The Continuity GuideMoonbase Guide
by Martin Willey
The Continuity Guide
The Command Center desks are modified Main Mission desks with monitor screens and a solid base (rather than thin legs). Five of the original six Main Mission desks have VDU monitors mounted on them (the remaining one without a monitor is often in the front row of desks, used by Sandra or Yasko). Kano's desk does not appear.
Koenig's Main Mission/Command Office desk has also been broken into three sections. The main part is fitted with a monitor and solid base. The second side makes his desk "L" shaped, but is removed for specific shots and occasionally absent in wide view. The other side remains, mostly unaltered, briefly glimpsed to the side of Command Center. Koenig's desk has two red stripes around the sides, and rounded outer corners. All the other desks have a single red stripe, and square corners.
Koenig's desk is always placed at the back of Command Center throughout all Year 2 episodes. The other desks are frequently swapped around. Usually, Tony Verdeschi and Maya are seated directly in front of the commander's desk (Tony on the left, Maya on the right closer to the computer wall). Sandra or Yasko use one of the front desks, usually the one on the right nearer the computers. In The Metamorph only, Helena sits at the front left desk; otherwise she does not seem to have a permanent desk.
The new Year 2 Command Center monitor screen desks are only rarely seen in other Moonbase areas (the Seance Spectre computer room however has a console that is similar to the one normally used by Maya. The Seed of Destruction observation room and Space Warp launch area control room are equipped with a similar console as Sandra's/Yasko's). They are mainly used for controlling Moonbase systems as well as displaying input data from computers, sensors and cameras on the monitor screen. The monitor screen desks are also frequently used as videophone terminals. Each desk has five large illuminated buttons that seem to be "on/off" switches for selected equipment (e.g. video cameras) but the main input device is a group of touch-sensitive keys located on both sides of the monitor as well as below the screen. There is a "key beep" function to alert the user when a key has been pressed. As in Year 1, all keys are normally unlabelled (it makes sense to assume the user can bring up a map of functions assigned to each group of keys on the screen but we never actually see this in the series).
The four principal desks have Domani swivel chairs, like Koenig's but without a headrest. The side desks have Gaudi chairs (as in Year 1).
A view (The Lambda Factor) towards the big screen. The configuration of Koenig's desk in the foreground is clearly visible.
Wide views showing the layout (The A B Chrysalis, Dorzak, Seance Spectre, The Dorcons). The main four desks in front of Koenig's desk are not always regularly arranged. There are several desks to the side with Gaudi chairs, normally facing inwards (but outwards in The Dorcons). Normally the microscope stands on one of the side desks.
The configuration shown here (from The Dorcons) is quite unusual. All four main desks all have computer screens. The front desk on the computer side (normally used by Sandra or Yasko) normally does not have a screen. Also the side desks face outwards, not inwards.
The end units (one the outside of the desks) are separate (originally in Year 1, these were the corner units). This one, back left, seen in The Rules of Luton, has a graphic on top and was originally on Paul Morrow's left in Main Mission.
The end units would disappear in certain shooting angles. Here in Journey To Where, note the front desk does not have the end-unit.
The desk screens have a colourful arrays of buttons (actually just stickers). Now Sandra has the desk without a screen. Note the square red button at lower left. In The A B Chrysalis, it serves as the "Red Alert" button. The yellow button (top left) apparently alerts security in The Taybor.
The coloured "buttons" either side of the screen differ, but otherwise the desks are identical. This desk configuration (from The A B Chrysalis) is the most common one. However, these two desks were frequently swapped; sometimes even in the same episode.
The alert switch on Tony's desk, used in Brian The Brain. Note the alert label also appears in the shot above from A B Chrysalis but the button itself has disappeared!
This is the primary communications console, which usually is located at left in the first or second row and manned by Yasko or Sandra. The computer desks are frequently used as videophone terminals. It seems the illuminated square buttons provide quick access to important videophone numbers (Eagle Transporter expeditions, security,medical etc.) including hold/redial/end call functions. However, the touchpad button arrays may also be used for this purpose.
A closer view of the communications console from The A B Chrysalis -- this time manned by Maya and located in the second row. Note the "Alert" label is under a block of yellow buttons.
The same desk in New Adam, New Eve is moved to the side. Note the "Alert" label is on the far left between the two lights.
Close up of desk detailing. Labels are random Letraset lettering. This is Koenig's desk in Seed of Destruction; the blue button at lower left apparently switches off the energy beam.
VDU screens are used for the first time (there were none in Year 1). But there is no sign of windows, icons or mice, and the textual displays are slow. The status screens use very large block letters (<30 columns, 5 rows), possibly because the text has to be readable also on tiny commlock screens as well. This particular desk usually appears on the side of the four main desks in Command Center.
The standard test-card. The two blue labels underneath the screen are upside down on all the desks, including Koenig's.
In some episodes the screens show "vector graphics", which look suspiciously like props filmed by television cameras.
Red Alert screen (Koenig's, from The A B Chrysalis)- the only time the screens are in colour. Otherwise, the screens are normally black and white. It is still a black and white television.
At the end of Seance Spectre only, the screens show colour still photographs.
This desk is the least altered from Main Mission, where it was also usually Sandra's desk. It is the only one without a screen. It normally appears in the front row by the side arch. In The Bringers Of Wonder it moves to the other side.
A close view of the desk. Many props from Year 1 are visible, including Sandra's "power failure" display device from Force Of Life. The five black and white blocks on the top are digital LED clocks- the white ones show the time in purple, the black ones in green.
The same desk appeared in Main Mission, often as Sandra's desk, and is featured in the "This Episode" sequence of Breakaway
Paul Morrow's Main Mission desk sometimes appears on the side of the desks in Command Center, here used by Kate.
The multi-function hatch applies the anti-gravity effect) in The Exiles- but we don't see where the desk is.
In Seed of Destruction Helena sits at the desk. It has the row of clocks on top from Sandra's desk, but the Multi-function hatch is seen.
It also appears in The Dorcons, with Helena sitting at it
Kano's Main Mission desk also appears, again in The Metamorph.
Here it is in The Mark Of Archanon, with a paper hiding the screen.
And in Brian The Brain
The desk is modified from Koenig's Main Mission/Command Office desk, specifically the side facing Command Office, with the additional of a screen.
Note that unusually in The Lambda Factor, there is no side section to Koenig's desk
Koenig's Main Mission/Command Office desk was split up in Command Center. The side facing the office became his main desk, with a new screen. The other side, which used to face Main Mission, was sometimes seen on the side of Command Center. It is never seen with a seat.
It is first seen used by Alan in One Moment Of Humanity.
In Space Warp
Copyright Martin Willey. Thanks to Marcus Lindroos.