Survival

>This seems like one of the slowest moving episodes to
>me. I have to remind myself that at the time it was
>made, it wouldn't have seemed quite so slow. We've
>gotten used to a lot faster paced cutting in recent
>years and it does tell at times like these. I watched
>the movie "What's Up, Doc?" a couple of years ago. I
>remember seeing it when it came out, it seemed really
>quickly paced. Now it seems slow. Partly the same
>problem here, I'm sure.

>Bill Grant? Liking him must be a guy thing, because I
>sure don't see it, even if Foster and Straker liked
>him. What I see is an insecure guy trying to convince
>himself and Foster of his appeal to the other sex.
>Would Straker have liked his as much if he knew Grant
>was putting up balloons with Straker's likeness on
>them to pop as a calendar?

>Straker is unusually antsy while trying to get that
>UFO intact. He's not quite the cool commander that
>we're used to. What's really scary is he already knew
>where Paul Foster would go on his time off and he was
>able to give Alec the woman's address from memory!
>Would you want a boss like that?

>It's a good moment when Straker tried to talk about
>Foster's apparent death and Alec calls him on his
>impersonal demeanor. Straker ended up being
>confronted with another instance where he had to trade
>his all business attitude for something a little more
>personal when he chewed out and cajoled Mark into
>taking the post of commander.

>But what I don't get is Straker and Space Tracker
>Harrington. As Straker arrived at Moonbase, she was
>trying to anticipate what Straker would want. He
>overheard her and what does he do? It certainly
>looked like he was trying to slap her down asking her
>for coffee while he paid compliments to Nina. Anybody
>have any insight into this?

>Diorite



I've yet to be convinced that faster cutting,faster paced films and TV series are any kind of an advancement.Today it seems there is a kind of formula to follow,unfortunately leading to a rather insipid sameness to many productions.

Maybe I'm saying Film and TV has lost it's magic.The element of showmanship has gone.If this is anything to do with reflecting the social attitudes of our culture,then we have entered a rather depressing phase.

Whether or not in real terms the delights of yesteryear are by comparable standard's better than today's production's is naturally contentious.However I think a strong case can be made for such an assertion.

For example,in my case I would much prefer the gradual and relaxed build up in an episode of UFO lasting 45-60 minutes ,to the interminable and tortuous number of episodes it takes to explain why a group of people are lost on an uncharted island.

Or again ,when it was first advertised, I thought the 4400 was the actual number of individual episodes it would require to tell the story.Frankly,I may not end up being far wrong!

It kind of reminds us of the magnificent "The Fugitive" with David Jansen,except in that instance our viewing pleasure was at least satisfied with the necessary elements of a self contained story each week.The same goes for "The Invaders" .Along the same lines why have the spin off's of Star Trek never matched the extrodinary fascination and uniqueness of the original series.

And just to finish off where are the modern day Casablanca's,Adventures of Robin Hood's,Psycho's and Alien's?

I appreciate I've drifted a little here,so I'll get back on to Survival.

Bill Grant?A Highly trained astronaut throwing darts at ballons with drawings of his boss on, does seem to lack a degree of credibility.Most of this was obviously down to anticipating the audience who would be watching at the time.

As the larger part of that audience would be working class or teenagers of working class parents then friendly guys,chicks,playing cards and throwing darts would seem to be more than appropriate to explain the reasoning behind that particular scene.

Now,an Alien who firstly having travelled billions of miles,landed undetected on the moon,finding the perfect opportunity to destroy Moonbase,uses the moment instead to exercise his fascination for breaking glass.He walks miles to fire one shot then walks all the way back again.

Never mind.At least the got rid of that sexist Bill Grant,and created 80 or 90 would be earth widows into the bargain.

Nothing of course must get in the way of the script,that includes the dramatic counterpoint of making friends with the Alien who killed your best friend,whilst not forgetting the little matter of saving your life twice in matter of a few minutes.

Like you I fully expected the Alien to take his helmet off and say surprise,its me Bill!

The portrayal of the Alien in this way in my view,was a mistake,because he comes across as all to human and undermines the mystery of their actions and origins in future episodes.

My view on the Nina /Harrington interplay,was I think a reflection on their characters.Nina possessed a certain warmth whilst Joan suggested a more care free fun loving nature.You could understand that a rather intentional mis-fired attempt at humour with Harrington might amuse her,as it did, evidenced by her self consciously dis-respectful, response.

The same thinking with Nina Barry just would'nt work.As a boss I think he was simply appealling sympathetically to the particular qualities of each character.In other words he was boosting their morale in different ways,giving them compliments in different ways. A staightforward your doing very well Joan would have been wasted on Harrigton,as she would have seen straight through it for what it was,insincere and ignorant of the sort of person she really was.

Perhaps we should give Straker full marks for knowing his officers.

Mark

















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Bill Grant?A Highly trained astronaut throwing darts at ballons with drawings of his boss on, does seem to lack a degree of credibility.

---------------------------------------------------------------------


Actually, he was standing in front of it, bursting it with his cigarrette.....
...and he was BORED, at the end of his tour and wanting to go home, and engaging in playful banter with his good buddy Foster. Seemed OK to me.


-----------------------------------------------------------------


>But what I don't get is Straker and Space Tracker
>Harrington. As Straker arrived at Moonbase, she was
>trying to anticipate what Straker would want. He
>overheard her and what does he do? It certainly
>looked like he was trying to slap her down asking her
>for coffee while he paid compliments to Nina. Anybody
>have any insight into this?

>Diorite





My view on the Nina /Harrington interplay,was I think a reflection on their characters.Nina possessed a certain warmth whilst Joan suggested a more care free fun loving nature.You could understand that a rather intentional mis-fired attempt at humour with Harrington might amuse her,as it did, evidenced by her self consciously dis-respectful, response.

The same thinking with Nina Barry just would'nt work.As a boss I think he was simply appealling sympathetically to the particular qualities of each character.In other words he was boosting their morale in different ways,giving them compliments in different ways. A staightforward your doing very well Joan would have been wasted on Harrigton,as she would have seen straight through it for what it was,insincere and ignorant of the sort of person she really was.


-------------------------------------------------------


Or maybe he just wanted a cup of coffee? :-)

Dave H




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Maybe as with some of the other episodes, access to the original
script would add a new dimension and perspective (i.e. reading the
original script for 'Computer Affair' makes it more logical. On
screen, I think it was cut almost to the point where it didn't make sense.

Anyone got the script for 'Survival'??

Best to all :)

Griff

"davrecon" <davrecon@...> wrote:
 
> Bill Grant?A Highly trained astronaut throwing darts at ballons with
drawings of his boss on, does seem to lack a degree of credibility.
>

----------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Actually, he was standing in front of it, bursting it with his
cigarrette.....
> ...and he was BORED, at the end of his tour and wanting to go
>home, and was engaging in playful banter with his good buddy Foster.
>Seemed OK to me.

So he was,but would an astronaut even be smoking in the 1980's.Again
audience identification for the time.


 
 
 
  on their characters.Nina possessed a certain warmth whilst Joan
suggested a more care free fun loving nature.You could understand
that a rather intentional mis-fired attempt at humour with Harrington
might amuse her,as it did, evidenced by her self consciously dis-
respectful, response.
>
> The same thinking with Nina Barry just would'nt work.As a boss I
think he was simply appealling sympathetically to the particular
qualities of each character.In other words he was boosting their
morale in different ways,giving them compliments in different ways. A
staightforward your doing very well Joan would have been wasted on
Harrigton,as she would have seen straight through it for what it
was,insincere and ignorant of the sort of person she really was.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
>
Or maybe he just wanted a cup of coffee? :-)
 
Dave H

Now Dave, try not to look for a simple answer,when a more involved
one will do.

I suppose I asked for that one.Looks like I may have contracted a
touch of Red Phone syndrome.

Mark


 
 
 
 

> Anyone got the script for 'Survival'??

Yes, this was sold in Fanderson's first (and only, due
to poor sales) UFO script book.

Marc

----- Original Message -----
From: elder7uk
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 9:11 AM
Subject: [SHADO] Re: Survival



So he was,but would an astronaut even be smoking in the 1980's. Again audience identification for the time.


-------------------------------------------------------------


Yes, the smoking on board a moonbase always seemed odd to me as well....what with the closed circuit environment & fire hazards & all....


Dave H.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"...closed circuit environment..." What does THAT mean?

Jeff

davrecon <[hidden email]> wrote:

----- Original Message -----
From: elder7uk
To: [hidden email]
Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 9:11 AM
Subject: [SHADO] Re: Survival

So he was,but would an astronaut even be smoking in the 1980's. Again audience identification for the time.

----------------------------------------------------------

Yes, the smoking on board a moonbase always seemed odd to me as well....what with the closed circuit environment & fire hazards & all....

Dave H.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> So he was,but would an astronaut even be smoking in the 1980's.

As I recall, there were lots of people still smoking at
my workplace through 1985. And that was in the aerospace
industry.

Marc

--- In [hidden email], "Marc Martin" <marc@...> wrote:
>
> > So he was,but would an astronaut even be smoking in the 1980's.
>
> As I recall, there were lots of people still smoking at
> my workplace through 1985. And that was in the aerospace
> industry.  
>
> Marc
>
I would have thought that the capacity to replenish the air supply
would have been a significant factor in banning smoking on Moonbase.

> I would have thought that the capacity to replenish the air supply
> would have been a significant factor in banning smoking on Moonbase.

Ahh, well this is science FICTION, where we have limitless
supplies of oxygen, and antigravity in every room... :-)

Marc

--- In [hidden email], "Marc Martin" <marc@...> wrote:
>
> > I would have thought that the capacity to replenish the air supply
> > would have been a significant factor in banning smoking on Moonbase.
>
> Ahh, well this is science FICTION, where we have limitless
> supplies of oxygen, and antigravity in every room... :-)
>
> Marc
>

Yes of course. I'd forgotten this. Must remind self that UFO is FICTION.

Shheeeeeeeesh... I must be getting old! I have two copies of the UFO
script book.

Best, Griff (I'm going to go lie down in a darkened room)

--- In [hidden email], Marc Martin <marc@...> wrote:
>
> > Anyone got the script for 'Survival'??
>
> Yes, this was sold in Fanderson's first (and only, due
> to poor sales) UFO script book.
>
> Marc
>

DUH! Now I get it.

Jeff

--- In [hidden email], Jeffrey Nelson <1shado1@...> wrote: Again audience identification for the time.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> Yes, the smoking on board a moonbase always seemed odd to me as
well....what with the closed circuit environment & fire hazards &
all....

In a message dated 10/9/2007 12:57:16 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[hidden email] writes:

As I recall, there were lots of people still smoking at
my workplace through 1985. And that was in the aerospace
industry.

Marc




I worked in a hospital from 1989-1993 and when I started the only place you
couldn't smoke where in patient area's. I quit in 1990, but the hospital
didn't ban smoking until 1992.

Wendy



************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- elder7uk <[hidden email]> wrote:
Nah, I think it has to be something besides he just
wanted a cup of coffee.

Diorite

--- In [hidden email], "davrecon" <davrecon@...> wrote:
>
> ...and he was BORED, at the end of his tour and wanting to go
home, and engaging in playful banter with his good buddy Foster. Seemed
OK to me.


See, it IS a guy thing. Because I am definitely not a guy, I don't get
it. That answers that question.

Diorite