Confetti Check A-OK Part 1

Alas, I’m running a little late this week. We’re
hitting the end of the semester crush and I’ve been
busy, so I’m just now getting around to writing. I
hate it when real life gets in the way of my play
time!

This week’s episode is “Confetti Check A-Ok”. In
spite of all I’ve said about it previously, I still
have some more to say.

Something I didn’t talk about before is the beginning
of the episode where Straker arrives at HQ to find
everyone smoking cigars, even Ayshea. One of the
operatives’ wives has just had a baby and the
operative is passing out cigars. Here is another one
of the reasons I like Straker, he always seems to know
everyone’s name. We find out this man’s is named
Grey.

Alec is watching with an amused look on his face as
Straker jokes with Grey. Did he just get a raise?
Straker is the good boss as he chats with Gray and
finds out Grey’s wife had twins. “You owe me another
cigar.” Is it my imagination, or does Straker sound a
wee bit WC Fields in that line?

Grey walks off and continues telling his story to the
others in the control room, He mentions that
everything at the hospital happened in a hurry and
about his wife getting a caesarian section. Alec’s
expression turns to concern as he watches Straker.
Straker’s expression goes from neutral as he scans a
report to distressed as he registers the story. Alec
sees the change of expression and walks over to light
Straker’s cigar and here comes the flashback.

We’re at Ed and Mary’s wedding and Best Man Alec is
lighting Ed’s cigar. And it appears that Alec is
using the champagne toasts to get Straker drunk. The
Ed Straker we see at the reception and in the
following honeymoon scenes is a lot easier to see as a
buddy for the fun-loving Alec, last of the clowns.
He’s certainly not the serious, dour man we see so
frequently at SHADO.

Mary is a very mod bride. She’s wearing a white pant
suit instead of a gown and a white hat with a ribbon
instead of a veil. I also noted a very ‘60s floppy
hat on one of the guests.

Mary’s sometimes much maligned mother is the lady in
the pink dress and cape-like coat and white hat
standing next to Mary when Alec walks up. How do I
know this is the Mom? Very shortly after that shot,
she is standing close to Dad right behind Ed and Mary
as they cut the cake. So, she’s there, she just
didn’t get any lines (or credits, either).

Ed drunk in the car singing is adorable. Thank
goodness Mary drove! And it’s really cute when he
starts to jump the gate then decides it’s not a good
idea and clambers over the fence. Ed is going to
change out of his uniform. “There’s a car coming!”
“It’s all right. We probably don’t know them!”

The wedding night is priceless. We see Ed pretending
not to know where they are going on their honeymoon.
When a knock on the door interrupts a kiss that looked
like it was going somewhere, I love the look of
surprise on their faces and Ed’s question, “Were you
expecting someone?” LOL The whole bit with the
waiter and Mary laughing at Ed is cute. The picture
painted is one of two people very much in love and
very happy.

If Ed and Mary had gotten married a little sooner,
they might have settled in a little before fate
slammed down on Ed’s life. The marriage might have
had a chance. If they had waited a little longer and
he’d found out he would be commander of SHADO, I
seriously think he might not have gotten married at
all. Seen at this particular time, I don’t think Mary
was mature enough and combined with Ed’s sense of duty
their marriage is doomed.

I’d thought at first the guy in the hotel lobby, who
made a phone call when Ed and Mary entered the
elevator, worked for the hotel. Wrong. He’s the
dreaded tail keeping track of Straker for General
Henderson. Henderson already knew Straker was going
to have to go to the meeting at the UN, he just wasn’t
sure when.

The timing really sucked, Ed getting yanked in right
as they were about to board their flight for the
honeymoon. There is a second call for their flight
right before Mary tells Ed it is all right, she
married a colonel in military intelligence. I see
that as the last call for a happy marriage. Once they
don’t make that flight, it is only a matter of time
before the marriage ends.

Have you ever noticed that Straker never parks a car
in a regular parking spot? Just like his arrival at
the hospital to see Henderson, he always just pulls up
and leaves it at the curb!

Henderson tells Straker that things are happening and
a lot of it is going to fall on Ed’s shoulders. It is
debatable (and has been debated!) whether Henderson
knew or expected Straker would be picked as the
Commander of SHADO. “And you want me to be there.”
“Who else.” Whatever Henderson was expecting, it’s
obvious that Straker was a big part of the planning
for SHADO. If Henderson couldn’t make the meeting, Ed
was the go-to guy.

We finally get to see the UN special committee that
voted SHADO into existence. There are seven men
there. We know of English, French, German, and
Amercan members. I wonder who the others represented.
I like the way Straker handles himself in the
meeting. The French delegate (the only one who gets a
name) is a pain and I object to the Ugly American.
Straker (for the second time in the whole series)
mentions the mutilated bodies the aliens leave. The
bodies seem to haunt him.

Henderson is elated about SHADO being approved. And
note the way he tacks on as almost an afterthought
that Straker has been appointed Commander. Straker is
stunnded. Henderson tells him he can always refuse,
but it has to be now. I like the look of doubt on
Ed’s face. This is that proverbial second shoe
dropping.

To Be Continued