Fire at Rig 15
Encyclopedia
"Fire at Rig 15" is the 20th 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 Bryan Cooper and directed by Ken Turner
.
In this episode, the Mysteron
s target the oil refinery
which provides all the fuel for Spectrum's vehicles in an attempt the immobilise the whole organisation.
desert
, the Mysteron
s sabotage an oil drill at Rig 15 by opening a safety valve
, releasing a jet of oil
which quickly ignites and turns Rig 15 into an inferno. The nearby refinery
, Bensheba, is the one source of fuel
for the Spectrum Organisation's vehicles. In view of a Mysteron threat to immobilise Spectrum, Colonel White
fears that the enemy will attack this fuel supply and dispatches Captains Scarlet
and Blue
to Rig 15.
On arrival, Scarlet and Blue learn from the controller, Kinley, and his assistant, Hansen, that an explosives expert, Jason Smith, has been called in to "blow out" the fire using a carefully placed charge. However, while Smith positions the device, Captain Black
, observing from a distance, uses the Mysteron influence to kill the specialist, who is then reconstructed. The device detonates and the fire is extinguished according to plan.
That night, Black instructs Smith's duplicate to leave in his truck and use his explosives to destroy the Bensheba refinery. The body of the original Smith is discovered the following morning and Scarlet realises that the expert has been taken over by the Mysterons. He requisitions a Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle
and pursues Smith as he speeds down a highway
leading to Bensheba. Cutting through the desert to catch up with his target, he manages to force Smith off the highway before he reaches the refinery. Smith crashes into a sand dune and his truck explodes, but the SPV collides with a set of oil tanks, fatally injuring Scarlet. Scarlet's body is returned to Cloudbase
for his recovery.
oil refinery
as "Bethsheba". Incidental music
for this episode was specially recorded on using a 15-musician orchestra, producing a suite called "Rig 15" which has been commercially released on CD. Music for the episode "Shadow of Fear
" was also recorded in the four-hour studio session. As originally broadcast, "Fire at Rig 15" is the last episode of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons to feature the first, non-lyrical
version of Barry Gray
's ending theme music
, "Captain Scarlet", prior to the introduction of the new version sung by The Spectrum.
, Martin Day
and Keith Topping
state that "Fire At Rig 15" “seems little more than left-over Thunderbirds scripts".
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 Bryan Cooper 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....
.
In this episode, 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...
s target the oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
which provides all the fuel for Spectrum's vehicles in an attempt the immobilise the whole organisation.
Plot
In the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
desert
Desert
A desert is a landscape or region that receives an extremely low amount of precipitation, less than enough to support growth of most plants. Most deserts have an average annual precipitation of less than...
, 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...
s sabotage an oil drill at Rig 15 by opening a safety valve
Safety valve
A safety valve is a valve mechanism for the automatic release of a substance from a boiler, pressure vessel, or other system when the pressure or temperature exceeds preset limits....
, releasing a jet of oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
which quickly ignites and turns Rig 15 into an inferno. The nearby refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
, Bensheba, is the one source of fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
for the Spectrum Organisation's vehicles. In view of a Mysteron threat to immobilise Spectrum, Colonel White
Colonel White
Colonel White is a character in the 1960s Supermarionation television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. He is the commander-in-Chief of Spectrum, the security organisation dedicated to defending Earth against the Mysterons from Mars...
fears that the enemy will attack this fuel supply and dispatches 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....
to Rig 15.
On arrival, Scarlet and Blue learn from the controller, Kinley, and his assistant, Hansen, that an explosives expert, Jason Smith, has been called in to "blow out" the fire using a carefully placed charge. However, while Smith positions the device, Captain Black
Captain Black (Captain Scarlet)
Captain Black is the fictional nemesis of Captain Scarlet and recurring Mysteron agent in the 1960s British supermarionation science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons and its CGI remake Gerry Anderson's New Captain Scarlet...
, observing from a distance, uses the Mysteron influence to kill the specialist, who is then reconstructed. The device detonates and the fire is extinguished according to plan.
That night, Black instructs Smith's duplicate to leave in his truck and use his explosives to destroy the Bensheba refinery. The body of the original Smith is discovered the following morning and Scarlet realises that the expert has been taken over by the Mysterons. He requisitions a Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle
Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle
The Spectrum Pursuit Vehicle is a fictional pursuit and attack vehicle from Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons .-Appearance in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons:...
and pursues Smith as he speeds down a highway
Highway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
leading to Bensheba. Cutting through the desert to catch up with his target, he manages to force Smith off the highway before he reaches the refinery. Smith crashes into a sand dune and his truck explodes, but the SPV collides with a set of oil tanks, fatally injuring Scarlet. Scarlet's body is returned to Cloudbase
Cloudbase
Cloudbase is the fictional skyborne headquarters of international security organisation Spectrum, from Gerry Anderson's science fiction television series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons .-Appearance in Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons:...
for his recovery.
Production
In his original script for "Fire at Rig 15", Bryan Cooper named the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
oil refinery
Oil refinery
An oil refinery or petroleum refinery is an industrial process plant where crude oil is processed and refined into more useful petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, asphalt base, heating oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas...
as "Bethsheba". Incidental music
Incidental music
Incidental music is music in a play, television program, radio program, video game, film or some other form not primarily musical. The term is less frequently applied to film music, with such music being referred to instead as the "film score" or "soundtrack"....
for this episode was specially recorded on using a 15-musician orchestra, producing a suite called "Rig 15" which has been commercially released on CD. Music for the episode "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....
" was also recorded in the four-hour studio session. As originally broadcast, "Fire at Rig 15" is the last episode of Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons to feature the first, non-lyrical
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
version of Barry Gray
Barry Gray
Barry Gray was a British musician and composer who is best known for his work for Gerry Anderson.-Life:...
's ending theme music
Theme music
Theme music is a piece that is often written specifically for a radio program, television program, video game or movie, and usually played during the title sequence and/or end credits...
, "Captain Scarlet", prior to the introduction of the new version sung by The Spectrum.
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...
state that "Fire At Rig 15" “seems little more than left-over Thunderbirds scripts".
External links
- "Fire at Rig 15" 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...
- "Fire at Rig 15" at CliveBanks.co.uk
- "Fire at Rig 15" at TheVervoid.com