Destination: Moonbase Alpha (18 page)

There are several other themes apparent in ‘Missing Link’, including the now tried-and-true one of the failures and limitations of technology (which has been repeating to varying degrees since ‘Breakaway’, here represented by Eagle malfunctions and the subsequent crash, as well as the inability of Alpha’s medical technology to save John). It all comes down to Mind versus Machine (or Mind versus Body/Heart) – Koenig’s soul exists in a world of thought, while his body lies on the brink of death, kept alive by technology in Moonbase Alpha. The Zennites have no need for machinery, because they control the powers of the mind. As Raan says, ‘The mind is master of all things.’ Koenig, rather clumsily, encapsulates the Heart versus Mind theme with his line, ‘I still believe it is more important to feel than to think.’ Raan responds with what might be considered the episode’s raison d’etre, ‘It is the perfect balance between the two that must be achieved.’ Koenig has already demonstrated his basic tenet of following his heart, rather than any degree of amassed evidence before him, in previous episodes (‘Matter of Life and Death’ is an obvious one), and will do so again (the upcoming ‘Collision Course’ being possibly the strongest example). This episode does provide an answer to the conflict of Mind versus Heart when Vana states, ‘Love is the bridge between all worlds.’ Koenig himself says, ‘Cross the bridge between your world and mine. As long as you think of me, feel for me, I’ll be with you.’

There is also an attempt to examine the true nature of human life and consciousness – is it spiritually or organically based? It’s intriguing to note that the medical monitors don’t register Koenig’s life-signs because his soul is no longer with his body. That provides – at least – Edward di Lorenzo’s answer to the question.

While on the subject of the multiple themes explored in ‘Missing Link’, one can’t ignore the obvious statement against animal testing. The inhumanity of the physical or mental exploitation of other creatures is clearly stated, and personified by Raan’s experiments on Koenig.

Nick Tate delivers an excellent performance, showing the amazing devotion Alan now has for Koenig – a clear testament to the character development that has been progressing through these first seven episodes of the series. During the earliest episodes Alan Carter was often in obvious and unrestrained disagreement with his Commander. By this point, they are friends with respect for each other. This episode also features a frightening depiction of what could happen on Moonbase Alpha if not for the strong leadership of John Koenig. The power struggle and explosions of temper that develop show the Alphans as human beings – with all their faults and fears. The faults and fears of the Alphans will also become a major plot point in ‘War Games’, and both episodes boldly feature a ‘world without fear’ – an interesting parallel.

This is one of Barbara Bain’s most powerful episodes. The emotional range she conveys as
Helena is clear, and the breakdown of her cool shield of composure (as she turns off Koenig’s life-support systems) is one of the most heartfelt moments of the series.

Zienia Merton meanwhile delivers a notably restrained performance, conveying Sandra’s emotions with subtlety. Merton’s performance is another element serving the comparison of this episode to a dream – she ends up peacefully lying back down in bed, with a contented look on her face.

Peter Cushing and Joanna Dunham are both wonderful. Cushing’s gentle and subtle performance (with an underlying sinister tone) is in sharp contrast to Martin Landau’s rugged emotional range. Landau is portraying the emotional Earthman, while Cushing is portraying the dispassionate thinker. Joanna Dunham’s Vana is doe-eyed and innocent. Like Maya in Year Two’s ‘The Metamorph’, she is naïve and doesn’t know her father’s true methods and purpose – she says, ‘We are not capable of deception,’ when Raan clearly is.

The concept of the Earthman being the missing link to an advanced and otherwise alien race is interesting and well executed. The analysis of how the Zennites are different from contemporary humans is also very interesting. The scene with the duplicate Bergman and the horrifying one thereafter (where Koenig is assaulted by terrifying aliens), are connected and constitute some of the finest moments of the episode. No less frightening is when Koenig finds himself strapped to a chair, covered in cobwebs, screaming for help from a vision of his friend Victor – who is running, arm outstretched in aid, but never getting any closer. These images, and those of the evil alternate Bergman and the monstrous nightmare beings, stay with the viewer and provoke questions. Are they from Koenig’s subconscious? Are they Koenig’s own fears or demons? Or is Raan manipulating him with purely conjured visions? In keeping with the overall mood and atmosphere of a dream throughout ‘Missing Link’, these sequences depict a descent into nightmare.

The viewer is treated in this episode to another vision of a deserted Moonbase Alpha, which holds a certain visual and thematic appeal. A deserted Alpha was previously depicted in ‘Another Time, Another Place’ and another will appear in the second season’s ‘One Moment of Humanity’. The Zennites themselves make for another visual highlight – beautifully costumed in colourful robes, and with skin of silver and gold.

The name Zenno is derived from Zeno of Citium – the Greek philosopher and founder of Stoicism, the philosophy of the Stoics. Born c 334 BC, he lived for 72 years. His main belief was that ‘tranquility can best be reached through indifference to pleasure or pain,’ or ‘Man conquers the world by conquering himself.’ This idea of repressed feeling was also the model for Mr Spock and the Vulcan race in
Star Trek
.

What doesn’t work in ‘Missing Link’ is the love story between Koenig and Vana. Confined by the limits of the episodic format, Koenig far too quickly gives up on his command, his fellow Alphans, and his emergent love for
Helena. At the same time, he falls for Vana so rapidly that even romantics would have a hard time believing it. To make matters worse, the chemistry between Martin Landau and Joanna Dunham is negligible, at best.
Space: 1999
fans that dislike this episode usually cite these as the reasons, and valid ones they are. It could also be said that the ‘love story’ episodes of
Space: 1999
tended not to resonate with viewers – Helena had hers with ‘Matter of Life and Death’ and now Koenig has his with ‘Missing Link’, both episodes with many merits that ultimately fail to rank amongst the best of the series.

In the end, Koenig is waking from a nightmare – whether it was fantasy or reality is a matter of interpretation. And so this dreamlike
Space: 1999
version of
The Tempest
comes to a satisfying end. By the finale, John has taught Vana and the Zennites the emotion of love, and the ending is very touching. Ultimately, the Zennites aren’t that different from the Alphans – an evolutionary premise the series will revisit more blatantly in ‘The Full Circle’.

‘Missing Link’ is quite slow-paced and might be unappealing to the casual viewer, but it is certainly a beautiful entry in the series.

Rating:
8/10

1.8

GUARDIAN OF PIRI

Screenplay by Christopher Penfold*

Directed by Charles Crichton

*Christopher Penfold does not receive on-screen credit.

Selected Broadcast Dates:

UK              LWT:

             
Date: 15 November 1975.               Time: 5.50 pm

             
Granada:

             
Date: 5 December 1975.               Time: 6.35 pm

US
              KRON (San Francisco):

             
Date: 18 October 1975.               Time: 7.00 pm

             
WPIX (New York):

             
Date: 1 November 1975.               Time: 7.00 pm

Credited Cast: Martin Landau
(John Koenig),
Barbara Bain
(Helena Russell),
Barry Morse
(Victor Bergman),
Prentis Hancock
(Paul Morrow),
Clifton Jones
(David Kano),
Zienia Merton
(Sandra Benes),
Anton Phillips
(Bob Mathias),
Nick Tate
(Alan Carter),
Michael Culver
(Pete Irving)

Guest Artist: Catherine Schell
(Servant of the Guardian)

Uncredited Cast: Suzanne Roquette
(Tanya Alexander),
Barbara Kelly
(Voice of Computer),
John Gleeson
(Ed Davis),
James Fagan
(Ken Johnson),
Anne Hanson
(Sarah Graham),
June Bolton
(Operative June),
Loftus Burton
(Operative Lee Oswald),
Andrew Dempsey
,
Christine Donna
,
Raymond Harris
(Main Mission Operatives),
John Clifford
(Security Guard),
Trevor Ainsley
(Technical Head),
Tony Allyn
(Security Guard Tony Allan),
Quentin Pierre
(Security Guard Pierce Quinton),
Roy Everson
(Security Guard at party),
Gareth Hunt
(Eagle Pilot Irving),
John Lee-Barber
(Eagle Co-Pilot Davis),
Juliet King
,
Jodi Sherwood
,
Willow
(Nurses),
Alan Harris, Mike Stevens
(Alphans)

Previously Titled:
‘Nobody’s
Perfect’

Plot:
Alpha encounters the planet Piri, which seems to be a perfect world to colonise, but Eagle crews go missing, Computer malfunctions, and Commander Koenig encounters a beautiful woman – the Servant of the Guardian – and learns that no life exists on the world. Koenig escapes and finds the Alphans have succumbed to the Guardian’s spell and are planning to colonise Piri. Koenig must break the Guardian’s spell, or face the death of all his people.

Quotes:

• Victor:
  ‘Computer’s unusually reticent.’
  
• Alan:
  ‘No place like home.’
  
• Servant:
  ‘We have brought you here to relieve you of your human pain.’
  
• Servant:
  ‘Millennia ago this planet was peopled by Pirians of great technical skill. They built machines to run the necessities of life so they could enjoy their pleasure. Then they created the Guardian to control the machines and save them from decision. Their life was perfect, and the Guardian was ordered to maintain it.’
  
• Servant:
  ‘Absolute perfection lasts forever, and so the Guardian has suspended time.’
  
• Sandra:
  ‘There are many forms of life, but this is beautiful.’
  
• Koenig:
  ‘We’ve brought a dead planet back to life. Maybe we should have stayed.’
  

Filming Dates:
Friday 10 May – Tuesday 28 May 1974

Incidental Music:
The musical score is supplemented with Chuck Cassey’s track,
Undersea
, sourced from the Chappell Recorded Music Library. It features here as the ‘theme’ for planet Piri.

Commentary:

Martin Landau:
‘On “Guardian of Piri” we were looking at Piri on the screen. When we came to that scene I said, “Does anyone have an art rendering of that thing?” When we finally got it I said, “Why do we have to ask for these? It doesn’t make any sense! Everyone here who is [acting] looking at this thing in awe should see what the hell they are looking at! Why should we be the last to see it?” Literally. So, we ran into that. If you didn’t speak up, then that would happen. Next time, the pictures were there. We were looking at a big piece of black velvet and reacting to it, and we didn’t know what the hell we were [really supposed to be] looking at – it was crazy! There was no excuse for that. I also knew there had to be drawings, because they were building the sets on the next stage. We only shot the Main Mission, or later Command Centre, stuff the first or the second day – first and/or second day for most episodes. Sometimes, we were there longer. This meant we did the beginning of the show, the middle, and the tag – all at once. That meant we knew everything that happened! … All I was asking for was to see what it looked like, because I was supposed to spend a lot of time there. And what about all these other people who were mesmerised? I mean
everyone
on the show winds up on Piri!’

Anton Phillips:
‘I think “Guardian of Piri” was my favourite. I liked that one. I thought the set was terrific. Maybe it’s the fact that [all the characters] lighten up in it, because they’re all under the influence of … prescribed substances, or whatever. But I thought it had a really nice feel about it.’