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I realise that I might be accused of spoiling peoples fun here but I think
that the quest for a perfect running order for UFO is probably doomed due to
the circumstances of production and the way the makers viewed the question
of running order.
There is a big difference between those serials which have an overarching
plot arc (24, Carnivale) heading towards a conclusion over a number of
episodes and, on the other hand, a series in which each episode is intended
to be as self contained as possible so that, ideally, the episodes can be
shown in almost any order (Most of the ITC series).
In the serial with an overall story, the plotting of each episode is very
closely monitored and controlled by Production. There will be one or
more writers working full-time whose job will be to produce the
spine of not only the whole series but also each episode, as a single slip
in continuity could bring down the whole house of cards. Each scene is not
only vital within the episode but within the series as a whole. Individual
episodes may well be written by outside writers but they will be handed a
detailed scene-by-scene plot outline for the episode. Their freedom to
depart from that outline without permission is zero.
Most of the ITC series either had no episodes which really needed to be
shown in a
particular order (Department S, Man in a Suitcase) or had the
minimum necessary to establish the premise of the series (The Champions,
Randall and Hopkirk, The Persuaders).
The relationship with outside writers on these series was very different to
that of the serial because Production wanted the best and, within reason,
the most original individual episodes they could get. The producer would
work with other collaborators to work up a "bible", a guide to writers which
would give a pretty good idea of the main characters, the format and tone of
the series and various do's and don'ts. Trusted outside writers were usually
asked to pitch script ideas having been given the bible to read. If their
ideas were accepted they would write up the episode into a treatment, then a
script. Changes would be made after consulting with the script editor and
production team, then the episode
would join the queue of episodes to be shot.
Often the writer would be working before many, or indeed any, other episodes
had been shot and possibly without having seen any other scripts. They could
very easily write something into a scene which conflicted with another
script being written simultaneously by another writer who was equally in the
dark. Certainly, it was the job of the script editor to minimise conflicts
but minor inconsistencies could easily be overlooked under pressure of time
or deliberately ignored in the interests of making the best of each
individual episode. After all, it was expected that a viewer would see a
given
episode perhaps a couple of times, years apart, if that. It is worth
remembering that domestic video machines were virtually unheard of and the
thought that, over thirty years later, anyone would still be interested, let
alone be able to examine episodes frame by frame and communicate information
about flaws world-wide in seconds, would never have occurred to anyone
involved in the making of these series.
Even people involved in making the series might easily have different ideas
of an ideal running order as there was probably no definitive agreement at
the time. The order of production isn't any real guide to running order as
episodes were usually shot far in advance of transmission and shooting order
would have more to do with production logistics and which scripts were
ready. The screening order may have been largely decided upon after the fact
and took into consideration things like not having episodes with too similar
a tone, setting or theme too close together or hammocking an episode
perceived to be weaker between two stronger ones.
UFO, (like The Prisoner - where debates over episode order are even more
fraught) was a little different to, for example, The Saint in that, in UFO,
the
overall situation (SHADO battling the aliens) was much the same each week
and the characters are gradually learning more about the foe and their
circumstances. However, because the method of commissioning scripts was
similar to that of The Saint, that learning curve isn't smooth.
There is obviously the first episode and the introduction of Paul but beyond
that it all gets a bit vague until we get to the cast changes which mark the
later episodes in a way which was never intended and would have been avoided
if possible.
I suspect that many of the episodes came about through someone - either
within the production or an outside writer - saying something like "how
about doing one where the UFOs have a base underwater?" That story was then
made and subsequently slotted into the episode order where it seemed to,
more or less, fit rather than there being a meticulously pre-planned idea of
exactly how the series would develop.
Sorry if this spoils anyone's enjoyment in trying to find the Holy Grail of
a definitive episode order.
Regards
John
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