Close Up: The Worst Episode?

>Something just occurred to me after having watched Close Up again... >is it
>possible that Kelly intentionally caused the camera in the B142 >to fail in
>order to obtain funding for his microphotography project? >After all, it's
>a bit or a coincidence... maybe it deserves >investigation by SHADO
>security ;-)

You know, I think that crossed my mind too, when I've watched this one. I
also just have to wonder why Kelly just doesn't spell out the problem from
the beginning. Maybe he did in his proposal?

>Also, why did they have to fund a new B142 spy satellite specifically >or
>Project Discovery? There was already one 'up there' with a camera >at the
>beginning of the episode to supply the proof of concept images >to satisfy
>both SHADO and the Astro Space Administration for funding...
>Later,
>Griff

Good question. I've always liked the subplot running through the series that
here Straker is, trying to run this top secret organization to protect the
planet from hostile aliens and he also has to worry about funding!

_________________________________________________________________
Join the world’s largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail.
http://www.hotmail.com

"Griff" wrote:
> Something just occurred to me after having watched Close Up
> again... is it possible that Kelly intentionally caused the camera
> in the B142 to fail in order to obtain funding for his
> microphotography project? After all, it's a bit or a
> coincidence... maybe it deserves investigation by SHADO security
> ;-)
>

Hmmm - I'm pretty sure that's not what the writer intended. It
is a baffling episode in some ways though, so who knows? :)

> Also, why did they have to fund a new B142 spy satellite
> specifically for Project Discovery? There was already one 'up
> there' with a camera at the beginning of the episode to supply the
> proof of concept images to satisfy both SHADO and the Astro
> Space Administration for funding...
>
Ah - well, that one is pretty easy to explain I think. It's the
optics that are being tested in Earth Orbit, attached to a
conventional satellite, whereas Project Discovery requires a
vehicle capable of tracking a UFO all the way back to the Alien
homeworld then establishing itself in orbit.

> "Griff" wrote:
> > Something just occurred to me after having watched
> Close Up
> > again... is it possible that Kelly intentionally
> caused the camera
> > in the B142 to fail in order to obtain funding for
> his
> > microphotography project?

Griff, you are right on! I have *always* suspected the
same thing. It's clear that he did that to get back at
Straker over the funding issue. He didn't get his
$50,000 so he sabotaged the camera ON PURPOSE to make
point to Straker about the future being in
micro-photography. That's a huge sub-plot of the
episode; in fact, even Straker's budding romance with
Lt. Ellis gets cold water thrown on it when he
realizes that Ellis is the "subject" that Kelly was
using to fool Straker.

JF

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/

Griff wrote:

> Something just occurred to me after having watched Close Up again... is it
> possible that Kelly intentionally caused the camera in the B142 to fail in order
> to obtain funding for his microphotography project? After all, it's a bit or a
> coincidence... maybe it deserves investigation by SHADO security ;-)

Well, that's what I've always suspected. I think SHADO Security
definitelt needs to look into this ...

-- Y

--
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
Yuchtar zantai-Klaan | [hidden email]
I am not a number! I am a FREE FAN!
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"An apple a day keeps the, uh ....
No, never mind."
-- Doctor Who
=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=
http://yuchtar.users4.50megs.com/
http://nunzie.users2.50megs.com/