Background
Cast/Sets
SFX
Music
Science
Continuity
Errors
Observations
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Transcript
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The AB Chrysalis

Year 2 - Episode 12

Writer	Tony Barwick
Director	Val Guest
Guest Stars	Ina Skriver, Sarah Douglas

Original Title	The Chrysalis A B C
Belgium (Flemish)	Spiegelbeeld
Denmark	Pupperne	Chrysalis
Spain	Las crisálidas A y B	The chrysalis A and B
France/Canada	Les chrysalides AB	The Chrysalis AB
Germany	Planet der Wastenden	Planet Of Waiting
Italy	Le crisalidi	The Chrysalids
Japan	Space Lightning! Shockwave
Portugal	As Crisálidas A-B	The Chrysalids A-B
Portugal	Planeta das Crisálidas	Planet of the Chrysalids

A planet on which people enter a chrysalis stage when they reach their allotted span.... Reborn, they attain new heights of mental and physical perfection...but for Moonbase Alpha, the planet threatens disaster. ITC summary

Background

Shooting script titled The Chrysalis A B C dated 18th May 1976. Yellow page revisions June 30th (during filming, from 18th June-6th July).
A "Double Up Koenig" script, filmed simultaneously with Catacombs Of The Moon

Cast

Commander John Koenig	Martin Landau
Doctor Helena Russell	Barbara Bain
Maya	Catherine Schell
Alan Carter	Nick Tate
A	Ina Skriver
B	Sarah Douglas
Yasko	Yasuko Nagazumi
Bill Fraser	John Hug
Kate	Sarah Bullen
C, Guardian's brother	David Sebastian Bach
Kreno creature	Albin Pahernik
Command Center operative (P Rose)	Pam Rose
Command Center Operative (Peter Reeves)	Robert Reeves
Command Center Operative (G Allen)	Glenda Allen
Rescue Astronaut 1, Prescott / Nurse	Jenny Cresswell
Rescue Astronaut 8, Darren	Charlie Price
Rescue Astronaut 5, Pierce / Alphan	Quentin Pierre
Rescue Astronaut 2	Pat Gorman
Command Center Operative Tracy
Command Center Operative	John Ketteringham
Alphan	Harry Fielder
Doctor	Michael Reynell
Medic	Ron Watkins
Medic	Dennis Plenty
Rescue Alphan in corridor	Peter Hannon
Medic in Command Center	Stuart Myers
Power Room technician	David Clare
Voice Probe 248 & 748	Robert Rietty

Sets

Int. Command Centre
Int. Medical Centre
Int. Power Room
Int. Weapons Section (screens only)
Int. Alpha Corridor/Reception
Int. Travel Tube
Int. Eagle Pilot Section
Int. Eagle Passenger Section

Int. Alien Elevator
Int. Underground Space Station
Int. Alien Tunnel
Int. Chamber
Int. Rejuvenation Chamber
Int. Conversation Chamber

The alien elevator set walls are used on Alpha in Space Warp and The Seance Spectre.

SFX

The spheres were 5ft (1.5m) tall, so big that Martin Bower couldn't get them out of his workshop door; he had to saw through the door frame. The spheres were reused as the waste domes in Bringers Of Wonder
The effect of the final explosion is also used in Space Warp.
The voice probes were fibreglass and blown by compressed air. They were filmed at 4 times normal speed (96 frames a second) and reversed, so the voice probes bounce in slow motion up to the stands. In some shots the stand wobbles before the probe reaches it. There is only one shot of the actors and probes together.
The DVDs contains behind-the-scenes footage taken at Bray Studios during the filming of this episode (especially the Eagle landing on the planet), with a commentary by Brian Johnson.
SFX storyboards

Science

Chlorine is a greenish yellow gas, a very powerful oxidising agent that is highly toxic to all life. It is like oxygen in that it burns with very exothermic reactions, so it is possible that another type of life could evolve to breathe it. Naturally it is rarely released (like oxygen), so a chlorine atmosphere must be created by an evolved biosphere (as Earth's atmosphere was). It is unlikely that lifeforms so identical to humans would evolve, so similar as to be attracted to Koenig.
Alan collapses and is unconscious for some time. This probably means permanent lung damage. Chlorine attacks the capillary blood vessels in the lungs, causing the lung tissue to inflate into a wet spongy mass through which gas exchange is not possible (a condition called pulmonary oedema); the victim suffocates to death. It was used this way in gas attacks in World War I.
Although some animals undergo metamorphosis from a larval to an adult form, the aliens use it to rejuvenate and have a long lifespan suggesting it is an artificial hibernation.
Explosions at regular 12 hour intervals do not necessarily suggest intelligence- as the Alphans prove by slipping past the defence easily. The explosions actually draw attention to the planet.
Electric charges cannot travel through the vacuum of space. The effects suggest a real explosion with a slower-than-light debris shockwave.
Maya calculates their ETA to 2 decimal points of a second- absurd precision which takes longer to say.
The orbit of the moons is never completely regular. Each moon is subject to gravitational tidal forces and the gravity of the sun and other moons, causing the different types of precession (axial, apsidal and nodal). There is also tidal acceleration over time, eventually leading to tidal locking. The "shockwave" forces would also have to continually adjust the orbits of the moons to keep them in regular orbits. Thanks to John Day.

From a few circles, the aliens deduce the exact solar system the Alphans are from. It also assumes all Earth people speak English. Perhaps it recognises the lettering on the Alphan spacesuits, or has been monitoring their spacesuit radios. Have they encountered other space travellers from Earth, or Voyager One?

Continuity

Chronology:

1288 days after leaving Earth orbit (Mon 24 Mar 2003)

Alpha Personnel:

0 fatalities.

Alpha Technology:

Eagles:

Eagle 1 (Koenig)

The Eagle laser turret is used. It is also seen in The Seance Spectre and Devil's Planet. The laser controls are the same as Osgood's trigger in Catacombs of The Moon. It is different to the one in The Seance Spectre, which was also used to control the Research Station laser in The Exiles.
The forward view screen is seen for the first time. It is also seen in Seed Of Destruction, Space Warp, Bringers Of Wonder part 2, The Seance Spectre and Devil's Planet.
One scene shows eleven Eagles in one shot. Four have booster pods.

Maya transformations:

Kreno animal

Planets:

Unnamed planet

Aliens:

A, B, C, guardian, all humanoids

Props:

The screen on the alien moon made from perspex is used as the screen in Space Warp

Footage:

Pan over Alphan buildings is reused from The Exiles
Shot of a corridor explosion and the wreckage inside is reused from The Exiles
Shot of an Eagle landing on a steaming launch pad is reused in Catacombs Of The Moon
Weapons Section shot zooming into a screen saying "Evacuate" is from Brian The Brain

Cast:

Robert Rietty also dubbed the voice of Luke Ferro in Testament Of Arkadia

Errors

See more observations

Observations

Tony is absent (filming Catacombs Of The Moon). Tony Anholt is uncredited, and no-one mentions Verdeschi. Moonbase policies on leave must be exceptional if even the destruction of Alpha can't bring him back on duty.
At the end, Helena questions Koenig about "those women on the planet. Beautiful and naked, I understand." and he claims he didn't really notice. In the script she throws her commlock at him.

These shots never appeared in the episode- Koenig wears his jacket throughout on screen.

Merchandise:

Novelised in Planets Of Peril by Michael Butterworth published by Star (UK paperback), Allan Wingate (UK hardback), Warner (US), Bastei (Germany), Mikasa (Japan) and re-edited in Year Two (Powys, 2006).
Novelised in Il Ritorno Degli Ibernati by Gianni Padoan (AMZ).
UK video: ITC volume 16 (1993)
UK DVD: Carlton (2001)
UK Blu-ray: Network (2015)
US video: Columbia House volume 3 (1997)
US laserdisc: Image Entertainment volume 18 (1991)
US DVD: A&E (2002)
US Blu-ray: Shout! Factory (2019)
Australia DVD: Magna Pacific (2003)
Japan DVD: Pioneer (2001)
France DVD: TF1 (2002)
Germany DVD: EMS (2005)
Germany DVD: Sunrise Entertainment / Crest (2013)
Germany Blu-ray (SD): Crest (2012)
Germany Blu-ray (HD): Fernsehjuwelen (2016)
Italy DVD: Pulp Video (2004)
Italy DVD: Collector's Edition Mondo Home (2007)

Episode Guide