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Post by DR. QUIST on Jun 13, 2009 15:14:02 GMT -5
Please post your discussion relating to series 3 here please Thank you
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Post by iankmclachlan on Jun 22, 2009 12:23:49 GMT -5
Simon Oates mentioned the filming of Louis Marks' Cause of Death where Ridge's father is dying. That episode really affected me when I first saw it and I changed my attitude towards euthanasia as a result of seeing it. I am very sad that it no longer exists - especially in the light of some modern day discussion of the subject. I can only remember bits of it of course as I haven't seen it since then.
Is there any possibility that season 3 episodes could exist somewhere in the world?
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Post by colley on Aug 25, 2009 6:01:01 GMT -5
It often surprises me that Series 3 continues to be much maligned and compared unfavourably with the first series (perhaps due in part to Kit Pedler's (?) oft-quoted phrase that Terence Dudley had "made a complete travesty of the programme".
I've read several of the scripts for missing 3rd season episodes, and with the possible exception of "Without the Bomb" (although that has it's merits too) they are all extremely strong stories. Curteis' script for "Flood" in particular is a standout for me.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Aug 26, 2009 1:11:14 GMT -5
Many thanks for your comments on the series Colley, may I add them to the Doomwatch Memories page?
Scott
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Post by DR. QUIST on Dec 6, 2009 17:37:19 GMT -5
Episode Synopsis by Scott Burditt © June 2009
The Reverend Frank Simpson is giving his usual Sunday morning sermon. He quickly becomes unstable, ranting and then collapsing in front of his congregation on the church floor.
Anne is at the sermon and reassures the people gathered there that she is a Doctor and asks for someone to call an ambulance.
It’s a Sunday afternoon three weeks later and Quist is reading a newspaper, when Mrs Joan Simpson (the Vicars wife) calls around looking for Quist's wife, Dr Anne Tarrant (who is in the garden). Quist complains to her that Sunday afternoon is the only time he gets to catch up on the news. He calls her from the house and while waiting asks Mrs Simpson to come in and sit down.
Quist explains that he is a Doctor, but unlike Anne he is a physicist. Mrs Simpson says she doesn’t know what that is and Quist jokingly replies that’s something they both have in common. He explains he lives with Dr Tarrant now, ever since he gave up his flat in town.
Mr Simpson tells Quist she has never seen him in church, and suggests that he is an atheist, to which he replies that he doesn’t quite know what that is either.
Anne enters the room and Mrs Simpson tells her she came over to tell her that her husband is feeling much better. She explains that he has been diagnosed with lead poisoning, a fact which she finds difficult to believe. Anne explains about Mr Simpson to Quist, who then remembers hearing the news.
Mrs Simpson tells Anne that the doctor said that the lead levels in her husband's blood and urine were abnormally high.
She goes on to explain that he will be alright again in a few weeks but there may be some nervous disorder, Mrs Simpson complains that church attendance is now down to just five people this morning.
Anne and Quist offer to attend in the evening and invite Mrs Simpson to supper afterwards and thanks Mrs Quist for the offer.
Quist jokingly explains to Mrs Simpson that Anne married him on condition that she was never referred to as Mrs Quist.
When Mrs Simpson leaves, Quist resumes reading his newspaper.
The next day, back at the Doomwatch office, Quist quizzes Bradley over lead poisoning. Bradley asks him if the vicar lives near any factories, that are using lead, such as a paint plant using glazing pulpotomy or a smelting works or Tetra-ethyl lead. Quist replies that he doesn’t. Quist tells Bradley that the vicar lives in a rural area, miles away from anything that would even bring these chemicals into contact with the vicar under normal circumstances. Bradley clutching at straws suggests exposure to exhaust fumes. Quist says he doesn’t even know if the vicar runs a car. After thinking about it, he asks Brad what he has got on at the moment. To which he replies, “Nothing at the moment”. Quist then asks him to go and have a sniff round. He tells Brad he must have got a large dose of lead from somewhere, which is even more mysterious as according to his wife he never goes anywhere.
Quist tells Bradley that the Vicar lives somewhere in Shepperton and Barbara knows where that it and suggests he take her with him.
Meanwhile at Sir George Holroyd’s office (The Minister), Commander Neil Stafford is getting a grilling over his accuracy and concealment of information on the secret reporting of Doomwatch’s activities to Sir George. Sir George questions him suggesting that he may have divided loyalties to Doomwatch. Sir George tells Neil that lead in petrol is an extremely sticky subject, and not make it more viscous than absolutely necessary. Neil tells him that he understands what Sir George is saying. Sir George tells him that this is not Quist’s concern and he already has quite enough bodies working on this as it is, such as the medical research council and the national air survey and warren spring laboratory (now known as BGI incorporated), and that this was quite enough.
Perhaps if they hadn’t all been working so hard on lead in petrol they would have noticed that all was not well at that smelting works in Avonmouth. (Avonmouth lies to the north-west of Bristol)
Neil is told not to be snide by Sir George and that “One Quist is enough!”
Sir George reminds him of the seriousness of the issues, and Neil retorts by telling Sir George just to let him get on with the job, and not to contradict his information as one informant at Doomwatch is enough suggesting that “too many cooks spoil the broth” Using this metaphor to show Sir George that their combined information would contradict each other.
Meanwhile, Bradley arrives with Barbara at the Vicars home in Shepperton and discovers that the Vicar is keen on restoring classic cars one at a time as a hobby, and he has been doing this since he was a boy and how good he is at it. When he get tired of the car he is working on he sells it and starts all over again making quite a lot of money in the process. He gives a lot of the money made to provide funds for the Church and spends some on holidays
Bradley asks to investigate the garage.
Barbara is thinking of getting a car and asks Mrs Simpson jokingly if her husband will sell one to her knowing that she couldn‘t afford one. But is told there are as many as 6 people on the list after his cars. While doing so, Barbara admits she is taking driving lessons and Mrs Simpson tells her that she met Frank through their shared love affair of Rally driving.
As the two women continue to talk, Bradley is searching the garage, looking into tins and generally having a good nose around. He discovers a large metal bowl with what appears to be oil inside of it. He realises what might have happened and asks Mrs Simpson if she has any Paraffin, to which the answer is No.
It looks like he has been cleaning spare parts in bowls using Petrol (a high octane fuel) as a solvent. Bradley also asks if he ran the car in the garage whilst working on it and is told that he never does that because of potential Carbon Monoxide poisoning and he always runs it outside.
Quist and Anne discuss the case over dinner, suggesting the cause of the incident could be inorganic lead which would collect in the dust, and tells her that some city dust is almost workable lead ore. Disgusted Quist says that kids play in it. Anne replies reminding him that lead poisoning is cumulative.
The symptoms for less severe exposure of lead poisoning according to Doctor Tarrant include Vomiting, Constipation, Diahorrea, Headaches, Depression and Anxiety and lassitude.
Anne asks Quist if any investigation work has been done on it by Doomwatch and Quist tells her that he was warned off and not to “Rock the Boat”.
Ridge is still in hospital and as they discuss his possible return to Doomwatch, Quist says he was charged with theft and remanded with a medical report which found him unfit so he would not be returning. Quist suggests that Anne goes to see him and with enough support they could get him out of there.
We see a dinner party with Sir George Holroyd, Richard Massingham, and his wife Peggy Massingham.
Sir George reminisces of his war stories with the Massingham family. Midway through his story he is interrupted by the appearance of the Massingham’s young son Stephen comes running into the room complaining he couldn’t sleep because of the noise, swiftly followed by his nanny Josie. Stephen is a very polite young boy and apologises to Sir George for interrupting his story. Mrs Massingham leaves the room with both Stephen and the nanny to settle him in again.
Mr Massingham and Sir George continue their conversation and touch upon the car industry and its unsupported entry into Europe. They talk about the need for greater efficiency in producing a car with a lower compression engine. They talk about the cost of developing this and the issues involved by removing lead from petrol and how the expense involved would harm the profits of both the car and oil industry.
This discussion follows:
Mr Massingham The automobile industry is going into Europe with a great big soft underbelly.
Sir George Then it’s up to the industry to reduce weight and protect itself
Mr Massingham How?
Sir George By concessions and subsidies, by improving the product and getting a decent after sales service
Mr Massingham The Smallest part of the problem
Sir George I am delighted to hear it
Mr Massingham Alright then, does the car industry take in a lower compression engine or does the British oil industry go over to high aromatics in fuel.
Sir George I thought the answer to that was obvious, the development of an efficient, low compression engine would add hundreds of pounds to the cost of a motor car.
Mr Massingham Is that unusual?
Sir George No it is isn’t Richard, and you should know better
Mr Massingham I’m sorry but the fact remains that the development of high octane fuel by alternative means, wont just put up the price of petrol, capital outlay would be enormous, recovery would take years
Sir George Fact of life
Mr Massingham Fact that the oil industry is prepared to face, but is the government?
Sir George Now what does that mean?
Mr Massingham Well everyone seems to be jumping on the anti-pollution bandwagon, hardly a day goes by without some sensational headline, did you read yesterday about the clergyman that went bonkers?
Sir George Yes, it was our people who discovered he’d been using high octane fuel as a solvent
Mr Massingham A misuse, should industry be blamed for that? Must we legislate for idiots? The Americans have already told their administration that it’s quite possible to meet the mass requirements in the time
Sir George I think the environment should have a share in your concerns
Mr Massingham Yes of course it does, but things must be kept in proportion.
Meanwhile Anne has gone to see how Ridge is doing in hospital. Ridge says he’d feel a lot better if was out of here! He complains that in a place like this he could go nuts. He asks her, if she thinks he is normal and she says it is a vast improvement since she last saw him. They go over his track record, but Ridge is frustrated he can’t be released due to suspected mental health issues. They then go on to talk about speeding and cars. It is then Anne has a thought and asks Ridge, how often he changes his car and does he tinker with it much. He reveals that he does and he is an unrepentant tinker and compulsive fiddler and he has also has a garage underneath his flat.
Bradley is sent with Neil Stafford to investigate Ridge’s garage who are both are sceptical that they will find anything. Bradley argues that as Ridge is a chemist he would have taken proper precautions with chemicals. After a quick look around Neil discovers he has an oxy acetylene tank. They are then interrupted in the garage by Mrs Sylvester. They explain to her they are friends of Dr. Ridge. She explains that her employer is Ridge’s landlady. She explains that she comes up to town every now and again to keep an eye on the place and give it an airing and a dusting. She asks how Doctor Ridge is and Neil tells her that he is much better and may be coming out of hospital soon.
Mrs Sylvester is unaware that Ridge is suffering a mental condition and we presume this is explained to her.
In a meeting between Quist, Sir George and Neil Stafford it is revealed through Bradley’s and Neil’s findings that Doctor Ridge was welding in a confined space using Red Lead without any safety precautions and Ridge was suffering from acute lead poisoning.
Sir George starts the meeting by saying “One more reference to lead in Petrol and I think I will join Dr Ridge in seclusion”. Quist goes on to tell Sir George that reduced activity of ALA dehydrates (an enzyme especially sensitive to lead) was the reason why Ridge went berserk. Sir George counters this by arguing that “If this is the case, why isn’t it happening all over the place?” And Quist explains “How do we know that it isn’t?”
In the Doomwatch office Bradley and Barbara discuss when Doctor Ridge might be released from hospital. Bradley tells her, he should be alright and Ridge has been put on a Calcium and Vitamin B2 diet which would take care of the inorganic exposure and the enforced rest would look after the organic intake. “Then I better warn the female staff!” quips Barbara. But Bradley tells her he thinks Ridge won’t return to Doomwatch.
Barbara picks up a newspaper and dismayed tells Bradley that another child has been kidnapped in the news. The Massingham’s son Stephen has been kidnapped.
We then see the Mr Massingham in his family home explaining to Detective Chief Inspector Logan that his wife is heavily sedated. The Inspector is looking for clues to Stephens’s disappearance. Stephen was last seen standing by the lifts and quizzes the nanny Josie Reynolds. While talking the phone rings and the Inspector answers it and passes it over to Mr Massingham. Sir George is on the phone offering his support. The phones are being tapped in case the kidnapper calls, so he rings off quickly.
The Inspector thinks the boy may have been snatched and won’t come to any harm.
Meanwhile in the Doomwatch office Bradley is explaining that lead was added to Petrol in 1923 as an anti knock agent and the increase in cars on Britain’s roads leading to 10,000 tons of lead being added to Petrol in one year.
Quist interrupts Bradley and asks Neil to talk to Doctor Ridge to find more objective evidence.
Stephen has now been missing for two days and the Massingham's are getting worried. Mrs Massingham is not eating well. At the dinner table she then remembers that last week a woman in a Rolls Royce turned up when she and her son came to see Mr Massingham for lunch and spoke to their son and made a great fuss of him. There were two women in the car, but the other woman did not get out. The women then just drove off. Mr Massingham explains that there was a shareholders meeting that day and thinks this is important enough a detail to inform the Police.
The Police Inspector interrogate Mrs. Duncan-Foster at her home. She tells the Police (Chief Detective Inspector Logan) her Chauffer (Norman) might be able to help. Mrs Foster tells him that Stephen is a sweet boy and trusting enough that he might leave with anyone.
Mrs Foster tells Logan that she and her maid Joan Sylvester was in the car driven by Norman. Logan is keen to interview her and asks of her whereabouts. Mrs Foster tells Logan that Mrs Sylvester is away for a few days (gone to see her mother). Logan asks her for an address. Mrs Foster tells Logan that Norman will be able to give him the address as they are married. Right on cue Norman enters the room. Norman explains to Logan that all Mrs Foster did was call the boy over and ask him if he’d like a ride in her car. As a viewer we get the impression that Mrs Foster thinks this is innocent enough, as it might be exciting for the boy to driven around in a Rolls Royce)
Norman also explains that Stephen was with a nurse (her Nanny) talking to the doorman and he didn’t see anything else out of the ordinary. Logan checks with him that his wife was with him in the car. Norman then explains that she has gone away saying that her mother is ill.
Meanwhile we see that Neil Stafford has gone to see Doctor Ridge in hospital. Ridge and Neil don’t really get on and Neil explains to Ridge he has been instructed to help Ridge leave hospital. Ridge wisecracks “What are you going to do?, Stab a few nurses in the back? Toss me some skeleton keys?”. They are interrupted by the arrival of Norman Sylvester (The Chauffer), who Ridge is both delighted and surprised to see. Ridge asks Norman if he still works for “Knickers” which is Ridge’s name he calls his landlady (Mrs Foster) behind her back. Ridge asks Norman how he knew he was in hospital, and Norman replies that his wife told him. Ridge asks him who told her that? Neil then reveals that he did. To which Norman adds after Neil and his wife met in Ridge’s garage. Ridge on hearing this news cheekily says “You do get around in your tea break don’t you?
Norman apologises for interrupting, to which Ridge describes Neil “As a torpedo boat disguised as a human being” just to get rid of him. Norman then asks to speak to Ridge in private and Neil leaves the room but hides behind the door listening in to their conversation.
We then see Neil reporting back midway in conversation to Sir George and Quist over the conversation he listened in on between Ridge and Norman. Quist questions why he Norman didn’t go to the Police with his concerns. Apparently Norman is frightened to death of the implications. The wife had told him about what Neil and Bradley had happened to Ridge and he wanted to be sure of this. Neil then explains that he and Bradley had told Mrs Sylvester that Ridge was a victim of lead poisoning and Bradley explained why they were snooping around Ridge’s garage. Sir George thinks that this and the never ending stories in the press helped push the matter. Neil then reveals to Quist that the Sylvester’s had a son (Simon Sylvester) that was the same age as the Massingham’s son. Norman Sylvester thinks his wife has snatched the Massingham’s son for revenge.
Sir George has been handed a newspaper in the meantime from his Secretary and while reading it, it looks like a reporter has picked up on the information. It looks like Norman has decided to go public with his information and help the Police.
Meanwhile the Massingham’s are upset over the latest revelation. Mr Massingham reads the paper to his wife consoling her by saying that he doesn’t think their child will be harmed as Norman told the newspaper that she took all the toys they gave their own child with her when she kidnapped their son. Mrs Massingham is inconsolable and worried that her son is going to be killed. Mr Massingham then explains to his wife that there is a limit to the places she can go because the Police now know who they are looking for and everyone in the country has a description of her by now and they will find him.
In an unknown location we then see Stephen in captivity singing and playing with Lego and toy lead toy soldiers while Mrs Sylvester watches him icily.
Back at the Sylvester’s home we see Norman explaining to Neil that when they lost there son Simon, his wife just sat in a chair for weeks. Norman wants to know what will happen to his wife, and Neil tells him it is down to what Mrs Sylvester does. Neil asks Norman how long they have lived in the house. Norman tells him they have lived there for 3 years with their son. Neil investigates the house and opens a window picking a piece of it which may be lead, as the wooden frame looks worn and peeling. He puts this sample in a handkerchief.
Norman then goes on to explain that his wife has been acting out of character in the past by brutally beating a dog with a stick that had bitten Simon. Simon had been tormenting him and the dog had bitten back. The strange thing was that she wasn’t in a temper and was emotionally cold. When Norman interrupted her and got the stick from her, she gave it to him like she was half asleep. Neil continues with his search in a nearby cupboard, still looking for lead. He asks Norman if their son had any toy soldiers. Norman says that they did and his wife had taken them with her. He explains that they were ‘proper’ toy soldiers and proudly explains that they are not ones made of modern plastic. Neil asks Lead? To which Norman’s smile quickly fades into the realisation of what he has just said.
Meanwhile, in the evening Mrs Sylvester sits coldly talking to Stephen, who asks if he can play with the toy soldiers, to which she replies “Tomorrow” and then asks him to go to sleep.
At the Massingham home we see the Inspector leaving who bumps into Sir George Holroyd on the way in telling him that there has been no further news. It looks like Mr Massingham has invited Sir George over.
In desperation, Mrs Massingham has had a private word with her husband and as she retires for the evening she reminds her husband that she must make Sir George publicly announce that lead in petrol isn’t a health hazard so that Mrs Sylvester believes that lead wasn’t the cause of the death of her son Simon and will return Stephen to his family. Sir George had already offered to do anything he can to help. Sir George says No, he is sorry he can’t help as it’s under investigation. Mr Massingham is then angry saying that the industry spends millions on research and that there is no health hazard and the stories in the papers are made up. Sir George argues that although the industry is acting responsibly that there must be independent assessment. Mr Massingham is annoyed and tells Sir George that government independent bodies only report back what is expected of them and they only want to keep their noses clean while “Waiting for a Knighthood”
To which Sir George replies that this is to Mr Massingham’s advantage as the goal of any government is the GMP (Good Manufacturing Process). Mr Massingham says “With Doom so fashionable it’s becoming an election issue” To this Sir George asks if he can change his mind, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.
Sir George then tells Mr Massingham that there will be a press release tomorrow. He goes on to say that there is strong evidence that the Sylvester’s son was the victim of pica. Children discover that flecks of old lead based paint taste sweet. The Sylvester’s child had access to large quantities of this. And to a large number of lead toy soldiers. This gives Mr Massingham concern and pause for thought.
Back at Doomwatch Bradley is frustrated that with the Toy soldiers you have a choice not to come into contact with them, but with lead in the air from car fumes you do not and since everyone knows that lead is a poison something should be done. Brad goes on to informs the team that the Russian’s removed lead in their petrol in 1959, the Germans will in 5 years (1979) and the Americans even sooner. Brad says that Britain is just waiting for the Joe public to complain about it before something is actually done.
The Police seen searching for the Massingham’s son by knocking on doors, pounding the streets and asking the public.
At Doomwatch Neil is reading the newspaper and is annoyed at the report as he only suggested that Simon Sylvester was a victim of pica and tells Barbara. Barbara hopes that the news will help. Bradley interrupts their conversation with the good news that Ridge has been discharged from hospital. To which Neil counter’s that hew knew much to Barbara’s surprise, and then goes on to say that it was partly down to his recommendation. While the good news is still in the air, Neil slips in a nasty aside to Bradley, warning him to get rid of another member of the Doomwatch team (Baxter) as he will eventually want to take Bradley’s job and even his own telling him that he is a spy for the Minister and not to trust him.
We then see Massingham's son is playing with the lead toy soldiers with Stephen asking why Mrs Sylvester doesn’t want to come and play with him. As Stephen goes to her, she starts to breakdown and cry.
We then see a BMW pull up driven by Neil outside Ridge’s flat (Number 45). Ridge is dropped off (still on probation) by Commander Stafford. Neil has picked him up from the hospital as he thinks Ridge will appreciate a lift from his colleague at Doomwatch. The two make friends as Ridge thanks him for his help.
As Ridge enters his flat he is shocked to find that what should be his empty flat is occupied by Mrs Sylvester and the kidnapped child Stephen at his flat playing with the lead toy soldiers.
They don’t notice his arrival at first, when they do Ridge quietly says in response to the playing of soldiers, “Boom Boom”.
Sir George and the Massingham’s celebrate the return of their son. They discuss that unbelievably Ridge’s flat was such as obvious place to hide that no-one thought of looking there! Stephen is said to be in good health and because he is so polite, he actually even says he is missing Mrs Sylvester and wants to know when he can see her again. They discuss what will happen to Mrs Sylvester. Mr Massingham hopes that they will lock her up.
Mrs Massingham tells her husband that Norman called leaving all the Lead soldiers and said Stephen was mad about them and his wife wanted him to have them. Over my dead body! Said Mr Massingham and his wife agrees.
Later Quist is seen reading a newspaper with an announcement from the British oil industry while relaxing with his wife.
Quist “A spokesman said it was prepared to anticipate government legislation by announcing a 25% reduction in the British standards maximum lead level in petrol, but that the consumer must be prepared to pay upwards of 2p more per gallon.”
“Good!” replies Anne
“Good?” replies Quist, “The level allowed at present is 3.8 grams per gallon, now a reduction of 25% would put it at 2.8 grams per gallon. Now the average UK level in 1970 was 2.1 grams per gallon. So what would you call that? A China mans loss or an Irish mans rise?”
Anne “What?”
Quist “Even though they make a 25% reduction, they can still chuck in up to three quarters of a gram more than they are doing at the moment! I call that a really adventurous step to improving the environment”
Anne replies “I know what John Ridge would say”
Quist “What?”
Anne “Boom Boom!”
What did he say? Doomwatch: The Science and other interesting bits
Tetra-ethyl lead Tetra-ethyl is an organometallic compound with the formula (CH3CH2)4Pb. Once a common antiknock additive to petrol, It was largely discontinued because of the toxicity of lead and its deleterious effect on catalytic converters. It is still used as an additive in aviation fuel for piston engine powered aircraft.
Avonmouth Poisoning This was a reference to the 1972 enquiry over cased of lead poisoning at the RTZ Smelter at Avonmouth. Between 1968 and 1972 there was a gradually increasing concern about the health of the workers on the site and about the possible pollution of the environment outside the site. Despite the companies efforts to improve the performance of the plant, while at the same time meeting the minimum standards of hygiene in the environment. Events were brought to a head by the death of a worker from an unrelated disease. The diagnosis at the local hospital of lead poisoning in a worker certified as fit for employment by the company. Requests by the workers to examine the health register were refused and eventually a meeting of all parties, Factory Department, Medical Services, TUC Medical Adviser, works doctor, and company management, agreed to an early date for extensive modifications to be made to the plant by advancing the date for the annual overhaul programme. The hazard to the health of the worker in this process arises from inhalation of lead dust and to a lesser extent from ingestion. This happened due to the maintenance and cleaning operations particularly during periods of unplanned shutdowns because of the failure of the plant.
Antiknock Agent An antiknock agent is a gasoline additive used to reduce engine knocking and increase the fuel's octane rating. The mixture known as gasoline, when used in high compression internal combustion engines, has a tendency to ignite early (pre-ignition or detonation) causing a damaging "engine knocking" also called "pinging" or "pinking" noise. The discovery that lead additives modified this behaviour led to the widespread adoption of the practice in the 1920’s and therefore more powerful higher compression engines. The most popular additive was tetra-ethyl lead. However, with the discovery of the environmental and health damage caused by the lead, and the incompatibility of lead with catalytic converters found on virtually all US automobiles since 1975, this practice began to wane in the 1980s. Most countries are phasing out leaded fuel, different additives have replaced the lead compounds. The most popular additives include aromatichydrocarbons, ethers and alcohol, usually ethanol or methanol.
Red Lead When inhaled, lead tetroxide (Red Lead) irritates lungs. In case of high dose, the victim experiences a metallic taste, chest pain, and abdominal pain. When ingested, it gets dissolved in the gastric acid and gets absorbed, leading to lead poisoning. High concentrations can be absorbed through skin as well, and it is important to follow safety precautions when working with lead-based paint. Long-term contact with lead tetroxide may lead to accumulation of lead compounds in organisms, with development of symptoms of acute lead poisoning. Chronic poisoning displays as agitation, irritability, vision disorders, hypertension, and also a grayish facial hue. Lead tetroxide was shown to be carcinogenic for laboratory animals. Its carcinogenicity for humans was not proven. Lead in humans poses a serious health risk. In increased quantities blood lead levels there is evidence of a decreasing IQ. Biological effects can also occur depending on the level and duration of the exposure of lead.
Review
Terence Dudley sought help from Eldon Griffiths, the Deputy Secretary of State in 1972, who stated categorically that there was no danger in leaded petrol. In real life on the 16 June 1971 the Secretary of State for the Environment asked Mr Eldon Griffiths told the what he estimated would be the extra cost to the consumer in terms of new pence per gallon of introducing unleaded petrol in the United Kingdom. Mr. Eldon Griffiths replied that he had been advised that lead-free petrol would cost about one new penny more per gallon for low octane ratings and substantially more for higher ratings. In the episode the Minister is trying to suppress the truth while he is on office “Waiting for a Knighthood”. In real life in later years, the truth about leaded petrol was finally revealed and the interviewee was no other than Sir Eldon Griffiths. The issue of lead in Petrol was still discussed in Parliament for and not resolved for another 24 years. Although the central issue in this story was legally finally resolved in January 1, 1996 in the UK by the Clean Air Act banning the sale of leaded fuel for use in on-road vehicles,this story still remains very interesting.
The episode itself is typical Doomwatch and anyone who sees this episode can’t help but to wonder even now how it took so long for the issue of lead in petrol to be resolved. Doctor John Ridge makes a brief but welcome Series 3 appearance and his charm and one liner's always brighten up the episodes he is in. It still confuses me why Norman Sylvester at the end of the story, despite the kidnapping and also knowing the lead toy soldiers he has poisoned and killed his son, why offering them to Massingham’s after his wife has been caught. Did anyone see a Mike in this episode? The producer’s son Stephen Dudley also appears in this episode as well as briefly appearing in Tomorrow the Rat.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Dec 6, 2009 17:39:02 GMT -5
Episode Synopsis by Scott Burditt © July 2009
The episode begins with an establishing shot of the outside of Weatheroak Hall Maximum Security Medical Research Unit (Owned by The Department of Health and Social Security). The building is surrounded by a large wall covered in barbed wire and pointed glass shards.
A security camera watches over a corridor when two men approach a doorway who can be seen on a security monitor from the inside.
One of the men (Terry) presses an intercom buzzer and informs a Doctor McEwan that Mr Beavis (the other man) is now in section 3a and addresses Doctor McEwan as Sir.Doctor McEwan asks Terry to hold him until he flashes him (when he is ready).
In the room is Doctor Anne Tarrant, Doctor McEwan and Professor Alec Hetherington who apologises for all the security measures.
Dr McEwan calls Miss Abrahams on the same intercom and asks if she is ready. Dr McEwan opens a set of blinds revealing a window into which a preparation room exists. In this room a Nurse enters with a female patient (Mrs Abrahams) and attaches a headset to her. Mrs Abrahams sits quietly and nervously as the Nurse finishes attaching wires to the headset.
Doctor McEwan explains to Doctor Tarrant that Mrs Abrahams is an acute depressive. Doctor McEwan flicks an intercom and asks Mrs Abarahams if she is ready and is informed that she is. While preparing equipment Professor Hetherington explains to Anne:-
“Electrodes are planted in the patient’s pleasure centre, in the cepstral region of the brain, by stimulating this pleasure centre we can counter act her severe states of anxiety and depression” Anne asks if this process can be self administered but
McEwan explains that the process is addictive and in the patients own words “Better than sex”
Meanwhile in the corridor Terry and the Mr Beavis approach the advanced treatment reception room. After the treatment the headset is removed and Mrs Abrahams leave the room with the nurse. Professor Hetherington cheerfully explains to Anne that Mrs Abrahams earlier records were consistent attempts at self mutilation and suicide.
Anne interrupts “But if she becomes addicted to this pleasure substitute…
McEwan “We can condition her out of that”
Anne replies. “But you will know nothing of the original causation.”
Professor Hetherington continues “Doctor Tarrant our brief is effective rehabilitation of the violent psychopath, If we succeed we will have established a viable, cost-effective alternative to Broadmoor.”
Anne “And this is a pilot unit?”
Professor Hetherington “The trouble is our statistics are so good I constantly have to apologise for them”
Anne “Does that include readmissions?”
Professor Hetherington explains to Anne the process has no readmissions and he indicates the arrival of another patient in the preparation room to Anne
In the treatment room a Mr Beavis is greeted by Doctor McEwan and then sits down in the the same chair as Miss Abrahams while one of the assistants sets up a strobe light in front of him. Doctor McEwan explains to Mr Beavis the demonstration procedure. “I’m going to trigger you off by inducing feta and the treatment will run its usual course, understood? Anne asks Doctor McEwan why Mr Beavis isn’t wired up, to which Professor Hetherington replies “He doesn’t need to be.”
The process then begins as the strobe light is switched on. As the strobe light blinks faster and faster Mr Beavis suddenly looks agitated and rises quickly from his chair breathing heavily and turns to the window with Anne and the team watching in horror as he starts to bash on the sound proof window. McEwan motions to a colleague in the room surrounded by electronic equipment who then pushes a switch. Mr Beavis leans against the window looking in pain. Professor Hetherington explains to Anne who looks on confused “He’s radio controlled...”
After her visit Anne and Doctor Quist are relaxing at home. Anne puts a record of classical music on and they discuss the pros and cons of the process at Weatheroak Hall. Doctor Quist seems to agree with the process where Anne does not arguing the process creates Robots. Quist argues that all McEwan has done is simply an extension of Delgado’s classic experiment, stopping the charging bull…calming the angry chimp by remote control… Anne reminds Quist that Mr Beavis is not neither an animal or a machine and warns Quist of the dangers involved, the destruction of personality, the social implications… Anne asks Quist in all seriousness “I want something done about the whole setup at the Weatheroak institution”. Quist replies that it’s not our brief and seems uninterested. Anne is concerned about the process appearing perfect with no failures and asks him if he thinks their techniques are acceptable. Quist tells her that new methods aren’t necessarily invalid. Anne tells Quist if he wants proof she will get it. Quist is still uninterested and wants someone else to look into it. Anne sticks the boot in and asks him if he would have said the same thing had John Ridge been the patient…
The next day Professor Hetherington and Sir George Holroyd are discussing a press conference in a weeks time at Sir George’s office marking a year of achievement. Professor Hetherington is seeking ministerial approval and recognition by the establishment and a move to larger permanent unit while the treasury will welcome the cost savings by using the process if not by the methods used. While relaxing with a drink with Sir George Professor Hetherington explains to Sir George that a high cure rate and a rapid turnover of patients keeps costs down whilst Sir George suggests providing a good public image is needed. However, Professor Hetherington is concerned about security and opposition to his work and suggests some of this comes from the depths of Whitehall. Citing a visit the day before by an attractive lady consultant psychiatrist of the civil service, who is also a part time consultant at Broadmoor. “A Doctor Anne Tarrant” Sir George knows exactly who she is…
Anne is at home, just about to leave to go to the Doomwatch office when she thinks about calling in to say she is going to Weatheroak Hall. At Doomwatch Quist is unaware of Anne’s intentions and waits for Anne to arrive. In the meantime Barbara puts through a call from Sir George. Sir George warns Quist not to interfere at Weatheroak Hall due to the sensitive nature of their work, the upcoming press conference and because of the ministerial backing the project has. Sir George doesn’t want any controversy surrounding the treatment methods used and asks Quist to tread lightly. Sir George suggests that if Anne has any further concerns she should contact him directly first and then he abruptly rings off.
Commander Neil Stafford arrives at Doomwatch with a pile of paperwork under his arm that he dumps on Barbara’s desk. Barbara reprimands him and Neil starts to set off to file them away alphabetically when he is interrupted by Quist entering the room. Quist asks him what he knows about a Professor Hetherington. Neil doesn’t know him. Quist instructs to find out about him. Quist tells him that he runs a maximum security hospital unit at Weatheroak Hall. As Neil says he will look up all he can, Barbara passes Quist a sheet of paper from a file. “Let me save you the trouble” smirking. The fact sheet contains information on Hetherington. Quist wants to know if Barbara is psychic. Barbara said that she received the fact sheet over a month ago with an invitation to the lunch time symposium at the London society reminding Quist of his acceptance. Quist is unaware until Barbara tells him that Doctor Hetherington is the main speaker. He is speaking on Violence and the Psycopath.
Back at Weatheroak Hall Doctor Anne Tarrant is in Doctor McEwan’s office quizzing him over Mr Beavis. She tells him that she is disturbed by the method that they are treating him, although Anne doesn’t doubt its effectiveness. Doctor McEwan tells Anne that if Mr Beavis was in Broadmoor that it would be at least 5 or 10 years before they would let him go, and then he would go to another hospital and argues that he would be able to leave here inside 3 months. Anne argues that by that time he will be totally alienated by human contact. “Are you afraid he will get hooked on electronic impulses?” replies Doctor McEwan.
Anne continues to argue that Doctor McEwan is not curing him, only controlling him and Mr Beavis is a violent psychopath and could relapse at anytime because he is still sick. Doctor McEwan tells Anne that in five years he could put twenty men like Mr Beavis back into society and Anne would be lucky with one in that time and still have relapse problems. Anne “He would be an integrated human being, not a radio controlled object.”
Doctor McEwan still tries to convince to Anne, but Anne wants to talk to Mr Beavis and finally Doctor McEwan agrees.
At the London society Quist and Professor Hetherington discuss psychiatry. Quist mentions Weatheroak Hall and they play a cat and mouse game with words sussing each other out.
Meanwhile back at Weatheroak Hall Anne and Doctor McEwan wait for Mr Beavis to arrive for an introductory meeting. Mr Michael Beavis arrives and introduced to Doctor Tarrant. Mr Beavis tells Anne is worried he is going to be examined and she reassures him thats it’s nothing physical, she is just visiting. Mr Beavis then remembers Anne from the observation room and offers to tell her about the details. He tells her he’d like to see her again tomorrow.
Meanwhile Professor Hetherington and Quist discuss the three kinds of treatment: Psychosurgery, Electrical stimulation of the brain and bio feedback (as the Americans call it). Quist wonders what Freud would have made of it all. Showing off Hetherington thinks Freud has had his day. Quist mentions Doctor McEwans radio manipulation of violent patients. Hetherington scoffs at this and tells Quist that Doctor McEwan has nothing to do with it and the patients are controlled by computer.
Relaxing in front of the fire listening to music, Quist and Anne discuss the events do far. Quist is impressed by Hetherington’s radio control progress on a long range control system using satellite communication.
Mr Beavis chats with Doctor McEwan in his office while he takes notes. Mr Beavis is pleased his treatment is working. Doctor McEwan is concerned that not everyone is convinced by his progress meaning. Mr Beavis is upset by this news because he wants to feel he is getting better, he thins Dr Tarrant is impressed by his progress and that is why she is coming to see him the next day. He reassures himself and Doctor McEwan that he will convince her the treatment is working. Doctor McEwan tells him that Anne is more interested in his history rather than the treatment. Mr Beavis is not happy as he feels that this is none of her business. Doctor McEwan tells him that Anne needs to make her own judgement and that this will be necessary. Doctor McEwan pleads with Mr Beavis that they must convince Anne that their work is right and his treatment is a success. Doctor McEwan reminds him that he will be talking alone with Anne the next day.
Doctor McEwan speaks into an intercom and tells Terry Mr Beavis is leaving. When he has left Doctor McEwan sighs to himself looking worried.
The next day Doctor McEwan is showing Anne the equipment he uses. A machine constantly monitors each patients progress and prints a constant readout. Anne using a missile analogy asks how the cutout process works (to stop the missile exploding). Doctor McEwan explains that once theta activity starts it has to run its usual course, however just prior to normal violent action the expectancy wave build and peaks. He then walks to a set of computer banks with reel to reel tapes spinning. Doctor McEwan tells Anne that it is programmed to recognize the expectancy wave. Just before the wave peaks the computer activates a transmitter that sends the signal that calms the patient immediately. Doctor McEwan says that the machine uses an “infallible form of exterior homeostasis” in response to Anne questioning that the computer never fails to stop the violence.
Anne is concerned that the computer is taking over the natural inhibitor to violence in the brain. Doctor McEwan said is doesn’t and it just enforces them. Anne questions the underlying cause rather than just treating the effect. Doctor McEwan counters this by telling Anne that some of the problems are so deep rooted the patient would otherwise have to spend a lifetime in an institution which would be very expensive.
Doctor McEwan explains that this is the case with Mr Beavis, as he is a multiple murderer.
In the corridor Terry brings Mr Beavis to the advanced treatment reception room. Mr Beavis straightens his tie before going in. As he goes in he notices Anne arguing with Doctor McEwan through the observation room window. They notice Mr Beavis is watching and Doctor McEwan hurriedly closes the blinds on the window. Anne is not happy to interview Mr Beavis in the observation room concerned that this would just be an extension of Doctor McEwans mechanized experiement. Anne ants to talk to him in the grounds outside worried that Mr Beavis has been brainwashed which Doctor McEwan angrily refutes. Doctor McEwan realizing that this looks very unprofessional accepts Anne’s proposal.
In the grounds of Weatheroak Hall Anne walks quickly with Mr Beavis. Anne doesn’t want to question him over his treatment which throws Mr Beavis. Anne wants to know about his past instead but Mr Beavis doesn’t want to talk about it claiming it’s dead and buried and the only thing that concerns him is the here and now. Mr Beavis is uncomfortable with Anne’s questions. Undeterred Anne presses on addressing him as his first name Michael. Anne asks Michael if he ever suffers from recurring dreams, to which he says he does. Michael describes the dream to Anne. He is racing in a fast powerful car. He is in complete control and it does exactly what he wants, and before long he has passed everybody and he is way out in front… then he crashes.
In the Weatheroak observation room a scientist (Robbie) is taking careful notes of the equipment and its readings with a clipboard and reassures Doctor McEwan that all is normal.
Almost immediately Doctor McEwan then points out that something is starting to happen…
In the grounds Michael and Anne sit on a bench. Michael tells Anne that he doesn’t want to talk about his family. Anne presses on anyway and asks if he has a sister. Michael says he does, but agitated by the questioning he doesn’t know or care if she is alive. Michael goes on to angrily describe that his mother was a stupid bitch and was always trying to dominate him and was never caring. Anne asks him if being married made a difference to Michael. Michael says Janet (his wife) was just the same. Anne realizes Michael is getting agitated and apologises. She starts to get up suggesting they start walking again when Michael angrily grabs her arm claiming that he won’t talk to her and doesn’t listen. He wants her to understand that what he says matters. Michael is getting angry…
Doctor McEwan watches the readings closely and waits for the computer to kick in when it sees the expectancy wave rising fast.
Back in the grounds Michael is getting violent with Anne and she tries to escape from him. Michael starts shouting “I will kill you!” as Anne struggles desperately to release herself whilst her plea to be left alone are ignored. Michael is out of control and his ear radio control piece gets damaged.
In the control room Doctor McEwan and Robbie look at the readings very concerned.
Michael is still attacking Anne. Whilst struggling and shouting “Let go of me” Anne is thrown to the floor, but as she falls she hits her head hard against the corner of the bench they were sitting on before she collapses unconscious to the ground.
Unaware of what has happened in the grounds Doctor McEwan seems pleased with the computer results as everything appears to be back to normal but decides to go and check just in case. He puts his coat on leaves Robbie to continue to monitor the computer.
Michael looks down on Anne unconscious, suddenly upset he decides to make a run for it.
Robbie starts to notice the readings peaking sharply again. Worried, he drops his clipboard and starts to check the results closely.
As Doctor McEwan searches the grounds, he spots a body not far off near the bench and he starts running towards Anne. He quickly checks her and looks around worried, for signs of Michael Beavis.
In Doomwatch Commander Neil Stafford is on the telephone taking a message down for Doctor Quist while Barbara watches him, when Quist appears through the lift doors to the office just as he hangs up. Neil asks Barbara to try and get the Minister (Sir George) back on the phone. Neil tells Quist a patient has escaped from Weatheroak Hall after attacking a visitor. Doctor Tarrant. Quist is alarmed by this and immediately leaves. As he leaves Neil shouts after him that Sir George wants the fullest explanation.
In the grounds of Weatheroak Hall Michael is still running. He trips and falls in the forest. He hears the sound of police car sirens approaching and continues to run.
Back in Weatheroak Hall Professor Hetherington and Doctor Quist quickly make their way into the control room. Anne sits while Doctor McEwan works away. She apologises to Quist and tells him that she was alright and has just had a knock on the head. Anne explains that she got through to Michael only too well. Professor Hetherington cuts in by telling Quist that she was saved from serious assault by the computer and Doctor McEwan adds that Anne was never in any real danger and that it is Mr Beavis that has actually suffered the most damage. Quist snaps at Doctor McEwan asking him if Mr Beavis was under control to which Doctor McEwan explains that he was even after his receiver was damaged. Quist is not impressed and tells Professor Hetherington that his design standards for the receiver are not good enough, but Doctor McEwan explains that it was never designed to withstand physical assault because Anne panicked struggling to escape.
Anne apologises for being partly responsible for Michael’s escape. Professor Hetherington reassures her that Michael has nowhere to go and the police are very efficient. Doctor McEwan explains that Michael is still effectively under his control.
Michael appears to have escaped the police and comes across a house in the middle of a field. Whilst standing at a stile to the field he fiddles with the receiver behind his right ear discovering it is broken, then in frustration throws it to the ground the and runs haphazardly towards the house…
At the observation room the readings on Michael immediately stop. Doctor McEwan tells everyone that he has lost contact with Michael and now anything could happen. Doctor McEwan tells Quist that Michael isn’t just violent and he wiped out his whole family with a gun.
Michael approaches the house and hides behind a large shed at the bottom of the garden whilst he watches a woman (Emily) from the house taking her washing in from the line whilst listening to Terry Wogan on the radio. Michael makes his way round to the house using the garden wall as a cover unnoticed by Emily. He spots an open window to the house and then an open door. He makes his way in cautiously and smiles when he immediately finds a shotgun. He opens the gun to check the barrel for cartridges. The barrel is empty. He quickly finds a box of cartridges and hurriedly loads the gun.
Emily has nearly finished her work and picks up the basket and makes her way to the house just as Michael has finished loading the gun with two cartridges. Michael waits for Emily to come through the door. As she does she puts down the washing basket and immediately goes to boil the kettle and then she suddenly notices Michael in the house pointing the loaded gun towards her…
Back at Weatheroak Hall Quist is aghast to hear that Doctor McEwan allowed a stress situation to develop in order to extend his experiment in a social atmosphere. An argument insinues where Professor Hetherington and Doctor McEwan argue that the computer and the patient work together instead of the computer manipulating the user. Professor Hetherington defends the project as just another method of control like a doctor prescribing drugs to change peoples everyday activity or the voluntarly intake of alcohol, tranquilisers and caffeine affecting a persons abnormal behaviour including Doctor Tarrant’s psychoanalytic methods.
Doctor McEwan continues to argue that the process is liberation and not domination. He explains that it is the interface of brain and machine working as a two way operation. The mind using the resources of a computer to evaluate and influence its own functions and purpose. Releasing the brain of its upper primitive responsibilities giving it truly creative freedom. “A super brain?” replies Quist Doctor McEwan tells him that it’s not impossible. Anne counters this with “It’s fantasy”. Doctor McEwan thinks that there is something beyond the conditioned reflex and that this experiment was an early step towards this. Doctor McEwan had told Michael that this was his real goal and he thinks that Michael has run away because he thinks that Doctor McEwan has failed.
Back at the house Michael takes the frightened Emily at gunpoint upstairs. She tells him that people will come here eventually. As she steps into a room, Michael keeps the gun pointed at her. She reminds him that she has given him food and drink and she offers him some clothes. Undeterred by the gun she now asks him to go. From the open window the sound of children playing can suddenly be heard. She quickly makes her way to the window as three young children come running towards the house. Michael bolts for the stairs as Emily comes running after him…
A young girl and boy come running into the house and Emily embraces them as Michael opens the door to them and hides unnoticed behind it. The third child, a young boy called Stephen then comes running up to the door. Emily tells the startled boy to run. Confused and not entering Stephen sees Michael hiding behind a door through a crack in the frame and then decides to run for it. Michael quickly shuts the door reprimanding Emily “You shouldn’t have done that”.
Michael cracking up tells the women to give the children their tea and addresses her wrongly as Janet (his wife). She tells him she is not Janet and Michael tells her not to argue and give the children their tea and then he will talk to her.
It is now night and Quist and Anne are leaving Weatheroak Hall as there is now nothing more than they can do except wait for the police search parties to find Michael. Quist explains that to Doctor McEwan that he would still like to talk to Michael and question him over his informed consent. Professor Hetherington enters the room and informs everyone that Michael has been tracked down to a farm six miles away and he has a gun and three hostages. Professor Hetherington tells them that the police have asked for their help. (It looks like the boy Stephen has informed the police)
Meanwhile at the house Michael awaits the arrival of Doctor McEwan. Emily pleads with Michael to let the children go. He waits with the family in one of the children’s bedrooms with a gun near the window. He spots a school bag and asks for a pen and paper.
Rodgers, one of the policemen is guarding the house with a gun.
Quist, Anne and Doctor McEwan arrive at the farm. Doctor McEwan is appalled the police are armed. Doctor McEwan warns the police inspector in charge that as long as Michael isn’t provoked capturing by force will not be necessary. The inspector tells Doctor McEwan that Michael might be fed up waiting for him. They are interrupted by Michael shouting out of the window for McEwan “where are you?”
Doctor McEwan approaches the house. Michael spots him and asks him to come inside and only then will he let the woman and the children go. Michael tells him to hurry and turns to his captives and tells them “he’d better hurry”.
Doctor McEwan turns away from the house and explains that he is going inside the house and Michael will let the woman and her children go. The police inspector is worried that Doctor McEwan might not be able to handle Michael, but McEwan decides to go back to the house.
Michael watches his approach, while Quist, Anne and the police inspector watch carefully hidden. Doctor McEwan enters the house and calls to Michael. He makes his way partly up the stairs as Michael lets the family go instructing Emily, calling her Janet to take them out of the house. It is clear to Doctor McEwan that Michael has cracked. Doctor McEwan emplores Michael to come back with him to the unit. Michael does not want to and he also doesn’t want to let go of the gun. Doctor McEwan tries to convince Michael that he is in control of his actions. Michael a piece of paper from his pocket.
Anne, Quist and the police inspector debate what to do next outside. Quist wants to talk Emily but the police inspector thinks she has been through enough. Anne wants to know what state Beavis was in when she came out, but Anne is told that she is with her husband and will make any statements to the police later. Anne is concerned about Doctor McEwan. The police inspector tells her that he is going to give them five more minutes, then he is interrupted by the sound of gun shot. The inspector instructs Anne and Quist to stay where they are and he instructs the other police officers to call an ambulance. Fearing the worst Anne turns to Quist who embraces her. As they look on toward the house Doctor McEwan slowly makes his way down the garden.
Doctor McEwan tells Anne and Quist in dismay that Michael has shot himself through the heart. He then goes on to produce a piece of paper that Michael had given. A sort of will, leaving his brain to research for Doctor McEwan to find out what went wrong.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Dec 31, 2009 6:42:11 GMT -5
Hi everyone, sorry it's been a while since I posted here. I thought everyone might like to know I have received the following new information for episodes recorded from Season 3. Below is the BBC's records for the VT Recording numbers used for all episodes except Say Knife, Fat Man. If anyone knows a way that these can be checked against existing tapes please let me know. Thank you Scott
SEASON 3
1. Fire And Brimstone 05.06.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/76772
2. High Mountain 12.06.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/78624
3. Say Knife, Fat Man 19.06.72 EPISODE MISSING
4. Waiting For A Knighthood 26.06.72 625 Line VT
5. Without The Bomb 03.07.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/78446
6. Hair Trigger 10.07.72 625 Line VT Recording No. VTC/6HT/77370
7. Deadly Dangerous Tomorrow 17.07.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/78941
8. Enquiry 24.07.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/78773
9. Flood 31.07.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/77977
10. Cause Of Death 07.08.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/79082
11. The Killer Dolphins 14.08.72 EPISODE MISSING Recording No. VTC/6HT/76928
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Post by DR. QUIST on Feb 6, 2010 5:11:35 GMT -5
Doomwatch Season 3 by Mark Chappell (Updated by Scott Burditt) As Doomwatch went on into its third and final series, only Quist remained in the forefront, the Doomwatch team itself becoming too involved in the Governmental side of things to be a force to be reckoned with any longer. Toby Wren’s replacement (civilian Geoff Hardcastle) disappeared, Dr Chantry had left and although both Colin Bradley and Barbara Mason made some contribution, it was on the whole minor. Simon Oates, the actor playing Ridge, only made guest appearances, mainly due to Oates personal life beginning to sound a bit like Ridge’s. Oates found himself, as a result of the programme, fascinated by Pedler’s predictions and became involved in a public way with conservation groups, thus cutting down the amount of time he was available. Somewhat ironically, the scripts used Ridge’s disappearances to good advantage, the character’s frequent contact with harmful substances leading to a sort of physical breakdown. Fay Chantry’s replacement in the third season, Anne Tarrant, was also involved in conservation, but to a much smaller extent.
Doomwatch spawned three novels by Pedler and Davis, although only one had any real connection with the series. Mutant 59 was a retelling, minus any Doomwatch characters, of the pilot episode, The Plastic Eaters (shortly available on BBC Video). The second book, Brainrack, concerned the effects of petrol fumes on Britain’s populace, but the third book, The Dynostar Menace, was far more Fantasy based, set at the turn of the 21st Century, but still dealing with problems for Mankind created by Mankind. In 1975, an educational publisher Longman issued a small paperback novelisation, entitled Doomwatch, of three episodes from the first season by Pedler and Davis, especially commissioned, with various educational exercises and appendices. The episodes were The Plastic Eaters along with The Red Sky (concerning the affect aeroplanes have on the environment) and A Bomb Is Missing which wraps the book up with Tobias Wren’s death (the subsequent episode on tv, You Killed Toby Wren is out on BBC Video).
Terence Dudley later stayed with the theme of Mankind destroying itself through misuse of technology by producing the first two seasons of The Survivors, whilst Gerry Davis and Kit Pedler returned to writing. Pedler died in 1979. The Press frequently quoted him as ‘Doctor Doom’, although there was little doubt that series such as Doomwatch were a legacy he was proud of. Terence Dudley died in 1988, Gerry Davis wrote and lived in America until his death on the 31st August 1991. Robert Powell is now an international star following his portrayal of Jesus of Nazareth, whilst Simon Oates and John Paul still appear on television and stage - Oates even played John Steed in a 1971 stage version of the tv hit The Avengers.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Feb 7, 2010 11:25:38 GMT -5
SEASON 3 EPISODE 12 (UNTRANSMITTED - ORIGINALLY EPISODE 5) SEX AND VIOLENCE by Stewart Douglass
”Sex and Violence” was originally the unshown episode 5, this episode was banned before it could even reach the pages of 'Radio Times'. The episode contains real footage of a military execution in Lagos. It also features characters designed to be satirical analogues of Mary Whitehouse, Cliff Richard and Lord Longford used to debate the levels of Sex and Violence prevalent in society.
Film footage was used to show examples of both and the film editor (Alistair MacKay) thought the use of such distressing and real material was irresponsible and the showing of the material could cause a great deal of offence. His point was taken on board and the episode was never shown. The episode was also seen as too hot a potato politically for the time and was held back. The episode features a lot of dramatic debate.
Cast
Dr. Spencer Quist JOHN PAUL
Dr. Anne Tarrant ELIZABETH WEAVER
The Minister (Sir George Holroyd) JOHN BARRON
Commander Neil Stafford JOHN BOWN
Colin Bradley JOBY BLANSHARD
Barbara Mason VIVIEN SHERRARD
Arthur Ballantyne NICHOLAS SELBY
Mrs. Catchpole JUNE BROWN
Lord Purvis DONALD ECCLES
Steven Granger BERNARD HORSFALL
Mrs. Hastings ANGELA CROW
Mrs. Angela Cressy NOEL DYSON
Professor Fairbairn BRIAN WILDE
The Rev. Garrison LLEWELLYN REES
Dick Burns CHRISTOPHER CHITTELL
Demonstrator QUEENIE WATTS
Young Man SEBASTIAN GRAHAM-JONES
Stewards RICHARD VANSTONE JOHN HOOD PAUL NEMEER Production
Theme Music MAX HARRIS
Script Consultant ANNA KALISKI
Film Cameraman FRED HAMILTON
Sound Recordist BASIL HARRIS
Film Editor ALISTAIR MacKAY
Studio Lighting JOHN DIXON
Studio Sound CHICK ANTHONY
Assistant to Producer GLYN EDWARDS
Designer JEREMY DAVIES
Producer TERENCE DUDLEY
Directed by DARROL BLAKE
Synopsis by David Richardson January 1995
Middle-aged Mrs Catchpole addresses a meeting of housewives, and deplores the “rising tide of filth” prevalent in today’s permissive society. She introduces their guest speaker, Arthur Ballantyne...
The Plot
The Minister voices his concerns to Quist that pornography is a threat to society. Quist doesn’t believe an investigation into Permissiveness is Doomwatch territory, although the Minister argues there is little difference between pollution of the air and pollution of the mind. The government has to be seen to be doing something. As Quist points out, the noises made by minor MPs have resulted in the Purves Committee. He doesn’t want to have any part of it, but is informed that Dr Tarrant is already on the Committee. The Purves Committee comprises Reverend Garrison, Professor Fairbairn, clean-up Campaigner Mrs Cressy, educationist Mr Granger, pop singer Dick Burns and Anne Tarrant. They will study established facts and reports to see if a change in the law is required.
As Dick Burns leaves the building, he is cornered by Mrs Catchpole who begs him to vote for a change in the law. She believes he will have the swaying vote.
Mrs Catchpole leads a protest outside a theatre, complaining about the indecent scenes in the play ‘Do It’. Anne Tarrant arrives, and refuses to be intimidated. As she tries to get through the picket, she is hit in the face. In hospital, Quist visits Anne. Her attacker has not yet been found.
Mrs Cressy gives the committee a run down of the subjects featured in American cinema, wife swapping, prostitution, transvestitism, nymphomania and homosexuality. Granger refuses to believe these films corrupt the youth of the nation - more likely they are watched by people denied sex education in their childhood. The only way they can judge the effects of these films is by viewing one...
Anne’s attacker, Mrs Hastings, is found and Anne visits her to discuss the incident. The woman is distraught and begs forgiveness. She lives alone with her child after her husband left her, and loneliness has driven her to join the ‘Housewife’ group, and their clean-up campaign struck a chord with her inability to control her son. Carried along in Mrs Catchpole’s religious crusade she began to see the theatre audience as perverts...
Quist wants to feed the Committee’s reports into Bradley’s computer, hoping for an answer to the debate. He also learns that ‘Housewife’ has 6000 members in the UK, and during the past week there have been four separate incidents involving the group. The organization is financed by Arthur Ballantyne.
Mrs Hastings reveals that she was told nothing about sex when she was young. She is a mentally scarred woman, with serious hang-ups about how ‘shameful’ and ‘disgusting’ sex is.
Later, Anne Tarrant relates this to the Committee. She says the sexual instinct is part of everyone. If it is repressed, a stunted person results. Harsher laws will just sweep the problem under the carpet, and perpetuate it. The Committee now turns to the subject of violence.
Mrs Catchpole is visited by Doomwatch’s Neil Stafford. She is quite concise in her opinions: the ‘Reds’ are behind the problem. She criticizes the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is too kind to ‘the blacks’, who she would have expelled. She has no faith in politics, and wants a strong man to lead the country.
The Committee gather to watch a newsreel broadcast on television in September 1971. It shows an incident in Nigeria, where public executions draw huge crowds. Seven men are executed by firing squad. The Committee is horrified. Mrs Cressy is revolted and says it should never have been shown, Dick Burns is nauseated, but tearfully admits the footage made him want to do something about the Nigerian situation.
Quist is reading a book which puts forward a view that repressed individuals can be controlled by dictators. Later, he visits Ballantyne in his country mansion. The man is an extreme right-winger who inherited his fortune. Ballantyne admits he is a political opportunist, and an amateur psychologist. He thinks the nation fears freedom and fears sex, so anyone who brings in a law that bans sex will be popular. Like many politicians, he will pander to popular fears; after all, it’s easier for politicians to focus the country’s thoughts on moral problems, rather than economic crises. The sexually deprived, stunted individuals will look to a leader. And Ballantyne sees himself as the right dictator. He says: “If you have created a society in which a naked couple cavorting on a public stage is more shocking than a million on the dole, a hundred thousand homeless, or half a million dead in Pakistan, don’t blame me for taking advantage!”
The Committee’s votes are cast: and Dick Burns has the casting vote. He is against a change in the law.
Quist compares Ballantyne’s campaign with Hitler’s rise to power, when the masses agreed to their own subjugation. Bradley shows the result of his computer’s analysis — no change in the law.
Background by David Richardson January 1995 Sex and Violence must be one of television’s greatest ironies. A thought-provoking analogy of the censorship debate, it was itself banned in 1972 when the BBC felt the topic was too controversial. In the production’s defence, the news- film in the episode had been aired at least twice on television during 1971, while the pornographic movie was faked. Adult shops in London’s red light district Soho had refused to provide any suitable clips when approached; apparently they were appalled that the BBC should consider broadcasting such material! Instead, a number of extras were hired, and a fairly innocuous sequence involving several cavorting half-naked bodies was shot in a hotel near Heathrow Airport.
Director Darrol Blake assembled an excellent guest cast for the episode, many of whom are now better known as principal performers in popular series. June Brown, who gives a fervent performance as Mrs Catchpole, is now firmly rooted in tv mythology as EastEnders’ Dot Cotton, although Doctor Who fans may re- I member her as Eleanor in 1974’s The Time Warrior. Brian Wilde (Professor Fairbairn) went on to star in both Porridge and Last of the Summer Wine. Bernard Horsefall (Steven Granger) was a regular guest star in Doctor Who (The Mind Robber, The War Games, Planet of the Daleks), while Christopher Chittell went on to play Chris, the Homo Sapien friend of the Homo Superior teenagers in The Tomorrow People.
Locations for the episode were all quite close to the BBC’s Television Centre. Mrs Catchpole’ s violent demonstration against the fictional play ‘Do It’ was filmed outside Richmond Theatre, and on the same day the production team shot outside a block of council flats for Mrs Hastings’s home, and at a nearby church hall for the opening scenes of the Housewife meeting. Arthur Ballantyne’s rambling country manor was Poulsdon Lacey, a stately home in Surrey.
After finishing the location shooting and studio recording, Darrol Blake supervised editing and dubbing, and with Sex and Violence ready for transmission, took his family off to France for a well-earned one month holiday.
“When I got back I bought the Radio Times,” the director recalls. “I opened it to look at the spot where Sex and Violence should be, and found another episode billed. This was how I found out that the whole thing had been scrapped. I rang Terry Dudley who said, ‘Oh dear, what made me think I told you!”
During Blake’s absence, there had been a minor fuss about the episode in the British press. “The BBC had been so foolish to put out a press notice regarding Doomwatch,” he continues, “saying that the current series would be one short due to a substandard production. Fortunately I didn’t know anything about this. “The writer saw that, rushed to the television centre with his agent and made a great deal of noise. He spoke to his friend Keith Waterhouse, who wrote about it in the Daily Mirror, and it started to gather momentum. The BBC then put out another press notice to the effect that the current series of Doomwatch would be one short, not because of substandard production which was a misunderstanding, but that it dealt with a subject that couldn’t really be dealt with honestly and fully in fifty minutes.”
More likely the BBC was getting cold feet because aspects of Sex and Violence mirrored exactly real events at the time. Lord Longford had been assigned to host a committee to examine the moral pollution of the Nation. On the Longford Committee were a clean up campaigner (Mary Whitehouse) and a pop star (Cliff Richard)...
Fortunately, Sex and Violence still exists in the BBC, together with a few minutes of additional material from the studio recordings — cut-away shots of the Committee’s reactions to viewing news footage of the public executions.
Today the story remains as pertinent as ever. In 1994, a low profile Liberal Democrat MP, David Alton, called for amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill, to prevent violent films being available on video. Echoes of Doomwatch?
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Post by DR. QUIST on Feb 24, 2010 10:42:53 GMT -5
Say Knife, Fat Man by Martin Worth
Cast Dr. Spencer Quist JOHN PAUL Dr. John Ridge SIMON OATES The Minister - Sir George Holroyd JOHN BARRON Commander Neil Stafford JOHN BOWN Colin Bradley JOBY BLANSHARD Barbara Mason VIVIEN SHERRARD Cliff Lawson ALAN HOCKEY Eddie PETER KING Carlos ANTHONY ANDREWS David ADRIAN WRIGHT Sarah Collins ELISABETH SLADEN Ian HUGH ROSS Susan Proud MARIA O’BRIEN Michael Pratt PAUL SEED Rafael Dominguez PETER HALLIDAY Chief Supt. Marriot GEOFFREY PALMER Professor Frank Holman HUGH CROSS Williams SEAN LYNCH Harry LESLIE SCHOFIELD Newsreader (Voice only) Unknown Assistant to Producer GLYN EDWARDS Directed by ERIC HILLS Produced by TERENCE DUDLEY TX: 19th June 1972 9.20pm - 10.10pm
Synopsis by Scott Burditt and Michael Seely
At one in the morning, on a main road in the Pennines, a car passes a grey van coming over a hill. In the van, two men, Cliff Lawson, who is driving, and his friend Eddie in the passenger seat, are startled by the sight of a motorcycle by the side of the road and the driver lying still nearby. Cliff quickly stops the van and Eddie gets out of the passenger side to see if the rider is OK. As he reaches the seemingly unconscious and possible injured motorcyclist, Carlos, the young man on the floor suddenly grabs Eddie's legs and pulls him down to the ground. Back in the van Lawson sees what has happened and dives out of the van to help his friend. As soon as he leaves, unseen by Cliff, the van is hijacked by a young girl called Sarah. Cliff is startled as the van speeds past him. While Cliff is still struggling with Eddie, Lawson is also attacked from behind by another man called Ian. Carlos, who has now got the better of Eddie, gets to his feet and points a gun directly at Lawson. Ian injects the unconscious Eddie. Carlos explains to Lawson that his friend will be asleep for at least another ten hours. Eddie is then dragged to the side of the road. In the meantime, a young boy called David waits impatiently next to an estate car with a torch and the boot of the car open as the van approaches. Sarah grabs some keys from the van, gets out and gives him them. Both the locked doors in the back of the van are opened, while Sarah looks around nervously. In the van are various crates and packages and among them are four large steel and wood containers clearly marked radioactive. Sarah reverses the car up to the back of the van and the heavy containers are transferred to the estate car haphazardly by David, who struggles with the last one trying to get the boot to the estate shut. David then locks the vans doors again and returns the keys to the cab. Sarah and David then drive away. Ian returns from a field and tells Carlos he has put Eddie near a haystack. He than picks the motorbike up. Satisfied, Carlos prepares to leave. Lawson wants to know what is going to happen to him. Carlos tells him they need him to drive the van. Lawson incredulously reminds him that the van has been taken. Carlos tells him that it was just to distract him from helping his friend and that the van is just parked around the corner. Carlos motions him forward with the gun and the group start walking while Ian follows on the motorbike. As they approach the van Carlos makes Lawson get in through the passenger side so he doesn't just drive off. Carlos keeps the gun on him at all times and tells Lawson he has a long drive ahead of him. In the meantime Sarah and David are relieved to be driving quickly away. The next day at Doomwatch Barbara is engaging in small talk with Bradley. She is unhappy with the quality of the new office curtains. She tells Bradley that Commander Stafford is having a private line to The Minister installed into his office. Technicians are tinkering with Bradley's computer and Bradley is reluctant to go into the lab. He asks Barbara where Stafford's office actually is. Jealous, Barbara tells him it is downstairs and that he even has a balcony. He decides to go in the lab, but is put off by the expectant faces on the technicians he can see inside. he isn't comfortable with the new staff and feels surplus to requirements. Barbara opens a parcel on her desk containing files delivered straight from civil servants. She thinks it is full of every pseudo scientific problem that no-one knows how to deal with and it all gets lumbered on Doomwatch. A teenager enters at the main door and apologizes for being late. Barbara correctly guesses that she is Susan Proud. She apologizes for being late and explains quite annoyed, that she was given directions to Doomwatch's former headquarters. Barbara introduces Susan to Bradley and explains that she will be taking over reception duties. Quist enters the office complaining about its new location. He is introduced to Susan and he reassures her that she will fit in. Quist asks Bradley to show him his new lab. The telephone rings. It is Commander Stafford looking for Quist. Barabara asks him to come up stairs. Meanwhile Lawson is still driving the van and wants to know where they are going. But Carlos ignores him. Lawson threatens to take the gun that resting on the lap of Carlos. Carlos convinces him to do otherwise. They head towards Brecon and towards the black mountains. In a meeting with Quist, Stafford explains that a van carrying four cases of Plutonium under special delivery from Windscale has gone missing. Stafforf explains that the driver and his friend were supposed to arrive at Harwell at 8.30 and checkin if they were running late, which hasn't happend. Quist is horrified. The estate has pulled up next to a building and David tells Sarah to get him a trolley and an overall while he conceals the 'radioactive' labels with pieces of cardboard. Sarah wonders if their theft has been discovered yet. David assures her that Carlos is taking care of the situation. Lawson stops the van near a stone wall surrounded by the mountains. Lawson is nervous. He still thinks the van contains the four cases of Plutonium and warns Carlos not to touch them. Carlos tells him to get out and run at gunpoint after explaining in one direction lies a village and the other a phonebox, both of which are at least a couple of miles away. As Lawson is about to leave, Carlos wraps the gun up in material and hits Lawson on the back of the head with it. Lawson is knocked unconscious and Carlos gets out and hides him in a nearby ditch, gets in the van and drives off. Lawson is already starting to recover. In a meeting with the Minister's in his office, Quist is cannot believe the large amount of Plutonium that appears to have gone missing. The Minister reassures him that in case of accident, the containers that they were in are in fact indestructible. Quist reminds him the regulations have been broken. The Minister admits that in fact it was he was responsible for the authorisation to move such a large quantity under cover to Harwell as quickly as possible. Quist's wryly notes his plan has failed.The Minister is still unconcerned and predictably Stafford backs him up. However, the Minister is aware of the implications should the Plutonium been hijacked under his authority. H tells Quist that in his job he has to take risks, even if sometimes they blow up in your face. Quist can't help to point out that The Minister has cjosen an unfortunate metaphore. The Minister is furious at this retort. he tells Quist that he doesn't need reminding that sixteen kilo's of plutonium is enough to make an atom bomb. David is moving the trolley containing all of the plutonium into a small workshop whilst Sarah locks the door. David asks her how much time he has. Sarah tells him at least an hour. David rips off the cardboard concealing the crates. The Minister receives a phone call. It's bad news. They have found the driver's friend drugged in a field whilst the driver drove at gunpoint to South Wales. The Minister tells Quist that a Chief Inspector Marriott is now in charge of the investigation and wants to meet with Quist. Quist tells the Minister the containers will not be easy to open, but Stafford assumes that the perpetrators will have the necessary equipment to open them. Quist warns that if they are successful, the plutonium that is exposed to the air will ignite, let alone the damage a single particle of alpha radiation can do to any person that inhales it. The Minister assumes that they know how dangerous it is. Quist isn't satisfied. David has used a acetylene torch to cut open one of the containers revealing a cyclinder container inside with a lock on it. Sarah gives David a hacksaw to cut it open. In the Minsters office, Quist hangs up on the telephone and tells The Minister and Stafford he is going to meet the Inspector at the Yard before he travels to Wales. The Minister warns Quist to reassure the press and the Police there is nothing to worry about. Quist tells them he isn't convinced he can and then leaves. Stafford asks the Minister why they took the van to South Wales. The Minister thinks the market for it is abroad where it will be sold to make a bomb. The Minister explains that Plutonium is hard to come by as it isn't just a material you can dig up out of the ground and is made by a Nuclear reactor. This is regulated to ensure that countries that might misuse it to make a bomb cannot as a non proliferation treaty prevents this. The Minister asks Stafford to try to narrow the search for the countries or groups that might be responsible. David has successfully opened the container. Sarah removes the round blocks of plutonium that is still protected by clear plastic. She tells David it is heavy and lays it down. David is in awe of the dangerous metal. At Doomwatch, Bradley is describing what Plutonium looks like and about explain the dangers to Susan and Barbara but is interrupted when Susan spot's someone outside in the reception area. It is Ian. He has placed something on Susan's desk without a word and left. Susan's goes after him, but is too late. On the desk is an envelope addressed to Stafford. Susan takes it to his office. Bradley then tells Barbara that the plutonium was packed separately to prevent the dangerous circumstances of two blocks coming together. He demonstrates this with a couple of items off her desk. He explains that there would be no explosion but the radiation created would create a nasty mess. Quist enters and comments that it only takes 8kg and they have 16. he then tells them that only 5kg was enough to create the Fat Man bomb, before walking into his office. Quist explains what Fat Man is to Barbara while hanging around the door to his office. Stafford enters demanding to know who delivered the envelope. Susan tells him that it was a boy, but she didn't see his face. Stafford takes out a photograph showing two men in a posh restaurant and the cryptic caption "What's the connection?" written on the other side. Stafford knows who they are and goes out. In a University lab, a physicist, Michael is inspecting the stolen Plutonium in a depressurised container in which he can handle the Plutonium. Sarah and David are present and they are all wearing protective clothing. Michael returns the Plutonium to the container. He suggest they store it in their lockers. Sarah is worried the Professor is getting suspicious with the all the activity at night. Michael dumps his clothes into the prepared Dirty bin for clothes. Carlos arrives and Micahel congratulates him for the smoothness of the operation. The containers are put in Sarah's locker and David confirms that all Carlos's instructions have been followed and Carlos is satisfied they have left enough false trails to keep the authorities busy for weeks. Rafael Domingues, a latin american, works as the first secretary at the South American embassy in London. He is obviously one of the men in the photograph sent to Stafford. He greets Commander Stafford. On Rafael's desk is an Evening Standard newspaper, with the headline "Plutonium Hijacked" and a photo fit of Carlos on it. Stafford notices the newspaper and remarks that the photo fit's always look like friends he knows which provides some amusement between the men. Rafael is aware of the news and wants to know if Stafford thinks their country is a suspect. Rafael lists a number of countries he can think of that would be responsible. Rafael suggests that if indeed his country did have a bomb his country would be one of "the big boys" and not be patronised by the U.S. Stafford warns Rafael is this is exactly the reason behind his visit. He tells him about the photograph delivered to him. Rafael points out the photo is a fake, noticing that the shadows in the photo point in two different directions.Stafford knows. The photo has been doctored to remove the Ambassador that he was actually dining with on that day with a man called George Talbot. Rafael doesn't know him. Stafford tells him that the man was wanted for criminal activity. Stafford wants to know why someone would want to try and implicate Rafael with him. Stafford suggests that he might have moved from drugs to something more lucrative and is looking to sell to the highest bidder. Rafael suggest the Plutonium. At night, Quist and The Minister watch a newsreader reporting that the police have moved in on suspects in the plutonium hijacking on the Minister's TV and suggesting a connection with a Ginger Keyes, who is a member of an international crime syndicate. Quist is shocked. The Minister is irritated and switches off the TV. He tells Quist the Americans have called him with a "holier than thou" attitude. Quist suggests that the news report may not be accurate. The Minister thinks that criminals wouldn't sell it for money, instead use it to achieve power and protection. He calls Miss Wills, his secretary and asks for a full police report on the matter. The Minister also wants to know why Stafford hasn't reported back. Meanwhile in Quist's office Chief Superintendent Marriot is furious that co-operation between the police and the security service is always one sided. Holding the fake photo Marriot wants to know why he wasn't informed. Stafford uses his elevated position to inform him that he is not accountable to a Superintendent. Members of the police with Marriott are trying to find the envelope the photo came in by emptying the bins. Barabara tells Marriott she hasn't found the envelope and she is told to find Susan. Susan is brought to Marriott. She describes the man as young with long hair, wearing jeans and a tight fitting jacket. Barbara appears with the rediscovered envelope. Marriott asks his Sergeant to take statement's from them both and asks them to leave the office while he has a word with Stafford. They discuss George Talbot and Rafael. Marriott tells him that the van driver said his gunmen had confessed to the killing of Ginger Keyes in detail. Marriott knows he is following false leads. Quist enters the office demanding to know why Barbara, Susan and the police are doing in the office so late. He tells Stafford the Minister wants here from him and he is less than happy. Marriott wants to know how much Plutonium is commonly moved around. Quist explains it is an ever increasing amount. Marriott muses that it will lead to more opportunities for it to be stolen by someone like George Talbot. Marriott surprises Quist and Stafford by revealing that he doesn't think George was involved as they found the stolen van in an abandoned mine and because the driver was purposely knocked out, dumped and told where the nearest telephone was so that he would call the police to the area in effect creating a diversion. Marriott thinks that the Plutonium was actually transferred to another vehicle 300 miles away in Yorkshire giving the perpetrators at least 24 hours without anyone looking in the right direction. Quist guesses they might have taken it to Liverpool, but Marriott thinks it hasn't actually left the country. Quist is concerned that a bomb might be made in the UK. The next morning Stafford is with the Minister in his office informing him of the situation. Meanwhile Marriott is with Quist in his office concerned they have been victims of a student prank. At the same time Stafford is explaining to the furious Minister that students are responsible for a nationwide emergency. Still angry, he tell Stafford to leave him alone. In the student locker room Michael tells Carlos that each block of Plutonium is in a different locker. Carlos wants to know if all of it is going to be used. Michael says that some of it won't be used at all. Carlos suggests selling it. Michael thinks Carlos has a feeble imagination, despite Carlos pointing out that it has ten times the value of gold. Michael goes into the lab to continue his work as Carlos calls after him, asking if he knows a George Talbot but Michael doesn't. Carlos decides not to explain further and wishes Michael good luck for the night's operation and tells him that he will be keeping well clear. At Doomwatch, Barbara is in Quist's office. She tells Quist that she can't believe that student's would steal Plutonium. Quist points out that the boy who delivered the photograph was also involved in the robbery. Quist tells her that Susan's description of him matched the same one given by the van driver. His motorcycle had an emblem on it for the Stainfield University Football Club. Barbara want's to know how this ties in with news reports of the murder of Ginger Keyes and George Talbot's involvement. Quist tells her that this story was faked but Marriott can't investigate the University as he was alled in just three month's previously to end a sit-in. He is still looking for definite evidence and he has asked Doomwatch to investigate as Quist was once a colleague of the Professor of Nuclear Physics, a Frank Holman who tutors there. Quist is convinced Marriott is right about the student hijacking and Quist wants to help the Police discreetly. Quist asks Barbara to come with him as his P.A. Barbara, Quist and Stafford arrive at the university and make their way to the Enquiries desk. Stafford has spotted a white Mercedes and thinks they are not alone in their investigations. He tells him it belongs to George Talbot. Quist is shocked. Stafford thinks his informers have kept him one step ahead of the Police and he has come to get the Plutonium first. Barbara tells Quist where to find the Professor. Quist tells her he is going alone to see him. Barbara is a bit put out by this. Stafford thinks that Barbara could pass herself off as a student after reading a notice board message that an "Action for Peace" meeting is being held at 8 p.m. in Union Hall. Quist waits in Professor Holman's secretaries office. Frank enters and is obviously pleased to see him and is about to invie him for dinner with his wife but Quist interupts him by telling him he is there on official business for Doomwatch. At first Frank doesn't know what Doomwatch is, then remembers. Quist gets straight to the point and asks Frank if he is aware of the Plutonium robbery. He is, and still thinks all the fuss is still happening down south. Quist tells him that they are no longer looking down south... Meanwhile Ian comes into the Crush Hall and stops abruptly as he spots Barbara, recognising her, studying the notice board. He then sees Stafford with her, but he has his back to him. He's still wearing the same clothes from the day he delivered the photograph, he quickly makes his way back where he came from. Frank realises what Quist is implying and tries to assure him that the previous troubles were only the actions of a few wannabe revolutionary arts students. Quist tells him he is only looking for five or six students and suggests that they might be in his department. Once again he tries to assure Quist his students are conscientious responsible scientists and don't behave like idiots. Quist reminds him that is exactly what they were when they were working on the Manhattan project. Frank tells him that they both knew what they were doing but Quist doesn't think that was justification. Frank is interupted by Sarah entering the room, who eyes Quist carefully. Frank tells her to return in ten minutes. Sarah apologises and leaves. Frank asks Quist to return at 7 p.m. and discuss things later as he is busy. Quist agrees. Frank assures him that his concerns are unfounded, suggesting it is impossible. Quist tells him that although it is unlikely, it is possible. Meanwhile, Ian and Sarah have met up. The both go back to Crush Hall where Stafford and Barbara are. Sarah approaches Barabara and fakes interest in the notice for "Action for Peace. She suggests that no one will come and asks Barbara if she will be attending. Barbara wants to know what the meeting will be about. Stafford listens intrigued. Sarah asks her to have a coffee with her and she will explain. She looks to Stafford, who approves with a slight nod, then she leaves with Sarah. Stafford returns to watching over the forecourt again and suddenly spots a student quickly moving to the Mercedes. The student is actually Carlos. Carlos speaks to Williams, the driver. Carlos was actually expecting to see Talbot. Williams asks him to get in as Talbot is waiting in a hotel in the town for him. Carlos is suspicious but gets in the car anyway beside Williams and they drive off while Stafford watches. Quist returns and asks him where Barbara is. Stafford tells him that she is doing some of her own investigation work. Quist tells Stafford he is meeting up with Frank later. Stafford then calls Chief Superintendent Marriott on a phone in the lobby. In the university lab, Michael is working on the Plutonium while Ian tells him that Doomwatch and it's head of department, Quist is here. Sarah enters and tells them both that Barbara is here snooping, pretending to be a student. Ian is worried and thinks the Police won't be far behind their investigations. Michael is keen to get the work done before they are caught. Sarah tells them that she doesn't trust Carlos and never has because he is not a scientist and is in it for himself. Micahel reminds her that they needed his skills to pull off the hijack. David appears at the door, preparing himself with the overshoes to enter. David and Michael discover that he had asked them both what was going to be done with the rest of the Plutonium. Sarah suspects that he wants to sell it. The Mercedes arrives at the hotel. Carlos and Williams get out, but Carlos is confused when he discovers they are not going in, but along the pavement to another car with a driver at the wheel called Harry. Williams opens the rear door for Carlos to get in. Carlos is worried and protests but does as he is told and gets in. Carlos wants to know where they are all going, but Williams asks him to tell them as it is he that has the Plutonium. Carlos wants to know how much he will be paid, but Williams says that is for Mr Talbot to say, but assures him that he will be well paid. Carlos realises that he is trapped by the men as Williams tells him that he is in no position to argue with the men as he is a wanted man. In the University lab Michael is machining the Plutonium as Ian and Sarah watch. All three are uneasy. Sarah is concerned that Barbara will be looking for her if she doesn't turn up for the Action for Peace meeting. Michael is unconcerned and asks David to get another block of Plutonium. In the car Williams explains that they never underrate the police. They have left the Mercedes on the street standing out like a virgin in a brothel so the Police will find it easily as they know Mr Talbot is in the area. Sure enough a Police car passes the Mercedes and parks up nearby. Williams and Carlos watch the car as Carlos gets increasingly nervous. Williams explains that C.I.D. will arrive soon to ensure that Mr Talbot is in the hotel, which he actually is, and then they will wait around all...
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 10:46:19 GMT -5
..evening until Carlos turns up because he's the one they want. Williams plans to take Carlos back to the college where the stuff can be handed over. Carlos wants fifty grand to which Williams wonders what the time is... Maybe they should ask a policeman. Carlos looks frightened.
Back in the lab, as David is preparing the second block of plutonium, Michael doesn't understand why the others are so worried. They weren't planning to keep their activities secret for much longer. David designed the project, Sarah worked on the electronics and Ian had spent weeks on explosive lenses. As he continues his taunting, Barbara appears at the door way looking for Sarah Collins...
Outside the science buildings, Williams car pulls up and Carlos gets out whilst Williams and Harry watch him go.
Barbara is shown the plutonium containers inside the lockers. Michael explains that they have machined three of the plutonium pieces and are working on the fourth. They cannot let Barbara leave now. But now that she's here, she can see it finished.
Quist is still working on Holman, warning him that Superintendent Marriott is already at the central police station already and will just have to raid the university and question students, find drugs, and in the end he will find what he's convinced is here. Quist suspects that Holman believes him.
Michael starts to work on the plutonium in the glove box and explains to Barbara what their motives are. The students want the right to play on centre court. The establishment of police, magistrates, the ministers, university professors like Holman, all sit safely giving their orders because behind them is an armoury of weapons - 'from the copper's cosh all the way back to the Bomb.' And now, they have the bomb. Barbara calls them crazy.
As he works on the plutonium, and is watched intently, Carlos is next door in the locker room. He opens the lid of a container and puts it down. He freezes when the sound of the lathe stops. This is because Michael is in full flight, warming to his theme to Barbara. As a kid, he once had a knife held to his throat. He knew he wasn't going to die but he could have done. That was enough. 'A state of war exists.' A policeman does the same when he frisks you in the street looking for drugs that may not be there. The same for a judge trying you for possession or causing a breach of the peace.... 'All they're doing it for is to show you they have the knife.' They may well indeed be sent to jail for what they are doing, 'But with fear in their hearts, not complacency.'
Holding two plastic wrapped plutonium blocks, Carlos tells Williams that he will only hand it over when he is paid or is taken to someone who will pay him. Williams concedes despite Harry's protests about orders. They are going to have to return to London. During the journey, Carlos keeps the two plutonium blocks squarely on top of each other and thus in a highly dangerous position.
Holman is starting to admit that some of his students may be acting secretive, remembering his suspicions earlier in the day when he visited the lab but refuses to believe that could be building an atomic bomb! Michael Pratt, after all, is going to win a Nobel Prize one day, he's that outstanding.
The theft of the plutonium from the lockers has now been discovered and Carlos is immediately suspected. Barbara tells the students to phone for the police. What else?
Williams becomes suspicious of the plutonium, thinking it's really lead.
Barbara convinces them to phone for the police. Ian sees it as just giving themselves up. It is Michael who calls for them.
Williams is convinced they have been had. He pulls out a knife and holds it against Carlos's cheek. As the car pulls up besides a reservoir, Williams warns him what they will do to him if they find they have been conned. They are going to go back for the real plutonium. 'Fifty grand for this!' He sticks the knife into the plastic seal around the plutonium and rips it open - on Carlos's lap! Carlos tries to escape from the car but is caught outside and the thugs begin to beat him up. But to Harry's horror, the plutonium in the back seat starts to smoulder beside the second one.
At the University Lab, Quist, Stafford, and Marriott have joined Barbara and Michael. According to Marriott, Talbot is still in his hotel so if Carlos has taken the plutonium he must be somewhere else. Quist asks if Carlos knows what NOT to do if the plutonium begins to smoulder. Michael reckoned he'd probably run.
Williams and Harry throw out of the car the smouldering block and the second lump of plutonium, landing besides a terrified Carlos. Using his jacket to wrap up both blocks, Carlos tells the startled gangsters that he's going to put it out by throwing it into the reservoir...
Quist explains that throwing it into water is the worst thing any one can do with smouldering plutonium...
...which is what Carlos does. The small, brilliant blue explosion is seen by Harry and Williams as they're about to drive off, and Carlos falls down the bank of the reservoir. .
The next day Quist, Stafford and Barbara discuss the aftermath. Carlos has died from exposure to radiation whilst the two criminals have very little chance of survival. The outlet from the reservoir had been shut off in time - otherwise contaminated water would have affected Yorkshire. It will cost thousands to decontaminate the place. All this just confirms Stafford's prejudice towards students but as Barbara points out, it got into the hands of morons as well as students wanting to make an atomic bomb. For Barbara there was one thing more terrifying than both... 'That some students - if only feel the need to...' She walks out of the office leaving Quist and Stafford looking at each other.
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 17:11:29 GMT -5
The story begins in Quist's office. He is watching film of Dolphins at play at a place called Sea Lab with an Italian called Professor Fillipo Balbo who explains the nature of these remarkable creatures that he has studied all of his life, to Quist. These hugely intelligent mammals have emotions, an ability to care. 'If one mis-behaves, I have only to turn my back, show I am very annoyed, and they are so sorry, you wouldn't believe it.' There is no record of a dolphin ever attacking a human being unprovoked. It will only attack a shark in self defence. Quist studies a report he is holding. There have been reported shark attacks off the Italian coast. Not one person survived. Balbo knows what a shark attack looks like for one savaged his father, and Balbo tried to fight it off – he shows Quist the scars he still bares, and his left arm is crippled and useless. Balbo maintains that the injuries received by the victims were compatible to the butting and ramming of a manner in which a dolphin defends itself. Quist asks: 'But how can dolphins be killers?'
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Quist wonders if their is a new or undiscovered species of dolphin but Balbo maintains that there isn't a mammal in the ocean that neither he nor his father's sea-lab have not studied. He had interviewed a victim shortly before he died and he swore it was a dolphin that had attacked him. The journalists with him still reported it as a shark attack. He is convinced someone has done something to the dolphins and asks Doomwatch to investigate since nothing in his country could or would probe as independently. Balbo has a desire to create 'La Sentinello del Destino.' 'Sentinel of Destiny?' translates Quist, thinking it sounds like an opera. 'It is Italian for Doomwatch.'
The Minister, Sir George Hollyroyd is interrupted during a dictation session by a phone call which he takes in private. The unidentified caller discusses Balbo visiting the office of Doomwatch, well aware that the man is keen to set up an Italian counterpart of Doomwatch. According to his caller, the Foreign Office security boys are concerned that the recent attacks could be linked with recent naval exercises. Sir George asks if it has been officially admitted that the attacks have been from – but is interrupted. They mustn't appear to be, besides, it's top secret... Hollroyd studies a recent article on Balbo and remembers he has a meeting with the Home Secretary in ten minutes. He invites the caller round immediately. But his reaction on putting down the phone shows he would be less than delighted to see him.
Balbo is being given a tour of the Doomwatch laboratory where Quist and Bradley show him their Oceanology project, constant monitoring of oceanic changes on a global scale on a computer. They receive statistics from every known source and monitor specimens of sea and river water, plankton and fish build up for toxins. 'Think of all the toxic hormones God knows what – that pour down the world's rivers and end up in the one dustbin – the sea.' The chronic areas include the North American Seaboard and the Mediterranean. A ten year projection of pollution terrifies Balbo. The Mediterranean could be dead. Balbo points out the area in which the attacks happened and Quist notices the number of naval bases, including NATO in Naples, a connection that pleases Balbo. Quist asks Bradley to study that area in detail. It may prove to be good ammunition to set up an Italian Doomwatch.
Back in his office, Balbo invites Quist to visit his sea laboratory. Quist likes the idea and calls in Stafford, explaining him as Ex Royal Naval Intelligence. He gives Balbo a copy of a report in how Doomwatch was set up and some of its operations for bed time reading.
Before Stafford can join Quist and Balbo, a phone call from the Minister awaits. Sir George warns him not to let Balbo Quist into any commitment. He wishes to be kept informed. 'Don't make a lot of it. It's nothing... of great... Play it down. Goodbye.' This puzzles Stafford. Is there something funny about Balbo? Barbara Mason assures him that he's a dish... However, back in the Minister's office, a very senior Special Branch officer has been listening to the call. The Minister assures him that call won't deter Quist from anything, but it won't raise his suspicions. 'If that's what you wish, so be it...'
Stafford is immediately asked by Quist and Balbo what he knows about dolphins, any snippets from all the stations he has served in. Their sonar is envied, and they have been trained to carry equipment for frogmen and to identify enemy ships. It's 'radar' is three dimensional, better than any piece of equipment. Balbo confirms all of this. Stafford admits that he is riled that the Royal Navy has never done any work in this field. Quist asks him to look into it, it's right up his street. But after he's gone, Quist is interested that Stafford didn't like the idea...
Outside the office, Stafford writes a note and folds it twice, asking Barbara to give it to Quist so that he can read it without the other character seeing it. The note explains all to Quist. It says The Minister. Probably objecting to Balbo's Doomwatch idea. 'I must know what is happening to those dolphins.' Quist just wants to know what is happening...
The Minister later talks to Quist, reminding him that as a minister, he has more than one department to consider. Quist accuses him of 'nobbling' one of his staff behind his back. Why would Quist need a warning about Professor Balbo when he wants to set up an Italian Doomwatch? The Minister is concerned about sniping about wasting government money. 'You've enough problems to occupy you here.' Quist counters that it is the world's problems that they should be thinking off. Nature doesn't draw dotted lines over mountains and across oceans. There should be a Doomwatch in every country, something the Minister agrees with. It seems that they are talking cross purposes. They discuss Balbo and his father's activist ecological past. 'He might associate to your name with exaggerated claims, alarmist reports, sensationalism... You can't afford to be lined up with the cranks. It undermines the whole concept of Doomwatch.' Quist assures him that Balbo is no crank. 'No. Just don't do it,' replies the Minister...
Two days later, Stafford returns to the Doomwatch offices where they have been trying to get in touch with him for that time. Quist supposes that he has been checking up on Balbo but Stafford has actually been looking into any dolphin the project that the Royal Navy has been conducting and is simply getting stonewalled each time. He fancies that it is the negative public reaction that they fear... Stafford suggests he takes a week's leave and spend a few days in the Med... Quist agrees that Stafford looks like he's been over-working and a bit of Italian sunshine is required.
Balbo is back in Sea Lab and is spending some time in the pool observing his dolphins when his assistant Giulla signals him over the tannoy system to come quickly. He has been summoned to the Observation Room to watch some news reel of the latest attack... This time it was the swimmer Paola Larin Totti off the Gulf of Spozin, trying to break a world record.
Later that evening from Sea Lab, Balbo talks to Quist at his home. Because of his dead arm, Balbo has a hands free telephone designed to keep his good arm free. This time, not even sharks are being reported. It's now murderous sea creatures... He is hoping to see the swimmer tomorrow and would like Quist to come too. The Gulf of Spozin has a naval base.
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 17:12:27 GMT -5
Stafford has wasted no time in going to Italy and is currently sitting in the bar of the Club Galileo Galilee, a theme bar devoted to the great man himself. It is the haunt of Naval officers and Stafford, who is curiously conserving his drink is watching a table of four officers from different NATO countries who have reached their coffee and liqueurs. One of them is Bill Manzaro, an Italian born in New York now a Lieutenant Commander in the US Navy. Stafford affects a 'chance encounter' with his old colleague from Washington days.
Quist and Balbo visit Paola in hospital where she describes her frightening experience. She finds it difficult to describe the experience. Whatever it was, it came from underneath. 'The water was all thrashed up. And I was striking out for the boat.' It didn't bite her, just rammed her, swam into her. She felt the skin, but it was not a shark. She can't believe that it was a dolphin since they're such lovable creatures. She is invited to visit the sea lab to meet the tamed dolphins. Quist hopes they are wrong about their theory...
Stafford meanwhile is steering the conversation away from Manzaro's duties in NATO to that recent attack of La Spezia. Manzaro doesn't seem to know too much about the business and is surprised by the news that there have been more mystery attacks. He has heard that Stafford has been seconded to Doomwatch and reckons these attacks are one in the eye for his friends. 'Well, aren't the prophets of doom saying the Med'll be a dead sea in who knows how soon?' Stafford remembers reading a Professor Piccard who gives it thirty years. Manzaro reckons some creatures seem to be thriving on waste disposal. Stafford cleverly tries to suggest it may have escaped from captivity, and asks for ideas, hinting at dolphins training exercises to retrieve equipment for frogmen off Miami. . Manzaro doubts it. Dolphins aren't killers.
Quist watches an experiment in the Observation Room Balbo has set up, trying to goad the dolphins into aggression but they just ignore the attempts. So how are dolphins being made to kill human beings? Training is not the answer, maybe drugs? A phone call from Barbara Mason brings him news that the Minister is concerned that Quist is in Italy and was paying Doomwatch a visit tomorrow. Talking to Bradley, Quist tells him that he is going to send off some samples of ocean water and plankton, by express air cargo today. Should the Minister ask why Quist is in Italy, that's the reason. Sea Lab has as many samples of Med water as is needed.
After the call, Quist explains that the samples are simply a smoke screen, in order to prevent their investigation from being blocked. Giulia, the assistant wonders if it is possible that dolphins are being trained to attack frogmen and one has escaped. Quist wonders if she discusses these attacks with anyone outside, like a boy friend. Looking at Balbo, she says she has no boy friend. Balbo says 'If man is training dolphins to do his dirtiest work... We've got to stop him.'
The Minister's tour of the Doomwatch lab is particularly low key, and in talking to Bradley, is not interested in anything particular, except Italy, in general... Bradley shows him the ocean project and how it would help if countries like Italy started to do something similar. He mentions Balbo's samples. Barbara interrupts with news of an urgent call for the Minister which he takes in Quist's office. He learns that Stafford is out in Italy too... He orders Quist's immediate return home.
Paola has turned up for a swim with the dolphins. After her ordeal she is understandably nervous but she hasn't lost her nerves, like a pilot after a plane crash, remarks Quist. Balbo introduces her to some of his staff, some of whom will swim with her. Franco dives in first, and plays with the dolphins but Paola begins to feel fear and forces herself up to dive in. But cannot do it. Quist and Balbo encourage her to pat a dolphin on its head. 'It is unique, isn't it?' says Quist feeling the smooth skin. It is this skin that reduces the friction with the water and allows them to travel up to speeds of 30 knots. As Quist and Balbo discuss this amazing nature, Paola touches the dolphin – and it is the same as what had attacked her. They have their proof now. She tries once more to get into the pool but simply cannot do it and runs away.
Quist gets a telegram recalling him back to London. He has to obey and is convinced it is about the killer dolphins. Balbo is worried that Quist is giving up on the issue. 'If that's what you think,' retorts Quist, 'I'm sorry to.'
Stafford is about to join Manzaro for dinner at the club when he is intercepted by Commodore Aylwood, R. N. who Stafford knew as a Captain. Aylwood makes it cryptically clear to Stafford that he is under suspicion. 'We are the Silent Services, Stafford.' By the time Stafford reaches Manzaro's table he is angry at having been warned off. Even Manzaro was asked if he was seeing Stafford again and about their previous conversation. 'Well, you've gotta watch it these days, Neil. They're so sensitive. Right up to the top. The Pentagon's the worst.'
Quist and the Minister are having an argument. Quist cannot understand why he is seen to have over-stepped the mark? All he was doing is helping Balbo's crusade for an Italian Doomwatch. The Minister demands he lays all of his cards on the table. What is Stafford doing snooping around NATO? Quist plays the innocent. The Minister rumbles a warning. 'If you are trying to pull the wool over my eyes... ' 'You'll have my head on a plate, I know.'
Bradley discusses the results of the sea water tests with Quist and about the chances of an Italian Doomwatch. The Minister seemed quite complimentary of their work yesterday it seemed. A phone call from Balbo. His boat was out taking samples when they came across a school of aggressive dolphins. They caught some. They are in the pool now, their angry screeches loud and clear. Assistants are recording their behaviour with film cameras. The tame dolphins are in another pool otherwise they would have been murdered. Quist is on his way.
Stafford is walking down a Naples street when a car pulls up. A man named Calvelli knows who he is and that he was thrown out of the club and offers to show him Naples. That way they can talk and not be overheard...
Quist and Balbo watch sadly the aggressive behaviour of these dolphins. Apparently Franco has attempted to go into the pool with them but all he managed was one foot in the water and he had to get out quickly. This he demonstrates. They do not show any signs of being trained, they do not feed to hand. Quist wonders if they were trained in an enclosed bay? There is no sign of being drugged. Besides, it is impossible to anaesthetise a dolphin without killing it. Balbo is baffled and saddened. 'Dolphin's eyes twinkle. Look at them. Their faces are... dull, somehow, - and they look under nourished. They eat ravenously.' They cannot be deliberately starved as they live off their fat. No signs of a harness either. Suddenly, a dolphin flashes past Quist and he is knocked into the pool. The water thrashes violently, the dolphins screech and Quist cannot be seen. Franco and Stafford dive in and Balbo and Giulla use poles to ward off the attack from furious dolphins. Quist is rescued, and remarks 'Nothing like getting close to the problem.'
Back in London, the Minister is on the phone again to the unknown man from much earlier. He says that he has been breathing down Quist's neck ever since he was alerted to the problem and is assured that he is only helping Balbo press for an Italian Doomwatch. The voice is concerned that the activities of 'your chaps' could create an international incident. But the Minister thinks Quist has only gone out to have a look at these aggressive dolphins. 'If I come out with it bluntly, it will only going to confirm what ever suspicions he already has. Stafford could be going out on a limb on his own.' The voice tells Sir George to shut up Quist. Putting the phone down, the Minister wishes that they would do their own dirty work.
Quist and Stafford leave Sea Lab and discuss Cavalli's invitation to meet him at his Palazzo.
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Post by michael on Jun 27, 2010 17:13:15 GMT -5
Calvelli is holding an elegant party in his beautiful palazzo. He is a rather wealthy man who holds court and just needs to hold out his hand and a servant will fill it with a drink. When he spots Quist, he introduces the man to the ensemble and he receives a round of applause. It turns out that their concern for the future is as great as Quist's. After some initial flattery, Cavello shows them a drawing, in isometric style, of a dolphin in a harness which is holding underneath a nuclear bomb. Quist and Stafford are shocked. It was drawn by Ahmed who trained as a naval architect. 'He drew this remarkable mammal which can be trained to deliver a nuclear device to an enemy ship or a port. To wipe out, say London, for example, with nobody knowing how or who. No warning. Not even four minutes.' He asks about the captured dolphins. Quist explains that they have learned nothing yet and wonders if he has any information. Several private dolphin establishments are financed by governments or private firms, probably with conditions attached. Quist feels that there is nothing that they can offer in exchange of information. He is not quite the free agent Calvelli is. Quist is ready to walk out but Stafford persuades him to stay. Calvelli is offering to subsidise a Doomwatch operation in whatever currency is preferred. Stafford asks how much is he willing to pay for details of NATO's dolphin training programme... Quist is shocked. Stafford raises the price from fifty thousand dollars to one hundred. They go to leave. Calvelli is satisfied.
In the journey back, Stafford is replaying the secret recording of their conversation. Quist only caught on gradually and wished he had been told first. Stafford suspected Calvelli of being a spy from the first approach and told Naval Intelligence who loaned him the recorder – which he returns now to a couple of men in a car in the road. The Italians had had their eye on him for some time. But they are still no nearer the answer to the killer dolphins...
There is some good news in the Sea lab pool. The aggressive dolphins have calmed down enough to be fed by hand and Franco is swimming with them but they are not playing games. These dolphins had indeed been starving, living off their fat. There are still no clues in the excreta. Quist has some more samples sent to Bradley. 'We're in business. The public sutery business.' Another phone call from the Minister sends them back to London immediately. Quist protests as he is ready to make a very serious report. The Minister wants to see him in the morning. An angry Quist feels like throwing the samples in his Minister's face.
Bradley is concerned by the results he is getting. Nothing that could have been fed to the dolphins to make them aggressive. The only thing they found was choline chloride, and that would only make them ill. Quist is consulting with a Doctor Griffith, and comes out of the office to relay the information to the others. In humans, says Barbara reading her short hand notes, the effect of the substance would be to cause muscular debility particularly affecting the face, lips, tongue, throat and neck. In mammals it would be similar but not identical. It should make them sluggish. But Quist remembers the sonar system. That all correlates with the ears, mouth, etc. They would get lost, become panicky, attack anything they ran into. The stuff is used in poultry farming, and effluent flows down one of the major rivers of Italy. It kills off the plankton and the fish that need it. 'The moment eventually comes when the ecological balance is upset and ... killer dolphins.' Quist admits that they are not always on the right track. But it's more ammunition for Doomwatch.
The Minister is reading a copy of the morning paper relating to the arrest of Calvelli. He was able to keep Quist's name out of the story. Quist wants to report his findings but the Minister chides him for chasing rumours which could have got the government into delicate international contretemps. The Minister however is relieved to discover that the dolphin problem is ecological, not military. Relieved is not the expression Quist wants to hear. 'Will it be our own coastline next? And how near is the day when it reaches man? You eat fish, don't you?' Quist knows that his report will just end up in more reports and conferences.... They need to replace outmoded equipment designed years ago to check just a few toxic chemicals. Money is the problem again. 'It's money, or our lives.' The Minister promises to back him to the hilt over a multi-national agreement. And Quist is concerned that Stafford could find no evidence at all of dolphin training by the military. Not to mention the pressures put upon the Minister. 'That's quite another story.' Quist agrees. 'And this isn't the end of it, either.'
The End.
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Post by DR. QUIST on Jul 1, 2010 5:48:13 GMT -5
"Kit Pedler was another delightful man and very outgoing. He was fascinating; in his garage he kept vintage racing cars which he used to do up." Well, Waiting For a Knighthood begins with a vicar going mad, rambling and collapsing, suffering from lead poisoning. And what was his hobby? Vintage racing cars... Was Mr Dudley having a pop at everybody's favourite scientific preacher too?... Thanks to Michael Seely for spotting this one!
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Post by michael on Jul 20, 2010 9:25:46 GMT -5
FIRE AND BRIMSTONE
The scene: a storeroom cum office in the Microbiological Research Station at Porton Down in Wiltshire. Doctor Richard Poole, a young man is surprised to receive a visit from Dr. John Ridge. 'What can we do for Doomwatch? You think we're up to no good? Beating the local ploughshares into bacteriological weapons?' Ridge explains that it is for personal research. Poole is distracted by a phone call and tells the person at the other end as he is busy and short on staff due to a spot of flu that has been doing the rounds. Poole hangs up and returns to Ridge who explains he is research a little enterprise of his own. 'Of all the bacterial and virus diseases you have here... which is the most dangerous?' A little bothered, Poole asks why. 'I want to hold the Government to ransom,' explains Ridge. It's the degree of immunity he is interested in, vaccines. Poole warms to the theme. Forget about your viral diseases, Poole begins, as there is pretty widespread natural immunity and readily available vaccines. With plague there's a fifty fifty chance of survival, and the government would just shrug it's shoulders. Poole shows a humourless Ridge something fresh in from the states. 'Anthrax. Highly stable. A sure killer and little or anything you can do about it. That'd have 'em really worried.' Ridge is satisfied with this. Another phone call takes Poole away, leaving his assistant, Julie, with Ridge. Poole locks the cabinet with the viruses and diseases he had shown Ridge. 'Julie what?' asks Ridge. 'Julie doesn't,' she replies. 'One of the Dorsetshire doesn'ts?' On her husband side! But the does nots doesn't extend to a cup of tea and she goes out to get one, leaving Ridge alone with the cabinet, and a set of keys in his hands. He opens the cupboard and begins to remove the anthrax phials...
TITLES
That night, Ridge is in the Doomwatch outer office, sitting on Barbara Mason's desk...
We next see him driving in London airport. Over this shot we see the titles, and we hear Ridge's voice... (The script does not specify but it seems he has a package with him). 'By these three was the third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone... And the rest of men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone and wood.'
Quist has dropped off to sleep on the sofa in a little cottage in Brindley Heath. Opposite him is Anne Tarrant who is reading and taking notes. The caller is Colin Bradley in the Doomwatch offices, with Barbara Mason and two plain clothes policemen... Anne doesn't want Quist to be disturbed but Bradley thinks it's something he ought to know. 'I thought if I kept my eyes closed it'd go away,' grumbles Quist as he goes over to the 'phone. Bradley tells him that the police want to talk to Ridge and wondered if he knew where he was. 'What's he done?' demands Quist, 'Mistaken Piccadilly for Brands Hatch?' Bradley explains that he was down to Norton this afternoon, and something very dangerous is missing. The police want to talk to him. Bradley is as confused as Quist. 'I saw him this morning and he didn't say he was onto anything.' The police had been in and out of the office since five this afternoon, and he isn't at home.
We now see Ridge driving and pulling up beside some docks. He has a second parcel which is described as quite unlike the first in size and shape. 'By the fire and by the smoke and by the brimstone... brimstone... brimstone...'
Taking a pencil from Anne, Quist jots down Ridge's home number, getting irritable by being reminded of different area codes from London. Bradley offers to hang around the office in case Ridge turns up.
Ridge is now walking up a street by night carrying a third parcel and goes inside a post office. 'And the rest of men which were not of the works of their hands... works of their hands... works of their hands...'
Quist is restless. 'Bradley's only assuming he's in trouble.' Anne disagrees. 'You are!' She doesn't want to argue with him. She wants him to relax for a change... The telephone rings and Quist answers it before she can. This time it is the Minister, George Holyroyd who is in full evening dress having been called out from the Opera. With him is Richard Duncan. The Minister comments that Quist took a bit of running to earth. 'I was persuaded to take a weekend off.' The Minister eventually gets to the point: 'Porton Down, Anthrax, Ridge.' The Minister assumed that this was some Doomwatch operation but Quist is just as surprised. Perhaps he was acting on his own initiative? 'Then we're in for one of those juvenile bacteriological warfare protests.' The Minister lambastes Quist for his inflexible recruitment policy before Quist suggests they wait to see if his suspicions are justified and then he'll take the necessary action. 'Rely on my inflexibility.'
After he hangs up the phone, the Minister talks to two other people in his office: Commander Neil Stafford and Doctor Poole. The Minister assures Stafford that if Quist claims he doesn't know anything about this incident than he can believe him. Stafford would rather reserve judgement. 'His security clearance recommends constant surveillance.' 'Then I've no doubt it is constant,' replies the Minister. 'We do our best.' 'Then if I'm wrong perhaps your best isn't good enough, Commander.' Stafford explains that the theft was very carefully planned. What looked like a casual visit was timed to coincide with a staff shortage. But was there collusion?
Quist decides he can't stay at the cottage. He would rather be in town on the spot. Anne reluctantly agrees and offers to drive him to the station. 'You know, Spencer, one of these days you're going to wake up and find you've got someone to talk to.' He gives her a light kiss when there is the sound of a tap at the window. Quist lets in Ridge, who apologises for the intrusion.
The Minister tells Poole to stop apologising and asks him about the anthrax, in particular its endemicity. This particular anthrax is a special strain, developed from Zollos's variant, adapted to invade the respiratory tract. And there is no treatment. Nothing. It could wipe out the population in a few days if a phial was opened in the tube or in a bus. 'And a man was allowed to walk into your establishment and walk out again... unchallenged... with six such phials?' Stafford explains that he does have the necessary security clearance. Poole thought Ridge was researching an article, a lecture. 'He wanted something to hold the government to ransom.'
'Hold the government to ransom? Are you mad?' exclaims Quist. Ridge warns him that Doctor Tarrant's the psychiatrist. Ridge wants a full page advertisement in six world newspapers, advertising common sense. He doesn't want to involve Quist which gets exasperated considering what he has done. Anne offers him a drink. Ridge refuses, he's driving. 'You're not driving any more,' says Quist. 'I'm turning you in!' Ridge warns him not to rush him. 'Where is the anthrax?' 'On it's way.' Ridge refuses to say where; he does not want it intercepted. 'Whatever you do don't underestimate me! That's what I'm here to say; don't underestimate me.' He explains that they are in safe packaging so that they won't break. Quist is still not sure if this is a joke and Ridge gets angry. Anne shakes her head at Quist, behind Ridge's back which he sense when Quist changes tack. Ridge's terms for the return of the anthrax will be known on Monday when the Minister reads his mail. Anne asks why did he come here. 'To see Doctor Quist. It's possible they won't let me see him again.... The law, security, the Ministry... any part of the squeaky machine. They'll ask him if I'm bluffing. I want him to be able to tell them I'm not. You know I'm not, don't you?' Ridge goes to leave, and find the nearest police station. 'Look after him, Doctor Tarrant.' Quist makes a move after him but Anne stops him. 'I've got to do something! I've never seen him like this before!' Anne thinks from what she has heard from Quist, Ridge is a dab hand at this sort of thing... 'Oh! This is way over the top! He's off his head!'
As Ridge parks outside a police station, a constable advises him not to park there but Ridge explains he has committed a felony and so the policeman tells him to stick the car round the back. 'We get all sorts, sir...' 'Just so long as you keep calling me “sir”.'
Stafford interviews Colin Bradley and Barbara Mason at the Doomwatch office where she remembers being asked to do a label for him on the type writer. . It was to a school but she can't remember much more. Stafford tells a plain clothes policeman to check the rubbish for the note Ridge had written down for her. Barbara is livid that Stafford is going through her very packed drawer. He holds her deodorant. 'You seem to keep everything else. You should open a shop.' 'We call her the office squirrel,' says Bradley. Stafford answers the phone. He learns that Ridge has given himself up.
Ridge is not surprised to be interviewed in a police cell by Neil Stafford. They have met before. 'As if it was yesterday. Bastards like you are unforgettable.' Something to do with a woman called Isle who was deported, or so Ridge thinks, and died twelve months later in Dresden. Ridge accuses him of using a sledgehammer psychological approach in his snide questioning. Ridge tells him that he wants fifty thousand pounds but not for himself. He won't strike until Monday. 'Ever seen a case of anthrax?'asks Stafford. 'But it's quicker than chronic bronchitis... and diseases of the liver.. and the kidneys... and the gut.' Ridge launches into a speech about what he has learned in his time in Doomwatch, that they only have a generation, their generation to grow up and deal with population, ionizing radiation, to clean up the rivers and the seas, to stop sweeping the muck underneath the carpet, plant more trees, to recycle the earth's resources, even our excrement and urine... 'We've got to pay more for everything. Our money or our life!' Stafford replies: 'Rhetoric.' There's been a Royal Commission of Pollution but what's been done about it? 'Sweet F.A!'
On the Monday morning, the Minister is suspicious that Quist has not been sent Ridge's ultimatum as well. 'There can be no question of your not being involved!' But only Quist has any chance of resolving the situation. Ridge is in Brixton having been charged and remanded in custody. 'Six lectures, he calls them,' says the Minister of Ridge's thesis. Disarmament, population, industrial effluent, the internal combustion engine, noise and recycling development. 'All put together with great originality and considerable depth, to say nothing of an impressive cost analysis, and you know nothing about it?' To be published in six global newspapers on six successive days. One bottle will be returned per publication.
In his cell at Brixton, Ridge tells Quist and Anne that he has sent six bottles to the cities of Paris, Berlin, New York, Rome and Moscow. The last one had to go by sea so there's time to intercept it. The sixth is here in London and they will never find it. 'John, d'you know how your... ultimatum was received? ... They think you're insane.' Ridge asks Quist what does he think? But doesn't get an answer. Anne tries to point out how his shock tactics won't work. His articles are telling everybody – from rich to the school boy with twenty five pence that they've got to give up their money. 'What you're trying to do will set us back years,' adds Quist. 'You too!' says John, rising. 'Pack it in, John.' 'Pack it in? Is that what you are going to do? After... three years?' Quist says they have achieved a lot in three years. Ridge doesn't see that. He is angry. The Tobacco Bill was talked out, manufacturers volunteered their minuscule warnings... 'Legislation! The only salvation we've got. Outlaw the poisoners! Outlaw the filth makers. Publicity! It's our only chance!' He shows them a cutting from The Daily Mail, March 9th 1971. 'That's the sort of attitude we're up against! That's why we're rushing along with the Gaderene swine gathering momentum by the second!' He has memorised the television review where he says he refuses to believe that nothing will convince him that the human species is killing itself on the grounds we have been mutating for twenty million years and survived a ten million year drought. Ridge is outraged and calls it wilful ignorance. 'What will we be drinking by the year Two Thousand?' Ridge is prepared to kill millions! Quist is sorry, Ridge is mad. The population is three and a half thousand million, and rapidly on the increase. Ridge tells them to speak to Stafford. Ridge has killed three men to protect the state, to save thousands. He sees the deaths of millions in a similar way.
Barbara suddenly remembers the address on the label she typed for Ridge.
Driving away from the prison, Quist asks Anne what is he going to do? The government won't agree to his terms, and the alternative is to tell six capital cities that every parcel sent from England last Friday has got to be boiled for ten minutes. Anne has an idea. 'You're incredible,' he says. 'You're the serenest person I know.' 'That's because I'm the most realistic.'
Barbara tells Quist the address is a school – Melrose Primary in Wandsworth.
Two bystanders watch as the police cordon off the school and protective suited men enter. 'Looks like Doctor Who if you ask me.' Bradley introduces Quist to Stafford. The name on the address label was Rachel Carson... Reporters gather but Stafford tell them this story is under a D-Notice.
In the Doomwatch laboratory, the package is opened in a protective glass cabinet. Poole is using the gloves inside the container to open the packet and the polystyrene block. Poole is surprised, this isn't one of the anthrax bottles. Inside is a piece of paper: 'Congratulations! But you've found this one because I wanted you to. I promise you the others are the real thing...'
The rest of the message is read by the Minister. Had this one been real, it would have lain neglected for a time or opened at the school or returned to the post office. 'The real thing is a bottle of bacillus anthracis with enough organisms to wipe out fifty millions.' Quist, Anne, Duncan and Stafford are there. Stafford is convinced that this is no hoax and asks for a free hand and is agreed. 'But Ridge is sick,' protests Quist. 'You can't do this!' Anne has been the second opinion Quist wanted on Ridge's state of mind after Brixton's Dr. Ramsay. Anne points out that any information gleaned from Ridge under duress is bound to be unreliable and lead to delays. 'This is classic paranoia with, as yet, no personality disorganisation. But it wouldn't take much to push it to the schizophrenic pole. If that happens and there's withdrawal... you might as well put a thumb screw on a turnip.' She suggests they agree to his terms but before she can go on, the Minister disagrees. The Government would be pledging itself to massive legislation for the next ten years. 'To say nothing of industrial revolt right across the board.' Quist asks for Anne to continue...
Ridge is enjoying taunting the Commander about how difficult it will be to track the packages. Stafford asks the prison officer, Mr Clark to wait outside. Reluctantly he does and Stafford turns the screw... He tells him he has been given a free hand. 'John, how tough are you?' He makes it clear that they have techniques; get false information and he'll be tossed to the perverts... the boys who enjoy it... What choice is there to protect the millions who will die? There is a phone call. Stafford looks at Ridge. 'How have you done it? Your terms have been agreed.' 'You sound disappointed.' 'Oh, John. You really are round the twist.'
The headline reads 'Exploding bombs the only answer to exploding population?' Stafford tells Ridge that the Russians refused to print the articles, they are not a free press. Ridge agrees, it was a little test. 'If Pravda had published I'd have known for certain these are phonies.' Stafford plays dumb. 'You could send out for other copies.' But Ridge wants to go on and buy a copy for himself. Under escort if need be. Stafford agrees. He asks Ridge did he really send one to Moscow? He did. Clearly marked. 'Anthrax. Kosygin, for the use of.' (A Russian Communist leader.) 'Treason as well,' muses Stafford. 'In for a penny!'
Quist tells Anne the plan – a hundred and eighty newsagents within a radius of the prison are going to co-operate. They'll all have the special copies.
Stafford escorts Ridge by car to a newsagents which Ridge picks. He goes inside to buy a copy with a Detective Constable. He gets back into the car. 'Home, James!' He tells Stafford where they can have the Rome one. He actual sent it to one of the Mafian millionaires!
Quist tells Anne that it worked. He was sure Ridge would tumble it. Anne explains: 'It's the obsessive thinking. Stafford's very clever.' 'He's a bastard,' says Quist. 'Don't make an enemy of him.'
Next day, the Minister is reading Le Monde, Duncan listens at a telephone and Quist comes in. The Minister is very pleased with the operation. Quist is worried what will happen to Ridge when he discovers the truth. The Minister tells Quist that he knows a large part of him agrees with what Ridge has done. 'Because a small part of you does too?' Quist talks about Ridge's condition, as a result of two long years of pressure and frustration. The minister says they all do, but only the fittest survive. Duncan reports that recovery has been completed in New York. That was to the United Nations, a fictitious secretary. 'That could have significance,' says Duncan. 'At least someone here doesn't underestimate friend ridge. All right then Duncan, where's the last one? Inmy pocket?' 'I did look, sir.'
Ridge is flicking through The Times, in a controlled panic. He hides the paper under his bed and a prison officer looks in through the open door of the cell to ask if he is all right? He hides the paper and then tells Mr Clark that someone has nicked his paper! Any chance of getting one? Even though he's on remand he will have to wait till tomorrow. Ridge pretends it's for the crossword. A bribe doesn't work either. But Clark relents and sees what he can do. But a passing convict, Warren, does... He plans to lift a copy from the Governor's office!
Barbara is on the phone to her mother. As she tells Colin, her mother is fussing, it's only a cold but she's lonely. She plans to leave work a little earlier. She gets her container of antiperspirant and complains she forgot to get a refill. She hates hot hands! She tosses the container into her hand bag.
Ridge is back in the Interview Room. He is sitting at the table, very dangerous and still. Stafford brings in the last batch of newspapers for old time's sake. But Ridge knows he was fooled. 'You try finding the last one!'
The Minister is furious that mere chance has ruined the operation. 'Merest chance that a prison governor hadn't time to do the Times crossword. Under what ministerial banner does overcrowding in prison parade itself?' Stafford has an idea that Ridge will now want revenge – and if he won't tell them where the bottle is, he can lead them...
Stafford briefs Prison Officer Clark and the Governor. The plan is to give Ridge every opportunity to escape. Ridge must be told that he is being taken from the prison to elsewhere...
Ridge is standing at the table in the interview room. Stafford enters, and asks him if he is ready for treatment? 'You'll never find it,' says Ridge. 'Because you' can't see... what's... under... your... noses.' He collapses onto the table. Stafford is horrified. Ridge has cut his left wrist. Stafford tells clark to get help and then uses his tie and a fountain pen to make a tourniquet to try and save his life.
Quist and Anne are driving to the prison, Ridge is too weak too move. He actually bit through his radial artery. 'How deranged do you have to be to do that?'
Under your noses. Under protest, the Minister agrees to search his own office!
Stafford thinks the last phial is in the Doomwatch offices, as Bradley tells Quist over the phone. Stafford is now searching Barbara's desk. Bradley has a sudden idea. Stafford encourages him and explains what the bottle of anthrax would look like. The deodorant – with a roll on top! Stafford agrees. 'That's it! Lightning never strikes twice! And it would be safe in the squirrel's hoard!' They run through where she lives, her clothes, and gets men to Ealing Broadway station. Quist arrives as the activity progresses. She left twenty minutes ago. Quist goes to the radio room with him, leaving a startled Colin. 'Oh 'eck!'
It is rush hour and Barbara is on the tube going west. Barbara is being pushed and pummelled mercilessly on that over crowded train and her bag gets knocked about! The journey gets hotter... Two policemen boarding at Holland Park miss spotting Barbara as a middle aged lecher prods her backside on the pretence of offering her his seat.
Quist has suggestions but Stafford has already thought of them. Bradley reckons that they wouldn't have thought of Barbara as the carrier because Ridge had already used her for the label.
Barbara uses the deodorant on her hot hands, having dropped it on the train...
Bradley and Quist see the enormity of the problem. Stafford summarises. 'Gentlemen, we're lucky or we're dead.'
At Ealing, Barbara is finally located. The police try to explain without causing panic. The police don't know the anthrax story but do know it is something dangerous – and Barbara has used it.
At the Radio room, Stafford orders a decontamination squad from West Central.
A police car pulls up outside a small chemist shop in Holborn.
Colin remembers Barbara needing a refill...
The Chemist is grumpy. 'How was I to know?' Barbara had asked for a refill and thrown away the old one she gave him – in the yard in an enormous pile of rubbish!
Stafford prepares to get down to the Chemists, quickly thanking Quist for his help.
Duncan tells the delighted Minister that the last phial has been recovered from the chemist's shop. 'Nothing like this is ever to happen again. The time has come, Duncan to wield the shears... to clip Doomwatch's wings.'
Quist visits Ridge in the prison hospital ward. Anne is there and tells him that he'll live, but recovery is another matter. He's in a catatonic stuper. But Quist wants to try and talk to him. He softly calls his name twice, and Ridge's eyes open, half closed and blink... 'We'll do all we can. You can depend on it.' Ridge tries to speak. 'Goodbye. Goodbye.'
'Goodbye...goodbye...goodbye...'
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Post by michael on Jul 20, 2010 9:26:28 GMT -5
HIGH MOUNTAIN SYNOPSIS
NB: The following synopsis comes from a rehearsal script. Please note that there were changes made for the actual episode which the author Martin Worth did not approve i.e. the Rolls Royce was replaced by a land rover. Secondly there was a silent scene appended to the end of the episode by the director, the details of which are presently unknown. Also, the Radio Times refers to disocynate which doesn't feature in the script – presumably its in the washing powder!
PRE-CREDITS Ian Drummond, managing director of the Drummond Group, is concluding a conference with two executives, one of who is Robert Cowley. His office is in a huge, commercial skyscraper. 'I take it you're both sure that Doomwatch will come out against us.' The report on the whole field is due next month – and they lead the field... Ian tells his secretary to get hold of Doctor Anne Tarrant, a close friend of Doctor Quist. Cowley doubts if Quist could be nobbled through his friends. 'Everyman has his price,' says Ian. 'And from what I've been hearing lately, Doctor Quist will come cheaper than most.'
TITLES The titles are shown over an upward shot of the skyscraper.
Ian is pouring a drink for Anne, he is telling her of what he has heard about the Ridge and the Anthrax incident. Ridge is now in a mental home. Anne can't believe that she has been invited to lunch just to pump her for life at Doomwatch! 'Still if that story's true, they'll want to keep Doomwatch under a very tight rein from now on. And I shouldn't think Quist would like that... So he might feel like making a change.' Ian is flying up to Scotland to see his father this afternoon and offers to give him Anne's love. ' There is a portrait of his father in his office. He is a bit of a recluse these days, hardly ever leaves his estate. Anne would like to see Alex again. Ian offers her the chance to spend a weekend in Scotland and bring Doctor Quist. 'Are we getting to the point at last?' asked Anne. Ian promises her that it would be worth his while...
Quist hands in his resignation to the Minister who had been wondering if he was ever going to get it. 'If I hesitated, you know it was only because I've a certain sympathy for what Ridge did.' 'And I,' says the Minister, not accepting it. He is concerned that a sudden resignation it might be linked with what Ridge was up to, and there are enough people breathing down their necks according to Stafford. It's not the press who are investigating, there is some unease in the diplomatic missions. Quist wants to make it clear that he wants to go back to academia after 'three years hard in the state galleys.' The Minister again refuses, worried about how the Americans would react, the effect on the Treaty of Rome... 'Doomwatch stays exactly as it is. Outwardly, anyway.' Stafford reckons, according to the Minister, that Colin Bradley and Barbara Mason can be relied to keep silent that Geoff Hardcastle and Fay Chantry cannot. Quist is shocked to learn that an industry job offer for Geoff had been fixed by the Minister, and Fay is going back into general practise. 'Which is just as well in view of her record of instability...' As for Doomwatch, it would be a shame to waste the expertise Quist has built up go to waste, it will be useful as a monitoring service. Quist can resign when he has found a new job. 'Only it has to be a good one, Quist. Something worth leaving Doomwatch for.' In the mean time, the Minister appoints a new member for the team – Commander Stafford.
Barbara Mason is shocked by the news and Bradley is surprised, not knowing he had any scientific qualifications. 'He hasn't,' says Quist. 'They're putting him in here as a watchdog.' 'Pity we don't have a kennel,' replies Barbara. It won't be for long, just till they've found a way to wind up the department without loss of face. He looks at his watch and realises he is going to be late in meeting Anne. He leaves. Barbara and Colin are getting ready to go home. Barbara wants to resign. 'Sinking ship?' suggests Colin. Barbara is prepared to start typing her resignation but then changes her mind.
Stafford has found Anne Tarrant in a bar where she is due to meet Quist. He has a notebook from Ridge's effects which he is authorised to go through, and wants her help in de-cyphering it. Anne refuses. 'Haven't you done with Ridge yet, Commander?' 'Yes, I have... But he hasn't quite done with me.' He is about to leave when he sees Quist and hopes to be briefed by him tomorrow. Quist says no, he will be busy with Colin. Stafford hopes to sit in as an observer. 'Yes, well, that is the whole idea, isn't it?' Stafford leaves. Quist complains of feeling tired, and Anne suggests a break in Scotland...
Ian Drummond is back in his father's Scottish mansion with Cowley and is trying to convince Alex, his father to have some guests this weekend. If Ian thought he could get his father to come down to London than he wouldn't think of asking. Alex still has forty per cent of the company but has very little to do with it. The house keeper Mrs Bell is unpacking portraits that have been returned from Edinburgh. Ian also mentions Anne Tarrant, the psychiatrist who treated mother and is a close friend of Quist. Alex is embarrassed at the mention, and asks Cowley what has he got to say? Cowley is here to advise on the financial side. 'A head for figures, eh? Well, tell me, Mr Cowley, can a head for figures appreciate that?' Her points to an old Dutch master painting. 'Solid walls, solid people, solid values. You knew where you stood in those days. Lucky people.' He goes into the hall to meet his gillie, Douglas, for some fishing with his son at his heels still needing his approval. 'I'll not keep the gillie waiting longer. Or the Salmon.' Ian gives up and asks the housekeeper, Mrs Bell if it is all right to have guests next weekend. She agrees, they might be able to get meals at regular hours... She scratches her hand...
Quist has heard of the Drummond Group – a firm who make soap powder, toothpastes, washing machines, and so on. He isn't keen on spending a weekend in Scotland, being fattened up by some industrial tycoon. But Anne is keen for him to go. If nothing else, he'll like the father.
Watched icily by Barbara, Stafford sits on Ridge's desk, reading through a report, winding up Colin by asking him rudimentary questions like what exactly is an enzyme? He goes to take a look at the computer with Bradley as Quist enters the office, hopeful that Stafford isn't here yet. Quist isn't ready yet to see him. Barbara says that if not, Stafford is playing golf not far from Dr. Tarrant's cottage on Saturday and could drop in around six...
That Saturday, Quist and Anne are on a plane as they've just touched down in Scotland. 'Seems a long way to come just to get away from Stafford.' Anne tells him to relax as he'll be back in the jungle soon enough. Waiting for them is Alex Drummond with a Rolls Royce that he is driving himself. Alex greets Quist. 'Now that's the kind of face that does seem to go with the job. The face of a crusader, battling his way against the enormous odds towards the Holy Land – but faintly uneasy that perhaps he's not going in the right direction.' Anne has warned Quist that Alex is a shocking driver, and so it proves. His chauffeur George has bronchitis. Through the beautiful mountain scenery, Alex thinks that he prefers to be in a car rather than his head in the clouds on an aeroplane. 'Your promised land, Dr. Quist. What a lot of it could still be like – even now... Three hundred acres of uncontaminated countryside... ' It only survives, says Anne, because he owns it. If he shared it, what would be left? He once stopped them putting a road through it by lobbying in the right places with the whole weight of the Drummond Group. 'That's the way to get things done, Quist – organisation.' He feels it was worth it – for what it stands for.
Alex takes Quist and Anne into his music room, disappointed that Quist doesn't play the piano. Alex plays the violin very well, and had hoped to be accompanied. 'We'd have made something good – together. The violin is strangely ineffectual on its own.' ' Alex has records of concertos without the soloist playing so he can play long to some of the finest orchestras in the world. 'A full scale professional orchestra to back you. You cannot do it on your own.' Ian enters, and is introduced as the Managing Director of the Drummond Group 'the thing that makes it possible to keep this mansion from being turned into the offices for the Scottish Electricity Board, and ensures that some of the finest Dutch paintings in the world, when not loaned out, are preserved and enjoyed as they should be.' He takes Quist to see them. Alex feels that the only possible justification for a commercial empire it what it can contribute to the quality of life. The Medicis knew that... But you don't know it,' he says, looking at his son. By now they are in the drawing room, 'Nowadays there's only one end in view in the boardrooms of most big companies... how to persuade Mrs. Bell that her overall has to be kept spotless. In order to sell enough soap powder to make a huge profit at the end of the year which no one actually enjoys.' Mrs Bell calls for lunch but Alex says later. He tells Quist to take his son's offer... 'Be wary if you like... He's no Lorenzo de Medici but he's all we have. Power and organisation. A full blooded orchestra.' He leaves. Ian gets to the point and asks Quist if he would like a Doomwatch of his own, without the state, financed by the Drummond Group – no strings. Quist is staggered.
Dinner is a buffet in silver bowls and tureens. Alex does not keep fixed hours and Ian thinks it is a wonder they keep servants considering the way he treats them but thankfully they give as good as they get. 'In the ensuing rough and tumble, we all muddle through.' Anne asks Ian why a Doomwatch group financed by the Drummond Group. Quist knows that there must be something in it for them. 'Increased sales... Pollution is the bogey of the 1970s. A poisoned planet, famine, no room to move, the end of all life – it used to be the Bomb, today, it's the Pollution – and the people are beginning to kick.' Public pressure has stopped various things, and Ian doesn't want to be swept aside. Quist asks that suppose some of the hazards they face today could be laid at his door? 'Tell us what needs to be done and we'd do it.' And they would otherwise no one would trust their products and their competitors would sweep the floor with them. Alex has joined them and is keen for Quist to accept but he needles his son. 'I told him the truth,' replies Ian. '...to be on the anti-pollution bandwagon these days is good for business. Is that sufficiently cynical to be convincing?' He goes out to take a call whilst Alex tells Quist that to be independent of the Drummond Group, he sees a time when virtually every outfit in the land will be contributing funds. 'You don't think they're going to let the Drummond Group corner the market in holiness, do you? ... The money will roll in; you'll be dependent on no one and still call the tune.' He explains how he was so bent on building up an empire that his wife ended up in a nut house. The day she was certified, he went up to the burn where they first met and saw how pollution was killing it – from a small Drummond plant upstream. 'Help clean up after me, Quist. Push it all back.' As Mrs Bell brings in a cheese board and words fly with Alex, refusing to east, Anne asks Quist for a walk through the promised land.
The promised land is a polluted river, next to a rubbish tip with bedsteads, stoves, and old cars. She explains how Alex shifted a scrapyard to a quarry to stop him burning tyres. But there the acid from the residue soaked through the rock and polluted the local stream. It's here because he won't sweep it under somebody else's carpet. The river he spoke off was polluted by the small factory which he closed down. And now there are abandoned cottages of people who worked there. Quist isn't so sure of all this. 'Only governments can handle it, Anne. Only they have the authority to act, I'm sure.' He isn't sure about being tied to commerce. 'And the devil took him up to an exceeding high mountain. Showed him all the kingdoms of the earth. All this shall be thine.' He is tempted by the idea. An international Doomwatch financed by half a dozen of the world's biggest concerns... 'Maybe we could save the world from its own dung. Even now...' He finishes the earlier Biblical quotation... 'If you bow down and worship me.' He is also worried about the power... that what he recommends would be done... It's not the fear of selling his soul to the devil that worries him, it's himself as Christ.
Back at the House, Alex is preparing to go fishing again. A friend of Ian has turned up. Quist uses the phone to talk to Bradley. 'He's been doing some research for the last three months into something that could come in very handy at the moment.' Anne is worried that Quist is looking for an excuse to turn down the offer. Before he can, Ian introduces his friend: Stafford. 'You'll be able to put me in the picture about Doomwatch after all, Dr. Quist.'
The next day, Bradley is on the plane, flying to Scotland, a thick file being studied.
Breakfast at the Drummonds' sees Stafford trying to convince Quist that he isn't here to spy on him. Here is here to be of use to him in the decision that he might be making at this point. He suspected the job offer the way Ian had probed him the other day for his availability... He knows Ian better than Quist does. 'I know a lot of people better than you do. It's a pity that Ridge didn't too. Quist gets angry: 'Dr. Ridge had a first class brain. He was uncouth, irresponsible, infuriating and brilliant. But the important thing about him was he cared. My God, he cared...' He is about to walk out when he asks if the Minister knows what is happening here, he can't believe he would object. 'So, we'll have to work on him, won't we? To see he does,' replies Stafford enigmatically. Quist is startled and asks what kind of game is he playing? 'Yours, Dr. Quist. And mine.'
In the Drawing Room, Quist, Anne, Stafford and Colin Bradley are present along with Ian Drummond. Alex is eavesdropping outside. Quist explains that Bradley has been in charge of an enquiry into possible health hazards from the use of biological detergents. Ian isn't concerned. 'No scientist yet has come up with proof that enzyme detergents are harmful to consumers.' There has been proof of workers being harmed, and how many of them had to lose their health before Drummond recognised the danger, asks Quist. Bradley reads from his report: 'Of 115 men engaged in enzyme preparations for the Drummond product 'Vanish', 45 were found to have become sensitised resulting, in some cases, irreversible lung disease.' Bradley had spoken to George, the chauffeur. His breathlessness was so acute when he worked at the plant that sometimes he couldn't even get out of bed. Ian counters by saying that then he was given the driving job. Stafford chips in: 'And glad to know, I'm sure, that if his lungs had been in any way impaired, it was all in the cause of helping women find a way to wash sanitary towels.' Quist asks if getting rid of blood and sweat stains more important than what was happening to his workers and the housewife to whom this stuff is being peddled? Ian says the exposure rate for the housewife is infinitesimal. 'That only means, sir, it's going to take her longer to get sensitised.' 'About fifty years longer at this rate!' shouts Ian. Quist is getting edgy now. In fifty years time there could be a hundred million housewives! Alex enters, pretending to be looking for his fiddle. Quist claims that the responsibility is on companies like Drummonds. Bradley refers to a report that Ian has read showing five per cent of women in Nottingham suffering from skin irritation and even swollen hands after switching to enzyme detergents. Mrs Bell has eczema. After she leaves, concerned about lunch, Anne asks if she knows what has caused it? 'Of course she knows, but the product's been improved since she started using it. The enzymes are enclosed now in capsules.' Quist explains that it is always the same; warnings from scientists are ignored unless justified by events. In the meantime, George gets lung disease and Mrs Bell gets eczema. 'As consumers on a scale never before known, we depend on what manufacturers like you provide for us – and yet in the vast majority of cases we let the question of whether these things are good for us, or even safe, be decided by the people whose only concern is to sell them to us anyway.' Ian sees this as Quist's way of turning down the offer. Quist counters: it is to see if he meant what was said yesterday. “Tell us what needs to be done and we'll do it.” The report recommends that Vanish and similar detergents be taken off the market. All it needs is a corporation like his to take a positive step in the interests of people, not profits. Even if it means going into the red for a year or two. Ian agrees to their astonishment. Stafford, however, is gently amused. Ian had decided last week, it seems, to bow to the judgement of the report, at the same time as offering him funds to set up a Doomwatch of his own. Alex asks what would take 'Vanish's' place? They have other products in the pipeline.
Stafford now steps in and explains the situation as he sees it... Ian has known for at least a year that sales of biological detergents have been levelling off and so Vanish 'must vanish anyway.' And in a blaze of glory. 'A company that cares so much it voluntarily withdraws its best selling product? Because Doomwatch thinks it may perhaps be harmful? And then finances Doomwatch? After this, approved by Dr. Quist will seem to be stamped on everything you sell...' And even Bradley wouldn't analyse the new powder because it wouldn't occur to him that it might be the same product under a new name... He even heard a few sample new names from executives who thought they could trust a friend of the boss... Ian calls him a bastard. Stafford says, 'You're not my boss, though. I work for Dr. Quist.' Bradley points out this plan is illegal. It would only be illegal if enzyme detergents were banned by law, and, says Stafford looking hard at Quist, if he takes Doomwatch away from the only possible authority that can make it effective. Alex is staring at his son and Ian is as shocked as everyone else. Quist decides to return to London. 'so all this talk of a new Doomwatch was just a blind to lead him so far up the mountain he wouldn't notice what was going on below,' remarks Anne, 'All you could see in a great idea was a way to safeguard a detergent.' Ian walks out after words with his father. Alex however is stirred into action. He still has over 40 per cent of the shares in the Group and he feels he can remove Vanish and replace it with something vetted by Doomwatch. 'You'd bring this company to its knees,' says Stafford. 'A position from which a strong man can rise again.' Quist will only consider joining the Drummond group when he sees it on its knees. Bitter and hurt, he foes out, followed by the others, leaving Alex, a disappointed old man, looking at his wife's portrait.
Quist is staring out of the plane window as Stafford comments on the view of the greenery below. When your head's nearly in the clouds, lots of things look pretty attractive then. 'I'm surprised you could possibly know, Commander. With your feet so firmly on the ground.' Once again, Stafford brings up the subject of Ridge. He had a way with birds and doors, he got his experience in the field. 'Mine is much closer to the sources of power – where the kind of information that you need, doctor, can be gleaned.' They are about to land, says Anne. 'Yes,' observes Stafford. 'You have to in the end – with a bump.'
The Minister is annoyed at Quist's absence. He tells him to forget looking for a new job. The French are on to Ridge and the anthrax. He shows him a French newspaper. Quist jokes that he could be knighted, in order to demonstrate absolute confidence in Doomwatch but the Minister takes him seriously. Quist wonders if he ought to hold out for a peerage instead. The Minister warns him that this is a serious business. 'It's a political business. Yours,' corrects Quist, but his eye is caught by another headline in an English paper... DETERGENT DECLARED DANGEROUS – AMAZING ADMISSION BY DRUMMOND GROUP.
Ian is back in his London office and his father is there. Ian accuses him of finishing them, one of the most important companies in the world. 'Yours. And you kill it.' The share price has collapsed. Vanish had represented a third of their profits. 'Considering the remaining two thirds amount to ten million pounds, we're hardly broke.' Alex believes sales in their other products will increase, as they show they care. The idea, according to Ian, was to replace Vanish with the same product under a different name. But Alex thinks that Quist will now agree to let them finance Doomwatch. 'Over my dead body!' snaps Ian. 'Damn Quist! Are we to be ruled by these men?' Cowley points out that no one else in the industry thinks enzyme detergents are harmful; that the fuss is just a storm in a tea cup. Ian is determined to fight Quist all the way and has called a shareholders meeting for Friday week to have his father voted off the board. Alex thinks not. 'I think not. There's a tide running these days that even you have acknowledged. I do not believe that shareholders, who are also, remember, our customers, are going to let a product be sold which could be damaging to their health – even if by removing it, it means a cut in their dividends.....' He will get Quist to present evidence. And I shall win.'
Stafford briefs the Minister on the Drummond business and their offer to Quist. He warns him that Quist wants to take the offer and by leaving Doomwatch it will look as if something has disillusioned him about government services. The minister is worried. On Friday he has to answer questions in the House on the rumours in the French press. 'It's Quist's patriotic duty to stay at his post.' Stafford wonders if what he has been offered overrides national interest... If Alex Drummond loses the shareholders vote, that'll be the end of it. Quist cannot prove that the detergent is harmful. Ian Drummond has found several allergists who see no harm at all in enzyme detergents. But Ian will win due to his prestige and integrity, something Quist shares. They'll probably get the shareholders to chip in to the new Doomwatch. The Minister wonders what to be done. Stafford replies: make Quist a matching offer... before he is in a position of strength... Stafford could therefore shoot down these rumours to his French counterpart – they would hardly be expanding Doomwatch if Ridge had really done it. A demonstration is stronger than words. The Minister orders an appointment for the Minister.
Barbara tells Quist the appointment is for Friday at twelve noon, the day of the shareholders' meeting. Quist wants it delayed but Stafford tells him Alex might be voted off the board by then and if he is, Quist'll be in no position to bargain with the Minister. 'I don't think Alex Drummond has a snow ball's chance in hell!' Quist goes off for lunch with Ann. Stafford asks Barbara what she is doing for lunch? 'Sandwiches. Here with Mr. Bradley.'
Anne still thinks Quist should take up Alex's offer. He is sure he can win, or he wouldn't have put his whole company at risk. If he wins, he'll raise what's needed for Doomwatch. 'You can't desert him before he's even tried.' 'But if he fails, if he's out on his ear after this, I've lost an opportunity I might never get again... To make our masters take Doomwatch seriously. I can use this to get everything I want.' Anne sadly realises Quist has come down from the mountain. Quist admits Stafford was right. 'I had my head in the clouds up there.' But he is still very uncertain.
Friday has come. The Minister is on the phone to Duncan. He is still worried about if what he is about to do is necessary considering the shareholders' meeting is in three hours time, and Alex might fail, then he'll have no need to come to terms with Quist. 'But if it's to go the other way...' He sighs and says so be it. He calls in Quist.
In the bar, Stafford is waiting with Anne. She realises that the Minister would never have had his back to the wall if it wasn't for the rumours in the French papers and she knows Stafford started them but he won't confess. 'If I'm going to work for Doomwatch, I'm going to see to it we have a Doomwatch worth working for.' She calls him as unscrupulous as Ridge. 'And a lot more professional.' Stafford explains that in interrogation, the moment the interrogator really twists in the knife is when it suddenly occurs to him that his victim may be right after all... 'Ridge was a bastard, but I do have an inkling now of what he was all about.' Quist comes in in a state of amazement. 'The budget to be doubled, new premises, recruit as I like – Full time research staff. Retainers to be paid to any consultant we want. Use of all government research facilities. The lot.' He still has to be at the shareholders' meeting at three and if Alex wins he'll feel such a... Stafford assures him – Alex could never win. 'In his league to win you've got to fight dirty. That's why we need Doomwatch and that's why you need me.'
Alex is back in Scotland in his music room. Mrs Bell is surprised that he is back. The record player isn't working, and he isn't answering questions about how the meeting went. She offers to fetch George to mend the gramophone, but Alex says don't bother him. 'I can make do without the orchestra.' He picks up the violin and starts to play, and Mrs Bell realises what's happened...
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Post by michael on Jul 27, 2010 11:14:21 GMT -5
WITHOUT THE BOMB SYNOPSIS
The story begins with the troubled doctor James Fulton, sitting on his own in the middle of the night in his living room, evidence of children's toys around him. He is a man in his early forties, His wife, a little younger than him, dressed in a night gown enters and insists he comes to bed. He is agitated, wound up, something big on his mind. He tells her to stop treating him like a child. She replies that he should stop being childish. She thinks he has been drinking. He has a big day tomorrow. 'Today! Later today! Has it ever occurred to you that this may be purgatory? ... a period of probation for what comes...' She agrees, she sees purgatory as giving you another chance. 'If you're guilty you're still facing hell's fires...' Fulton doesn't care about being damned. But to be damned because of him... 'All you're guilty of is trying to save the world!' his wife says. Only God can save the world, replies Fulton. He'll do it through people like Fulton, his wife assures him. But he is thinking of the rest of the Board. 'They've got to sell it without any half measures. It's got to be the biggest hard sell in history and if that's not a miracle, I don't know what is!' Mrs Fulton asks him if he loves her, and if that means he trusts her? He does. 'Then why don't you trust God?'
TITLES
The next day we see the cause of his anxiety. In a darkened boardroom, a slide projector is flashing up images first of a lipstick in a plain holder (over which the titles roll). This is the storyboard for an advert promoting JOYNE. 'Sex does not need selling. What does is its moral acceptance. Accordingly, our advertising will take the serious soft sell approach.' We then see a series of slides establishing a young married couple who have problems at bedtime... Fear on her side, inadequacy on his. Enter a councillor: 'a figure of the highest moral credibility...' We see a slide of a grey haired, father figure who will talk to them about the true value of sex in society. 'Its catalytic value in marriage, its role in health and normality, its potential for enhancing the quality of life...' Thanks to Joyne, it is at least possible for sex to 'shed its prior connotations of guilt and sin, fear of conception and so forth.' And we see on the next slides, the couple seem to be enjoying themselves – tastefully. As the presentation ends, the blinds are lifted and we see Jim Fulton sitting at the table, a little hungover. Clive Hughes, the company chairman and Harry Broke, the advertising manager explains that this is how he sees the area of creative strategy. Fulton hates it – it's far too prim, pious and pretentious. 'You'd think we were selling Hail Maries or something.' He doesn't even like the name of the brand. They should call it FUN – for that's what they are selling them. 'What else is an aphrodisiac contraceptive if it's not fun!' The patient chairman doesn't see that. Joyne simply contains natural pheromones, one of which acts as a mild hormone excitant.' For Fulton, this is what the public will see and use the product for. 'The excitement's revolting, and crude and morally offensive.' Hughes thinks on reflection Fulton will agree with the strategy. However, as he points out, there will be no Joyne unless they can get Ministry approval for over the counter sales. He plans to lobby the Minister over the port.
The Minister, Sir George Holroyd and his French wife, Lady Janette Holroyd are entertaining Clive Hughes with dinner. Hughes explains their new contraceptive product which they are marketing as a lipstick. The smell of the product has no effect on the male, only on the female. They had thought of marketing it as a cosmetic for men until they field tested the stuff and found that the main users were women. Lady Holroyd is not surprised and is rather taken with the idea! 'Les M'mselles Anglaise... at last they can lose their frigidity. Be sure of a, er, turn on at le moment critique.' Her husband is not amused. Hughes turns to the moral aspect, 'Since it's the girls who are affected, we're giving them the choice of when and with whom to use it.' His wife thinks it is an enchanting idea. But the Minister explains that he has to weigh the possible social benefits against the probable social abuses. 'What it boils down to is the marketing of an aphrodisiac.' The Minister isn't sure about selling this product over the counter. His wife thinks this is because the man has been left out. Men don't need it, according to Hughes's research. 'He's in a constant state of suspended rut anyway. The mere sight of a female is enough.' Wide eyed, Lady Holroyd turns to her husband and asks if this is so...
The next day the Minister is having a difficult phone call with a legal expert he is consulting concerning Joyne. Quist will deal with the biological side. 'And do forget this idea of chemicalised rape!' After he puts the phone down, he tells a waiting Quist that ever since the Oz appeal, the Chancery Division's been 'acting like a flock of hysterical spinsters.' Quist is being briefed and he too has heard of Joyne. The Minister isn't surprised since Quist has a morbid obsession with population trends. Quist defends his stance. It is the most significant problem facing mankind today. The reason for most of their pollution problems, upsurge in crime, civil disturbance, moral stress... Quist has studied the medical report on Joyne and it is safe to use, but the Minister wants a comprehensive evaluation. 'When the Puritan lobby start screaming, I want to know the answers.' Quist asks where the Minister stands on this. 'Surely you know me well enough by now?' Quist answers: 'You're a politician.'
Quist discusses Joyne with Anne in her cottage later that night. What Fulton has done is isolate a couple of pheromones, scent signals which affect hormones, which can influence libido and control fertility. 'So with this new Joyne stuff the woman's infertile, but turned on. ... A built in reward for infertility.' Quist asks her if she favours sexual permissiveness of society? That could be one result of the unrestricted sales of a scent contraceptive and stimulant. She sees permissiveness as a mass media myth. But as a psychiatrist, she would approve. 'In fact, bully for anything that challenges the repressive old Judaeo-Christian ethic that fun-sex is sinful.' She works at a Marital Aid Clinic and sees a lot of people who are ill because of repressed sexual impulse. Quist would like Anne to use Joyne in some of her cases. The Management committee are just as hot on birth control techniques as the Family Planning people. 'This one'll knock 'em over.'
Fulton explains some of the earlier tests to Quist in his office. 'The smegma element proved to be a strong canine attractant. It was nothing to see our lab girls going down the street escorted by half a dozen hopeful hounds.' Quist sees his achievement as a brilliant piece of bio-chemical synthesis. What sustained Fulton in his work was 1843 – the year they perfected the vulcanisation of rubber for contraceptives. He also hopes, like Quist, for the Pope to revoke his encyclical – his ruling against birth control. Quist isn't totally convinced – why the hormone stimulant? 'Why weren't you satisfied with simply isolating the fertility inhibitor? Why did you have to tart it up with the erotogenic element?' Fulton, who is desperately concerned with the exploding population, explains that he tried. Initially, there was a snag – their tests showed that they could inhibit fertility but it turned the women off. They had to put the sugar back on the pill. Quist wonders why they didn't vary the concentration rather than over-do the sugar. Fulton flares up. He hates the aphrodisiac aspect. 'But we must have voluntary acceptance of birth control.' Quist is suspicious of the strength of this outburst.
Anne Tarrant is seeing a young couple, the Harleys, about their sexual problems. In this case it is a simple problem of arousal. Quite a common difficulty. They have developed a mutual anxiety and this has lead to his premature ejaculation and her frigidity. She praises them for coming to talk about it. Their doctors tried them on tranquillisers, but Anne suggests using Joyne, and explains the science behind natural pheromones. 'Scent which all animals make to affect the behaviour of their mate. This is simply a synthesis of the human variety.' They will have to sign a release form in case of problems but as she explains she notices the wife is about to sniff the lipstick and advises her to wait until they get home... She grins.
'It's downright disgusting!; declares Colin Bradley. He sees sexual permissiveness encouraged by Joyne amongst the young as gateways for assault and gonorrhoea. He uses an example of a 'long haired lout half naked and drugged out of his senses...' This is the neighbour's son. Barbara Mason is quietly amused. She has been using Joyne. It has helped her give up smoking because her sense of smell has become very precious to her.
Quist hands over some preliminary findings to the Minister. There's another week of evaluation to go. 'I hear you've been skulking round the gates of a finishing school in Hampstead, Joyning with the debs.' 'Solely in the interest of science,' rejoins Quist. The report doesn't tackle the young as much as the Minister likes: they're the ones who are going to abuse Joyne. There is some data from university students. The girls tend to take the initiative. 'Simply accelerating their wretched Unisex trend in fact?' 'Completing the cycle. Not to mention the triumph for Women's Lib.' The 'phone rings and the Minister sorts out interviews for the TV people after he sees the PM. Joyne moves into the public domain today...
Rather excited reporters are attending a press conference in the Joyne board room hosted by Clive Hughes. He is selling Joyne as a female accoutrement, hence the decision to market it in lip stick form. The TV reporter asks why Joyne should be treated differently from the contraceptive pill which is prescription only? Fulton explains that the scent pheromone action is psychological, a form of perfume unlike the oral pill. A reporter tries to see side effects on the long term. 'You expose people to a drug. It is not a natural thing.' What could be more natural, argue Fulton, than a scent pheromone? They've boosted it so that people can respond to it again. He doesn't want to talk too much about himself. But he feels his work could make a big difference to mankind's future. He is too embarrassed to accept the idea that he is a salvationist. But there will be those who see him in a rather different light: compared to the Marquis de Sade or pornography merchants. The female reporter asks him if he has a family. Does he know what this invention will mean for them?
Fulton's daughter has been reading the newspaper coverage. Mandy asks him about it and tells him what a teacher, Sister Mary John at school told her – that it's a death blow to love. He tries to explain that it will make it easier for people to love each other. Remove a source of great worry. 'Love comes from god, you know that don't you?' It will remove the anxiety of unwanted children, help reduce population. Mandy has heard him speak of this issue before. Mandy hopes that Sister Mary John will leave her alone, silly old bag. As she runs off, he complains to his wife, 'I tell them one thing, the schools another.' The wife hopes that the children will make up their own minds if they are taught that nobody's wholly right. 'What about the infallibility of the Pope?' Saved by the bell – the phone rings, probably another journalist. He wants it ignored. His wife wants to help him in his dilemma. He prays, but that's not enough, he can't hear the answers. She puts the blame on technological progress. Mandy comes in and tells her that he is on the television! The 'phone rings again. 'If it's the press again, what do I tell them? That we're a happy family with six children?' Fulton wants to tell them the truth.
A film, introduced by Roger Halls, is shown of emotive scenes of over crowding, starving people, jammed motorways, a tanker discharging effluent, the smog over a major city, The voice over belonging to a commentator reports that each American born in fifty times more of a burden on the environment than each Indian. Tax laws encourage the squandering of raw materials, the western pride in growth comparable to a cancer patient preoccupation with his expanding tumour... Halls then interviews the Minister. Why are recommendations consistently shelved from those advocating population limits in this country? The Minister barely has a chance to answer before the commentator talks over another emotive series of slides. The issue that we are a densely populated country that has to import most of its food, and that we have eight times more people per square mile than the Americans. The minister gets a word in edgeways. 'You talk of restraints. Would you have us cure the basic human right to reproduce?' Joyne is discussed, promoted by its inventor as a potential solution. The Fultons watch as the Minister explains the controversial addition to Joyne and its implications need to be studied. 'Another select committee? Another saga of shelved reports and recommendations?' sneers Halls. Fulton reacts to this. The Minister explains that Dr Spencer Quist is investigating and expects to have his conclusions available within a few days. And Doomwatch's conclusions will form the basis of whatever action we decide is necessary for the public good.
At the Doomwatch lab, Anne finds herself drawn into an argument with Colin Bradley, whilst Quist refuses to get involved. Bradley would rather Joyne be restricted to medical prescription but Anne saus there's no ingestion of chemicals. 'You might as well put insect repellents on prescription. Or Chanel Number Five.' Bradley sees Joyne as a seduction drug and wants it kept away from kids. He's heard Anne talk about Victorian sexual repression. 'To hear you talk, you'd think Christian morality was a – a disease.' She blames it for the amount of psychotic illnesses she has seen not to mention pornography, perversion... Joyne is not pornographic. If it can restore sex to its natural role 'of good wholesome fun as a reinforcement to pair bonding.' She sees sex as a glue to human relationships and it has been cheapened with concepts of sin and guilt. Bradley is still concerned about the kids. Anne thinks that innocence stands a chance at last once sex is accepted as a natural wholesome aspect of human behaviour. Bradley replies frostily that doesn't mean the likes of him – squares, if you like are ready for the sexual utopia!
Meanwhile, Stafford is briefing the Minister on the background of Dr. Fulton. Very little to say, if the Minister wants him nobbled, as Stafford puts it. The Minister hopes it won't come to anything as crude as that... He just wants his integrity rating checked. Stafford says the man is impeccable – he could have had Joyne ready years ago if it wasn't for his double checking for possible side effects. He is politically dormant, financially self-reliant, happily married and had a vasectomy! He was brought up a strict Roman Catholic and has two natural children and four adopted ones, two of them are coloured. The Minister sees him as a man of considerable social conscience.
In bed, the Fultons are discussing if the aphrodisiac element is essential, as tyrannical as the other short cuts: legislation, a child permit... His wife doesn't see his concerns. There is a choice involved. She remembers when sweet rationing came to an end after the war. The shop sold out – her dad explained it was because people were greedy, buying more than they need. It didn't take long for people to settle down, return to normal. He questions what is normal. That does it, the wife goes and fetches a couple of sleeping pills for both of them.
The Minister talks to his wife about Fulton, a dedicated man, with a touch of the fanative about him. Lady Holyroyd becomes concerned – is he going to stop Joyne being sold over the counter? There will be pressure from the establishment, defenders of the status quo. 'Perhaps, even from you, George. As a man. A man for whom sex is... an embarrassment.' It seems sex has never been the strongest part of their relationship, has never worked for them. She is not complaining. 'The time for that would have been many years ago. In every other way our marriage is exceptionally... compatible.' He gets a little cross. He admits he chose to channel his energies into his career, a choice with which she concurred. And by implication, now, she makes him out as some sort of freak. Not normal. 'Because of my embarrassment, I'm capable of prejudice over this Joyne stuff... Capable of condemning something of possible benefit to mankind.' Lady Holroyd doesn't think he would. But with all his gifts, she would rather he benefit mankind as Prime Minister rather than as Secretary of State. So does he, and a Prime Minister's image must be spotless. 'But not necessarily lifeless,' he replies, kissing her hand.
Quist is discussing the finished report with Fulton. 'You lied.' Joyne could be as effective without the aphrodisiac, the sugar on the pill. Fulton says it is essential. Straight contraception, legalised abortion, isn't enough. They must have voluntary acceptance of contraception. 'Incentives...' muses Quist, 'Conditioned responses like Pavlov's dogs. In effect you're saying that free will is an illusion. We must manipulate man's behaviour on the pretext of ensuring his survival.' And this manipulation might violate his essential humanity? Fulton loses his patience. What is Quist's solution to the population problem? He reminds him of the Manhattan Project. 'You sit there condemning a mild hormone stimulant as... a violation of man's essential humanity ... talking as though I was some sort of fiendish crank. Can't you see all I want is an alternative to mass annihilation? A way of doing it without the bomb?'
Quist tells Anne that night that Fulton wants him to suppress their findings. Anne is shocked despite her support for Joyne. You can't endorse a false premise. Quist seems to be fine with the idea but Anne warns him of one action like this and his department's reputation for integrity would be ruined. Someone would leak it, if not Colin or Stafford, other cross checkers would discover it. Quist doesn't think that's the point. Take away the incentive, the sugar, the excitant, what have you got left is another contraceptive. So what?
Fulton and his wife discuss the matter. He is relieved that Quist knows. It won't stop him, he'll just go on. 'Quist' a humanist but he's just as bothered as I am.... There's no moral hang up about hygiene and medicine but they've given us the ability to multiply to destruction. The bomb's also given us the means of self destruction. Science and technology are pushing back further and further the frontiers of knowledge and threatening the very existence of mankind.' A thought occurs to him. 'What if the mythology's a bit distorted? What if original sin's nothing to do with sex? Man ate from the tree of knowledge, didn't he?'
The Minister is delighted to hear that Fulton has cooked up the research – the aphrodisiac is not essential to the contraceptive. Quist is suspicious. Stafford must have told him. Quist pretends that there has been a snag in the report, a computer fault. Everything is going to need cross checking. So could that mean the hormone stimulant could be an essential ingredient after all? Quist gets angry: he sees this as a perfect let out for the Minister. But the Minister defends himself – he sees Joyne as a responsible means of stabilising the population. Quist begins to walk out but is stopped. There has been interest in Joyne expressed by the government of India.
The Minister is back on the television giving a Ministerial broadcast. He is talking about under developed countries with a burgeoning population problem and need radical new methods of birth control.. He tells the people that he does not think Britain has a problem with unsustainability, and refuses a policy of restraint. It can only mean totalitarianism. 'If we cannot limit our numbers without the methods of slave owners, Hitlers or Stalins it would surely be better not to limit them at all. For surely such methods will bring far more misery to mankind than over over-strained environment....' He proposes to withhold a drug of this nature until such time it can be refined.
Fulton has been watching this and looks as a cylinder of Joyne. 'Vicious totalitarianism.' His wife is full of sympathy. Fulton says, 'Let's pray that it's not Quist's way.' 'What's that?' 'With the Bomb.'
Bradley enters Quist's office to get some papers from the filing cabinet and manages to catch Quist's eye. 'Well, at least it looks like the Indians might go for it... Joyne.' Quist replies unsmiling: 'The Land of the Kama Sutra.'
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