Episode Guide

• Background
• Cast/Sets
• SFX
• Music
• Science
• Continuity
• Errors
• Observations
• Links
• Transcript
• Images

Seed of Destruction

An ice-cold replica of Commander Koenig takes control of the moon -and orders its destruction. ITC summary

Background

• Shooting script dated 25th May 1976. Filmed 7th July- 19th July 1976. This and Seance Spectre were the only two episodes when filming had to be scheduled on a weekend- they shot on Saturday 17th July 1976.
• A "year 1" reversioning was created by Jonathan Wood for Network in 2015.

SFX

• The DVDs contain an interview from July 1976 with Brian Johnson, showing the storyboards and the setting up of one shot. The shot (scene 73, showing the Eagle from below illuminated green) is not in the final episode.

Music

• ITC Music Cue Sheet

Science

• The crystal asteroid is perhaps related to a white dwarf, where a small star has collapsed into an inert core of carbon and oxygen, about the size of the Earth but extremely dense. They are also extremely hot, although over time they cool into a black dwarf star. The carbon core of a white dwarf may be an enormous diamond. One variable white dwarf star, BPM 37093 is estimated to be 90% crystallized (of a mass 1.1 times that of the sun), making it the largest known diamond.
• The asteroid has Earth gravity and a "localised atmosphere", suggesting it is very dense. However, it seems unlikely the total power of Moonbase Alpha could regenerate an entire planet.
• The term "black sun" is used again. It is featured in the episode Black Sun and also mentioned in Dragon's Domain.

Continuity

Chronology:

1608 days after leaving Earth orbit (Sat 7 Feb 2004)

Alpha Personnel:

0 fatalities.

Alpha Technology:

• The fixed laser cannons are seen. They are also in The Metamorph, The Beta Cloud, Bringers Of Wonder part 1 and The Dorcons.
• The multi-function hatch is shown; here it fires the laser canon.
• There is a close-up shot of a computer panel clearly marked "Satellites".

Eagles:

Eagle 1 (Koenig, Tony)

• The forward view screen is seen. It is also seen in The A B Chrysalis, Seed Of Destruction, Space Warp, Bringers Of Wonder part 2, The Seance Spectre and Devil's Planet.

Maya transformations:

Lizard animal (as seen in The Beta Cloud), Cranston

Planets:

None (Kalthon asteroid)

Aliens:

Kalthon seed

Props:

Errors

Koenig's Eagle has a booster pod when first seen, then a standard pod subsequently

Observations

• The original script had an epilogue in which Koenig's crystal sample is projected into space.
• Martin Landau also played doppelgangers in the 1973 Columbo episode "Double Shock" (thanks to Chris Moore)

Merchandise:

• Novelised in The Space Jackers by Michael Butterworth published by Star (UK paperback), Warner (US), Bastei (Germany), Mikasa (Japan) and re-edited in Year Two (Powys, 2006).
• UK video: ITC volume 15 (1993)
• UK DVD: Carlton (2001)
• UK Blu-ray: Network (2015), plus a re-edited version with Year 1 music and titles.
• US video: Columbia House volume 10 (1997)
• US laserdisc: Image Entertainment volume 22 (1991)
• US DVD: A&E set 7 (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 (2005)
• Italy DVD: Collector's Edition Mondo Home (2007)

Links

• Images
  • High Definition Images
  • Publicity Images
• Transcript Copyright Martin Willey
• Critics comments Chris Bentley, Anthony McKay, John Kenneth Muir et al
• More observations

External Links

• Ken Scott's episode guide
• Mailing List discussion