Episode Guide

Year 2 - Episode 7

• Shooting script dated 15 April 1976. Revised 23, 26, 28 April, filmed 3 May-14 May 1976
• A "Double-Up Koenig" script- while Landau and Schell filmed on location, Bain and the other cast were filming The Mark Of Archanon on the studio sets.
• The locations are Black Park (near Pinewood Studios) and H.F.Warner Ltd landfill site in Knowl Hill, Berkshire.
• The script was written by producer Freiberger under a pen name, probably for the specific requirements of a double-up script. He took the name of the planet from a road sign on the way to work (Luton is an unglamorous industrial town outside London). The name caused much amusement to producer Gerry Anderson and the British crew.

Cast

Sets

Int. Command Centre
Int. Eagle Pilot Section

Ext. Planet Surface: River and Woods area (Black Park location)
Ext. Planet Surface: Berry Bush area, ravine area, cliff and lower slopes area (Knowl Hill location)

• The image of Luton from space is actually a blue monochrome version of a photograph of Earth, taken by Apollo 11 astronauts. Africa can be seen, with parts of Europe and Asia. The same picture is used as New Earth in New Adam, New Eve. Thanks to Marcus Lindroos.

• Luton is a Bedfordshire town with an airport. Freiberger saw it on a roadsign and pronounced it "Lew-ton" instead of "Lut-on". It is very odd to British viewers.
• The Romans used gladiatorial fights between criminals and slaves (often prisoners of war) as religious festivals and public entertainment. Constantine I abolished gladiatorial games in AD 325 although they continued for over a hundred years later. Trial by combat was a Norman legal concept introduced into English common law after 1066. Aggrieved parties could challenge those suspected of felony to trial by combat. God would ensure the righteous was the victor. It was condemned as early as 1190. It continued after 1215 for land law (in criminal law, trial by ordeal was halted by the Pope), declining gradually through the Middle Ages. It was not actually abolished until 1818.
• Plants have no nervous system, so they cannot think, talk, scream, or move rapidly. They cannot create technology (to make the planet disappear).
• In Luton society, all plants from very many species (vines, trees, berry bushes) have the same level of intelligence. This isn't true in the animal kingdom and it isn't likely to be true for plant species. Cannibalism is eating one's own species, so the Alphans are not cannibals.
• All plants are competing for water and sunlight, and they would not be likely to cooperate.
• Many plants are dependent on animals for pollination and seed dispersal. Flowers attract insects and birds to take nectar and transfer pollen. Berries and other fruit are intended to be eaten so animals will disperse the seeds. Without animals, flower and fruit plants will die out in a generation. The plants should encourage the Alphans to pick berries.
• The dinosaur bones have peg teeth indicating they are carnivores (eat other animals). They are therefore no threat to the plants. Their bones are white and scattered, showing scavenger animals have picked their flesh clean.
• Matter transportation, as demonstrated by Alien Transport, is impossible.
• Invisibility is impossible and impractical (dirt would soon reveal Alien Invisible, and as light passes through his transparent retinas he would be blind).
• "American Indians used bows and arrows". Actually every society has since the Mesolithic.
• The planet surface temperature is 73 degrees (ie. 22.2 Centigrade). It is implausible that the entire planet has the same temperature.
• Psychon has one race, one religion, one government and no separation of classes. The absense of diversity suggests an extremely conformist regimented society. The lack of classes, essential to capitalism, indicates Psychon is a communist state that prohibits any division of labour.

Alpha Technology:

• We see a colour commlock screen. It is also waterproof.

Eagles:

• The refuelling arm is also in Space Warp and was a grab arm in The Exiles. The red pod is 2.5 inches/ 6cm long (it was sold in an internet auction for £255 in 2006).

• The story has the same plot as the Star Trek episode "Arena" by Gene L Coon, a gladiatorial battle at the end of which the victor refuses to kill his opponent. That story was in turn derived by Fredric Brown's 1944 short story "Arena". The episode also has echoes of the Lost In Space episode "The Great Vegetable Rebellion", although Freiberger claims not to have seen it.
• At the start of the episode, the oxygen link is stated to be critical in 4 hours. Presumably this is for 3 crew. For 1 crew (Tony) the return journey to Alpha could be up to 12 hours, but is likely to be less than 4 hours. Koenig considers briefly that they abort and return together. The episode clearly takes place within a single day, and Koenig and Maya do not intend to camp overnight until he returns. Thanks to Marcus Lindroos.
• According to Michael Richardson, the stock footage of the lion is from the 1958 movie Nor the Moon by Night, starring Patrick McGoohan (released in the US as Elephant Gun).