Alpha Child
|
 Year 1 - Episode 10 
|
|
The first baby is born on the moon...but terrifying events follow with an outer space battle between spaceships deciding the fates of hundreds.
- The original idea was from Gerry Anderson, in discussions with Christopher Penfold. The original story concept was by Edward di Lorenzo. It was rewritten by Christopher Penfold who receives sole credit.
- Shooting script 19th June 1974. Blue page amendments 1st July. Filmed 8th July - 19th July 1974.
- Barry Morse took time off during filming the episode and is only in a few scenes.
- This is the first episode that Martin Bower provided models for. This was only the second episode to feature alien ships (after Earthbound); subsequent episodes relied heavily on new spaceships.
- Jarak's ships were in two scales, 1.83m and 0.9m long, made of hardboard steamed over a frame. They were both made in 10 days. The smaller one was sold at Christies in 1995 for £1700.
- The pursuer's spaceship was an older model by Martin Bower, partially inspired by 2001. It was extended with a central radar dish (made of a Star Trek Enterprise saucer) and landing pads on the sides (on which Jarak's saucers could land).
Martin Bower design sketchLibrary track: Secret Service "Last Train to Bufflers Halt" by Barry Gray
- According to the label, the incubator is a Vickers "Five-Nine". It maintains temperature, humidity and oxygen for premature babies (the name refers to the assumption that babies under 5 pounds 9 ounces were premature- Jackie is 7 pounds, 11 ounces). Putting a newborn across the room from the mother is strikingly old-fashioned.
0 fatalities, but we learn of Jack Crawford's death some time previously. There is one new Alphan: Jackie Crawford
Alpha Technology:
- The nuclear generating area was also seen in Force Of Life.
- Jackie wears the Commander's black sleeve- which will shortly be apt.
- The laser blaster ("hand held armour piercing laser") is seen. It is also used in The Last Sunset and is often seen on Eagle weapons racks.
There is a flight of 3 Eagles, unnumbered
When Alan's Eagle drops down to the lunar surface, the passenger pod has grey stripes - it is a repainted Rescue pod. In subsequent episodes the model was weathered so the painted over stripes were less visible.
None.
Aliens:
Jarak's people. They do not have human form.
Footage:
- Footage of the Eagles firing lasers is repeated in War Games
In Medical, Jackie plays with a hyperdermic needle (or the Alphan equivalent).
- Julian Glover remembers "Alpha Child was totally ridiculous, but it was good fun to do. I mean, how often do you get the chance to run around in a silver skirt?" (Starlog 52, p40).
- The idea is derived from Wyndham's Midwich Cuckoos (plus possibly the film The Omen, being filmed at Pinewood at the same time), and older myths of a changeling/devil-child. The beguiling, innocent, vulnerable child is in fact evil.
- The title is a triple pun- Alpha in the sense of Moonbase Alpha, in the sense of first (the first child on Alpha), and in the sense of dominant individual ("alpha male" in biology).
External Links
Episode Guide
