Several Questions

[mb2000]

I recently watched some old tapes of Captain Scarlet, and these questionc came to mind:

1) Shouldn't there be more colour-coded agents? In the series, the only colour aents shown are Scarlet, Ochre, Green, Blue, Indigo, Magenta, Brown, Fawn, White, Grey and Black. Shouldn't a Spectrum have all the colours?

2) Why weren't Ochre and Magenta wearing their shoulder epulets in the leisure room in "Winged Assasin"?



3) What happened to the other two member of Captain Black's expedition to Mars?

4) How do they get the cap radios to work? They are never seen to press a button or anything.

5) Why wasn't the Mysteron Gun ever used after "Spectrum Strikes Back"?

6) Shouldn't Captains Black, Brown and Indigo have been replaced at Spectrum?

7) Shouldn't Cloudbase be full of technicians/mechanics etc instead of just 16 (before anyone died) Spectrum agents?

And did anyone else notice how the coloured lights on Colonel White's desk keep changing from episode to episode?

[chrisbishop]

Let's see if we can collectively answer some of them...

1) Well, according to the Complete Captain Scarlet book, there were supposed to be a Lieutenant Yellow in Radar Room for 'Attack on Cloudbase'. They changed him to Magenta, at the last minute. In comics, annuals and books, they did mention other colours - such as Purple, Peach, Maroon... And of course, there are other Spectrum colour-coded officers created by fanfic - but that's non-official!

2) Don't tell the Colonel! He's such a sticker to dress regulations! (Actually - that might be a behind-the-scene blooper - props didn't do their job properly. Scene was supposed to be quick, and nobody was supposed to notice, at the time... That was before DVD ans tapes, of course...)

3) Nobody knows - your guess is as good as anyone.

7) Actually, annuals say that there is 493 people onboard Cloudbase. Military, techinician, medical, civilian...

I'm leaving place for the others to give their own answers to all this - and the other questions!

[hazel]

Those pictures are good! Did you capture them on screengrab?
As to why the epaulettes are missing – television continuity can be very fiddly, especially with costume elements as small as the epaulettes. No doubt you could make a case for them being more securely fastened to the puppets’ tunics, but I dare say that in the course of filming, moving from one unit to another, and overnight storage, bits got lost from time to time, and weren’t noticed. I know of one studio that lost a grand piano, and no-one noticed for a couple of days…

[mb2000]

Those pictures are good! Did you capture them on screengrab

I just played the episode is Windows Media Player with video acceleration turned off, With VA off you have to watch the whole thing through as you can't fast forward, so I just waited until the episode got to that point (about 4-5 minutes in) paused it and pressed the Print Screen button.

[hazel]

I shall have to investigate ways of doing that from my DVD player. My poor old computer is getting a bit long in the tooth for that kind of thing.

[Clya Brown]

I didn't know you could do that! Every time I've tried to grab the screen image from the video player I've just generated a dirty great black hole where the picture ought to be, and vaguely assumed that it was was some sort of copyright protection feature. Thanks!

As far as the failure to replace colours lost in combat is concerned, maybe Spectrum originally intended to do just that, but abandoned the idea when the duplication capabilities of the Mysterons became apparent. It would be potentially very confusing to have two Captain Blacks walking around, one on our side and one on theirs, so they simply came to regard black as a 'lost' colour. Then later they extended that principle to any other operative who got zapped by the Mysterons, irrespective of whether they were duplicated or not - perhaps because they wouldn't always know whether a duplication had taken place.

On the epaulettes thing, maybe they aren't regarded as essential on Cloudbase, where anyone could be called up on the internal PA system. It might be rather like asking people to turn their mobile phones off during a meeting - 'will anyone likely to be called during the next briefing please leave their personal communicators in their quarters?'. How about that for an (admittedly rather speculative) explanation?

[James. C]

3) What happened to the other two member of Captain Black's expedition to Mars?

5) Why wasn't the Mysteron Gun ever used after "Spectrum Strikes Back"?

7) Shouldn't Cloudbase be full of technicians/mechanics etc instead of just 16 (before anyone died) Spectrum agents?

And did anyone else notice how the coloured lights on Colonel White's desk keep changing from episode to episode?

3) The Mysterons said ONE would be under their control. Only Black was on the MSV when it returned to Glen Field (is there a fanfic just out of interest on this, anyone?). So presumibly (SP) the two others were killed by the Mysterons.

5) It was used in the audio adventure CS VS CB and in some of the comic strips.

7) I thought there were 600 people...

8 ) This is explained in Dangerous Rendezvous

>>Well, according to the Complete Captain Scarlet book, there were supposed to be a Lieutenant Yellow in Radar Room for 'Attack on Cloudbase'. They changed him to Magenta, at the last minute<<

It was Lieutenant Sienna, acording to websites and the Complete Gerry Anderson, the updated (and corected mistakes) version (in some ways) of the Compete CS.

Hope that helps you...
James

[Captain Indigo]

Okay, here goes:
1. The costs to manufacture each puppet was quite high, so only a few were made for the series - and were reused often. Even Captain Scarlet himself was recast as Paul Blake in Secret Service, and Colonel White reappeared in another series too. This is probably why there were so few colour-coded agents in the series, and, as Chris has pointed out, there are others mentioned in the official fiction in the annuals, TV21 etc.

2. The missing eppaulets are likely to be an error in the shooting. CS is not the only show to make this kind of mistake, so don't come down too harshly. I recall an episode of Deep Space Nine (I think it was 'Babel'. Correct me if I'm wrong.) where Sisko is not wearing his comm badge for part of the ep, but for an entire scene during this (and it was quite a long one too) he was, inexplicably, wearing it again before it disappeared. I believe the studios call it a 'continuity error'.

3. It is said that the other men in the MEV were killed and their bodies found when it returned to Earth, but Black's body was not with them. It is possible that this comes entirely from the Fan Fic universe, but I couldn't place it to an author or story...
(Hang on, have hunch, looking up)
It is mentioned in 'Pawns of Evil' by D. Lynn Bivens and Kimberly Murphy that Black's body was never found. Maybe I just made up the bit about the other two based on that. Anyhow, it seems like as good an explaination as any to me.

4. An interesting question. I can only assume that there's some subtle movement of the head that causes the microphone to activate.

5. The Mysteron gun is a heavy, awkward piece of equipment, and therefore won't be used widely in a combat situation, on which the series tends to focus. It's likely that the Mysteron gun was used off screen, after the action.

6. It's likely that Brown and Black were replaced following their deaths by other agents on the surface. However, Black was the second in command - irreplacable.

7. As Chris says, there are more people on Cloudbase according to the official annuals. See answer to question 1 for more details.

8. Not remembering Dangerous Rendezvouz in particular detail (must buy the DVDs), but my guess would be that different combinations of lights indicate different things, just as any computer display does.

[mb2000]

I didn't know you could do that! Every time I've tried to grab the screen image from the video player I've just generated a dirty great black hole where the picture ought to be, and vaguely assumed that it was was some sort of copyright protection feature. Thanks!

Yeah, I found that. I think its becuase the video is accelerated by the video card which makes taking a screenshot impossible.

As far as the failure to replace colours lost in combat is concerned, maybe Spectrum originally intended to do just that, but abandoned the idea when the duplication capabilities of the Mysterons became apparent. It would be potentially very confusing to have two Captain Blacks walking around, one on our side and one on theirs, so they simply came to regard black as a 'lost' colour. Then later they extended that principle to any other operative who got zapped by the Mysterons, irrespective of whether they were duplicated or not - perhaps because they wouldn't always know whether a duplication had taken place.

You're probably right about Captain Black since his status was unknown. However for Brown and Indigo, who's bodies were presumably found (Brown mentioned in first episode, Indigo probably found in the lodge) and their Mysteron copies known to be dead, there would be no problem with replacing them.

3) The Mysterons said ONE would be under their control. Only Black was on the MSV when it returned to Glen Field (is there a fanfic just out of interest on this, anyone?). So presumibly (SP) the two others were killed by the Mysterons.

The Mysterons did say that, but did anyone say only Black returned? I know White said he disappeared when he came back.

7) I thought there were 600 people...

Was this mentioned?

8 ) This is explained in Dangerous Rendezvous

The episode only explained that a coloured light would flash on White's desk when a Captain or Angel called. I mean that the position of the lights changed. For example, at the beginning of the series, the main row in front of White had five white lights (presumably for the Angels) on the left side (looking from White's position behind the desk), but later in the series, there appeared to be a yellow one there breaking up the five whites.

Well, according to the Complete Captain Scarletbook, there were supposed to be a Lieutenant Yellow in Radar Room for 'Attack on Cloudbase'. They changed him to Magenta, at the last minute

Interesting. It would make sense to have more than one Lieutenant.

[color=#00cc99]
2. The missing eppaulets are likely to be an error in the shooting. CS is not the only show to make this kind of mistake, so don't come down too harshly. I recall an episode of Deep Space Nine (I think it was 'Babel'. Correct me if I'm wrong.) where Sisko is not wearing his comm badge for part of the ep, but for an entire scene during this (and it was quite a long one too) he was, inexplicably, wearing it again before it disappeared. I believe the studios call it a 'continuity error'.

Yeah, I remember "Babel" (big ST fan) This would happen with rank pips as well. Strange though that something as important as epulats for the Captain uniforms would be forgotten, and so early in the series as well.

[color=#00cc99]3. It is said that the other men in the MEV were killed and their bodies found when it returned to Earth, but Black's body was not with them. It is possible that this comes entirely from the Fan Fic universe, but I couldn't place it to an author or story...
(Hang on, have hunch, looking up)
It is mentioned in 'Pawns of Evil' by D. Lynn Bivens and Kimberly Murphy that Black's body was never found. Maybe I just made up the bit about the other two based on that. Anyhow, it seems like as good an explaination as any to me.

But White said (in Manhunt I think) that Black disappeared on his return, indicating he came back with the MEV. I don't think they would have let him leave if he'd brought back two dead bodies.

[color=#00cc99]4. An interesting question. I can only assume that there's some subtle movement of the head that causes the microphone to activate.

Wonder what happens when they get a twitch!

[color=#00cc99]However, Black was the second in command - irreplacable.

Since when?

[color=#00cc99]8. Not remembering Dangerous Rendezvouz in particular detail (must buy the DVDs), but my guess would be that different combinations of lights indicate different things, just as any computer display does.

Yeah, I didn't mean the combination of flashes or anything, but the actual positions of the lights in relation to each other.

Thanks for all your help guys!



9) What was the purpose of having Captain Black as Dr. Fawn's assistant in "Attack on Cloudbase"? Was it just to get him into the episode?

[chrisbishop]

5) Why wasn't the Mysteron Gun ever used after "Spectrum Strikes Back"?

I think they would be used offscreen - after the action. And the reason is simple, it would be for security. Remember that there is ONE member of Spectrum who has to be protected from the Mysteron gun. What if it was to be lost during a mission and a Mysteron finds it? So, my guess is that the Mysteron Gun might be used by a kind of 'clean-up' crew.

6) Shouldn't Captains Black, Brown and Indigo have been replaced at Spectrum?

Maybe. But how about not replacing them, in due respect for their demise during the course of duty? I know Indigo was used again in fanfic (which might not count for you). And concerning Black specifically - are we SURE he died, and therefore should be replaced?

7) Shouldn't Cloudbase be full of technicians/mechanics etc instead of just 16 (before anyone died) Spectrum agents?

Already answered. And the information is official and comes from annuals. There are more than 400 people on Cloudbase.

8)And did anyone else notice how the coloured lights on Colonel White's desk keep changing from episode to episode?

Have you thought it could be due that they are made of the same technologie used for the flashing epaulettes, only slightly different?

9) What was the purpose of having Captain Black as Dr. Fawn's assistant in "Attack on Cloudbase"? Was it just to get him into the episode?

Ask Symphony. It was her dream!

[mb2000]

Have you thought it could be due that they are made of the same technologie used for the flashing epaulettes, only slightly different?
!

I don't get you. I didn't mean how they work, just that the arrangement of the colours keeps changing for no apparent reason.

Ask Symphony. It was her dream!

Yeah, but surely they could have got one of the other puppets in for that scene. One that was so obvious and easily recognised.

[Marion]

I suspect the use of Captain Black was intended to reinforce the idea that the Mysterons had control of the fate of Cloudbase and by extension of Spectrum and the people who worked for it.

[chrisbishop]

I mean: the epaulettes changes colours, depending on who is calling - or who to call. Now, I don't mean that the Colonel's desk works in the same way (the lights changing colours, depending on who calls), but that the technology behind the epaulettes' capacity of changing colours might be the same as in those lights and buttons.

Granted, that's rather far-fetched! But aside from another mistake from props, that's the only explanation I could see!

[mb2000]

I see.

Maybe its just the prop guys screwing the wrong coloured caps onto the bulbs, you know, like in Lego electronic sets.

[Mary]

mb2000, I think you may be forgetting that not only does White's whole desk swivel, but his seat inside it does as well. (How else could he see all those lights and control pads behind him?) He might just be seated in a different position...