Syrtis Major

[steviep]

WOW!!! This one tops the lot! Excellent story matched by stunning graphics, with a unexpected twist at the end.

Halfway through, I was thinking: wouldn't it be interesting to have an episode where the Mysterons aren't involved at all and hey, that's what we got, even throwing in Black as a red herring. Fantatastic!

What sumptous atmospherics - you artists are amazing!

Also, nice to see Purple again!

10 out of 10!

[shaqui]

Not the most thought proking of episodes, but yes I was somewhat amazed - when all's said and done - that the Mysterons were not the enemy in this case.

The Mars exclusion reminded me of Terrahawks' 'To Catch A Tiger', and the scenes on Mars were marvellous. Makes me look forward to 'Dominion' all the more. Also loved the raid at the beginning.

I'm beginning to feel a bit sad we're into the latter episodes, with no more to follow...

[DanDud88]

Sorry but I didn't lke it perhaps it was because I was expecting something as good as Rat Trap. But come on they think those too guys firing upon them are mysteron replicants so they stun them I dont think Blue would be the kind to stun instead of Kill mysteron replicants and Destiny would have had her gun set to kill when dealing with Black so why when she fired it was it on stun? And Ocher thinks Dr Gold is a replicant but why? She didn't say why she thought he was. It would have been beter if they showed it from her pov and her seeing his eyes glow green or somthing.

All in all I thought this was a terible episode.

[Marcus]

I wasn't keen either on this one. I loved the raid at the beginning with all the Captains and the scenery on Mars was stunning. But then the story fell flat - no Mysteron involvement, all caused by gas? It was like one of those 'It was all a dream' episodes which cheat the viewer which I really hate. (That includes Attack on Cloudbase). Captain Blue was really cynical and gruff in this one despite his wisecracks - have gone off him again...

On the plus side, good to see Black in uniform even though it was just an illusion. There was some good human emotion - the paranoia of the Spectrum personnel about the Mysterons is shown, and also some depth of feeling between Destiny and Scarlet with their longing look as he goes down the mineshaft and also the discussion between Destiny and the (imaginery) Black.

Excelllent CGI, but after the initial 'WOW' you get with every NCS episode, it was all undermined by poor story-telling.

[steviep]

the story fell flat - no Mysteron involvement, all caused by gas? It was like one of those 'It was all a dream' episodes which cheat the viewer which I really hate.

Actually, this was the reason I liked it. It really gives the idea that the landing party (Vulcan chappie excepted) are so convinced that the Mysterons are around that they'll jump at every shadow. Heck, I'd have been impressed if they'd been so spooked by the eerie atmosphere only to find the workers ina room completely safe and tapping away on a keyboard.

These guys are so paranoid after dealing with so many Mysteron threats that you can't blame them for preconceptions.

I loved it, even allowing for the plot flaws. Oh and dig those shiiiiiney suits!

[DanDud88]

But then the story fell flat - no Mysteron involvement, all caused by gas? It was like one of those 'It was all a dream' episodes which cheat the viewer which I really hate. (That includes Attack on Cloudbase).

Exsacly It reminded me of episodes of Star Trek or Stargate where they land on a planet and ended up being effected by the plantes gas or food or somthing and end up hulsenating and theres usualy member of the landing party whos an alien and doesnt get affected like there fellow human crewmembers and they end up stuning the others and bringing them back to normal.

Thats why I didnt like this episode it was too much of a SFI Cliché.

[Marcus]

Just watched it again with all the MOM nonsense edited out and I must say it's a big improvement...the suspense does build up...nothing like ten Barbie commercials and MOM to kill suspense stone dead. I still don't like the ending though!

I liked the South African accent of the Vulcan guy. Captain Ochre was so paranoid she kept mislaying her accent....

Just came to me that there are big similarities with the Terrahawks episode 'Mind Monster' Who would have thought Terrahawks may have been an influence!

[Kinggodzillak]

This was exactly what I was expecting Rat Trap to be - a team on Mars going crazy at each other. I was surprised that Rat Trap wasn't like that, but also pleased because that idea seemed a bit too simple. Still, this one was OK.

The raid at the start was rather fab, as was the shooting of Black...and more Ochre, yay!

But who's 'Helen'?

[Chris C]

I loved this one, the build up and suspense were so good it had me jumping to see what the spooky noises were!!

DanDud88 wrote:

And Ocher thinks Dr Gold is a replicant but why? She didn't say why she thought he was.

Well I expect it was because her mind was being affected by the gas?

There were a couple of scenes that reminded me of Aliens and Terminator 2! I half expected aliens to come crawling out of the walls when Scarlet and the team were driving through the big cavern, it was so creepy. The effects used when Destiny shot 'Captain Black' reminded me of the liquid metal Terminator getting blasted, with the holes just closing up!

It was a big hit with the kids too. Just got to watch it again now to pick up on all the bits I missed first time around!!

I agree about the shiney suits, I'm sure I saw CS's reflection in one of them...

[DanDud88]

DanDud88 wrote:

And Ocher thinks Dr Gold is a replicant but why? She didn't say why she thought he was.

Well I expect it was because her mind was being affected by the gas?

I mean what was Ochers hulecention to make her think that. Would have been nice to see her P.O.V of Dr Gold so we can see what she hulecenated.

But who's 'Helen'?

Actualy it's Elaine as in Elaine McGee Captain Ochers real name.

[Kinggodzillak]

Oh, I know that she's the great granddaughter of Debbie - just wondering how MOM got Helen from hearing Elaine...

In a way, it's nice continuity that Blue, Ochre and Destiny go d...I nearly wrote 'go down with the gas'....um...well, you know what I mean...before Scarlet and Gold. They're all trigger-happy nuts...

Also liked Ochre hallucinating a bomb - ties back in to The Achilles Messenger (that if she and Blue had found a bomb anywhere else, she would be the one who had to disarm it).

[DanDud88]

Another thing I noticed is couldnt they have stuned Roberts they saw he was going to run away yet they didn't bother stunning him.

BTW Did anyone noticed the Captains there was

Captain Scarlet, Captain Blue, Captain Ocher, Captain Magenta, Captain Grey, Captain Purpil, Captain Orange, Captain Brown, Captain Yellow, Captain Indigo & Captain Violet.

[Kinggodzillak]

I only count Scarlet, Blue, Ochre and Indigo from the first copter, then Brown, Magenta, and Grey came down afterwards. Presumably they were in the second copter and the third was just for Colonel White.

Guess Orange left when Mr Ochre did...though as Black's gear is still on the Rhinos, theirs probably is too.

[Toropiusu]

Remember that the hummingbird glass is tinted blue, so any unfamiliar captains would seem different in it to when they were outside.

I counted Scarlet, Blue, Orche, Grey, Magenta, Indigo and Brown.

*adds Crushed by a Stalagtite (or is it mite) to the list of best deaths*

Do you think it was Scarlet's Mysteron physiology that protected him from the gas, or just personality traits like Gold?

[Kinggodzillak]

Maybe both. Scarlet technically isn't human, so he might have been completely immune. Gold is a doctor...so maybe he might have gotten a little paranoid but not violent.

Whereas fighter pilots, bomb disposal experts and all-round psychopaths have got to be a little more unhinged...