Earthbound
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Year 1 - Episode 5
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| Denmark |
Retur til Jorden? |
Return to Earth? |
| Spain |
Rumbo e la tierra |
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| France/Canada |
Direction Terre |
Direction: Earth |
| Germany |
Captain Zantor |
Captain Zantor |
| Italy |
Destinazione obbligata: Terra |
Obligatory Destination: Earth |
| Japan |
No Return to the Earth!
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| Netherlands |
Aan de aarde gebonden |
Bound to the Earth |
| Portugal |
Rumo à Terra |
Course To Earth |
| Sweden |
I Riktning mot Jorden |
At course for Earth |
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Representatives from a dying planet land on the moon. Their spacecraft has been programmed to take them to Earth. Is this an opportunity for key Moonbase personnel to return to Earth? Commander Koenig is faced with unexpected drama.
- Script undated. Filmed 15th March to 1st April 1974
- Keith Wilson:
I had a little problem with Christopher Lee on Earthbound. In the first series, l had more of a total control over the make-up, the hair, the costume, particularly with our aliens. I would always design the alien, in whatever form, even if it was Christopher Lee. I designed his out of it, and of course, when creating an alien like this, you're designing the makeup as well, so I would work with the make-up and hair departments. We built his nose up, I wanted it absolutely straight, but he didn't want this, he was not happy about having this on his face. And after the first day's shooting, they removed the make-up, and it took the skin off his nose!
- When Zantor stands up in the Kaldorian ship, he stands on an apple box so he towers over Koenig and the other Alphans. (Christopher Lee is 6 foot 4 inches tall; all the Kaldorians were supposed to be over 6 foot 6 inches tall).
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- The Kaldorian ship was built by Space Models in two sizes. It is a relatively basic model, with a simple shape unlike the intricate and well-worn Martin Bower designs seen later. The SFX crew called it the "humming top". The landing reveals how difficult it was to film. The design is similar to the spaceship in the 1982 Speilberg film "E.T."
- A number of publicity shots showing the ship in the Eagle hangar were taken; the high angle usually shows the distant Eagles are cardboard cut-outs. In the episode the views are from a low angle and look more convincing.
- Perhaps because it was the first alien spaceship of the series it was made into a tiny die-cast toy by LJN Road Stars.
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The This Episode sequence includes an unused shot of the 22 inch Rescue Eagle flying low over the lunar surface. In the episode we see two other shots, one with a foreground gravity tower, the other looking down and showing the Eagle shadow beneath it.
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When Alan's Eagle leaves the Kaldorian ship, leaving the pod docked, the shot begins a second or so early. The thrusters begin to fire after the Eagle has already lifted a little from the pod. The initial blast of dust from the jets probably looked impressive enough that the editor overlooked the starting position of the Eagle... Thanks to Christopher Enckell.
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There is no new music for this episode.
- Alpha has sensors that detect life signs. How?
- "Activate gravity control and atmosphere." Obviously the Eagle pod can extend an artificial gravity field. If the interior of the Kaldorian ship is at ambient gravity, why doesn't Simmonds float when he is encased at the end of the episode?
- This episode is definitely pre-Another Time, Another Place as it is stated "We're not even sure the Earth still exists." But did the Kaldorian ship follow the Moon through the Black Sun? If 2074 is 75 years in the future, it is still 1999.
1 fatality: Simmonds.
- There is a guard called Tony- but he is played by Tony Allyn, not Tony Anholt (he appears in most Year 1 episodes, but this is the only time he is named).
Alpha Technology:
- Victor uses a hairdryer-like instrument to scan the Kaldorian ship hull. Presumably it is supplying data to Kano's Spectro X analysis.
- Simmonds uses a stun gun with a piece of black tape over the middle. Possibly this is to disguise a damaged prop in close ups.
- This is the first episode to lose the steps up the viewports in Main Mission.
- The nuclear power station is the same set as the Main Power Unit in Black Sun- actually a revamp of Koenig's office.
- We briefly see a gravity tower.
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Eagle 1 (Alan, Rescue); 2 (Rescue). The first appearance of the red striped pods. There is a rare view of the docking tube, which uniquely has a corrugated seal. |
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None. We learn about the dying planet Kaldor.
Aliens:
Kaldorians
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Props:
- In one scene, Alan is fiddling with the Eagle remote control (as seen in Breakaway).
- In the Eagle vacuum chamber, Koenig is holding the geiger counter seen in Breakaway (now with leads attached).
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Footage:
- This is the first episode to feature a shot of Barry Morse in the titles.
- When they board the Eagle on the launch pad, it is docked to the starboard but they enter through the port side.
- The Eagle docks to the Kaldorian ship on the starboard side. They enter it through the port side.
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 Eagle 1 has a sign above the main doors saying "Rescue Eagle 7" |
 
As Alan watches the Kaldorian ship crash-landing, his co-pilot disappears in one shot. |
 
Notice the floor marks indicating where the actors should stand. |
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As Zantor lies down in the casket at the end of the episode, his wig falls off |
 
When Simmonds is battering his casket, at the end of the shot we briefly see beyond two aliens- one turns his head round, the other sits up (it's less obvious in a still shot, so compare the two above). The director had probably called "cut" but the editor decided to use slightly more of the shot. |
- The first "big name" star, Christopher Lee. Also a change in story direction, from science fiction mysteries to relatively straightforward storytelling with a twist at the end.
- The Kaldorians in their multi-coloured kaftans and pacificist philosophy seem to be intended to be space hippies- perhaps wisely the episode shows them aloof and dignified, although a little cold (Zantor's attraction to Helena is suggested in the vaguest possible terms.)
- Bergman's scanner is a Braun hairdryer (the base of the visor is the air nozzle). The probe that Bergman attaches to the door is probably an electrical aquarium heater. Thanks to Mantiss.
- A reprise role for Simmonds, last seen in Breakaway.
- How did Simmonds get his stun gun? One explanation (from Chris Moore) is that Koenig's commlock gives access to areas where guns are stored, such as an Eagle or armoury.
- In February 1993 to promote the UK video release of this episode, Christopher Lee appeared on The Little Picture Show and was interviewed by Mariella Frostrup about the episode (Transcript here).
- During filming of this episode, a special "fake" scene was shot in Main Mission, with Sandra, Paul and Simmonds. The scene was a set-up to surprise Roy Dotrice, the subject of an episode of This Is Your Life (20 March, 1974).
As the first episode featuring an alien spaceship, the Kaldorian ship was widely used in merchandising. Christopher Lee's Zantor was also popular.
External Links
Episode Guide
Eagle 1 has a sign above the main doors saying "Rescue Eagle 7"
