The Catacombs Episode Guide

The Exiles

The Metamorph Year 2 - Episode 2 One Moment of Humanity

Writer Donald James
Director Ray Austin
Guest stars Peter Duncan, Stacy Dorning
Belgium (Flemish) De bannelingen
Denmark Eksil Exile
Spain Los exiliados The exiles
France/Canada Les Exilés The Exiles
Germany Die Verstoßenen The Outcasts
Italy Golos
Japan Traitors of Planet GOLOS
Poland Wygnancy Exiles
Portugal Os Exilados The Exiles

Mysterious objects in the space sky. In them: humans from another planet, preserved in a frozen state for 300 years. Two who return to consciousness on the moon have a grim story to tell. But can they be trusted?

Background

  • Draft script featured Year One cast
  • Shooting script dated 8 January 1976. Revised 2nd and 4th February (Tony is named as Simon Hays throughout).
  • Filmed due to start 12th February 1976, but actually began 17th February (The Metamorph over-ran by a week). An additional sequence (of Petrov trapped in an explosion and being rescued by Maya as a gorilla) was filmed by Kevin Connor on June 7th.
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Cast

Commander John Koenig Martin Landau
Doctor Helena Russell Barbara Bain
Maya Catherine Schell
Tony Verdeschi Tony Anholt
Alan Carter Nick Tate
Sandra Benes Zienia Merton
Cantar Peter Duncan
Zova Stacy Dorning
Doctor Bob Mathias Anton Phillips
Mirella Margaret Inglis
Stal Anthony Blackett
Old Lady (Maya/Ugly) Peggy Ledger
Kate Sarah Bullen
Petrov Peter Porteous
Life Support Guard Roy Everson
Security Guard Ron Nichols
Security Guard (Pierce Quinton) Quentin Pierre
Doormen Charlie Price
Bill Westley
Nurse Jenny Cresswell
Nurses Maryanne
Tracey Hudson
Decontamination Frank Maher
Rescue Worker Vic Armstrong
Command Center Operative Andy Cummings
Command Center Operative (P Rose) Pam Rose
Command Center Operative (Peter Reeves) Robert Reeves
Technician (L Picard) Glenda Allen
Mantor
Maya/gorilla

Sets

Int. Command Centre
Int. Medical Centre
Int. Life Support Centre/Power Room
Int. Recreation Centre/ solarium (clip from The Taybor)
Int. Research Unit
Int. Koenig's Quarters
Int. Helena's Quarters
Int. Alpha Corridor
Int. Eagle Pilot Section
Int. Eagle Passenger Section

Int. Golos Life Support centre
Ext. Space / Golos Capsule

SFX

  • A third 44" Eagle appears for the first time.
  • The capsules were 3 inches long.
  • Martin Bower built two towers seen on the Golos surface very briefly.
  • A model astronaut is seen with an Eagle (seen in Cantar's hand).
  • There is a split screen shot of Helena and Maya/Helena.
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Music

Original score by Derek Wadsworth

Science

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Continuity

Chronology:

403 days after leaving Earth orbit (Fri 20 Oct 2000)

Alpha Personnel:

0 fatalities.

Alpha Technology:

  • The remote Research Station is seen. It is equipped with a laser (see props).
  • The EVA packs were used in Space Brain (although the central black cylinder is no longer present). In that episode they did not need buckles.
  • It is stated they cannot have children because of the strain on the life support system. This contradicts Alpha Child.
  • Solariums are also seen in Force Of Life and The Taybor
  • The multi-function hatch is shown; here it activates the "anti-gravity effect".
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Eagles:

Eagle 4 ("Rescue"); Recovery Eagle
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Maya transformations:

ape creature, Helena, old hag, panther

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Planets:

None (Golos is some distance away)

Aliens:

Cantar, Zova, Ragnar, Mirella, Stal and Mantor from Golos. Humanoids.

Props:

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Footage:

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Errors

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Tony is shot by the power station door, and Helena is stunned by Zova next to him. Maya jumps close to the computer panel. When Koenig arrives, Tony and Helena have been moved next to the computer bank. Maya's position has shifted too, as can be seen by the floor markings and the position of her arm. Tony and Helena are unconscious when they leave Alpha. They are awake when they arrive on Golos.

Observations

  • The leotards in stretch fabric are very much from 1970s science fiction. When the caskets are opened, Cantar is topless but Zova is wearing Moonbase Alpha-type pyjamas.
  • Cantar is a Jewish name meaning "singer of songs".
  • Golos has hereditary leaders (Mirella is a descendant of Ragnar). The planet has a population of "millions" which is relatively small (Earth has about 6 billion population). It is "known to us as the Peace Planet", which is similar to Archanon, the Planet of Peace, in Mark Of Archanon.
  • Why doesn't Maya/panther guard the laser when Cantar drops it?
  • When Peter Duncan joined the children's magazine Blue Peter a sequence of photos of aging Cantar was shown. Duncan is obviously dubbed to sound more American.
  • The Decontamination crewman is played by Frank Maher (he has one line: "Commander"). He also appears in a number of publicity shots fighting Helena in Command Center (he has a blue wash over his face, but otherwise wears a standard Alphan blue jumpsuit and white sweater). The other technician was played by Vic Armstrong, a top stuntman best known for the Indiana Jones series.
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Catherine Schell eats a banana while Ray Austin directs
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The deleted scene in which Maya and Helena discuss women's fashion.
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Preparing for filming.

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Maya's dress

Merchandise:

Links

External Links


Contents copyright Martin Willey