disposable that the authorities would just chuck away again if they got it back. As far as he, a probable tax payer is concerned, it's a backhander. The radiation symbol means nothing to them, '...some weather mark, I expect. Y'know, like the broad arrow your Geoff nearly ended up with.' And the light that has suddenly come on just means it's working. Sam is excited about getting the panel off. 'Should be some good stuff inside...'
Parks and Sefton are discussing a newspaper article declaring Dr Quist 'The People's Champion, Examiner Man of the Year... Modern David slaying the Goliaths of Big Business, Ministerial Bungling, Service Blimps...' Sefton feels it is harmless but it reinforces Parks' view of Quist. If the public had heard of the crash, Quist, 'the mighty humanist' would have received a popular canonisation. As Parks sees it, anyone with a pet grievance about their firm or department or service come to him with a stray sense of duty. He recalls how only six weeks ago, a man in Transport Command went to Quist with a confidential dossier on the defolient spray project. Sefton is not concerned but Parks assures him that he won't think so when Quist does it to the Navy. Quist comes up to them and asks for an update. Parks is now getting tired of Quist's presence since Doomwatch will be kept informed but Quist insists. Sefton feels that it is only a couple of hours before the warhead is recovered. But Quist points out that the Aluminaut is only going to home in on the marker device and not to the warhead. The conventional explosion still bothers him, releasing the radioactive core... Sefton agrees but the small amount released he sees as nothing more than a safe dose. Quist is surprised. 'A safe dose! Whether you release the news or not the public are under considerable risk.' Parks sees the People's Champion in full flight. Quist is confused and Sefton refers to the newspaper article which Quist denies any knowledge of. Geoff tries to get the machine working by giving it some electric power from a 12 volt battery. Toni is still terrified of the object as a lower panel containing counter numerals begins to move... She wakes up her dad and demands the machine be switched off. She knows both the men think that this may be a bomb now, and since her dad hasn't seen one since the day the war ended, things must have changed. The numbers in the panel have reached down to 4700. Sam reluctantly agrees but is eager to break the machine apart further. Toni wants to go to the police and report it but with Geoff still on probation and convinced that the law is after any excuse to lock him up. Breaking up the machine would just be the opportunity they want!. Toni is distraught and has to be comforted. But Sam has the solution - remove the planks from the floor and shove the machine back into the sea...
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 8:18:22 GMT -5
Quist is pacing the Operations Room, determined to stay and wait for developments. Ridge and Wren much prefer to go back to London. 'There's nothing for us to do.' Ridge, eyeing "a bird" (as the script puts it) wouldn't say that but Quist is adamant. 'Don't you think you're over-compensating?' challenges Ridge. Quist demands to know what he means. Wren urges Ridge to drop it but Ridge ploughs on. 'You can't forget Los Alamos, can you - because you made the first bomb all the others are your responsibility. We are doing a job, not running a pyschotherapy unit.' Quist asks him if he has any idea what it means to destroy people in this way and Ridge counters that he does - at first hand - face to face. 'Bombs are clinical - they're only ash afterwards.' Ridge then shocks Wren by bringing up the memory of Quist's late wife, Helena, who worked on it too, and died. 'You bastard!' Wren notices Parks is watching, and who takes advantage in telling Quist that there is no point in waiting. He will be notified. Quist leaves.
By 5:30pm t is starting to get dark, and on the pier Sam is working on his arcade games and Toni has returned from some shopping. They presume Geoff is still working on the machine in the workshop but when they find him he is asleep in an armchair and wakes up in pain. He dismisses it as a stomach ache and blames her cooking. But the pain gets worse and he can't walk properly. He thinks a few pints down at the pub would sort it out and takes Sam with him. Toni stays behind to put some make up on but turns to the same newspaper with Quist's face on the cover that we saw earlier... She makes a decision. Quist sits alone in his office as night falls, full of deep thoughts, anxiously waiting for the phone to ring. Bradley is about to go home but offers Quist some company which he declines. The phone rings. It is Toni calling from a phone box, telling him that she saw the article in the paper earlier today. Quist tries to put her off, explaining that he did not co-operate with the article and that they deal in scientific research. He softens when he hears her distraught nature. She needs his help. She explains that they have found what he dad thinks is a space weather satellite and her husband is ill, and they can't go to the police. Quist asks her to describe her find to him...
Back in the Operations Room, Parks and Sefton are reviewing the data of the flight corridor when Quist telephones through and tells the Wing Commander about the report of an unidentified object found in Byfield Regis and that he has sent Ridge and Wren down to look at it. Parks does not want to speak to Quist and resumes discussions with Sefton over the map of the search range. The Wing Commander relays the message to the increasingly irritable Parks. 'I wish I'd been on his Appointments Committee...'
Wren is not pleased to be back at the Doomwatch office at 7:30 pm despite Pat Hunisett's tea and biscuits. Ridge and Bradley are there as well, waiting to be briefed. Ridge hopes that Quist hasn't interrupted his night life just to tell them the Navy have raised the weapon... Quist tells Wren and Ridge to go down to Byfield Regis which was in a direct line with the flight path of the bomber - and that someone has found something. Wren and Ridge are sceptical. The warhead had been located earlier, but Quist demonstrates how the three nuclear bombs were designed to eject from the nose cone and spread around the target area. It's quite possible that the breaking up of the aircraft damaged the support frame holding the bombs together. It may be a waste of time, but they are going to go down there and follow up every lead.
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 8:19:25 GMT -5
It's now 9:30 and Geoff is very ill and refuses to go to bed. Even Sam agrees he looks ill. As Doomwatch arrive at the foot of the peir, Toni breaks the news that she called them in leading to a general panic amongst the men! Sending her daughter into the back to cover up the mine, Sam attempts to hold off Ridge and Wren Geoff emerges carrying a spanner and stands in front of Ridge. Sam says that whatever was found is back in the drink. Wren explains that they are from Doomwatch investigating a report of scientific flotsam. Sam is relieved, fearing they were a heavy mob of criminals on the fiddle. He dismisses his daughter's fears as a bit of imagination. all they found was an old steam boiler, bits and pieces... Suspicious, Ridge wants to talk to Toni but Sam refuses and Geoff gets angry, demanding a warrant. Sam tries to stop Ridge going through into the workshop and grabs his lapel.. Ridge looks down. 'You must be joking!' Wren suggests getting in the police and Sam thinks that's a good idea! 'You're the one who's going to get nicked mate, not us.' By now the seriousness of the situation is apparent. The Minister is made aware by Parks that the bombs have indeed scattered. Sefton thinks they must be on the sea bed. Parks hopes to have a positive report by three in the morning.
Ridge telephones Quist about the problems they are facing. Quist asks if the husband is showing signs of radiation poisoning. Ridge can't say. Geoff seemed to be sweating a little. Quist comes to a decision: they had better investigate further themselves. 'There is nothing Parks would enjoy more than to have Doomwatch haul down his boys to investigate an empty oil drum.'
Geoff is now seriously ill. With his father and wife, they are dragging the bomb over to a gap made in the floorboards. Sam is panicking, he wants the object out of his arcade before Doomwatch come back. They have seen nothing; As they manoeuvre it over the hole, Sam unknowingly starts the timer again... Geoff is too weak to hold onto the bomb as they try to shove it into the sea. It falls and becomes wedged amongst the platform supports of the pier. As Geoff collapses, Quist appears.
Parks is embarrassed to report that the Aluminaut has found two of the warheads but the third bomb is missing. Sefton tries to assure the Minister that it can't be far away. The Minister remembers the assurance he gave to Quist. Parks hides his true concern... Toby Wren has a rope tied around him as he clambers down into the pier supports, held by Quist and Ridge. He is handed an inspection lamp and has some difficulty in finding it but when he does, starts to describe to Quist, amongst the roar of the ocean below, what he sees... a black metal shell, 2 control panels, one open amd can just about read 'Target programme...' Quist calls him back up as he is asked what it really is by Quist by Sam. 'You appear to have a one megaton warhead down there - a hydrogen bomb.' But he reassures them that the chances of it exploding is negligible. That is until Wren reports the damage on the side. Quist is now more worried about the 32 kilos of high explosive down there. If it's damaged, that could go up. 'Lovely!' says Ridge.
If the fusion core is damaged, there will be radiation from the lithium. Toni realises that is why Geoff is ill... Geoff is frightened. Quist tells Ridge to get through to Parks and put him in the picture. Conventional explosion, yes. Nuclear explosion no. The police are to seal the pier off. He is relieved that the decision to evacuate is not his to make. He also sends the Harkers to the hospital and get Geoff treated. As they leave, Quist questions Sam about what they did to the bomb...
Parks is shocked by Ridge's news. He tells him that the RAF's technicians will be down there in 45 minutes. No action is to be taken by Quist. Ridge agrees.
Sam explains that Geoff used a 12 volt battery to try to get the machine working. Sam remembers hearing a clicking noise from the bomb. Quist tells Toby to go down again. Because of the position of the bomb, Wren uses Toni's hand mirror to see the control panel. Quist's nightmare is coming true. The numbers are moving... Quist turns to Sam. 'What did he do?' Sam is scared stiff by Quist's power and explains that Geoff 'squirted in a few volts...' Quist takes a few seconds to recover his composure and directs Wren below to look for a power pack switch and turn it off. The switch is broken. Some of the lights are broken but one is on. The countdown has reached 1500. Quist calculates that they have twenty five minutes before either a conventional explosion or the full nuclear holocaust.
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 8:20:36 GMT -5
In his precarious position amongst the timbers, Wren backs away as much as he can, numb with fear. Sam, too, is cracking, demanding to know why Quist doesn't know what's going to happen! 'You scientists are supposed to know about them things...' He is told sharply that it doesn't really matter which it will be for them... Quist calls down to Wren that they've got to get inside it but Toby just can't reply.
Back at the Doomwatch office, Pat wakes up from a nightmare. She tells Bradley that she dreamt that it went off - and it killed Dr Quist - and John and Toby. Bradley gives her some coffee. 'If it went off, we'd know about it as soon as they would. Or not know about it, as the case may be.'
As Ridge telephones the office, from the shore end of the pier, the police arrive with the pier inspector Leo White, more concerned about tomorrow's bingo. Superintendent Charles explains that he has had high level notification to clear the pier at once. Ridge begins to argue as Sam bursts in terrified.
Quist is preparing to go down to deal with the bomb and forces Toby Wren to come back up. Charles enters with Ridge and is given short shrift by Quist. 'You listen - down there is an armed nuclear weapon - now shut up!' He tells Wren to get onto Bradley, needing detailed instructions on the sequence of fuse locks, how many detonators. He ignores Charles demanding that he sets up a relay between here and the phone.
Parks is updated on the situation and tells the waiting Minister. 'It's armed and it's going.' He prepares to fly down to Byfield Regis, and does not answer if there is time... Quist is now amongst the timber frames of the pier, facing the bomb, the inspection lamp his only light. Ridge is watching. The geiger counter they have brought with them goes crazy... Wren returns with the information. Four colour coded detonators, the cables to each one is armoured leading into the arming unit Quist is about to begin when his foot slips and he breaks his arm. He yells. Wren and Ridge pull him back up. Nearly fainting in pain, Quist's hand is bleeding. Ridge attends to him. Quist refuses to move to the end of the pier despite Ridge's pleading. There is only seven minutes to go.
Wren goes back down and refuses Ridge's offer of help. By using the mirror propped up behind the bomb to navigate, he begins working with the cutters on the first wire of the first detonator inside the bomb and cuts it. To their relief, no explosion. Ridge again offers to help and again it is refused. They momentarily confront each other but Ridge backs down and allows Wren to carry on. For Toby, his senses heighten. Sweat is pouring from him. He can no longer hear the sound of the wind nor the waves, just his own breathing, the snip of a cable is exaggerated in his head.... He has cut and removed two detonators. As he cuts the wires to the third one, he drops the cutters inside the workings of the bomb and has to put his arm deep inside the cavity to retrieve them. 'It brings him cheek to cheek with the nuclear charge...'
As White bandages up Quist, Parks arrives with two suited technicians carrying equipment. He sends them to work. Ridge consults his watch. 180 seconds to go...
Wren is carrying on with his work, he is finding reversing his movements for the mirror frustrating, and his hand is being cut to shreds by the sharp edges of the cavity.
95 seconds, says Ridge, the tension unbearable...
Wren is dealing with the last fuse line. He cuts it and the countdown is reset to zero. The relief is enormous, the tension dissipating. 'He is half laughing, half crying...' He carelessly balances the cutters on a timber.
A recovered Quist is also clock watching: 60 seconds to go...
The suited men arrive in the workshop and call to Wren that they will take over, but he assures them he's done it. He knocks off the cutters into the sea. As he pulls out the fourth detonator, his relief turns to horror. 'There's another wire!' The technician tells him not to pull it, follow it back to the terminal. Wren has to be told twice. As he feels his way along the wire to the detonator, staring into the mirror, a trip switch is thrown and another smaller countdown begins... 'Thank God, he's done it,' says Quist as a blinding light is followed by a huge explosion. The end of the pier is destroyed, and the blast shatters the windows and hurls Quist, Ridge and Parks onto the floor. Seagulls shriek.
Recovering, Quist stares out of the window, Ridge behind him.. Parks has the last words. 'My God, when will you people learn not to interfere?'
NOTE: Since this synopsis is adapted from the script, and since the last few minutes survive as the pre-credits teaser of You Killed Toby Wren, there are minute but significant variants to what was scripted, and what was recorded. Such is the benefit of a ten day rehearsal period and a superb director.
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Post by colley on Jun 27, 2010 18:12:24 GMT -5
A short query about the ending of Survival Code (as originally broadcast):
The very last page of the script (after the credits have finished) indicates a shot involving a slow zoom into the counter as it winds down to zero - I've often wondered whether this was simply used in post-production for 'cutaway' shots as Wren works on defusing the bomb or whether it was shown after the credits had concluded on the original transmission (reinforcing Wren's unexpected demise).
A nice directorial flourish on the part of Hugh David if the latter was actually the case, although only someone with a clear memory who saw the original broadcast would be able to tell us! :-)
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Post by michael on Jun 28, 2010 17:42:28 GMT -5
If you watch the You Killed toby Wren clip, you will see the cut away shot three times. Its when Wren is trying to twist the terminal with his bare fingers. Its 2 minutes 17s in. In fact, the camera is going for the Big Close Up by the time it reaches 15... We see it again twice before the final little trip motor starts running.
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Post by michael on Jun 28, 2010 17:43:58 GMT -5
This story begins in Yorkshire with a view of a big, modern factory Jedder & Co. Ltd: A subsidiary of Voltimer International. In his 'tycoon decorated' office, Falken moves to an adjoining, windowless room where an operator is monitoring receiver equipment and recording it onto tape. Behind him is Cook, who is also listening in with a pair of headphones. Cook tells Falken that the shop steward's meeting has just began.
The meeting they are monitoring has been convened by Owen and Tom Reid, the assembly shop steward in the Club Entertainment Room, addressing factory union members in the auditorium. They are addressing fears of future redundancies.
Falken and Cook discuss the situation, leaving the operator to monitor the meeting. Cook explains to Falken – who is the sort of boss who visits a firm every now and then, that Owen and Reid are unofficial leaders who appear to have the confidence of the men. But for Cook, 'Knowledge is power.' On a wall is a chart of every employee in Jedder's where they can spot potential trouble situations, personality clashes or square pegs and regroup where necessary. When asked what is he going to do about Owen and Reid, Cook reveals that Reid has an interesting domestic situation. Falken isn't interested in how the ends are achieved. Before Voltimer took over Jedder's, the firm had the worst industrial relations record in the country. A new productivity deal has to go through. 'I'm not going to have an entire industry sabotaged by two semi literate men who have never contrived to earn more than twenty five pounds a week....' Since they can't be fired, he wants those shop stewards bribed, intimidated, neutralised as an active force in the firm. Falken wants dirt. 'Fix Owen and Reid.'
Titles.
Quist briefs Bradley on a routine job he has to do, an annual survey of the emanations from Flyingdale Radar Station in Yorkshire. Bradley is quite looking forward to this job, despite its dullness since it was the area where he comes from. 'They think I'm some kind of superior electrician... Funny thing, Doctor Quist, there's always a welcome back home, for a failure.'
The moors near Flyingdale is one of Cook's favourite spots to record bird song using a parabolic microphone. His latest attempt to record the sing of a meadow Pipit is ruined by the song of Colin Bradley... Furiously, Cook packs up his gear as indeed is Bradley, to whom Cook approaches. Bradley's detector is made by Voltimer and that leads them into a discussion about Cook's work. He is a consultant Industrial Anthropologist, a rare bird, remarks Bradley. 'Unique. But not for long,' agrees Cook.
That evening, the Club Entertainment Room is being used for a more traditional fare as a female stripper plights her trade. One of those watching on is the young Owen who is given a message that Colin Bradley has arrived. Surprised and pleased, Owen goes out into the lounge to meet his old friend. Bradley has his detector with him. Accepting a drink, Colin is surprised how the club has changed in the year since he was last year. Owen explains that Jedder offered to pay for the redecoration of the club so they went for it and turned it into something as flash as a television night club. Jedder also redecorated all of the houses of the workers – from charge hands up. And for free. (At this point there is a missing page in the script where they seem to be talking about the take over and Falken.) Owen mentions the so called productivity deal. He wants Bradley to talk to his older counterpart, Reid once 'he's packed his wife off.' He doesn't like having his much younger wife here. Owen takes Bradley into the entertainment room to sample some of the artists. Reid's wife asks her husband who Owen's friend is, thinking he had come to read the meter. Reid explains that Brad is a cut above that – but has to carry his own tools... 'So he can't have done too well in the social mobility game... Moving from the public to the saloon when they make you charge hand.'
(The entertainment on offer is either another artist or bingo depending on whether you read the script directions or the camera directions). Owen is intrigued by Bradley's detecting equipment recognising one of their own makes. Except they don't make them here – Manchester has the factory. 'Corners of the Voltmixer Empire,' comments Bradley. Owen points it at the microphone on the stage and gets a clear signal but it fades when he pans it either side of it. But he gets a reading when he points it at a wall lamp. He dismisses it as a fault but Bradley, despite his poker face, isn't so sure when he tests the machine. Bradley suggests that they go back into the bar...
... Bradley thinks it's a funny set up in the entertainment lounge. Owen thinks he is talking about the décor, the days of spit and sawdust being long over, 'like dole and cloth caps.' This is not what Bradley means. He uses the detector in the lounge and gets positive readings. Owen is shocked and gets Reid on this. When Reid comes over, Bradley questions him about the decorators they used for the club. It wasn't a local firm, much to Reid's disapproval. He doesn't really approve of the style or allowing women in either...
Cook is intrigued to hear Bradley's voice in the Recording Room whilst he was examining some transcripts. He instructs the operator to stick with Owen and Reid but the three of them have left the club and it will be a few minutes before they get back to Reid's house. In the meantime, the Operator asks if he could have a short session with 'Dirty Gertie in the Entertainment Room?' Cook agrees. 'Interesting phenomenon.'
Reid, Owen and Bradley are in the Red's bedroom where in silence, Bradley sweeps the room for hidden microphones – and finds one on a wall lamp above the double bed... Reid, understandably is furious but keeps quiet. Owen uses a screwdriver to remove the fitting and there inside, they discover the bug. The bug has to stay in the wall fitting for the time being. Reid sits on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands, absolutely devastated.
The next day, Bradley reports his findings to Quist accompanied by Reid and Owen. Bradley explains that he discovered every room in the house was bugged except for the bathroom. The same was true for Owen and he lives with his parents. He doesn't want his mother to know, and realises this situation will need quiet handling. 'In the meantime, it's like living with your throat cut. You can't imagine...' Bradley also tested a foreman's house secretly and that, too, was bugged. Reid points out that that particular man was a foreman who joined the Conservative Club... and Voltmixer International don't even trust him, says Owen. They reckon that the bugs were installed when the homes were redecorated after Voltmixer settled the strike the previous year. And it isn't illegal – there was no break in. Quist adds that disclosure would cause a countrywide explosion, something that Jedder would bank on the Government not wanting... Bradley mentions Cook, the consultant whom Voltmixer have on a retainer. . Owen knows him as a bird watcher. Bradley had Flyingdale security put a check on him and he is genuine. Reid becomes reflective. He was young in the 1930s and suffered a lot as a working man. He felt there wasn't anything more they could do to a working man's dignity until now. Owen reacts when Reid mentions talking in bed with his own wife... Owen could understand industrial espionage but for at least nine months, everything they have said at work or home has been over-heard. Reid and Owen suspect Voltmixer want to drive a wedge between their two unions because of their concern over the new productivity drive. Three pound a week extra in pay packets is no compensation for the redundancies it will need. Possibly 750 people at their own factory. Quist takes control of the meeting and admires their discretion in not creating a national issue by going public. He asks them if they would keep their mouths shut if he fights their battles in his own way. They agree, for as long as they can before Jedder moves. After the shop stewards leave, Quist calls in John Ridge and Toby Wren.
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Post by michael on Jun 28, 2010 17:45:04 GMT -5
Falken discusses what makes Reid 'ticks' with Cook. It appears to be the canteen door. VIPs, manual workers and white-collar staff all have their own door into the canteen and by going through that door, he feels he is dirt to all temporary typists aged sixteen who use the white collar door. 'That men twice his age, worthy family men, pillars of their Methodist Tabernacles, were dirt after forty years' service...' It made Reid a socialist and a shop steward. Falken has seen this with senior supervisors who'd cut throats to get a key to the executive lavatories. Cook suggests that might be a good way to deal with Reid and Owen...
Ridge and Wren discuss the situation but Quist becomes passionate at the outrage Voltmixer has committed. This may be common one day. 'I can't think of a better reason for bloody revolution. I would wish to cut the throat of a man who has destroyed my privacy, and there are circumstances in which I would do just that.' Quist gives Wren and Ridge the job of stopping Voltmixer but without disrupting the economic life of the country. 'Any suggestions?' Ridge wants to bug them in return. He has his own box of bugs but this bothers Quist's sense of decency. Ridge, Wren and Bradley want a free hand in this. Quist senses the mood is against him so he agrees.
That night, Ridge meets Owen in a pub car park where he hands over plans of the factory and the main office block where Falken's executive suite is based.
Meanwhile, Wren has been investigating Owen's background and found that although he is on several files, he has no connection with communism, something Bradley agrees with. He grew up with him. Quist is puzzled. Owen is not even active in the Labour Party. According to Brad, Reid is the one with political conviction. Owen is a born sergeant. People follow his personality. But nevertheless, Quist feels that there is something wrong. Owen was uneasy in their interview, and whatever it was, Falken's lackeys know about it. They have to know what it is. Bradley says they'll know once Ridge gets there...
And indeed, Ridge breaks into Falken's office. He goes to the door marked 'Managing Director's Suite – Private – Keep Out.' This is the Recording Room and Ridge finds a daunting array of tape recorder spools, and unlocked filing cabinets with files written in code. Turning his attention to the recording apparatus, he hides a bug close by to listen into the operator... Back in Falken's office, Ridge narrowly avoids a security guard before he turns his attention to an intercom and places a bug there.
The next day, Bradley and Ridge are monitoring the bugs from the car listening to Cook giving instructions to erase tapes 25 to 50 with one exception – the celebrated Tape 47 which he thinks they can use. Ridge is frustrated that the operators just use a series of code names. Ridge wants to target Falken, give him a taste of his own medicine but Bradley knows Quist would not like that.
Quist and Wren discuss a newspaper report in the business section about the redundancy fears over the new Voltmixer International productivity deal. Reid and Owen were right. Ridge enters and tells Quist that they are wasting their time. Everything is coded and nothing is discussed openly. Quist guesses this means Falken's home is to be bugged. Ridge doesn't expect Quist to agree and is surprised and very pleased when Quist agrees. 'If Falken believes that Reid's and Owen's private lives are fit subjects for espionage, then so is his. Go ahead.'
The discussion of Recording 47 is overheard once again by Bradley who has been joined by Owen and Reid in the car. Cook thought the idea of keeping the tape was to prevent the strikes which are now taking place. Falken disagrees. Others would have taken over. He wants the workers to go out on unofficial strike with Reid and Owen at the top. 'I propose to give them a week. Then we use Tape 47. We'll break them in action. The strike will end with Owen and Reid.' Bradley wants this tape. Reid and Owen know where the recording room is and there are ways of getting in... Meanwhile, Ridge begins the monitoring of Falken's house from his car with an ear piece and a tape recorder.
Back at the Doomwatch offices, Pat is reading out some notes she has compiled from a recording, mentioning a lady in the case, Philana. It means nothing to them but Wren begins to form an idea. Quist does not want to stoop to Falken's level but Wren didn't have blackmail in mind... just a hunch. 'I don't think this Philana is much of a lady...'
Tape 47 has been acquired and is to receive an airing at the entertainment club where there is a large spool tape recorder. Owen laughs, Reid had wanted to play it in Falken's office. At first they hear bird song, thinking it is one of Cook's recordings but Reid jokes that it sounds like his wife's budgie... It is his wife's budgie. And there is the sound of his wife. Suddenly, Owen realises what they are about to hear and tries to switch off the tape but it is too late. His affair with Mrs Reid is now known to her husband. Following the first punch thrown by Reid, a rather long fight ensues with Bradley trying to intervene...
Cook is in the Recording Room. He tells the operator to try the club since some of the early birds will be arriving. What they hear is the aftermath of the fight where Bradley tries to calm Tom Reid down. Cook doesn't like the return of 'Brad...'
Reid talks to Quist at the Doomwatch office. Quist, to their surprise, wants this strike to go on for the usual course, the usual formal and informal nonsense before the men go back. It isn't what Falken wants. He wants to destroy Owen and Reid. 'He's done it then. Done it with dirt. Tape 47...' Apparently Owen is slightly laid up following the fight but since nobody knows what happened to him and he urges Reid to put aside his personal distress and carry on with the strike. Falken had planned to use the tape during the unofficial strike and produce a public split leaving the men leaderless and demoralised and never trust Owen and Reid again. Falken would have a completely free hand in his policies. Reid agrees to do it without Owen and returns to Yorkshire. Quist is still worried about triggering a national strike.
Ridge's reading of a thriller is interrupted by a phone call Falken takes at home, talking of the Philana and its official destination – Abu Dhabi. 'It's a calculated risk like all commerce...' He then speaks to Cook who informs him of a situation developing at Jedder's... 'Have you heard of an outfit called... Doomwatch?'
Ridge telephones Wren and gives him the details of the first phone call and then warns him that Falken is on to them. Quist isn't surprised. Wren wants to follow through his hunch on the Philana, now that they know it is a ship. He just needs a few hours and will hopefully provide ammunition to Quist, who now plans to meet Falken in the morning.
When Quist meets Falken, the business tycoon points out that he was in the United States when Quist worked on Project Manhattan. He wants to know what Quist wants to involve him in since his letter did not say anything. 'You can safely talk here...' says Falken. 'Quite. We could hardly meet at Jedder's club... or beg hospitality of your white coated workers, or shop stewards.'
Wren and Ridge are eagerly following the conversation in the car.
Falken denies any knowledge of having planted the bugs in the houses. That was probably down to Cook and he will have to go. Quist discounts the denial. Falken knows Quist cannot make any public revelation. The Reid and Owen business will be assumed the work of private detectives. Falken is very confident that as a public servant Quist would do nothing to provoke national industrial trouble. Quist agrees. Falken thinks this is the end of the matter but Quist tells him to...
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Post by michael on Jun 28, 2010 17:45:37 GMT -5
remove all the spying equipment from the houses and the club and send in the decorators again. Falken begins to lose his cool. Quist continues that the order will go out today and tomorrow his own people will strip the operating base and collect the tapes. Falken refuses, saying that this isn't a police state yet. 'That's quite rich coming from you. You'll do what you're told, Falken.' He throws onto the table an envelope with the source of his confidence. It is an aerial photograph of the Philana, carrying Voltmixer equipment being shipped to Abu Dhabi but in reality is going to Rhodesia. Quist claims that they have copies of every forged document in the long train from England to Angola. 'You're a sanctions breaker, Falken. And we can prove it.' Falken denies this but Quist goes on: tape recordings of telephone calls – and of telephone calls from those people he called talking to other people... Quist shows him the tapes. Falken is broken...
'Get those bugs removed. I want industrial peace in this country. I wouldn't hesitate as a man to destroy you. Your kind of corruption is deadlier than any form of chemical welfare. You destroy common decency and the dignity of man. But I won't see my country finished just to finish you.... Don't ever forget, Falken, that there's no dirtier fighter in the world than an Englishman who's been kicked in the groin. I'm a dirtier bastard than you, and there are times when I'm proud of it.'
Ridge: Stone me! So am I. Wren hopes Quist remembers to pick up those blank spools of tape. There was no time to get the evidence. A dirty fighter will always credit the other man with the same tactics.
Cook is once again on the moor, listening out for bird song bending over his tape recorder with his backside up in the air when Reid fires a shot gun over his head from a distance. Frightened, Cook runs away! Bradley walks up to Cook's abandoned tape recorder and sings into the microphone, 'Anything you can do, I can do better...' He then points out the Flyingdale Radar Station. 'And over there... the biggest bugs of all... but that's another story.'
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Post by DR. QUIST on Jul 1, 2010 5:46:34 GMT -5
Train and De-train By Don Shaw Synopsis by Scott Burditt
Dr. Spencer Quist JOHN PAUL Dr. John Ridge SIMON OATES Tobias Wren ROBERT POWELL Colin Bradley JOBY BLANSHARD Pat Hunnisett WENDY HALL John.Howerd.Mitchell GEORGE BAKER Wilfred Ellis DAVID MARKHAM Branston BILL WILDE Mrs Sephton PATRICIA MAYNARD Stephens BRIAN BADCOE Miss Jones ROSEMARY TURNER Guard RON GREGORY Ministry Inspector PETER WHITAKER Boy MARK SINCLAIR
Music composed by MAX HARRIS Film Cameraman EDDIE BEST Sound Recordist GEORGE CASSIDY Film Editor ALISTAIR MACKAY Studio Lighting JIMMY PURDIE Studio Sound LARRY GOODSON Script Editor GERRY DAVIS Designer IAN WATSON Producer TERENCE DUDLEY Directed by VERE LORRIMER
Pre titles:
A small boy runs across a field into a forest, snapping a stick of a tree as he goes. Stick in hand he pauses by a tree to catch his breath while looking around the forest. He hears a noise from the tree above which scares him and he runs off. He sees a squirrel in the tree and throws the stick at it and hides behind another tree. He makes his way up the tree trying to reach the squirrel he threw the stick at. As he gets close the animal falls stiffly from the tree. The squirrel lies dead on the forest floor.
Titles roll:
A Land Rover makes its way across a field. It pulls up by four men in country clothes who surround a pile of rubbish bags on a plastic mat. Two more men appear carrying full plastic bags from the forest. They are told to hurry up and put the bags they are carrying and those in the pile into the back of the Land Rover while one of the men takes notes. Doctor Ridge appears from the forest and steps over a barbed wire fence.
One of the men tells him that there are 100 bags and complains “at this rate there will not be anything left”. Ridge is carrying a squashed canister he has found in the forest. On the base of it a number appears, AC3051. Neither of them know what it means, but Ridge tells him he will check it.
The final few bags are being loaded. Ridge picks one up and empties the contents onto the plastic mat on the floor. Inside the bag is a horrific assortment of dead forest animals including squirrels, foxes, badgers and pheasants. Ridge spreads the animals apart with his foot and takes a camera out of his pocket and takes photographs.
In the morning at Doomwatch Toby Wren is sifting through the black and white photos Ridge has taken when Pat interrupts him. Toby shows her the pictures of the dead animals. Toby turns to Bradley and tells him that he wouldn’t be at all surprised if the pictures taken are a result of a pesticide spray and bets him a month’s salary on it and Bradley refuses to participate. Bradley tells him that the animals were found on common land and wonders why anyone would want to spray there. Toby suggests that the farm nearby may have accidentally treated the forest but Bradley tells him to wait until he has the facts. “One of these days the world’s going to fall around our ears while we are still getting the facts” he replies,
Quist arrives and asks Bradley to go into his office. Quist tells him that he is off to York in a couple of hours to a pollution conference while Ridge is investigating wildlife deaths in Somerset, Wren is doing a report on organo chlorine content of greenlands coasts lice and he tells Bradley until Ridge gets back that he is in charge and gives him some work to check. Quist leaves Bradley to it in his office and then asks Toby on the way out if he has finished his report. Toby tells him he is three quarters of the way through it. Quist then gives him a new job. He asks him to go round all pesticide manufacturers who are marketing new stuff and get samples and tells him to run tests. Quist shows him a list of all the likely companies. Toby wants to get on with some lab work instead but Quist tells him that this is more important and asks him if he has heard any news from Ridge. In response, Toby shows Quist the photographs of the 100th bag and tells him that there are about 2000 dead animals altogether. Quist tells him that this is all the more reason for Toby to finish his report and get on with this new investigation and asks him to keep an open mind. Quist then leaves the office having finished his briefing not even stopping long enough to take his coat off. Pat walks into the room and Toby addresses her formally as Miss Hunnisett and asks her to take a letter…
On close up, the camera bumps into a piece of unseen set
“Dear Sir, Please could you let us have some of your new pesticide so that we can prove it is dangerous? With an open mind of course.”
Pat is ready to write it down with a pad and pencil when she realises he is joking and gives him a cheeky look.
A car drives up to a large building (Alminster Chemicals) and stops at the security gate. The driver bids the security guard “Good morning” to which he replies “Good morning Mr Branston” and then the guard operates the security gate letting him pass. Another car pulls up to the gate and yet again the driver bids the guard “Good morning” to which he replies “Good Morning Mr Ellis” Mr Branston then pulls into a car park and into a space that must belong to Mr Ellis. Mr Ellis is close behind. As Mr Branston is about to leave his car, Mr Ellis shouts at him through the open window of his car. “Hey!” By this time Mr Branston has walked from his car to Mr Ellis who has now also got out of his car. Mr Branston asks if Mr Ellis got the memo telling him that as from today that parking space was his. Confused Mr Ellis asks why but Mr Branston has no idea. “But that’s Chief Chemists…that’s mine” he says pointing back to his former space. He continues “I’ve been parking here for the last two years”. You know that” Mr Branston says he can see the memo. Mr Ellis is clearly unhappy but lets Mr Branston go.
At the main reception Mr Branston walks past Mr Mitchell. Mr Mitchell bids him “Good Morning” and then greets and walks past his secretary in her own office next to his. She starts to tell him “there was a cable…” but he continues walking straight past her and into his office.
Mitchell walks into his office closely followed by another lady who bizarrely disappears!! 7mins 25sec
As Mr Mitchell puts down the briefcase he is carrying and opens it, his secretary gets up from her desk and walks into his office telling him “There was a cable from Chicago at head office. They are sending out an export agent to assess marketing in North Africa”. “Anything else?” he replies. “Ellis rang from the gatehouse a moment ago…” Mr Mitchell asks her what he wanted. She explains to him that his car parking space has been taken from him and nobody seems to know why and he hadn’t been given a replacement. She suggest giving him a replacement but Mr Mitchell tells her “No, and don’t worry, forget about it, if he calls or rings I am engaged” She smiles wryly and leaves.
In a smaller office shared with his secretary Miss Jones. Mr Branston is studying a piece of paper, when Miss Jones gets up and walks over to him a short distance with a note and reminds him that Mr Ellis is usually in now, to which he replies “hmm, maybe he’s having trouble parking his car…”
Meanwhile, Mr Ellis has obviously parked his car by now and decided to go straight to Mr Mitchell’s office and confront him. He stops at the office door that reads Mr J.H.Mitchell, Managing Director, has a think about going in and then decides not to. He walks past reception and then into Mr Branston’s office and interputs a conversation between him and his secretary. Mr Ellis says Good Morning and then walks past them into his own office. Miss Jones then brings him a letter that needs signing, which he immediately does. Mr Ellis then sits down at his desk and picks up a piece of paper. Deep in thought he instinctively reaches out with his right hand to the empty space where the telephone should be… Confused, he has a quick look around for the phone and notices just the wire from the socket is left. He picks the cable up in disbelief muttering to himself. He drops the telephone cable and rushes into Mr Branston’s office complaining that “The general phone’s gone now!” Confused Mrs Jones says “What?” Mr Ellis then explains that the carpet went last week, then a change of secretary without being informed, then head office asks Mr Branston to head the technical conference instead of him and then this morning his car parking space is taken and given to Mr Branston again with no communication. Frustrated he exclaims “What in god’s name is going on here?”. Miss Jones tells him she knows nothing about the phone and then Mr Branston indicates to her to leave the room. Mr Ellis complains that he can’t take any more of it and asks Mr Branston if he knows anything about the telephone and he tells him he does not and then shows Mr Ellis the memo about the parking and Mr Ellis complains there is no signature on it to which Mr Branston excuses it by blaming admin. Mr Ellis asks him to get Mr Mitchell on the phone. Mr Branston rings the office and tells Mr Ellis the bad news that Mr Mitchell is not to be disturbed. Mr Ellis gives up and returns to his own office. MrBranston screws the memo up and throws it in the bin.
Ar Doomwatch Pat Hunnisett asks Toby if he has had a look through the list of pesticide firms, but Toby feigns being stressed, says he hasn’t yet. Cheerfully Pat informs him that she has. She asks him if he has heard of Alminster Chemicals. To which Toby, uninterested, says No. Undettered, Pat tells him that has recently been taken over by an American company Neopolomo Chicago. Managing Director John Howerd Mitchell FCA, Chief Chemical Wilfred Ellis MSC. Wren is interested now as he recognises Mr Ellis. He tells Pat that Mr Ellis is his old tutor from Cambridge. Toby asks her how she got hold of the information. Ridge has called in reporting the discovery of the container he found marked AC in Somerset. Pat tells him that it’s the only company that has got those initials. Toby tells her that this is an incredible coincidence. Pat tells him its two good reasons that he goes there first then but Toby tells her it’s one good reason why he doesn’t. Pat laughs and asksToby if he didn’g get on with Mr Ellis. Toby tells her that it’s just the opposite and Mr Ellis is a very nice man and he wouldn’t like to upset him.
The next morning Mr Ellis arrives at Alminster Chemicals and parks his car in his usual spot. As he grabs his briefcase and is about to get out of the car another cars horn blasts from behind him. He looks into his driver’s door mirror. It is Mr Branston. Angrily he realises his mistake and moves his car out of the way.
Mr Branston greets his secretary and tells her he is off to the lab. While she goes back through a door with a sign that says MR ELLIS, CHIEF SCIENTIST. Mr Branston arrives in the lab where about half a dozen scientists appear to be working and while he puts a white lab coat on he makes his way over to Mr Ellis and tells him that Mitchell wants to see him. Mr Ellis is clearly unhappy and carries on tipping a red liquid from a flask into another container. Mr Branston tries to grab the container offering his help but Mr Ellis still obviously angry and stressed tells him to “Get Off!” The other scientists who are working in the lab stop what they are doing in stunned silence. Mr Ellis apologises and then leaves the lab and heads towards Mr Mitchell’s office still wearing his white lab coat.
Meanwhile Toby has arrived at the company and is speaking to Miss Sephton. It’s obvious he was not expected. He tells her he had made an appointment. She tells him that she is busy and in the middle of a big export drive and asks him to sit down and wait as Mr Mitchell is only in the packaging department. Wren tells her he was actually hoping to see Mr Ellis. She tells him that Mr Mitchell wanted to have a word with him first. Toby sits down. Almost immediately the office door opens. It’s Mr Ellis. He doesn’t notice Toby and tells Miss Sephton that Mr Mitchell wanted to see him. She tells him that he won’t be long. Toby has got up in the meantime and greets Mr Ellis cheerily with “Hello Sir”. Mr Ellis doesn’t recognise him. Quickly Toby ushers him out of the room blustering something about looking at his thesis, just so that he can get him out of the room. Mr Ellis is confused, Toby introduces himself properly and reminds him that he was his tutor at Trinity. Mr Ellis recognises him and happily shakes his hand and flustered tries to apologise for his behaviour blaming work. He then asks Toby to go into his study. As he opens the door to his office he is shocked to discover his office has totally changed even down the partition that separated his office from Mr Branston. A secretary now sits at a desk with a manual typewriter in what is now a very minimal office. Mr Ellis angrily demands to know where his desk is and who the secretary is. Without waiting for a reply he storms out of the office past Wren and heads for Mitchell’s office. Toby waits briefly, then follows him taking in the situation.
Mr Mitchell is now back in his office talking to Miss Sephton. She tells him Mr Wren had an appointment but then just walked out. Mr Ellis interrupts them by bursting straight into the office demanding a word with Mr Mitchell. Mr Mitchell tells him he sent for him and asks him to take a seat. Mr Ellis asks him if he is going mad and starts to explain that he has just been in his office, but Mitchell interrupts him. Again Mr Ellis is asked to take a seat. He sits down and Mr Mitchell offers him a cigarette.
In the office next door, Toby is told to wait before he can see Mr Mitchell as he has somebody in the office. Mr Ellis can be heard shouting from next door that he “can’t take any more of it” and “this is ridiculous, what’s going on. Toby listens to the shouting, confused.
Mr Ellis continues, “I wouldn’t mind if I was a lab assistant or something, but I don’t know what to say, this sort of thing has never happened to me before. Now, I had a carpet, it’s gone, and a car parking space, now it’s gone, I had an internal phone..”
“Now it’s gone” Mr Mitchell finishes his sentence.
Mr Mitchell, “Mr Ellis, how old are you? 60?
Mr Ellis “I’m 51 actually”
(Outside Toby listens in nearer the office door while Miss Sephton carries on her duties in another office)
Mr Mitchell “ Of course, you do realise when I was a subsidiary and our American father does not take kindly to us warming our backsides as we have been doing. We have one viable product. In fact we depend upon our existence on one chemical”
Mr Ellis, “Yes, but what’s all this got to do with my telephone?
Mr Mitchell “Don’t you understand anything? No of course not, it’s the academic in you. No grasp of reality. You realise in the states you would have been out of your master of science at the age of 40. We’ve just had a directive from head office, here I will read it to you”
Mr Mitchell puts his glasses on and continues “In the matter of redundant staff, steps must be taken to further bed the process of redundancy”
Mr Ellis “What?”
Mr Mitchell “Obviously, with you we have not succeeded, you have not taken the hint.” After a short pause he waits for a reply from the dumbfounded Mr Ellis and then he continues “Oh for god’s sake, do you not see that you’re no use to us anymore?”
Toby is still listening in shocked and then angry at the unbelievable conversation he has overheard.
Mr Mitchell continues “What little knowledge you brought with you has been used up and is of no value. Branston’s a great deal more use to us than you are”
Toby can’t take anymore and bursts into the office.
Mr Mitchell immediately confronts Toby. “And who the hell are you?”
Toby counters with “I’m Wren, I had an appointment”
Mr Mitchell “And do you normally come bursting into people’s offices?”
Mr Ellis gets up “It’s alright I am going”
Mr Mitchell shouts at Mr Ellis “You will stay where you are. Mr Ellis please and Mr Wren will wait outside if he doesn’t mind”
Toby leaves and shuts the door behind him just as Miss Sephton returns through another door to the office.
Mr Mitchell “Now we are going to move you”
Mr Ellis “ I am still under contract”
Mr Mitchell “To another department”
Mr Ellis ”I am employed here as Chief Chemist”
Mr Mitchell “You haven’t read the small print”
Mr Ellis then threatens to protest to the President of the society of the company and see his solicitor. “Write to the Sunday papers” adds Mr Mitchell to which he replies, “Yes, I might even do that”, replies Mr Ellis.
Mr Mitchell “You still don’t see do you?”
Mr Mitchell asks Mr Ellis if he knows what he did two years ago. Mr Mitchell reminds Mr Ellis as he pours himself a Whisky. When Mr Mitchell asked him to conduct a field pilot on the 3051, Mr Ellis complained that it was too dangerous. Mr Mitchell explained to him that it was exactly the object of the exercise, to find out how dangerous it was. He continues despite a protest by Mr Ellis that he had been back to Somerset recently. Mr Mitchell “We have found out how dangerous it is, and we’ve been working ever since to reduce the dangers.” “Slightly” adds Ellis. Mr Mitchell “Now we come down to economics. If we do not export 3051 in massive quantity we expire.
Mr Ellis looks beaten by the argument. Mr Mitchell then offers him a job in distribution, telling him that it will require some training and a little scientific knowledge would be a help. Mr Mitchell opens the door to his office and tells his secretary that he will see Mr Wren while Mr Ellis is still standing, mulling the offer over. As Toby enters Mr Ellis leaves without a word or even acknowledging Toby.
Mr Mitchell welcomes Toby with a false cheery smile and asks him to take a seat and offers him a cigarette that Toby accepts. “Your from the ministry of national security” Mr Mitchell’s says while lighting Toby’s cigarette for him. Toby tells him that his department is interested in pesticides. “So are we” adds Mitchell. Mr Mitchell asks Toby what his job is. Toby tells Mr Mitchell he has the empowerment to ask Mr Mitchell for a sample of the new pesticide they are manufacturing so that we can test it for dangerous effects on wildlife. Mr Mitchell finds this amusing...
(Please read next post as Michael Seely continues the synopsis from there. I just found a bit more of my synopsis on my old PC! Arrgghhh!) I have inserted it below anyway)
...and tells Toby that’s very frank, and he likes it. “I’m empowered to ask, very beaurocratic” he says. Mr Mitchell asks Toby for the official ministry address as he “…doesn’t accept any character that walks in here and asks for a sample of his latest product.” “No…” Toby adds in agreement and he starts to write the address down on a piece of paper reminding Mr Mitchell that he did make an appointment through the proper channels. Mr Mitchell tells Toby that still doesn’t tell him who he is. When Toby has finished he hand the paper to Mr Mitchell and cheekily adds “Would you like to see my driving licence as well?” Mr Mitchell laughs and tells Toby not to be touchy. Mr Mitchell seems satisfied and then shows Toby a picture of a bug explaining that this is Public Enemy No.1. “This little fellow kills people by taking away their food.” “This new pesticide…” starts Toby. “Will kill that” Mr Mitchell continues “3051” says Toby “3051? What’s that?” Mr Mitchell repeats as if he is unaware of the significance. “I was rather hoping you were going to tell me” replies Toby.
Mr Mitchell, still smiling, is now suspicious of Toby and suggests to him that he might be working for one of the other firms in the same business as himself who would pay quite a bit for information about his company. Toby counters this, by asking if Mr Mitchell would like to ring the minister. With this Mr Mitchell, with a serious look on his face then accepts Toby’s credentials. Mr Mitchell tells Toby that he is annoyed that he hasn’t asked once about the results of his tests and asks him if he thinks that his company is irresponsible and done exhaustive field tests of their own? He doesn’t wait for an answer and tells Toby that the conclusion he draws from that is his company is proven guilty before being proven innocent. “Our tests will be carried out under strict supervision” counters Toby. Mr Mitchell tells him that he hasn’t time because his first shipment is due out in the next week and if the company don’t get the consignment off, the other firms he mentioned would be there and Wren will have to wait for his sample after he has cornered the market.
Back at Doomwatch Toby explains the situation to Ridge. Ridge seems to think that Quist will see Tony’s story as biased because he knows Mr Ellis. Toby is angry and thinks because he can’t have a sample Alminster Chemicals are up to something. Ridge explains the American use of Train and De-train (when a man’s usefulness is over they get rid of him by reducing his morale, leading to their resignation) a cheaper alternative than upsetting the unions.
Ridge is analyzing the grasshoppers and locusts he collected from Somerset. Toby sees a link. He thinks Alminster did a test there. John isn’t convinced and thinks they will need a sample from Alminster as a comparison. Because Quist isn’t in the office he makes a trip there.
At the main gate at Alminster, the guard phones through and lets Ridge pass. Toby is hiding in the boot. When all his clear he signals to him and Toby gets out. Mitchell is in his office when Ridge arrives in a suit pretending to help with exports. Toby makes his way to the lab and meets Mr Ellis who is on his own. Back in Mitchells office Ridge is given a list of the current exporters that Alminster use. Meanwhile, Mr Ellis is unaware of the test carried out in Somerset. He tells Toby that the previous meeting he was witness to was a misunderstanding between Mr Mitchell and himself and he has been put in charge of a new department. Mr Ellis has a sample of AC3051. He is reluctant to give it to Toby. While he decides, he asks him what the wildlife mortality rate was. Toby tells him that practically everything but earthworms were left alive. Mr Ellis is in a dilemma, save human lives or save the wildlife. Mr Ellis decides not to give the sample to Toby, but leaves it on the table with the understanding that Toby will take it. Then he leaves Toby on his own. Toby takes a sample AC3051 just as he is about to leave he is caught by Mr Branston, one of the lab technicians. Mr Mitchell receives a call that there has been an intruder and leaves Dr. Ridge for a moment
26:59s
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Post by DR. QUIST on Jul 1, 2010 8:51:34 GMT -5
Train and De-train By Don Shaw Synopsis continuation by Michael Seely
Mitchell asks Toby for his official ministry address which he gives, somewhat ungraciously. We can tell that he does not like Mitchell one little bit. Satisfied for the moment, Mitchell shows him a picture of public enemy number one, a locust. ''This little fellow kills people by taking away their food.' Wren asks if 3051 was going to kill them? Mitchell feigns no knowledge of the serial number and wonders if Wren is an industrial spy. Wren invites him to phone the Minister. Mitchell chooses to accept his credentials and then turns colder and harder... 'You know what annoys me? You haven't once asked me for the results of our tests. Do you think we are irresponsible? Don't you think we have conducted exhaustive field tests of our own? And you know what conclusion we draw from that? We are guilty before proven innocent.' He refuses to hand over a sample of their new pesticide. They have to export from next week or their competitors will be there. He can have his sample after they corner the market.
Back at the Doomwatch lab, as Bradley is examining the corpses of the wildlife, Ridge is finding it difficult to calm down Wren who is still angry from Mitchell's treatment of Ellis. 'Do you want Quist to think that a member of his team is showing lack of balance?' Wren pretends it is more Mitchell's refusal to give them a sample. Ridge isn't fooled. He explains that Ellis is experiencing a standard procedure in the States: 'A man's usefulness goes, and so not to upset the Unions or the professional organisations they get rid of him by reducing his moral. He resigns and everybody is happy. If he complains they de-train him... equip him for him for work in a less trained capacity which is what will happen to you, mate if you go on as you are a doing of!' Ridge is studying dead grasshoppers which Wren suddenly decides is the link between the Somerset tests and the locusts! But Ridge isn't satisfied especially since Quist isn't here to take action, which leads to Wren astonished by Ridge's attitude and nearly being thrown out of the window by Ridge! Having calmed Toby down, Ridge explains that they need a sample of the pesticide to compare it to the toxins which killed the animals. 'You're not going down to Alminster, are you?' asks Wren. 'Who me?'
We next see Ridge in his car waiting to be admitted into Alminster by the gatehouse keeper. He is let inside the main compound and stops the car to let out Toby – who is concealed in the boot!
Mitchell is told via the intercom that Mr. Ridge is here... Mitchell is delighted to the see any man who is going to help them with their exports!
Wren is looking for the chief chemist's lab and has to hide when Branston emerges from an office. He finds a reflective Ellis in the laboratory, finishing work.
Mitchell shows Ridge a list of all the export people they have been in contact with recently. Ridge's cover is working for the Export Advisory Service... Mitchell pours him a glass of whisky. 'That's what I like. A man who is sure, certain...'
Wren explains to his former tutor that the container marked AC was found in the affected area. Ellis kindly, and perhaps still loyal to Alminster chemicals, says that it isn't proof. He tries to justify the argument Wren overheard the other day, a misunderstanding. He has been offered another job. He will be in charge of another department shortly. He returns to the subject of the ecological disaster. Wren explains that apart from the odd earthworm, there is very little left alive. Ellis declines to hand over a sample, He ponders over the dilemma. 'Trying to save human lives by using such a method and the side effects on the wildlife. I was always most careful, myself. To monitor tests under the most stringent safe guards...' Then there's the problems of production, distribution: economics. He envies Wren's job. As he leaves, he suggests that like the myopic sea captain, he could just leave the evidence behind... after all he has every confidence in their product. Wren does that, taking a tiny sample from a jar and places it in a test tube. But as he leaves, runs straight into Branston.
Mitchell is informed of this development, and goes into the outer office where he is not surprised to see the man from the ministry, Wren escorted by Branston and a security guard. Ridge takes advantage of this to study some documents in Mitchell's desk. Wren is sent into the office, whilst Branston tells Mitchell Ellis was in the lab shortly before. Mitchell wants to see Ellis and sends Branston to check if anything is missing from the lab...
Mitchell tells Ridge that an important matter has arisen and Ridge takes this as his cue to leave, secretly wriggling his eyebrows at the crestfallen Wren. As far as Mitchell is concerned, Wren works for another chemicals manufacturer, a common thief, working a nice spot of industrial espionage... Wren tells him to phone his department and they will vouch for him. Mitchell gets Miss Sephton to do just that – and to check upon Ridge's credentials too. Mr Ellis has arrived. And the fireworks begin... Mitchell asks the former chief chemist how much did Wren pay him? Wren is shocked: Ellis was his tutor at Cambridge. 'I see, all is revealed. You get the push and you get your revenge by giving away false information.' Ellis denies this, he has after all signed the firm's security documentation, and has been loyal and upheld Alminster's principles. Mitchell angrily accuses him of bleating about principles when found out. 'Something you couldn't understand, Mr Mitchell.' 'As interpreted by you, no I don't think I could.' Ellis resigns. Mitchell retorts firmly 'Good.' Wren is appalled but Ellis tells him he can fight his own battles and leaves with dignity. Wren turns on Mitchell and calls him a bastard. He is almost speechless at the injustice of it all. 'You don't care what you do, do you, with business or with men.' Mitchell starts to calmly encourage Wren to say more, about why working at Alminster was not a good idea. Unknown to Wren, Mitchell begins a tape recorder in a desk drawer. 'I think you're a bit of an idealist, Mr Wren.' 'Yes, it's a bloody nuisance, isn't it?' He refuses to take the blame for Ellis losing his job. 'Why don't you look at yourself, Mr Mitchell. Because I'm going to make sure that everybody sees you for what you are.'
After Wren has gone, Branston rushes into Mitchell's office as he asks Miss Sephton to make a transcript of the tape. Branston is convinced that a sample of 3051 has been taken from the lab. Mitchell knows that Wren had been alone in his office long enough to slip anything he had pinched to Ridge. And he also receives confirmation that there is no one called Ridge at the Export Advisory Service. He gives Miss Sephton some instructions, the copy the tape and send it to the number Wren gave them yesterday. 'I don't think that Mr Wren is going to find his future career very attractive... By next week we'd have started distribution.'
A numb Ellis opens a locker in his lab, inside are a series of bottles and jars of chemicals... He looks at them for a while...
The next day in Quist's office, Ridge and Bradley are listening to the tape. They both agree that Quist ought to be told. Ridge asks Pat to get through to him in New York.
Ellis walks up to a post box, uncertain whether to post a letter or not. But the decision is made for him when an impatient lady thrusts her letters through the slot, including Ellis's. He turns and walk away.
The following day, that letter is received by Mitchell. He smiles after he reads it and sets it on fire and uses it to light a cigar... He asks Miss Sephton on the intercom if Ellis has cleared out of his office yet, and gets irritable that she is not responding. He wants to see Ellis if he is still there. A stunned Miss Sephton enters his office. 'I thought you knew... It was in the paper last night'
Quist has returned and confronts a sullen Wren about the tape. 'I'm giving you the boot, Toby. You can stay as long as it takes to get another job. You'll get a damn good reference.' Wren tells him that Ellis is dead and it looks like suicide. 'Nothing to do with you,' says Quist. 'I'm sorry, Toby.' He asks Ridge to come in as Wren leaves. Ridge could tell by his face that Wren had been given the chop. Quist explains that Wren is going because he used his personal feelings to influence his work. Whatever the outcome he worked in a manner that was completely unacceptable, 'And you know it.' Ridge doesn't argue. But Quist is intrigued and wants to go down to Alminster with Ridge. Why didn't Mitchell send that tape to the newspapers or even the political boys? 'That man has got something to hide.'
Dr Quist is taken to see Mitchell who hopes he has returned the sample he stole. Quist explains that he would not have behaved like that if he had cooperated. Mitchell assumes Quist wants the tape back because it puts his department in a bit of a spot. Quist doesn't deny or confirm that. Mitchell asks where Ridge is, hoping they're not play the 'old one two' again... 'Because it is games we are playing, I hold all the cards this time.'
Ridge is talking to an indifferent Branston about the Alminster tests but Branston counters that guests don't ask rude questions. He has only been working for the firm for a year, which allows Ridge to deduce when the tests were carried out. 'Sorry,' says Branston, 'all I'm allowed to give is name rank and number. Geneva convention, you know.' Ridge points out that chemical warfare was banned by the Geneva convention and that was broken.
Mitchell tells Quist that these tests would interfere with their production, delaying them for at least five months, and that Quist wants to take away evidence of a vendetta by a member of his staff. 'Of course I'll threaten you with it unless you get off our backs.' Quist leaves; he'll think about it.
Bradley is conducting animal tests with the pesticide. One of the white rats looks as if it's dying. 'Our pesticide is harmless,' quotes Wren scornfully. But Bradley can't be sure until they've had a post mortem. Wren asks what the dose rate is, an idea forming in his head. A dose every eight hours. It would take about three days to die. He leaves the Doomwatch laboratory in a hurry, ignoring Pat, struggling with her type-writer.
Wren visits the pathologist, Stevens, who is conducting the autopsy on Ellis, claiming that Quist had sent him down investigating the dangerous effects of exo-toxins on wildlife. The inquest isn't until the day after tomorrow and the pathologist won't have any definite information until tomorrow at the earliest. By his manner, the pathologist isn't quite satisfied with Wren's credentials but doesn't say anything, takes Wren's number ('It's Doctor Quist's actually.') to let him know the details of the case, despite the legalities to observe...
The next day, Wren asks Pat if anybody called Stevens has rung yet but he hasn't. There is a letter for him but Wren disappears back inside the laboratory. The 'phone rings and it is Stevens asking to talk to Doctor Quist. Quist is going back down to Alminster chemicals and refuses to take the call. 'Never heard of him. People get our number and think we're some sort of reference library.' He walks out. Pat smiles.
Bradley picks out of the control group the first dead rat. Wren wonders what would be the equivalent period for a human to die from the pesticide. Bradley estimates it would take about sixteen months. Pat tells Toby that his Mr. Stevens is on the phone.
Wren takes the call and explains that Dr Quist is busy. The news he is told shocks and saddens him. He tells Pat that Ellis took a massive dose of poison. 'So he didn't die from slow absorption. I just thought he might have proved it was lethal, that's all. Industrial hazard.' ' He finally reads the letter, He grabs his coat and leaves.
Mitchell tells Quist that in the past year they have spent twenty thousand pounds on safety tests alone. They want a safe product but there isn't time. And despite losing in a competitive market, there are people dying. The locust effectively kills people by starvation. Their pesticide will stop that. Quist doesn't dispute the short term effects. Mitchell interrupts. He knows, the balance of nature. But they will continually improve their product. '
MITCHELL: What do you think we're doing? Spraying vast areas of luscious vegetation? There is no vegetation where the locust has been, not even an animal could live there. So where is your nature to be unbalanced?'
QUIST: You unbalanced it in Somerset.
MITCHELL: Prove it.
Quist isn't satisfied and asks for his official cooperation in a series of tests on 3051. Mitchell replies that he cannot be forced and he has evidence of a personal vendetta against him by a member of his department. Talking of whom, Wren's arrival is announced. How did he get in? Mitchell agrees to see him, as Quist tries to maintain a poker face. 'Gluttons for punishment your staff,' jokes Mitchell. Wren is shown in, explaining he has come to apologise. Mitchell takes this on face value and is offered a seat next to Quist who does not make eye contact. 'Go home, Toby.' 'No, Mr Mitchell does deserve an apology.' Mr Ellis didn't die because of the way he had been treated or given the sack. Mitchell feigns bafflement. The inquest hadn't been yet. Wren asks him if he had got the letter yet. His tone is changing to something a bit more hard. Mitchell denies understanding what Wren is on about. Wren reads out the letter he has been sent. It was a copy, like the tape, and from Ellis. The original was sent to him.
'I was forced into conducting tests into 3051 which I knew would be dangerous. 3051 is still dangerous despite improvements and I will not be party to indiscriminate pollution.' It is signed by Ellis.
After suggesting it was forged by Wren, Mitchell then it is revenge, the suicide proves how unbalanced his mind was. Quist asks Toby if he has informed the police yet. Wren was rather expecting that Mitchell would do that. He still carries on with the denials and fails to see the significance of the signed copy. Quist does. 'It will be read out in open court by the coroner. The implication is that Alminster chemicals have been ruthlessly developing a new pesticide. '
'But that isn't quite true, is it Doctor Quist?' 'It doesn't really matter ... It will be read out in open court.' He could have sent dozens of other copies. Police, newspapers. Mitchell gives in 'Alright, you can have your bloody tape back.'
Quist thanks him. 'And your official co-operation?'
As they return to their cars, Wren holds open the door for Quist to leave the building. They pause but nothing is said, Quist quickly goes to his car as Wren returns to his, they look at each other in the car park but Quist feels uncomfortable. Any grain of comfort Wren is hoping for isn't there.
As Ridge tells Pat, it's Quist's greatest fault: admits he is wrong. Pat thinks Quist will keep him but ridge isn't sure. Brad reports another dead rat. Pat says that no one isn't bothered about this wildlife. Brad explains that they are not wildlife; they are bred for experimentation. 'Bred to die,' murmurs Pat. 'Well, it's either them or you.,' says Brad.
Quist is studying Wren's completed report on the Greenland lice. He uses it as a pretext for giving Toby another chance. Toby doesn't want it. 'Don't you go self-pitying on me!' 'Just because I got a letter you can't reinstate me because of that.' It's the Greenland report Quist likes. He gives Wren a look and Wren smiles and agrees. Quist passes him over the tapes, and tells him to get rid of them.
The next morning, or perhaps some time later, Branston enters Mitchell's office reading for a meeting with 'them.'
Mitchell drives into work and finds Branston's car is in his parking space. He is furious and blocks the car in.
He enters his office as Miss Sephton emerges from his own private office and tells him that Mr Schultz is in there. Mitchell tells her to tell Branston to move his car. 'I can't do that now, sir,' she replies, with a sense almost of satisfaction. 'Well he's in there with Mr Schultz and another head office man, I think Mr Thorley. They said they weren't to be disturbed – at any cost.' Left alone, he sees the implication and slams his briefcase to the floor.
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Post by michael on Jul 2, 2010 13:50:34 GMT -5
BURIAL AT SEA
It is a fine, clear day off the Devon coast and coming into shot is a luxury yacht called The Saracen which appears to be deserted. Apart from the sea gulls and the gentle lapping of the channel, there is silence. The cabin appears to be empty too. Outside, the lifeboat arrives, and one of the lifeboat men tries to hail the Saracen with a loud hailer. The lifeboat men board the craft and call for the crew. Inside the main cabin we see an old cannon, pointing to the main door. A lifeboat man bursts in and reacts to this antique with surprise and shock. Then he sees the four bodies on the floor.... They are young people, barely in their twenties, two men and two women. (They are Cobie Vale and Keith Rogers, members of a very famous pop group called The Hoarse Chestnuts. The two girls are Angela Connor and Janet Redstone. 'All four lie in grotesque shapes. They could be drugged unconscious or dead...'
TITLES
The Saracen is taken to Plymouth harbour where a policeman stands on guard duty.
Quist is reading of the mystery in his office. Details of the story are concerning the man. Bradley enters to tell him that they are ready for the sterilised food experiment. Quist asks Bradley if he has ever been yachting. Bradley confesses not since he was a boy and then noticing the newspaper story understands. 'I didn't realise you were a fan.' The joke is lost on Quist who calls in Pat. Bradley heard about the case on the car radio into work. They are still unconscious and the theory is a drugs overdose. Quist asks Pat to get Plymouth General (hospital) Doctor Collinson on the phone. Pat also notices the newspaper story and tells that sister has all their records and some days you can't – Quist gently asks her to get on with it. Bradley didn't think there was anything here for Doomwatch.
Somebody else concerned about the story is Peter Hazlewood, he is ADC to Sir Richard Tranton and goes to see the man. Tranton's office has a large model of the proposed Westingham Docks. Tranton is very proud of this and is keen to discuss it with Hazlewood. It will be his first job for the Transport Board to see the project through. Tranton is retiring from naval matters and promises to focus on these matters before his new job. Hazlewood asks Tranton if he had read the story in the newspaper. Tranton could hardly miss it. 'Just about everything pop singers so these days makes National news...' Hazlewood asks him if he is aware of where this happened. It seems that their symptoms reminds him of something and they must have sailed across Hounds Deep. Tranton stops him there and tells him it can only be coincidence. They can't have been the first boat to have sailed across it. He is quite surprised that Hazlewood is even concerned. Hazlewood agrees and apologises. He leaves some letters for signature and leaves, leaving behind the newspaper. Tranton looks at the story for a moment before shaking his head and returns to his desk to sign the papers.
Quist is studying a file Bradley has brought in when Pat on the intercom has Plymouth General on the line. They are trying to find Doctor Collinson for him.
The reason for this is that Collinson's phone is off the hook. Collinson enters his office but has a pack of reporters on his heel demanding answers. One of them, Johnny Clive, seems to be their spokesman. He tells them that statements will be issued at the right time as always. Clive won't give up and wants to see Cobie Vale. A police superintendent helps to quietly usher them away. Collinson thanks the policeman but is told that he will have questions for him soon. Tired, the doctor agrees. According to the Superintendent, there is still two crew members unaccounted for... A search is going on but they will want to talk to the pop band when they recover. He gets onto the phone he came here for and is put through to Quist who introduces himself of Doomwatch, Ministry of National Security. Quist thanks him for his time, knowing he must be a busy man. At the moment, no one knows the cause of the four's illness. They have run tests but Collinson doesn't want to jump to conclusions. Still, Quist is welcome to what he knows... 'ECG normal, Serum proteins normal, Urinalysis-protein traces. Neurological examination – some peripheral nerve irritability. Extension plantar responses! Blood count... Haemoglobin 74%.' During all this, the Superintendent is aware that there is someone outside the door and finds Johnny Clive trying to eaves drop! Rumbled, Clive smiles and goes away. Quist asks Collinson what does he make of the blood count. There's evidence of red cell destruction and some circulatory toxin. After some more results, Quist thinks that they are quite unusual. Collinson says that if these people had taken drugs, he doesn't know which sort would leave this effect.
Quist has been jotting down notes and asks Bradley to analyse them. He summons Ridge and Wren immediately!
Tranton is deep in paper work when he catches sight of the newspaper again, and has a moment of doubt. He glances at a sea chart on his wall and then drops the newspaper into his bin, but he remains thoughtful...
Coble's picture was in the paper, and we now see him in his private ward. Collinson finishes examining the pop singer and asks the nurse to let him know if anything worries her...
A second ward contains Angela who Collinson also visits and asks the nurse if there has been any change in her coma? There hasn't.
In the outside corridor, the Superintendent calls him and Collinson answers his question before he asks it: no change. The policeman has found out that Cobie Vale has been arrested two years earlier for drug offences. That doesn't help, but what would help is the police finding a sample of whatever it is they have taken. Nothing has been found yet. They haven't even determined the exact nature of the charges yet. Where are those two crew members?
That question is soon answered by the two corpses that are washed up on shore...
Wren and Ridge arrive at Plymouth station and find a taxi to take them to the hotel. Their arrival has been noticed by Johnny Clive...
The two Doomwatch men settle into their hotel by having a drink in the bar which is heavily decorated in shipping paranphenalia.
(PAGE MISSING FROM THE SCRIPT. Johnny Clive introduces himself , he seems to know Ridge as he calls Wren new).
Clive, of course, is fishing for information on the Cobie Vale business but Ridge instead gets some info out of him. The police have searched the boat several times and haven't found any drugs. He talks about the disappeared crew men as his glass is being refilled... He also knows that the group were treasure hunting. 'I would've thought they'd got enough loot already... I mean, they get eight gold discs last year alone. Still, I suppose a ship full of gold bullion would come in handy – even to them...' When he asks Ridge what they are doing here, 'Would you believe a holiday?' Wren jokes that they are on sick leave, suffering from clipped wings! They leave Clive at the bar looking a bit rueful.
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Post by michael on Jul 2, 2010 13:51:20 GMT -5
In another part of the bar, Wren asks Ridge if Clive really knows anything? Ridge doubts that but he is certainly getting wind of a story. 'Some of those boys have a sixth sense.' Ridge decides to get over to the hospital and sends Wren along to the harbour and to take a look at the Saracen. He doesn't know why: the police have found nothing. 'But they were looking for drugs...' Clive bids them good evening and enjoy their holiday! Ridge and Wren decide to meet at ten o' clock.
Admiral Tranton is visiting his club full of civil servant and military types. Tranton finds whom he is looking for; Astley, a man in his fifties and rather bluff. Astley is surprised to see Tranton and offers him a drink. The Admiral is not sure whether his forthcoming retirement is a matter for congratulations or condolences. Tranton is troubled and hoped Astley could spare a moment to discuss something he feels is ridiculous, but 'you were the consultant employed... and naturally I don't want to leave any loose ends...' Astley hasn't understood a word Richard Tranton has said. He brings up the Saracen. 'You can see no... possible connections?' Astley is amused much to Tranton's annoyance. Of course the thing is ridiculous. 'Admiral, I can assure you that despite popular disbelief, not every advisory board is composed of idiots. I can assure you, also, that our task was accomplished with a high safety margin. Any other suggestion, from any quarter, would be totally irresponsible...'
Cobie begins to recover, he opens his eyes, takes in his surroundings but his face is expressionless, moves with slow, deliberate movements. The nurse phones for Collinson as Cobie tries to sit up and get out of bed. When Collinson arrives, Vale is sitting on the edge of the bed, seemingly in a trance. The doctor tests his reflexes but nothing. Vale seems to see them, but not understand them...
Wren has waited for his chance to slip aboard the moored Saracen. He takes in the cabin
Ridge is in a hospital corridor and is talking to the Superintendent who was expecting him. He asks Ridge what he is hoping to find and he doesn't see the case as straightforward as he does... 'Are you suggesting an exchange of information?' asks Ridge. No, he doesn't – unless of course Ridge finds something... Everything points to drugs, the Superintendent believes. They had found the two dead crewmen on Wembury Beach that afternoon.
Wren spends his time, looking through charts, books and the ship's logs. He is comparing notes on some of these but his attention keeps being drawn to the eighteenth century cannon in the centre of the room. He notices a small patch of slime between the barrel and the base. He touches it and sniffs it cautiously...
Meanwhile Collinson is arguing with the Superintendent who wants to talk to Vale, if not, the girl, Angela, who has recovered. She may not be senseless as Vale, but if it is a drug they have taken, they wouldn't necessarily have taken the same dose. Ridge has followed the conversation and chips in that he had heard that the band went treasure hunting. Ridge has no idea, but if they want to find out what happened on-board the Saracen the police will have to take whatever help they can get. The Superintendent agrees. It seems the Saracen were looking for an eighteenth century Indiaman. They had brought up a cannon.
Wren takes a sample of the slime and puts it into a jar with a spoon handle – when he notices that his hands are shaking. He is puzzled and with an effort of will completes his task. But then the shaking appears to become uncontrollable, he is on the verge of convulsion.
The shaking of the hands is repeated by Angela, now conscious, struggling to remember. Cobie suffered the worst, he fainted, she remembers. Collinson, the Superintendent and Ridge are listening. She is relieved that the others are still alive. She explains they were celebrating when they brought up the cannon, having a party, and this interests the Superintendent. There was champagne, but she denies any drugs were involved, very strongly. Collinson has to stop the questioning as Angela becomes distressed. .Angela repeats herself, they did not take drugs.
Outside in the corridor, the Superintendent is disappointed by what she has said. 'It depends,' says Ridge, 'on whether you believe her or not.'
Wren has recovered from his shaking bout but he seems to be in a dazed and dreamlike state, uncaring, emotionless. It is similar to how we saw Cobie Vale earlier. Wren is suddenly aware of someone else in the cabin. He sees someone in the doorway – it is himself! This Wren is normal, smiling... Wren tries to go over to this figure and then collapses into a grotesque position...
Ridge phones up Quist to report on his findings so far from the hotel. The fact that they were treasure hunting alerts Quist. Their location, fifty miles off Start Point is right over Hounds Deep... It's a deep trench in the Channel, sixty to seventy miles long. He wants to speak to Wren as soon as he comes back. Ridge is getting a little confounded as to what is keeping Wren and decides to go and look for him.
Ridge goes on-board the Saracen and finds his friend spread-eagled on the floor of the cabin.
Wren is rushed to hospital where Collinson diagnoses that Toby has the same symptoms as the others but possibly less severe. Taking Ridge into his office, he confesses it is too early to tell if he is going to pull through. They are working in the dark. Cobie Vale's condition has worsened. He is now in the Intensive Care Unit. Ridge tries to telephone Quist but he is no longer at the office.
The following day, Quist has a meeting with the Minister, one whom he has not met before. This one is very much the career politician. He is all smiles and welcomes to Quist when he enters the room. 'Unlike some of my colleagues I have great respect for your reputation... and record...' Quist is surprised, he simply wanted information and there was no need to involve himself personally. Quist wants to know about the dumping sites at sea. The Minister explains that there is, as he well knows, an active specialist committee which is responsible for the technology of the operation. Quist needs to know more than that. 'Last September, if my memory serves me well, five European countries jettisoned eleven thousand tons in the Atlantic alone.' The minister remembers: they were in steel and concrete containers. 'Then there was the drum of radioactive waste that was washed up at (blank) in Lincolnshire.' The USA took responsibility over that one and removed it. 'I'm making the point... that oceans are becoming vast dustbins.' The Minister takes this point. Quist brings the discussion to the business of the Saracen. 'I believe they brought something up from the bottom of the sea that they didn't count on...' Quist hopes that it is only a theory as the Minister points out. It happened over Hounds Deep – a dumping site. It certainly isn't radioactive poisoning that they are suffering from. Quist wants to know just what was buried at Hounds Deep. The Minister, echoing Astley earlier, repeats that the people who do this sort of thing are not as irresponsible as Quist seems to suggest. He is quite certain that every precaution has been taken. Quist says: 'There's always an 'X' factor.' Agreeing that the police should continue with their investigation, Quist wants to continue with his. The Minister agrees to look into it further. 'Doctor, I remarked on your arrival, that I had a great respect for your record and reputation. Perhaps I can now say that I think on this occasion you are wrong. Very wrong.' Quist can live with that. After Quist leaves, the Minister telephones Admiral Tranton.
'Fat lot of good that was, he shut up like a clam. Well, what are you two looking so long in the tooth about?' demands Quist as he returns to his office. Pat tells him that whilst he was with the Minister, Ridge rang and told them about Wren's condition. Ridge had tried to contact Quist , explains Pat but Quist cuts in and decides to go down to Plymouth straight away. Pat has already second guessed him and has booked the taxi and the twelve thirty train. 'Good girl – facing the engine? ... Can't stand travelling backwards.' 'Funny,' remarks Brad. 'some of our government superiors seem to make a habit of it.'
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Post by michael on Jul 2, 2010 13:52:04 GMT -5
Cobie Vale has died. Collinson examined him and a nurse covers his face with a sheet.
At the hotel bar, Quist is brought up to date by Ridge on Wren's condition. He is not as bad as the others but still cannot speak.
Wren is conscious but simply cannot communicate. He is making the effort and even the nurse can tell he wants to say something. He looks over at his clothes, in a cupboard and in particular his jacket.
Ridge talks about rumours that the police would bring charges under the drugs act, but that they are holding out for something bigger. The theory is that the youngsters took drugs, became very 'hopped up' and pushed overboard the two crewmen as they tried to intervene. All they determined about the two dead men is that they drowned. 'No... complications? Or did nobody think it worth looking?' muses Quist. He decides it is time to look at the Saracen.
Wren is still trying to alert the nurse to what he wants – the jar in his jacket but all he can manage is to point at the cupboard...
Quist uses a Geiger counter in the cabin of the Saracen. The cannon gives the strongest reading. It isn't strong enough to have had caused the illness but Quist wasn't expecting this. Ridge examines the log. It seems they were treasure hunting over the sunken boat mentioned earlier. They brought up the cannon four days ago – using high explosives. Quist: 'High explosive!'
Wren has managed to reach the cupboard and take out the jar from his pocket, helped by the nurse. Collinson enters, and soon is joined by Quist and Ridge. Collinson gives him an update, he is not as bad as the others. 'He hasn't been talking – but he seems to understand where he is.' Wren is clutching the jar in his hand which Quist wonders if it is from the Saracen? Wren nods slowly. 'Well done Toby!' says Quist. This is big praise from his boss, and it registers with Toby. Quist and Ridge take the jar and leave. Quist intends to get Bradley to analyse the contents of the jar and leaves Ridge behind.
The Minister is in conference with Tranton and Hazlewood, and he is not happy. 'So – Quist was right and I assured him that my people would take every precaution...' Tranton defends himself and the committee and explains that they examined three alternatives – underground burial, chemical dispersal or dumping at sea. Tremors and having no containers that could withstand the pressures ruled out the first choice. Cost ruled out the safest – chemical disposal. So dumping was chosen. The Minister sends Hazlewood out of the room and tells Tranton that this was not referred back to him. 'Minister, you gave us the authority.' 'I gave you the responsibility.' Tranton refers to the files the Minister is examining. 'A decision had to be made. On the facts you have in front of you – burial at sea was economic, and gave almost a one hundred per cent safety factor.' The way the meeting is going, it is clear that the Minister is pinning the blame on Tranton to avoid responsibility himself. The Minister denies having all the facts presented to him, and that Tranton assumed that funds would not be found for the chemical weapons. 'Would they have?' 'Admiral, you're posing a hypothetical question...' If there are any further developments, Tranton will have to see Doctor Quist himself. Giving Tranton a drink, the Minister makes some veiled threats... 'It wouldn't do, you know, if this resolved itself into a public enquiry... For example, it would present difficulties, make your pending appointment to the Transport Board almost impossible... Say when.'
Quist returns to the office and asks Brad to analyse the jar as quickly as possible. Pat tells him that the Minister 'phoned. The person he wants is Admiral Sir Richard Tranton...
As he tells Ridge, the Superintendent as far as he is concern, recent events have vindicated his theories. This leaves Ridge baffled and doesn't have a chance to find out more.
When Quist meets Admiral Tranton, he meets Astley, Quist comes straight to the point: the waste dumped at Hounds Deep contains nuclear waste – below the permitted level, but also nerve gas. Tranton agrees. Astley tries to defend the committee but is interrupted by Tranton to let Quist continue. 'I now have evidence that it was this that caused the tragedy aboard the Saracen.' He hands over a report on the sample Wren found. It contains an abundant yield of aze-phosphates. The consignment will have to be brought up and destroyed by a more satisfactory method. The alternative is that the gas will seep into the water. Quist changes tack to get through to them. A few gallons can wipe out a nation! When the Americans did a rocket test with nerve gas on an isolated island, the wind changed direction and killed several thousand sheep forty miles away. Tranton agrees but doesn't think that there has been a leak from the consignment on that scale. Astley points out that the containers were designed to corrode in 140 years by which time the nerve gas would be dispersed with no harm to human life. Quist brings up the high explosives used by the treasure hunters. Tranton admits one of the containers may have been damaged. 'It was more than that!' retorted Quist. The slime could hardly have been all that dangerous if Toby Wren – who had direct contact is progressing well. The cannon had been exposed for four days. Tranton has received a report suggesting that cannabis and cocaine were discovered in Vale and Roger's effects. They did take drugs. Traces, admittedly, but enough. 'It changes nothing I've said!' 'Doesn't it?' Tranton favours the combined effect caused Cobie Vale's death. Tranton stands, bringing the meeting to an end. This has been an isolated incident. He refuses to accept that the containers have sustained damage – the evidence Quist says they are likely to get is deaths! 'That has the ring of personal opinion about it...' says Tranton, assured that the Minister will support his view. Quist walks out of the room, leaving Astley to feel that Quist has been taken care of. But the Admiral isn't so sure...
Bradley and Quist study a sea chart and work out the direction in which the spread of the poison would take. They have formulated a theory – which Quist hopes is wrong. Ridge will find someone to use this information...
Ridge tells a suspicious Jonny Clive to go down to the Felm Estuary where he'll find his big story. He'll let him know if he finds anything. As he leaves, Ridge murmurs, 'Johnny, you'll let everybody know...'
Johnny finds the 'story' – the area is littered with dead birds.
Worse still, a woman and a child who had been shrimping in a rock pool five miles around the coast have been brought in to the hospital and Collinson is treating them.
Wren has recovered enough to be sitting up in bed and is talking to Ridge. It seems that Quist has his ammunition now. 'Evidence, Toby, evidence. You did not suffer in vain.' Toby asks for a cigarette but has some grapes offered instead – a present from Ridge.
The evidence is enough for the Minister. Quist is not apportioning blame. He just wants it put right before anyone else suffers.
The Admiral has seen the reports in the newspaper. He is on the phone to the Minister, grim faced. 'Yes, minister. I have it here.... Your instructions will be carried out, Minister...' As he moves to the door, he takes one last look at the model of the harbour. 'We can tell from his face that the only view he will get of it is the one he is getting now...' He looks at his desk and then leaves the office, closing the door behind him.
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Post by michael on Jul 3, 2010 14:39:03 GMT -5
SYNOPSIS:
Four strangely dressed young ladies wearing a checker board patterned miniskirt and silver tights ambush two City Gents with a tray of sweets which they eagerly sample...
TITLES
The mews within which this activity is occuring happens to be where Pat Hunnisett lives. She's in a bit of a hurry and doesn't look terribly happy, but quickly takes an offered chocolate and eats it.
When she arrives at the office, Bradley is making some tea and scolds Pat for being late, who is sent in to see Quist.
Quist is finishing off a call from the Minister and Ridge is not very happy. The team had been seconded to the Ministry of Health into research on cigarette smoking and Quist takes the credit for reducing smoking by 9%. But the Minister wants them to wrap up the investigation and forget about it which Ridge is keen to do. 'But in a professional manner,' adds Quist. Ridge is sent to check the latest sales figures with Bradley. Pat is sent in and apologises for being late, problems with waiting for the Gas Board and London transport. Quist is not impressed 'We may be employed on unimportant work at the moment but that is no excuse for being slapdash.'
Ridge teases Bradley over the Doomwatch computer but when Bradley sees a 49% increase in cigarette smoking in the GLC area, he refutes the accusation that the computer is up the spout. Quist is interested. There's been no new brands in the last six months and this figure is as high as when smoking was advertised on the television. Quist gets him to check again. 'What's the matter with everyone today?' Ridge takes advantage of the break to flirt with Pat, wondering why she was late. 'Was it the tall bean pole guardsman or the shorter naval version.' Neither, she stayed in. Whilst munching on a chocolate. 'Don't you realise chocolates are fattening?' 'I'm back on the slimming tablets tomorrow...' She begins to get fed up with Ridge's out and out flirting but before she can have a good go at him, Quist returns and asks Ridge to go out and get some cigarettes from different places. Random samples. Ridge isn't happy and walks off declaring, 'Twenty random samples please...' Bradley gives Pat a cup of coffee. She turns down the sugar, trying to slim...
Meanwhile, Wren has turned up at Farfillers, the manufacturers of Checker Board cigarettes and meets Scott, the managing director. Introducing himself as being from the Ministry of Health, it isn't about the usual inspection.
'Change up to Checkerboard, by Farfillers, of course,'' reads the advertising board in Jack's newsagent. He is selling a packet to a Mrs Tyler and can't understand it - he nearly cancelled his order of them last month and now he's nearly sold out! This is one of the small shops that Ridge is getting his random samples from and knows the owner. He explains he is doing some statistics for the Ministry of Health. 'Checkerboard.' It seems that every tobacconist he has been to has also sold out. But here, it isn't a 49% rise in sales. It's almost 100% here, just Checkerboard! 'There's no accounting for the fair sex, is there?' His biggest buyers are from the chocolate factory over the road. Ridge buys a sample packet and leaves. Outside he notices the large advertising poster for Checker Board and the factory near by...
Wren has returned to the Doomwatch office where Pat is taking notes whilst Ridge and Quist talk. He has just been talking to Brad where it turns out that 70% sales of Checker Board cigarettes are going to women. 'A feminine phenomenon,' says Ridge. Wren relates that Scott, the managing director is very happy with the sales and puts it down to change in advertising. But he said nothing about women. The pattern was changed on the box from black and white to red and blue; red, according to Quist, is known to ad men to have feminine appeal but it's never accounted for more than a small rise in sales. Quist has never heard of their ad agency: Shiptons. It's a small one and hasn't been doing too well recently. And neither had Farfillers - until now. Quist decides to go and see Shipton's boss.
Shipton himself is a typical young man of the Sixties, loudly dressed, long hair and moustache. His office is full of modern designs, pop art. He is smoking a cigarette and takes a phone call, dropping his cigarette onto his lap as he sits down. The call is from Mr Scott He is concerned about the visit from the Ministry of Health. Shipton becomes concerned, if anyone is to question their sales, refer them to him. 'I'm paid for that.' He makes an appointment to meet Scott at The Green Man at 7:30pm... 'And don't worry...'
Quist and his team are brain storming whilst Pat continues note taking. Wren wonders if subliminal advertising is behind the sales rise? Ridge and Wren explain this method to Pat. 'It's a word or picture in a frame. you put it into a film sequence and it goes through so fast the eye doesn't consciously register it. It goes into the sub-conscious.' Ridge picks up: 'The theory is the word or picture stimulates the auto-suggestion to buy the product referred to in the frame.' 'Except it doesn't work,' says Quist. 'Doesn't it?' Ridge and the others stare at an amused Pat as she takes out a packet of cigarettes: Checker Board.
Bradley is setting up checker board patterns on a monitor out in the laboratory.
Pat is having the rare opportunity to talk about herself to Dr Quist. She explains that she had last had a cigarette five years ago, following a dose of the flu. She hadn't wanted a cigarette until yesterday dinner time from a tobacconists in Fleet Street. And she was just passing and suddenly felt like a smoke. She has no idea why she wanted to, but when she went into the tobacconists, she asked for twenty Checker Board. Quist is puzzled that after five years of non smoking, she inhaled a cigarette and felt perfectly alright- albeit a little light-headed. Pat tries to giggle but when offered a Checker Board cigarette by Quist and smokes it, feels unsettled. Bradley says that the ECG is set up. Quist asks Pat to help them with an experiment. She is a bit concerned about being on this ECG thing. Ridge explains that it registers sweat and pulse rate and brain waves ('If we can find any!') Ridge notices the pupils of her eyes are dilated. Pat runs through what she ate yesterday, before one o'clock; not much for breakfast, didn't want to be late for work... Quist smiles at this. Ridge reminds her of the chocolates.
Thus we find Pat Hunnisett, facing a view finder relaying various checker board patterns, She has electrodes placed on her forehead, held down by a rubber hair band. As Brad changes the projection, Quist, Ridge and Wren study the computer bank behind her. As she looks at the patterns, she smokes a cigarette on cue. After they have finished, Quist puts the experiment into context. They have tested a number of random women and found no increase in sweat or pulse rate with or without checker board stimuli. But with Pat, she doesn't respond to the cigarette, but to the pattern. The other women didn't.
The team discuss the results in the office but Quist is taking some persuading over the idea that the chocolates might be behind this. Ridge finds it difficult to get a word in edge ways. Wren had been asked to find the decorated float distributing 'goodies' all over London, a campaign that has finished. He couldn't get samples of the chocolates as they tend to get eaten. They found a wrapper in Pat's waste-paper bin but there is no brand name. Ridge manages to get a word in, and remembers the 100% increase in sales at Jack's newsagents. The factory over the road where the women who bought Checker Board from makes chocolates...
Wren is talking to Pegg, the owner of the chocolate factory, pretending to be a researcher from the ministry asking for 'Information and Research.' They are watching the chocolate making operation from a walk way. Pegg is a little put out, they had a health inspector only last week. Wren asks how did the free offer campaign go? Pegg is surprised Wren knows about this, there was no advertising on the wrapper. It was an experiment, to see if people would recognise the same golden wrapper when they went into a shop. Conditioning them; and sales haven't gone up yet Pegg is worried there might have been complaints. He explains that the idea came from his advertising agents. Wren tries to lighten the atmosphere. 'Tempting isn't it...' he says looking at the pools of chocolate in big vats. 'Stick your fingers in and have a suck!' 'It isn't permitted,' replies Pegg sternly. 'Health regulations.' But the workers, mainly women, can eat as many of the chocolates when they finish. But not the liqueurs. Wren is offered some samples - including some of the free samples Pegg is rather partial to them himself. Wren offers him a Checker Board cigarette.... Pegg takes one automatically. He tells Wren that his advertising agency is Shiptons...
Shipton receives another 'phone call from a worried client - this time Pegg. This time he is more concerned about the lack of any sales increase due to the campaign, something Shipton makes clear. When Pegg says that it was an experiment, Shipton wonders who called it that? The Ministry of Health. That alarms Shipton who tetchily gets rid of his secretary who has brought him a coffee and going through his mail. He repeats his line to Scott earlier about he is paid to deal with anyone poking their nose around... 'I've had similar trouble with another client.' He arranges a meeting with Pegg at the Green Lion at 7:30. He then telephones Scott but his secretary can't put him through because he is in an important meeting... Shipton snarls at the poor woman that he had better call him back.
That meeting is with Ridge, this time pretending to be from the Ministry of Health. Scott tells him if he wants explanations for the success of his brand to see his agency man, Shipton. Ridge leaves Scott slightly suspicious.
Shipton finds Quist in his own office, studying a piece of checker board paraphernalia. 'Very popular cigarette - suddenly.' 'My job. My job to improve business for my clients.' Shipton reckons that the only reason his Ministry is examining Farfello's is because of 'The Big C...' Why didn't Government just ban cigarettes instead of just poking around... Just to feed some facts to the minister... just to show his minions are investigating?' Quist fights hard to control his temper and returns to the attack. 'Your business is persuasion... Are you responsible?' Shipton shows him the advertising posters for Checker Board but Quist is not interested in any link with the brain's colour coding apparatus and feminine sales appeal. 'Checkerboard was a masculine orientated cigarette,' explains Quist. 'Following the first cancer warning sales dropped off. There was a need to soften the image. Most tobacco companies did it. First of all they tried new brands, some worked. But not with Farfillers. They were stuck with Checker Board. You tried to soften the image two years ago by changing from black and white to colour... Are you trying to tell me a massive increase in sales last fortnight had something to do with what you did two years ago?' Quist declines a cigarette and asks him where he studied psychology. He has a BsC. 'So, you will grant me some knowledge.' West Sussex. Quist knows of it. It has an experimental pyschology department. This could be an official enquiry...
That evening, Quist debriefs Wren. One of the free samples is with Brad. As Quist clears up the coffee cups he wonders where John Ridge has got to? Everyone is getting ready to go home. Wren asks Pat out for that drink she offered him but she does not feel too good, has a headache. The phone ring and Brad answers it, stopping Quist from leaving. It's Ridge. 'Have you had a nice afternoon?' he asks. Ridge tells him that he hasn't been wasting his time. He followed Scott down to a pub where he has met Pegg and Shipton. Quist tells him to stay with it. Ridge, who we see in a phone box, looks fed up.
The next morning, Quist is at West Sussex university in their experimental psychology lab where he talks to a Benson. They are standing in front of a cage of pigeons - inside of which is a checker board pattern... Benson is flattered that his small department should be getting such interest. Their work is to get pigeons to respond to a checker board pattern with food and water, hardly experimental. Quist remembers reading his broadcast on the art of conditioning from twelve years ago. Reactions to the patterns without food and water, or the nibble and the bell of Pavlovian psychology. With drugs, asks Quist, sniffing a trail. Possibly phototropine, or a new drug - their own? After being irritated about being a civil servant, Quist questions the increasingly baffled Benson about giving advise to advertising agencies, former pupils preferred. Then he talks about the increase in sales of Checkerboard, the red phenomenon. The enigmatic conversation goes nowhere.
Pat is once again wired up to the ECG and she isn't very happy about running through another series of tests. She still has a bit of a headache and Brad notices she might have a cold as her pulse rate and perspiration is a bit high. 'Over worked...' says Brad. 'And underpaid...' 'We'll both go on strike, shall we?' Wren tells Ridge that the free samples were chocolate liqueurs but if there is any drug in it it will required detail analysis. With Quist back, the tests begin. Pat has been given another chocolate to eat. The test is quite quick but the results are striking - the drug in the chocolate in accumulative. Ridge offers Pat a cigarette and then pulls it away. 'Oh will you get lost?' she says, upset. 'Symptoms are consistent,' decides Quist and marches into his office. Pat is upset. Brad explains that she has the same problem as some pigeons somewhere... 'It's alright, they smoke forty a day.'
For Quist, Ridge and Wren, they seem satisfied with the results. Pat enters demanding an explanation. 'Now, Pat. you may have taken a drug without knowing it.' Phototropine drugs have an effect of altering the brain, to do a specific task. Ridge is impatient. It could take days to get that drug analysed. They need a sample now! 'What are you waiting for?' asks Quist. Ridge is quite surprised and wastes no more time.
How Ridge gets in this time we don't know but he quickly surveys the lab and finds some formulae papers and photographs them. He hears Benson on the phone in the next room but does not eaves drop. The Professor is scared by Quist's visit and is angry with Shipton. 'What I received was not payment... If I knew what you were doing...' He is due to present a paper before a conference next month, the most authoratative on the subject yet.
Shipton puts down his modern telephone and is angry. He sweeps away a drink his secretary brings in for him...
Benson discovers Ridge who carries on regardless, warning him that outside there are twenty men trained in Korean karate. He then finishes and after snapping a pigeon, sets off the fire alarm and makes a run for it. Benson tries to warn campus security that it is a hoax.
Ridge drives away as fast as he can past a baffled gate keeper.
Pat is now feeling very unwell. Alone in the Doomwatch offices, she lights up another cigarette, and decides to phone for an ambulance. She can barely make it into a chair and speak into the phone. 'I'm ill...' She can only give her name before collapsing over her desk, leaving the ambulance and the 999 operators to trace the call.
Ridge tells Quist that Bradley found Pat unconscious and had her taken into West Central hospital. Wren followed on down. Quist has gone down to see Pegg and Scott but they were out. Ridge has taken most of the formulae down to a chemist in the Bayswater Road. He couldn't get any of the actual drug, not without a lorry. Wren phones from the hospital, the doctors want to know what Pat keeps in a saccharine bottle... After putting the phone down, Quist tells Ridge that Pat is in an intensive care unit. Brad returns and he also has no idea what she keeps in a saccharine bottle. 'Saccharine do not react to a phototropine drug!' snaps Quist. They try to work out a chain of events and Quist asks if she was on a diet which leads Ridge to remember the slimming tablets... This horrifies Quist: they have a Benzedrine derivative. It's two drugs reacting against each other. Waiting for Toby on the phone, Quist wonders why they didn't have a male secretary? Quist decides to go down to West Sussex University, even chance that's where Scott and Pegg are...
Dressed like a Sicilian gangster, Shipton is feeding the pigeons in Benson's lab. Scott is outside, having insisted on meeting him and he contacted Pegg. Benson is angry that a link has been shown between him and Shipton. Shipton reminds him that he arranged a considerable grant was given to his department and that saved the experiment since the university were not going to stump up any more cash. 'You didn't question that...' 'My use of the drug was confined entirely to this laboratory.' It is now clear that Benson had given Shipton a sample of the drug to use unofficially within his firm... 'I made no agreement that you could use the drug.' With his stronger personality, Shipton browbeats Benson into submission. Without his money there would be no paper for Benson to deliver next month for his department would have been axed for a lack of the readies! 'Anyway, what's the difference between experimenting on a few people and a thousand... Two thousand.' Benson is appalled. It was alright, asks Shipton, looking at the pigeons, they're alright, aren't they? Benson looks uneasy. The pigeons are fine...
Doctor Green who is treating Pat is told by the female Dr. Gray that another two women have been brought in with the same symptoms and that the man who brought Pat in has brought in a drug that hasn't even been made yet! How can she take a drug before it's been made?
Pegg and Scott have arrived and are waiting outside Benson's laboratory. Pegg isn't sure why Scott asked him here; Scott isn't too sure himself. They discuss Shipton. Pegg tells him that Shipton had promised him free advertising on one of their cigarette posters on the strength of which he could afford to give away a few free chocolates. That's news to Scott. And Pegg isn't convinced by Shipton's assertion that the Ministry of Health is investigating the confection market in order to cover up their victimisation of the cigarette industry. Neither is Scott.
Benson decides to put on a united front against Pegg and Scott something Shipton is grateful for. Benson has gotten rid of the drug and so has Shipton. For the Ad Man, once this is all over, Benson can start all over again. All that is lost is time. The drug works... Again, Benson looks uneasy.
The drug brought in was the wrong one - and it doesn't react to Benzedrine. The medical staff are at a blank. Pat is on her own.
By now, Doomwatch has arrived at the University. Ridge silently confronts Scott and Pegg.
Quist demonstrates what is happening to Pat. A few slimming tablets in a flask with a few milligrams of phototropine drug added and... a sickly orange foam quickly erupts.
Pegg and Scott are worried, even though Ridge is not the police. Pegg is more willing to talk. Poisoned chocolates? Ridge is telephoned by Wren and discovers he got the wrong formulae. After the call, he tells Pegg and Scott that if he doesn't get the right one it will be more than just their businesses that will suffer... Quist has heard the call on the extension. And there are practically more women being brought into the hospitals all over London. Angrily, Quist throws the jar across the room and demands the drug from Benson, but together with Shipton denies all knowledge of it. Shipton even asks Pegg to his face if he knows anything about drugged chocolates! Quist takes the second call from Toby, after telling Benson to go away, gives Wren a few instructions...
Meanwhile Pat struggles on... and Benson makes his escape. Pegg, Scott and Shipton sit in silence whilst Quist and Ridge searches the lab. The third phone call tells Ridge, overheard by Scott, that 'that girl' is dying. Shipton tells Pegg that the drugs were in his chocolates. Pegg is appalled. But Shipton tells him that there is no evidence, so the Board of Trade won't publish names if she dies. 'All we have to do is to sit tight.' Ridge comes into interrogate them, but Scott wants to talk to Quist. Scott is prepared to open all his accounts and correspondence; he did make a grant to the University, they do that sort of thing, for information on the use of packaging, not drugs. They will cooperate because they're innocent of any complicity. 'You paid this department money for information you could get out of any paperback. You never asked if it was worth it.' Scott didn't want to question Shipton, they were doing so well.
The fourth phone call tells John that Pat is dead. Pegg tries to talk, Shipton tries to silence him and Ridge slaps him across the jaw and sends him flying into lockers. The chocolates came from Shipton, the supplier claimed to have picked them up from a disused warehouse! Then its Shipton's turn. He blames Benson. 'He's been pestering me for ages, ever since I went into advertising from here. He wanted to try out his drugs. Oh, pigeons were fine but drugs weren't meant for pigeons, were they?' Shipton claimed that he asked was the drug harmless and was assured so. But it was Shipton who doctored the liqueurs.
Wren tells Pat, that when he phoned Quist to tell him that she showed signs of recovery, Quist asked him to phone back in ten minutes later to say she was dying, and then a to say she was dead! Didn't matter who answered the phone. 'I suppose he had his reasons...' says Pat, who then declines a cigarette.
Much later, Quist and Ridge are alone in Benson's lab. Ridge is still upset. Benson has done a runner and they have Shipton's signed testimony, so the minister should be satisfied. But Ridge blames himself; he should have broken Pegg earlier. Quist tries to let Ridge know what really happened.. 'It was Pat... because you told them, they believed it. You believed it'
RIDGE: Are you telling me that she's alive and you knew it?
QUIST: Sitting up in bed... and cheeky.
RIDGE: You bastard.
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Post by michael on Jul 4, 2010 9:06:40 GMT -5
RE-ENTRY FORBIDDEN
Cape Kennedy: Anxious ground crew staff at Houston Mission Control watch as the countdown to launch reaches its last thirty seconds. This is being relayed on the television. It is a historic moment – the first nuclear powered rocket these with the first English astronaut on-board. The rocket takes off safely.
TITLES
The inside of the command module, Sunfire 1 is being televised. One of those watching in America is Carol, the wife of the British astronaut, Dick Larch who is with Doctor Charles Goldsworthy, a Germanic-American psychologist - they are smoking heavily! As they are watching the three crew begin their final orbit, Dick makes a quip about the Boston Tea Party which amuses Goldsworthy but his wife said he had rehearsed it...
Dick is in charge of putting in co-ordinates. He listens to the Mission Control voice reading it out and punches in the numbers – and makes a mistake unnoticed by his colleagues Command Pilot Edwards and Max Friedman A second later, Mission Control tells them that they are moving off track. 'We have no on-board malfunctions, Houston,' reports the pilot.
The wife is concerned but Goldsworthy says it is just a routine check off.
Watching on a small black and white V set in the Doomwatch office is Toby Wren. The corrected co-ordinates are being relayed to the rocket. Wren tells Quist that 'they nearly cocked that up,' which alerts Quist, but it seems they've sorted out the problem. 'That's good isn't it,' he smiles and Toby follows him into his office.
Command Pilot Edwards asks Houston to confirm that they are in the safe corridor for re-entry following that acute course correction readout. This is confirmed but they may be 'for a hot ride down...' They're calling on the British Navy. 'One guy up there should be pleased.'
The TV commentator explains about the communications black out experienced by any capsule returning to Earth. There is also a statement about the modified angle of re-entry. They don't know where the new splash down zone will be. As Carol Larch watches on anxiously, Goldsworthy is on the phone, getting results of the readings from the crew members such as heart rate. He is alarmed by 'lengthened LCT...' He doesn't explain the jargon to Carol. He thinks her husband might make it back to England before she does!
The whole of the Doomwatch team are watching the BBC's coverage of events, and this latest change of plan. James Burke is hosting in London with Michael Aspel reporting from America. They are discussing the recovery network used for any return of a capsule. The word 'emergency' concerns Quist. Aspel reads out a new statement from NASA: 'Sunfire 1 module should now be splashing down in the Eastern Atlantic.' It could be anywhere from Brittany and the Irish coast. Quist isn't impressed: there's enough radioactive fuel on-board that module to kill us all... James Burke addresses this point to reassure anxious viewers: there is no danger of radioactive fall out. Aspel is happy to confirm this. They have evidence that the capsule entered the corridor and did not disintegrate. The worry is now for the safety of the Astronauts inside because of the heat generated by the angle of re-entry might have done some damage to the communications equipment.
Whilst the Royal Navy is looking for the capsule, Quist tells Pat to get the Minister. He returns to his office. The capsule is discovered and Ridge goes to tell Quist, who seems preoccupied with his forthcoming visit to Beeston. Quist doesn't even seem interested, not even since Dick Larch was a student of his ('Was? He's not dead, is he?') and he provided a professional reference. Ridge doesn't understand Quist. 'There are times when I don't see you at all.' 'Better than never seeing me again.' 'Promises, promises.' Quist explains that if that craft had burned up there would have been one hell of a contaminated area, let's say from London to Carlisle... Ridge is shaken. Quist had tried to get through to the Minister but he was unavailable, and this is the first of a series of rockets taking the same flightpath. Ridge doesn't think the Americans would let the modified flightpath happen again. Quist is annoyed at being thought of as naïve... He settles the issue. 'I'm the head of a team checking environmental dangers, right? Obviously I realise they won't let it happen again. But I'd be failing in my duty if I didn't kick up one hell of a stink.' Calming down a little, Quist is all for space research but is also for letting the Minister have the facts. But, trying not to be awkward, Ridge asks, wouldn't NASA do that?
Meanwhile, a representative from NASA, Gus Clarke is thanking officials from the Royal Navy for their help in recovering the capsule. They have to examine the capsule and debrief the crew, so he begs their indulgence a little longer.
A few days later, Bill Edwards and Max Friedman leave Dick Larch alone in a room as his wife has returned to England to see him. She didn't want to wait until after the debriefing. She is pleased to see him, but Dick seems distant, troubled, serious and quick to temper. Carol is a light, frivolous, joyful woman, who finds the word de-briefed very funny. She asks him if they had found out what caused the problem, He is more concerned about what she was doing in that week in Houston and displays signs of jealousy that Carol went to the restaurant with Charlie Goldsworthy. He wants to know what they spoke about, flustering his wife. He explains what he thought his wife could have got up to whilst he was in space. A perfect opportunity. He becomes angry - angry at her new coat, angry at being treated as if he is as stupid as she is. She has seen this side of him before but fails to placate him. He tells her to go.
Edwards is being debriefed by Kramer, an avuncular NASA man. Allowing the command pilot to take a break, Kramer talks to the his NASA officials including Goldsworthy about what they know of the situation. They have run and re-run the film. If there was a malfunction light they did not see it. Dick Larch backs this up. Ground control has checked out, so what have they got? Human error – he looks at Goldsworthy - or a malfunction light on the blink? They'll have to change the camera position for the next flight, and shudders at the potential cost...
Goldsworthy talks to Larch, telling him that he was with his wife throughout the flight... 'You had the hotter seat than mine, Charlie...' Goldsworthy asks Larch what happened... Larch pretends he doesn't know what went wrong. Goldsworthy says he is not debriefing him, just playing about semantically. Larch suspects human error will be the explanation for the business. He asks about Carol's reaction to the course correction and is surprised that his pulse rate was measured at 165. Charlie tries to probe a little deeper into a possible mistake but Larch adamantly refuses to acknowledge he had missed out anything from his report. Charlie explains that his questioning is more an egotistical thing... he, after all, invited Larch over from the UK to NASA for training. 'I can't see any of us contributing to a maximum life critical, can you?' 'Human error does not automatically mean human intent.' Larch agrees, but he talks about the nuclear fuel on-board Goldsworthy talks about a disaster in terms of cost. He jokes that the crew, as humans are worth nothing, as functional pieces of machinery, about ten thousand a year!
Pat is reflecting on the cost of the space programme. The average pay packet in Britain is £23. Wren and Bradley don't take her concern over starving children very seriously, which disappoints her. 'Of course you don't, Colin, because there are no starving children in Yorkshire.' 'It's all right Colin,' says Wren, 'I think she's gone all self-righteous over us.' Bradley tells Quist that there was a call for him earlier from a man called Charles Goldsworthy...
Colonel Kramer continues the debriefing session with all three astronauts. He is clearly amused, but troubled with the answers. They are getting nowhere. Larch continues to deny knowledge of the problem.
Dr Goldsworthy meets Quist at his office. Quist knows that the meeting is about Larch – what else could it be for? He had given his reference over two years ago and Goldsworthy selected him. Quist Feels that NASA are looking for a scapegoat, but Goldsworthy denies this. 'I'm in an awkward position because I'm not the man at the top, I have no evidence... We've done the technical check up over here which is nearly 100%. We've been over every circuit, every nut, screw, on ground and on board.' There's a possibility of a failure of an on board failure light for EI attitudes – re-entry. Otherwise, it's human error – a failure to register the warning light. And the problem occurred when Dick Larch had control. It was a routine check up before Edwards took over. Quist suspects that Goldsworthy doesn't believe Larch. 'But without justification, I can hardly pass him up the line.' Quist approves. 'You're getting as bad as me. You'll be wanting rigorous proof next.' Then there's the political thing... 'Scapegoat without reason, draped in the Union Jack,' interprets Quist. He also guesses that any questions asked would look better coming from England... Goldsworthy wants nothing official, just a word back to him but Quist says anything goes back, official. 'All desperately covering ourselves,' says Goldsworthy. 'Too true in this case!' Goldsworthy doesn't want a fuss, if nothing then say nothing. He suggests Larch should visit the lab as a guest of honour... 'I've been given some dirty jobs,' reflects Quist. Goldsworthy smiles and thanks him.
Ridge wastes no time in talking to Carol Larch on the evening visit of their visit to the Doomwatch offices. 'You realise that is an astronaut's wife you've got there, don't you,' says Wren filling his glass. Quist is showing Dick Larch around the place. Bradley, looking dour, has to finish the analogue board in the computer lab and Pat offers him a hand. Pat wonders whether Dick Larch's visit here is reflected glory for Quist... 'No one is invited here just for a chat.' 'Sour puss,' remarks Bradley. Back in his office, Quist pours Larch another drink but he notices that his former student is more concerned about his wife talking to Ridge and Wren. Larch manages a few words of reproach to Carol. He thinks its time they went. He feels tired and she is drinking too much. Quist gets Toby to show her round the room, but when Dick is worried his wife might find it uninteresting, Quist suggests John accompanies them too. Alone, Larch tells Quist that that was rather obvious and wants to know why he is here. Quist, acting puzzled, just wants him to cooperate in some research. Larch isn't convinced – he knows this is about being on the computer at the time of re-entry. They are looking for a scapegoat. They discuss the matter, but Quist seems to know far more than he should, he naturally spoke to Goldsworthy about it. Larch is finally persuaded.
Goldsworthy tells Colonel Kramer about Larch and Doomwatch. He hasn't told the Chief. Kramer is bothered that it is more than just renewing old acquaintances.... 'We don't play hunches, Charlie, in this game.' Kramer wonders if the English are trying to white-wash their man. 'We're in politics now, Charlie. I suggest we do nothing until we have evidence.' Larch isn't due to fly for another two missions. They have time. Goldsworthy isn't happy.
Bradley is grumpy in the morning feeling he is behind schedule because of last night's party. Wren joins them, Quist seems a bit short today. Wren said that he thought Dick Larch looked a bit fed up last night. Quist asks John how do you when you're asked to interrogate a man who doesn't know he's interrogated? They discuss the theory. 'A vacuum – that's like being weightless.'
Larch is in Quist's office, rigged up to a machine taking readings from his body. Quists asks him about his fellow astronauts, what they are like. The conversation goes back to the flight, and again Larch is suspicious he is here for more than just a medical. Quist just explains he is just being nosey. He talks about the Americans, they like it straight.
Giving Bradley some more figures to check, Quist once again talks to Ridge. Larch knows. He's on the defensive. He feels persecuted. Ridge doesn't understand – Larch was given every conceivable test, but as Quist points out, in simulation. 'When Armstrong first landed on the Moon, he had to be reminded three times to collect his contingency sample. Three times. How many times did he get it right first time in simulation?' Ridge suggests if anyone is feeling persecuted, it's Quist. At least Larch isn't on the next flights. 'Your peace of mind,' says Ridge gently. Quist decides he has made an error and proposes to tell Larch the truth. 'It's their bloody pigeon.'
Gus Clarke reads out to the assembled NASA dignitaries the press statement on the Sunfire 1 mission: a malfunction on the on-board control panel of the capsule. Kramer and Goldsworthy talk to him. They don't really know if its technical error or complex human error. Try framing that.
A few months later, Mrs Larch visits the Doomwatch offices. She just popped in to say thank you. Quist is surprised to learn that he and his fellow crew members are to pilot Sunfire 2. She thinks this is down to Quist and is pleased. 'They were very influenced by what you said.' The launch is soon. Quist is troubled.
Having a tea break, Wren wants to know what Mrs Larch wants. Pat thinks Ridge is jealous just like Mr Larch. 'You show me a jealous husband and I'll show you an unsatisfied wife...'
This time Goldsworthy is watching the launch on television on his own.
Wren discusses her husbands feelings with Mrs Larch. Wren feels that if he was the first English pilot he would feel the strain enormously. Carol agrees, perhaps that's what made Dick so edgy. Wren seizes on this. Wren questions her more. Apparently he blamed everybody else – even her for the fault. He feels that everybody has got it in for him.
The launch begins.
Wren bursts into Quist's office and repeats what Carol Larch has told him, much to her distress. Quist tries to placate her but Wren butts in; 'If Mrs Larch's husband is paranoiac...' Quist stops him. He then asks Carol about her husband, about his attitude and behaviour. Did he blame Edwards and Friedman? Dick Larch told her that he was late in collecting the re-entry thing... 'Anybody could make a mistake...' He didn't say that to NASA. He would soon get into trouble if he did. She also remembers that he didn't like being weightless... he became more aware of his mind. As if he knew what people were saying about him, down on the ground.
Quist discusses the new information with Ridge and Owen. Paranoia can get worse in a weightless condition. Is he likely to make another mistake, says Ridge. That's not the point, replies Wren. Edwards and Friedman are now the objects of his paranoia. And if he suspects them of anything trivial, anything at all... Quist gets anxious. They have to do something - inform the command pilot, perhaps from a ground tracking station. Ridge makes a diagnosis on first hand evidence – Larch knows how to cover up his behaviour and behave how they want him to behave.
It's five o'clock GMT. GDS UK is a ground tracking station monitoring the orbit of the Sunfire capsule. Johnson and Brown are in contact with Houston. They know that some ministry bods are coming down, to monitor the flying H Bomb.
Sunfire 2 is now in it's final orbit. Edwards is in control of the equipment putting in the course codes. Larch watches calmly. But he reacts when Friedman hopes that the United States recovery craft are down in their splashdown area.
Quist, Ridge and Mrs Larch arrive at the Tracking Station. They are seeing a private communication relay of the interior of the orbiting capsule. Edwards is asking for the re-entry data to be confirmed. Larch had questioned it by passing over a note. Quist wants to talk to Houston. 'We have evidence that Larch is a schizophrenic paranoiac, and could endanger the mission. Over.' Houston asks for confirmation of their verbal signal. Quist repeats the message. There is break up on the frequency. Quist is impatient; there is enough radioactive fuel on-board to blanket half of Europe. Re-rooting them onto another channel, the 17:35 message is repeated – and disastrously, this message is heard on-board Sunfire... The stunned crew sit in silence at what they just heard as new vectors are read out. Suddenly, Larch gets out of his seat to input the final read out attitude check. Friedman and Larch struggle, Edwards misses the information. They are out of the corridor. Mission Control orders them to abort. They cannot splash-down without burning up. 'OK,' says Edwards as calmly as he can. Watching the actual capsule on the monitor, rockets fire briefly as the capsule goes back up.
Carol asks if they are all right but Quist cannot answer. 'You've killed him,' she whispers, starting to break down.
Command Pilot Bill Edwards contacts Houston. All three pilots are sitting down. 'We have missed the corridor due to my error and my error alone. ... What you may have seen just now on your screen... Dick Larch is a friend of mine. We are not judged by how we die, by how we have lived...' The screen is swamped with static.
Carol Larch breaks down, begging them to stop it. Quist asks for the screen to be cut.
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Post by michael on Jul 5, 2010 18:58:35 GMT -5
THE BATTERY PEOPLE SYNOPSIS
A fish is scooped out of a large indoor pool by an coveralled worker whilst another injects it with a syringe. The fish is released. A walk-way gantry splits the room in half. There are several of these large indoor fish pools. The Welsh workers are predominantly older men, except for a young lad, Bryn– who the foreman Vincent Llewellyn spots and tells him that you can't do the job wearing gloves. The boy protests that the Colonel told him to but Llewellyn retorts that the Colonel doesn't have to do the job. Dai, a man twenty years older than the 40 year old Llewellyn stands up for the boy, fed up with Llewellyn always picking on him. Llewellyn sacks him; he is offered a fight, outside, man to man. 'Lost your bloody guts, along with your wife!' taunts Dai. The fight begins after Dai calls him a nancy boy! The English Colonel appears on the gantry and stops the fight, Dai is told to get out. Llewellyn tries to apologies to the Colonel but it is forgotten. Dai was a trouble maker. Colonel Smithson wants to know why the men aren't wearing gloves; he had given explicit orders. Llewellyn explains that the men find it easier without them. Smithson tells the men to get back on with their work, and then mentions to his foreman that next week their MP is coming down to visit and he wants something impressive to show him – he has just been made Minister of National Security. Llewellyn makes a show of putting on his gloves but instantly pulls them off again when the Colonel has gone. Bryn protests but Llewellyn doesn't care 'He knows, boy. He knows.' The other workers do the same and carry on injecting the fish...
TITLES
'Minister of National Security ex-private with Royal Welsh Fusiliers in the war' is the story in the papers and Quist, Ridge and Wren discuss their new boss – 'John Timothy Davies, of all people. I was hoping for something more substantial than this!' comments Quist. It seems his blandness and party loyalty has worked in his favour. Wren doesn't think much of the job with too much importance. But when he says that Davies's only asset is his work for his constituents, Quist wonders if that's why the new Minister wants to see him - to come up with something brilliant for his area. 'Something that will transform and rejuvenate those valleys of his.' Quist wants ideas that would impress Davies, nothing too grand, just enough to rock him a little, give their department a positive image rather than being seen as professional nuisances. Quist gets quite excited by the idea and feels positive – 'I've been summoned to the presence!'
It is the Minister's policy to meet the heads of all his departments and Quist's work is very valuable, but isn't it a bit negative? 'Poacher turned gamekeeper,' says Quist. He explains that he has switched his work from causes into effects. The Minister tells Quist that he is not popular, either personally nor his section. 'They say you're stiff necked.' 'I am circumcised, though' says Quist, knowing his Bible, or at least that bit. That pleases the Minister who gets to the point he wanted to make to Quist, in a friendly, fatherly manner: 'Don't give me trouble, boy. My predecessor, now you riled him. But me, I'm not easy to rile.' Quist looks glum...
Clocking off time at the factory - for this shift anyway, and Llewellyn is met at the gates by his ex wife, Liz, a glamorous looking woman nearly 40, who says he is late with his alimony. Not wanting his workers to see this, he pulls her to one side to hand over the money and talk. He told her that he nearly had a fight over her today, nearly got the sack. She isn't impressed. 'That'll be the day. The Colonel needs someone to do his dirty work for him.' Despite the edge, there does seem to be a little fondness between the two. He wants to see her tonight as he's not on the night shift but she refuses. They've tried, she says, lots of times, she';s not going through that again now...
Back at the Doomwatch lab, Toby is showing Ridge some lighter than air bricks made from the waste from coal tips – mineral granules. Unfortunately, it would require transplanting populations to make economic sense, picking areas within the Minister's constituency! Another valley contains an extensive factory farm established about two years ago in an area with a population of 700. Wren has a paper on the area. It has an amazing claim to fame: it's got the greatest number of broken marriages in Britain. 'Stone me, the stuff that computer turns up.' 'It's all grist for Quist,' says Toby, delighted at his turn of phrase. Ridge agrees, but he didn't think the returned Doctor Quist did! Resignedly Quist tells him he can forget his poetic dreaming. The Minister was on about them and in a familiar track indeed. 'Doomwatch presses on regardless, let there be no doubt on that score.' Quist decides to get back to work, and asks about the Maxton report into exhaust fumes, but the computer screen catches his eye – some information – two prosecutions for cock fighting last year! In Wales? Quist remembers seeing one in Mexico, a fascinating effect: total sexual excitement. Wren also tells Quist, whose interest is growing, that gin is the favourite drink here as well. 'Gin? For ex-South Wales farmers?' 'That's a pretty picture isn't it?' begins Ridge. 'There's this big butch ex-Miner, with a glass of pink gin in one hand, giving his wife the elbow, watching the cock fight.' It's dead out of character. And why put the factory farm there? Quist thinks Ridge should go down and find out why... Is this really for Doomwatch, asks Wren. Quist is only inquiring, well, Ridge will be, unofficially, pretending to be a reporter, trying to dig up a background feature on their Mr Davies. They will be assembling data and then judge it. And if it's explosive, let it blow up – preferably in his face!
Ridge has found himself a contact from the local paper, a soft spoken Welshman who Ridge meets in the bar of a small pub called The Red Lion, near the factory farm. Ridge is pretending to be a freelance features writer, offering Jones five guineas a day for his research, contacts, knowledge. 'We press men must stick together. It will come out of my expenses... Mine will be the only swindle sheet, is that understood?' So, it begins. What are the big stories in the Valleys? Ridge eventually brings Jones onto cock fighting. Welsh miners have a reputation for dogs or pigeons... It was just an incident, said Jones, trying to downplay it.
That night, in a barn, a crowd of men are watching a cock fight. Heavy drinking and very excited men watching two cockerels fight each other viciously, blood and feathers on the ground. Ridge and Jones are there, and so is Llewellyn, who tries to stop a nauseated Ridge from leaving because the fight is not over yet. Llewellyn is startled by Ridge's accent but says nothing.
The next day, back at the Red Lion, Jones is trying not to be seen. 'They don't like spies or reporters very much out here...' They discuss last night. Ridge didn't see many young people at the fight. Jones explains that there aren't many young people left in the area. No jobs around, not even at the factory farm. The Colonel won't employ anybody under forty apart from a couple of young lads because he wanted a stable labour force. He pays good wages too and compared to what coal miners were used to, quite light work. 'Farming Developments Limited. Chairman and Managing Director Colonel Archibald Smithson, now what brought him down here, apart from being called Archibald?' wonders Ridge. He just turned up, the council did a lot of advertising for local industry. Ridge decides to have a look at the plant before meeting the man. His car outside. Jones has seen it and is impressed. 'Who says journalism doesn't pay?'
Ridge first notices the smell from the plant. There are flies too in the summer according to Jones. But for the locals what's the option? This place once had coal. The local trading estate employs women or slips of boys but here... a god send. Ridge regards the factory farm as an abomination. 'You cranky about shoving animals close together? If you are, why don't you go exposing Surrey or Essex or any other English county? Why pick on us?' But Ridge still finds the set up a bit odd. Ridge wants his visit to be fixed up for tomorrow, he wasn't sure if his stomach is strong enough. They go back to the pub. Colonel Smithson puts up there too... They may meet him.
At the Red Lion, Colonel Smithson is taking a drink at the bar and asks Mrs Adams what is on the menu tonight? 'Your chicken and your turkey, of course, Colonel. Hot or cold. But I've got some nice fish for you.' She tells him that a writer from London has arrived today. Ridge. 'A writer, that's a new one.' Ridge and Jones arrive and Smithson introduces himself, pleased to meet a stranger. Jones tells him he is doing a set of feature articles for magazines. Ridge buys them a drink, and they go and sit in the Snug before dinner. Mrs Adams tells them that she buys their food locally, a big supporter of the Colonel's work here. Smithson explains that Ridge can see the plant but there are trade secrets he wishes to preserve. And their battery farming standards – space per bird – is higher than those recommended by the government. They also control the environment of the animals too, so it may be night outside but day inside. Ridge is welcome to see the plant tonight on what is called 'The Third Watch.' They work shifts around the clock. Ridge would rather go after dinner, Smithson says that Mrs Adams could also fix him some fish for tomorrow if he proves to be squeamish. 'I eat a lot of fish.'
Ridge visits the farm and sees the frankly gruesome and mechanical nature of the process – chickens are killed, feathers boiled off, feet clipped and packaged. Ridge looks on aghast.
Afterwards, he is taken into Smithson's office for a drink from a rather impressive drinks cabinet. Smithson notices Ridge is a little shaken. Ridge puts it down to sentimentality and then is allowed to ask a series of questions, why did he bring his process here. Simple economics; a lot of space, low rateable value and cheap labour, well paid for these parts but it offsets the higher transport costs. His process is more labour intensive than others, but Smithson refuses to divulge what. But the point is here he doesn't have to compete for labour. Ridge asks for his background and is given a dossier.
'Eastern Command, RU Section 14 1956 – 62. Contained at least one research group involved in finding new scientific war weapons.' Wren is talking to Bradley about their researches into Colonel Smithson's background. There was a weapon research station at Glyne. Wren wonders if they have picked up anything from there? Bradley programmes the computer and Wren instantly spots something: the potential destruction of the bone structure in non-carnivorous organisms.' The current theory for the change of personality in the ex Welsh miners could be an abnormally high level of hormones in the chicken feed enough to emasculate the men who worked there. . Bradley digs deeper. The project was abandoned, there was a need for a large number of workers and a potential health hazard. That tallies with the Colonel's large health force. Wren is bothered. 'I might eat one of his chickens.'
Mrs Adams offers Ridge one of the Colonel's fish – a new line, he doesn't have any samples to spare. Ridge did not see any fish in his tour. 'Three doors nobody's allowed behind,' explains Jones. Mrs Adams is very keen on the fish – they taste fresh, like Trout, except there are no bones. Never a one.
The ex Mrs Llewellyn spots her former husband lurking outside her home, probably his home once, and calls him in before anybody sees him. She guesses he has been watching to see if she is with anybody and taunts him about his suspicions. Close to tears she wants to be left alone. Suddenly Llewellyn grabs her and kisses her, but he suddenly breaks down, gives up, distraught. Something is wrong with him. He doesn't understand, the doctor says he is a perfectly, healthy man. So why this? Liz says people changed, he has and so has she. 'I know you, you haven't changed. You want it as much as any other.' She is too upset, wants him to go, but it is clear he wants to talk to her. 'Or do I have to call the police again?'
That night, after everyone has gone to bed, Ridge, dressed in his dressing gown enters the kitchen of the Red Lion and investigates the fridge and freezer. He finds a packet of the Colonel's fish in a blue box. Hearing someone coming down the stairs, he hides it in the fridge and grabs a bottle of milk. It is the Colonel with a golf club thinking he has heard a burglar. Ridge pretends he was feeling hungry and the conversation turns to the 'Taste-Away Trout' that he had for his dinner. It is his new line, soon to be launched. And the price it will retail for astonishingly cheap. And never a bone. Ridge is amazed.
The next day, Bradley submits his report to Quist with Wren. The chicken from farming development are no different from any others. But the detail that caught Wren's eye was the low calcium content of the bone structure. Quist gets a little fed up of being subjected to linguistic analysis from Wren but takes his point. The experiment of dissolving bone structure Quist turns to next. Smithson might have had access to that enquiry. Smithson is employed in birds with a marginally reduced bone structure. It's a chain of coincidences. And then there's the bone free fish that Ridge has discovered. 'A revolution in food technology,' exclaims Quist. It's a logical step forward but the only means of inhibiting growth are dangerous to the health of those who do the inhibiting. But does the Colonel know this? It's up to Ridge.
Ridge is interviewing Mrs Llewellyn who is quite attracted to him but he seems a little hesitant which is unlike him... He brings up the subject of the divorce. They were once a happy couple when he worked down the mines, but this new job, went to his head... It turns out she was the one who was unfaithful. Llewellyn just wasn't interested any more. She's sad about the way things have turned out, she's still quite fond of him. She went into details, she thought his lack of interest was that he might have had another woman, but he didn't. It was quite a shock, and then she had an affair, Vincent found out and they had a divorce – first one in the village. Ridge becomes uneasy when she comes onto him a little strongly and he leaves her, regretfully... Liz goes to the mirror where she had previously put on lipstick, and sees herself...
Ridge gets onto the phone to talk to Quist, a worried man! Quist assures him that if all Ridge has done is eaten the fish, he is no worse off than as if he has eaten any other pre-packaged frozen food. There is no risk whatsoever. 'Now that worry is off your mind, let's get to work,' says Quist. The current surmise is that touching the fish in its live state is the dangerous part. Ridge suggests this means you become sterile and impotent and this may explain why the Colonel employs older men; they won't notice the change although their wives do...
Quist goes to see the Minister in the morning. The Minister is leaving in forty minutes to go to his constituency which ties in nicely with what Quist is here for. Quist is proposing to get the Ministry of Health and Social Security to hold an enquiry into Smithson's firm and his employees. 'Jobs that turn men into eunuchs...' The Minister can't believe it; that firm provides much needed jobs for the area, 'It's a fantasy. What evidence have you got?' demands the Minister. 'None,' replies Quist. He knows it may ruin the industry but he would rather do that than a community. The Minister knows what might happen if hints are made that there is something sterilizing those birds. Quist tells him one of his people is down there posing as a reporter but being discreet. Quist explains that at their first meeting, he came prepared with some thoughts on developments that might help the Minister's area. In the event the interview didn't go that way, but their rudimentary research uncovered this. The Minister refuses to believe it. Then there will be public disclosure, warns Quist. The interview begins to turn nasty. 'You're think you're bloody clever don,t you?' 'I find this kind of discussion highly distasteful. I indulge in it merely to protect you'' says Quist. Davies still refuses to have a public enquiry so one will be forced on him. 'And you'll never work in government again!' storms Davies. 'And nor will you!' rejoins Quist! Davies is told his car will be leaving in three minutes. Davies tells Quist he is coming with him. The first start is to confront Colonel Smithson... The Minister puts on his coat and hat.
Smithson takes Davies and Quist into his office, and offers them a drink but the Minister says they are pressed for time. He has a meeting later that day. Quist explains that he works for the Ministry and is aware that Smithson worked in science himself at Glyne. 'I guarded it,' says the Colonel. 'What went on inside I knew nothing about...' 'Not even a clumsy technique for inhibiting the development of bone structure in vertebrates?' The Minister gets to the point and asks if there is any health hazard in his process. Smithson disguises his worry with bluster and is outraged at the suggestion. Quist asks if he ever touches the product. Smithson says he eats it all the time. Quist rephrases the question: does he touch it in its raw state? That's what he employs men for. He asks what kind of inquisition this is? 'It's into the state of mind of a man who subjects his workers into great health hazards...' He asks Smithson to go out and handle his stock – the fish... The process is secret, says Smithson feebly. 'It was secret at Glyne weapon research station too, wasn't it?' In all this, he exchanges looks with the Minister who begins to be convinced.
They enter the fish farm and Quist asks the Minister to pick up a fish but he declines. The Colonel also refuses to pick one up. 'I won't play charades.' That satisfies the Minister. 'You can have your enquiry.' Smithson asks Llewellyn for his gloves – but Quist notices that the workers do not wear them, which appals the colonel. Llewellyn backs his boss by explaining that it is difficult handling the fish without them even though the Colonel tells them to wear them. Llewellyn thought the Colonel knew and turned a blind eye. He asks what the fuss is about? Quist explains he is asking the Colonel to do what they all do – put his hands into the liquid. He notices that the Colonel has a cut on his knuckle... Llewellyn refuses to leave. He too has a cut, easy to do on the fish. Smithson changes tack and points out that the men in the room are old and grateful for the work. 'If there is any effect, it hardly matters.' 'I'm not an old man,' protests Llewellyn. 'They still want to be men, don't they? Not castrati.' By now the workers are listening to this. Llewellyn is suddenly starting to understand and asks Quist if they mean him. He shouts down Smithson and even the Minister. Quist tells the poor man that he believes there is a danger to their virility in their work. 'Contact with the chicken... is dangerous, contact with these fish because of the viscosity of the liquid in which they live has a far more lasting and tragic effect.' Smithson calls this utter rubbish but Llewellyn looks furiously at him. Trying to regain command, Smithson instructs his men to continue work, saying he will talk to them later. He asks the Minister to come back to his office. He walks on the gangway and asks Quist to follow. Suddenly, Llewellyn pulls the Colonel into a fish pond. He is covered in the liquid, having gone face down and swallowed some. Spluttering and in a state of shock he is helped out by the workers. Quist asks for an ambulance whilst Llewellyn has him taken to a first aid room. Quist suggests he ought to be put in a chair. The Minister carefully walks across the gantry to where Quist and Llewellyn are attending the Colonel. He asks what happened. Llewellyn thinks he slipped, very slippery up there but Quist claims he saw it all – looking at a nervous Llewellyn. He agrees. It was an accident. The Colonel's chances are remote. 'Will his bones turn into cartilage? I don't know. He got it in the lungs. I think his chances of survival are slight.' The Minister is shocked. 'Poor devil.' 'Poor? No, Minister. When these men find out what's happened to them, I think even the Colonel will consider it a timely exit.' Quist looks sadly at Llewellyn.
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