Crater 101
Encyclopedia
"Crater 101" is the 17th episode of the Supermarionation
television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick
and directed by Ken Turner
.
After the events of "Lunarville 7
", in this episode Captains Scarlet
and Blue
and Lieutenant Green
return to the Moon
to destroy the Mysteron
complex in Crater 101.
complex in Crater 101, on the far side of the Moon
, will be destroyed with an atomic device
. However, so that the Mysterons will not be able to reconstruct their complex, its power source will first have to be located and removed. Captains Scarlet
and Blue
and Lieutenant Green
volunteer for the mission and, returning to the Moon
, launch their operation from Lunarville 6. Travelling to Crater 101 in a Moonmobile, and transferring to a smaller Lunar Tractor to enter the crater
, the officers are attacked by computerised sentinels, which are immobilised when Green destroys the control vehicle with the Tractor's cannon. Donning space suit
s and entering the complex, Scarlet, Blue and Green take camera and instrumentation recordings and ultimately find that the power source is a pulsating crystal
.
However, the Mysterons have killed and reconstructed Frazer, a Lunarville 6 colonist
who is transporting the atomic device to Crater 101. Frazer arrives in a Lunar Tank and lowers the device, but he has set it to explode two hours ahead of the proposed deadline
to ensure Spectrum's failure. Lunarville 6 cannot radio the officers since they are out of range, so when the controller, Nolan, and her colleague, Schroeder, learn of Frazer's sabotage
, a warning is attempted with the launch of an unarmed CB29 rocket
, which lands nose-first in Crater 101.
The CB29's arrival prompts Scarlet to recall the description on a lucky charm
handed to him by Nolan: in 2058, she coordinated the first Neptune
-bound CB29 probe
to be launched from the Moon, which arrived "ahead of schedule". Remembering this phrase, Scarlet realises that the atomic device will detonate "ahead of schedule". With minutes remaining until the explosion, Blue and Green return to the Moonmobile with the cameras and instruments and clear the scene. After considerable effort, Scarlet removes the Mysteron crystal from its machine, and departs in the Lunar Tractor just before the nuclear explosion
. The complex is permanently destroyed, Scarlet, Blue and Green return to Earth
so that the crystal can be studied.
from "Shadow of Fear
". A reference to in connection with the character of Nolan is one of a number of instances when a date of "July 10" is heard in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons — writer Tony Barwick
was fond of using this date since it was his birthday.
As with all other episode names for Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, the title "Crater 101" was rendered in the Microgramma font
, but with the letter "I" conveying the "1"s in the number "101" — due to a belief that Microgramma "1"s are not easily distinguishable from "7"s, the change was made to ensure that the name of the episode was clear to the viewing audience. The British Board of Film Classification
describes "Crater 101" as containing "infrequent, very mild" violence, but, as with all other episodes of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, rates the episode "U"
.
, Martin Day
and Keith Topping
praise "Crater 101" for it's creativity as a story for "[taking] the fight to the moon", and states that it is one of "the finest pieces in the Anderson canon".
". Footage from "Crater 101" is used as a flashback
in the clip show
episode "The Inquisition" and later included in Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars
, a Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons compilation film.
Supermarionation
Supermarionation is a puppetry technique devised in the 1960s by British production company AP Films. It was used extensively in the company's numerous Gerry and Sylvia Anderson-produced action-adventure series, the most famous of which was Thunderbirds...
television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, often referred to as Captain Scarlet, is a 1960s British science-fiction television series produced by the Century 21 Productions company of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, John Read and Reg Hill...
. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
and directed by Ken Turner
Ken Turner (director)
Ken Turner is a British television and film director and screenwriter who has worked extensively on series created by Gerry Anderson....
.
After the events of "Lunarville 7
Lunarville 7
"Lunarville 7" is the 12th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands...
", in this episode Captains Scarlet
Captain Scarlet (character)
Captain Scarlet is the fictional main character in Gerry Anderson's British Supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet....
and Blue
Captain Blue (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Blue is a character in the 1967 Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is a senior officer of the Spectrum organisation and a close friend of Captain Scarlet....
and Lieutenant Green
Lieutenant Green
Lieutenant Green is the assistant of Colonel White in the Supermarionation television series series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is of Trinidadian origin, and as well as being the only non-white male on Cloudbase, he is the only officer to hold the rank of lieutenant...
return to the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
to destroy the Mysteron
Mysteron
The Mysterons are a fictional race of extraterrestrials, native to the planet Mars, which appear in the British science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep...
complex in Crater 101.
Plot
It is planned that the MysteronMysteron
The Mysterons are a fictional race of extraterrestrials, native to the planet Mars, which appear in the British science fiction Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet, symbolised by ubiquitous projected green rings and the deep...
complex in Crater 101, on the far side of the Moon
Far side of the Moon
The far side of the Moon is the lunar hemisphere that is permanently turned away, and is not visible from the surface of the Earth. The far hemisphere was first photographed by the Soviet Luna 3 probe in 1959, and was first directly observed by human eyes when the Apollo 8 mission orbited the Moon...
, will be destroyed with an atomic device
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
. However, so that the Mysterons will not be able to reconstruct their complex, its power source will first have to be located and removed. Captains Scarlet
Captain Scarlet (character)
Captain Scarlet is the fictional main character in Gerry Anderson's British Supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet....
and Blue
Captain Blue (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Blue is a character in the 1967 Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is a senior officer of the Spectrum organisation and a close friend of Captain Scarlet....
and Lieutenant Green
Lieutenant Green
Lieutenant Green is the assistant of Colonel White in the Supermarionation television series series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is of Trinidadian origin, and as well as being the only non-white male on Cloudbase, he is the only officer to hold the rank of lieutenant...
volunteer for the mission and, returning to the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
, launch their operation from Lunarville 6. Travelling to Crater 101 in a Moonmobile, and transferring to a smaller Lunar Tractor to enter the crater
Impact crater
In the broadest sense, the term impact crater can be applied to any depression, natural or manmade, resulting from the high velocity impact of a projectile with a larger body...
, the officers are attacked by computerised sentinels, which are immobilised when Green destroys the control vehicle with the Tractor's cannon. Donning space suit
Space suit
A space suit is a garment worn to keep an astronaut alive in the harsh environment of outer space. Space suits are often worn inside spacecraft as a safety precaution in case of loss of cabin pressure, and are necessary for extra-vehicular activity , work done outside spacecraft...
s and entering the complex, Scarlet, Blue and Green take camera and instrumentation recordings and ultimately find that the power source is a pulsating crystal
Crystal
A crystal or crystalline solid is a solid material whose constituent atoms, molecules, or ions are arranged in an orderly repeating pattern extending in all three spatial dimensions. The scientific study of crystals and crystal formation is known as crystallography...
.
However, the Mysterons have killed and reconstructed Frazer, a Lunarville 6 colonist
Colonization of the Moon
The colonization of the Moon is the proposed establishment of permanent human communities on the Moon. Advocates of space exploration have seen settlement of the Moon as a logical step in the expansion of humanity beyond the Earth. Recent indication that water might be present in noteworthy...
who is transporting the atomic device to Crater 101. Frazer arrives in a Lunar Tank and lowers the device, but he has set it to explode two hours ahead of the proposed deadline
Countdown
A countdown is a sequence of counting backward to indicate the seconds, days, or other time units remaining before an event occurs or a deadline expires. Typical events for which a countdown is used include the launch of a rocket or spacecraft, the detonation of a bomb, the start of a race, and the...
to ensure Spectrum's failure. Lunarville 6 cannot radio the officers since they are out of range, so when the controller, Nolan, and her colleague, Schroeder, learn of Frazer's sabotage
Sabotage
Sabotage is a deliberate action aimed at weakening another entity through subversion, obstruction, disruption, or destruction. In a workplace setting, sabotage is the conscious withdrawal of efficiency generally directed at causing some change in workplace conditions. One who engages in sabotage is...
, a warning is attempted with the launch of an unarmed CB29 rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
, which lands nose-first in Crater 101.
The CB29's arrival prompts Scarlet to recall the description on a lucky charm
Lucky charm
Lucky Charms is a breakfast cereal.Lucky charms are items within cultures that are believed to bring luck and may refer to:- Lucky Charms in Western Culture :*Four-leaf clover, an uncommon variation of the common, three-leaved clover...
handed to him by Nolan: in 2058, she coordinated the first Neptune
Neptune
Neptune is the eighth and farthest planet from the Sun in the Solar System. Named for the Roman god of the sea, it is the fourth-largest planet by diameter and the third largest by mass. Neptune is 17 times the mass of Earth and is slightly more massive than its near-twin Uranus, which is 15 times...
-bound CB29 probe
Space probe
A robotic spacecraft is a spacecraft with no humans on board, that is usually under telerobotic control. A robotic spacecraft designed to make scientific research measurements is often called a space probe. Many space missions are more suited to telerobotic rather than crewed operation, due to...
to be launched from the Moon, which arrived "ahead of schedule". Remembering this phrase, Scarlet realises that the atomic device will detonate "ahead of schedule". With minutes remaining until the explosion, Blue and Green return to the Moonmobile with the cameras and instruments and clear the scene. After considerable effort, Scarlet removes the Mysteron crystal from its machine, and departs in the Lunar Tractor just before the nuclear explosion
Nuclear explosion
A nuclear explosion occurs as a result of the rapid release of energy from an intentionally high-speed nuclear reaction. The driving reaction may be nuclear fission, nuclear fusion or a multistage cascading combination of the two, though to date all fusion based weapons have used a fission device...
. The complex is permanently destroyed, Scarlet, Blue and Green return to Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
so that the crystal can be studied.
Production
Sections of the Lunarville 6 model were constructed from recycled elements: during the sequence in which the Mysteron reconstruction of Frazer departs the base in the Lunar Tank, reused model parts include the Frost Line Command Centre dome structures from "Avalanche" and the Mini-Sat 5 space probeSpace probe
A robotic spacecraft is a spacecraft with no humans on board, that is usually under telerobotic control. A robotic spacecraft designed to make scientific research measurements is often called a space probe. Many space missions are more suited to telerobotic rather than crewed operation, due to...
from "Shadow of Fear
Shadow of Fear
"Shadow of Fear" is the 18th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Robert Lynn....
". A reference to in connection with the character of Nolan is one of a number of instances when a date of "July 10" is heard in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons — writer Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick
Tony Barwick was a British television scriptwriter who worked extensively on series created and produced by Gerry Anderson....
was fond of using this date since it was his birthday.
As with all other episode names for Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, the title "Crater 101" was rendered in the Microgramma font
Font
In typography, a font is traditionally defined as a quantity of sorts composing a complete character set of a single size and style of a particular typeface...
, but with the letter "I" conveying the "1"s in the number "101" — due to a belief that Microgramma "1"s are not easily distinguishable from "7"s, the change was made to ensure that the name of the episode was clear to the viewing audience. The British Board of Film Classification
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
describes "Crater 101" as containing "infrequent, very mild" violence, but, as with all other episodes of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, rates the episode "U"
History of British film certificates
-Overview:The UK's film ratings are decided by the British Board of Film Classification and have been since 1912. Previously, there were no agreed rating standards, and local councils imposed their own - often differing - conditions or restrictions...
.
Reception
In The Guinness Book of Classic British TV, writers Paul CornellPaul Cornell
Paul Cornell is a British writer best known for his work in television drama as well as Doctor Who fiction, and as the creator of one of the Doctor's spin-off companions, Bernice Summerfield....
, Martin Day
Martin Day
Martin Day is a screenwriter and novelist best known for his work on various spin-offs related to the BBC Television series Doctor Who, and many episodes of the daytime soaps Doctors and Family Affairs.-Work:...
and Keith Topping
Keith Topping
Keith Andrew Topping , is an author, journalist and broadcaster most closely associated with his work relating to the BBC Television series Doctor Who and for writing numerous official and unofficial guide books to a wide variety of television and film series, specifically Buffy the Vampire...
praise "Crater 101" for it's creativity as a story for "[taking] the fight to the moon", and states that it is one of "the finest pieces in the Anderson canon".
Later appearances
The Crystal Pulsator makes its second appearance in the later episode "Dangerous RendezvousDangerous Rendezvous
"Dangerous Rendezvous" is the 19th episode of the Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. It was first broadcast in the UK on on ATV Midlands, was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Brian Burgess...
". Footage from "Crater 101" is used as a flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
in the clip show
Clip show
A clip show is an episode of a television series that consists primarily of excerpts from previous episodes. Most clip shows feature the format of a frame story in which cast members recall past events from past installments of the show, depicted with a clip of the event presented as a flashback. ...
episode "The Inquisition" and later included in Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars
Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars
Revenge of the Mysterons from Mars is a 1981 television film incorporating re-edited footage from the 1967 British Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Created by ITC Entertainment's New York offices, the film is a compilation of the original episodes "Shadow of...
, a Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons compilation film.
External links
- "Crater 101" at Fanderson.org.ukFandersonFanderson is the official appreciation society for the works of Gerry Anderson. It is a not-for-profit organisation endorsed by Anderson Entertainment Ltd, Gerry Anderson Productions plc and ITC Entertainment Group Ltd...
- "Crater 101" at CliveBanks.co.uk
- "Crater 101" at TheVervoid.com