Project 90
Encyclopedia
"Project 90" is the third episode
of the Supermarionation
television series Joe 90
. It was the 17th episode to be produced. Its original UK
air date was October 13, 1968 on ATV Midlands
. It was written
by Tony Barwick
and directed
by Peter Anderson.
for information, it is up to Joe to rescue him from the alpine clinic
where he is being held – but how will he do it?
in the Swiss Alps
, Dr Conrad Darota, secretly a master criminal, introduces his subordinate, Kurson, to their organisation's next scheme. The doctor presents a series of photographs of WIN Headquarters London
, Shane Weston, Sam Loover and Professor McClaine, and reveals that a "File 90" of WIN has been discovered. The contents of the file are unknown, but Darota is certain that they are significant and assigns Kurson to "Project 90" to unearth the secrets.
File 90 houses the BIG RAT project and Joe's involvement with WIN as Most Special Agent. In London, Kurson and an underling drive up to WIN Headquarters in a vehicle disguised as a laundry
van and Kurson shoots a bugging device
through the open window of Shane Weston's office. Shane returns to the room and notices the strange object embedded in the ceiling, but calls his secretary by intercom as if nothing has happened. Kurson believes that Project 90 is off to a good start.
At the McClaines' cottage, Joe tells Mac that he was approached by a man while returning home from school. The stranger, who was actually Kurson, introduced himself as Harry Kennett and claimed to know Mac, questioning Joe about his father's work. However, Professor McClaine cannot recall the name Kennett and notifies Shane by telephone. Eyeing the bugging device, Weston implies in his response that there is something big at Mac's cottage and asks if he and Sam can pay a visit to talk business. Later, in the van, Kurson plays back the recorded conversation and orders his assistant to have the cottage thoroughly bugged for the appointment.
Sam and Shane arrive at the cottage while Kurson and his assistant monitor the listening devices from a boat offshore. The crooks hear a reference to the BIG RAT and learn that Weston and Loover are inviting Joe on holiday to the Continent
for a few days. That night, Kurson takes all their information back to Darota at the clinic for analysis. The doctor is intrigued by the phrase "Big Rat" and deduces that it is an acronym
for one of Mac's inventions, with the second part probably standing for "Record And Transfer" in view of the professor's electronics
background. They will find out the first part of the name in their next move.
After Joe has left with Sam and Shane, Kurson and the subordinate drive to the cottage in the early hours of the morning. The assistant knocks loudly on the door and rouses the professor, shouting that there has been a road accident
. However, when Mac opens the front door he is dazzled by the car's headlights and Kurson shoots him with a tranquilliser
dart through his rifle
.
Mac wakes up at Darota's clinic. Met by the doctor and Kurson, he is informed that as he was ostensibly brought to the Alps as a patient, his night attire was accepted by customs
. A detector sounds, warning Darota and Kurson that an aircraft
is approaching the clinic. However, it is merely a mountain rescue
unit. Darota reveals that instead of using radar
, the equipment amplifies engine noise to identify nearby planes.
As Sam, Shane and Joe drive through the mountains with a caravan
, Darota and Kurson order Mac to give details of the BIG RAT. The professor tells the truth about Joe and WIN, even divulging that File 90 was named after his son's field name, but the criminals do not believe him. Incredulous at Mac's coolness and his insistence that Joe will shortly rescue him, Darota and Kurson try a more direct approach by tying the professor to the wall in front of a huge drill
and activating the machine to slide slowly towards him.
Meanwhile, Sam, Shane and Joe have stopped their car. As the two adults look on, Joe emerges from the caravan in the hot air balloon
that was stored inside it. Dropping ballast, Joe uses the wind to navigate the mountains and make his way to the clinic.
As the drill bears down on Mac, Darota and Kurson urge him to change his story, but the professor has nothing more to say. Joe has reached the clinic undetected in the silent balloon and lands on the roof. Smashing through a skylight, Joe threatens his father's captors with his gun
, but Kurson dives for his rifle and opens fire on the boy. As the crooks hurry to the cable car
which will take them down the mountainside to safety, Joe deactivates the drill just as it is about to ravage Mac's face. Darota and Kurson have got away, but Mac reminds Joe that it was planned.
When the cable car arrives at the ground station, the crooks are confronted by Sam and Shane, who place them under arrest
. Asked for evidence for a kidnapping charge, Shane reveals that a bug was slipped into Kurson's passport
as he went through customs the previous evening. He then humiliates Darota and his assistant by playing back one of their recorded conversations.
Later, Shane has joined Joe and Mac in the balloon. The commander-in-chief of WIN is concerned by the safety of the vessel but is even more terrified when they launch without Joe's special glasses
. Mac reminds Shane of his knowledge of ballooning and the fact that Joe used his brain pattern earlier. Nevertheless, Shane panics as the craft rises above the mountains.
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
of the Supermarionation
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 Joe 90
Joe 90
Joe 90 is a late-1960s British science-fiction television series documenting the exploits of a nine-year-old boy, Joe McClaine, who embarks on a double life as a schoolboy turned spy when his scientist father invents a pioneering machine capable of duplicating and transferring expert knowledge and...
. It was the 17th episode to be produced. Its original UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
air date was October 13, 1968 on ATV Midlands
Associated TeleVision
Associated Television, often referred to as ATV, was a British television company, holder of various licences to broadcast on the ITV network from 24 September 1955 until 00:34 on 1 January 1982...
. It was written
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
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
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
by Peter Anderson.
Synopsis
Criminal masterminds decide to uncover the secret behind WIN's File 90, which contains the BIG RAT project and details of Joe's involvement as Most Special Agent. When Mac is kidnappedKidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
for information, it is up to Joe to rescue him from the alpine clinic
Clinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
where he is being held – but how will he do it?
Plot
At his clinicClinic
A clinic is a health care facility that is primarily devoted to the care of outpatients...
in the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
, Dr Conrad Darota, secretly a master criminal, introduces his subordinate, Kurson, to their organisation's next scheme. The doctor presents a series of photographs of WIN Headquarters London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Shane Weston, Sam Loover and Professor McClaine, and reveals that a "File 90" of WIN has been discovered. The contents of the file are unknown, but Darota is certain that they are significant and assigns Kurson to "Project 90" to unearth the secrets.
File 90 houses the BIG RAT project and Joe's involvement with WIN as Most Special Agent. In London, Kurson and an underling drive up to WIN Headquarters in a vehicle disguised as a laundry
Laundry
Laundry is a noun that refers to the act of washing clothing and linens, the place where that washing is done, and/or that which needs to be, is being, or has been laundered...
van and Kurson shoots a bugging device
Covert listening device
A covert listening device, more commonly known as a bug or a wire, is usually a combination of a miniature radio transmitter with a microphone. The use of bugs, called bugging, is a common technique in surveillance, espionage and in police investigations.A bug does not have to be a device...
through the open window of Shane Weston's office. Shane returns to the room and notices the strange object embedded in the ceiling, but calls his secretary by intercom as if nothing has happened. Kurson believes that Project 90 is off to a good start.
At the McClaines' cottage, Joe tells Mac that he was approached by a man while returning home from school. The stranger, who was actually Kurson, introduced himself as Harry Kennett and claimed to know Mac, questioning Joe about his father's work. However, Professor McClaine cannot recall the name Kennett and notifies Shane by telephone. Eyeing the bugging device, Weston implies in his response that there is something big at Mac's cottage and asks if he and Sam can pay a visit to talk business. Later, in the van, Kurson plays back the recorded conversation and orders his assistant to have the cottage thoroughly bugged for the appointment.
Sam and Shane arrive at the cottage while Kurson and his assistant monitor the listening devices from a boat offshore. The crooks hear a reference to the BIG RAT and learn that Weston and Loover are inviting Joe on holiday to the Continent
Continental Europe
Continental Europe, also referred to as mainland Europe or simply the Continent, is the continent of Europe, explicitly excluding European islands....
for a few days. That night, Kurson takes all their information back to Darota at the clinic for analysis. The doctor is intrigued by the phrase "Big Rat" and deduces that it is an acronym
Acronym and initialism
Acronyms and initialisms are abbreviations formed from the initial components in a phrase or a word. These components may be individual letters or parts of words . There is no universal agreement on the precise definition of the various terms , nor on written usage...
for one of Mac's inventions, with the second part probably standing for "Record And Transfer" in view of the professor's electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
background. They will find out the first part of the name in their next move.
After Joe has left with Sam and Shane, Kurson and the subordinate drive to the cottage in the early hours of the morning. The assistant knocks loudly on the door and rouses the professor, shouting that there has been a road accident
Car accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
. However, when Mac opens the front door he is dazzled by the car's headlights and Kurson shoots him with a tranquilliser
Sedative
A sedative or tranquilizer is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or excitement....
dart through his rifle
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
.
Mac wakes up at Darota's clinic. Met by the doctor and Kurson, he is informed that as he was ostensibly brought to the Alps as a patient, his night attire was accepted by customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
. A detector sounds, warning Darota and Kurson that an aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
is approaching the clinic. However, it is merely a mountain rescue
Mountain rescue
Mountain rescue refers to search and rescue activities that occur in a mountainous environment, although the term is sometimes also used to apply to search and rescue in other wilderness environments. The difficult and remote nature of the terrain in which mountain rescue often occurs has resulted...
unit. Darota reveals that instead of using radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, the equipment amplifies engine noise to identify nearby planes.
As Sam, Shane and Joe drive through the mountains with a caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
, Darota and Kurson order Mac to give details of the BIG RAT. The professor tells the truth about Joe and WIN, even divulging that File 90 was named after his son's field name, but the criminals do not believe him. Incredulous at Mac's coolness and his insistence that Joe will shortly rescue him, Darota and Kurson try a more direct approach by tying the professor to the wall in front of a huge drill
Drill
A drill or drill motor is a tool fitted with a cutting tool attachment or driving tool attachment, usually a drill bit or driver bit, used for drilling holes in various materials or fastening various materials together with the use of fasteners. The attachment is gripped by a chuck at one end of...
and activating the machine to slide slowly towards him.
Meanwhile, Sam, Shane and Joe have stopped their car. As the two adults look on, Joe emerges from the caravan in the hot air balloon
Hot air balloon
The hot air balloon is the oldest successful human-carrying flight technology. It is in a class of aircraft known as balloon aircraft. On November 21, 1783, in Paris, France, the first untethered manned flight was made by Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and François Laurent d'Arlandes in a hot air...
that was stored inside it. Dropping ballast, Joe uses the wind to navigate the mountains and make his way to the clinic.
As the drill bears down on Mac, Darota and Kurson urge him to change his story, but the professor has nothing more to say. Joe has reached the clinic undetected in the silent balloon and lands on the roof. Smashing through a skylight, Joe threatens his father's captors with his gun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
, but Kurson dives for his rifle and opens fire on the boy. As the crooks hurry to the cable car
Gondola lift
A gondola lift is a type of aerial lift, normally called a cable car, which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel cable that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate supporting towers. The cable is driven by a bullwheel in a terminal,...
which will take them down the mountainside to safety, Joe deactivates the drill just as it is about to ravage Mac's face. Darota and Kurson have got away, but Mac reminds Joe that it was planned.
When the cable car arrives at the ground station, the crooks are confronted by Sam and Shane, who place them under arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
. Asked for evidence for a kidnapping charge, Shane reveals that a bug was slipped into Kurson's passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
as he went through customs the previous evening. He then humiliates Darota and his assistant by playing back one of their recorded conversations.
Later, Shane has joined Joe and Mac in the balloon. The commander-in-chief of WIN is concerned by the safety of the vessel but is even more terrified when they launch without Joe's special glasses
Glasses
Glasses, also known as eyeglasses , spectacles or simply specs , are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the eyes. They are normally used for vision correction or eye protection. Safety glasses are a kind of eye protection against flying debris or against visible and near visible light or...
. Mac reminds Shane of his knowledge of ballooning and the fact that Joe used his brain pattern earlier. Nevertheless, Shane panics as the craft rises above the mountains.
Regular voice cast
- Joe McClaine — Len JonesLen JonesLen Jones was a British actor and voice actor of the 1960s and 70s.In his youth, Jones featured in television series such as Z-Cars , Adam Adamant Lives! , Dixon of Dock Green , Softly, Softly and The Adventures of Black Beauty...
- Professor Ian "Mac" McClaine — Rupert DaviesRupert DaviesRupert Davies was a British actor. He remains best known for playing the title role in the BBC's 1960s television adaptation of Maigret, based on the Maigret novels written by Georges Simenon....
- Sam Loover — Keith AlexanderKeith Alexander (actor)Keith Alexander is a British actor and voice actor.Alexander's television credits include Softly, Softly , The New Avengers , Minder and The Day of the Triffids...
- Shane Weston — David HealyDavid Healy (actor)David Healy was an American-born actor who starred in many British and American television shows. His credits include voices for the Supermarionation series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons, Joe 90 and The Secret Service, as well as parts in UFO, The Troubleshooters, Randall and Hopkirk , Space...
Guest voice cast
In speaking order:- Dr Conrad Darota — Jeremy WilkinJeremy WilkinJeremy Wilkin is a British actor, possibly best known for his contributions to the television productions of Gerry Anderson....
- Receptionist (voice) — David Healy
- Kurson — Keith Alexander
- Agent — David Healy
- Secretary (voice) — Jeremy Wilkin
- Driver — Jeremy Wilkin