Episode Guide

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

The Bringers of Wonder Part 1

Everyone on Moonbase is electrified by the arrival of a spaceship from earth. Everyone, that is, except Commander Koenig. Where the others see long-lost friends and relatives, he sees hideous aliens, bent on taking over the Moonbase... ITC summary

Background

• Shooting script dated 23rd June 1976. Pink page amendments undated "August" and 12-13th August 1976. Blue page amendments dated 25 August 1976. Filmed 25th August- 28th September 1976
• Edited with part 2 in the compilation movie Destination Moonbase Alpha

SFX

• The Superswift was built by Martin Bower in 3 weeks.
• The small pilot ship was also built by Martin Bower
• The domes were redressed from the towers in A B Chrysalis
• Martin Bower also built a second 22" Eagle. It is seen in publicity photos over the waste domes, but it is not in the episode.
• The aliens were made from latex painted in grease, with plastic tubing through which "blood" was pumped.
• Superswift model photos
• Pilot Ship model photos
• Nuclear waste dome model photos
• The effects were filmed in October 1976. A school trip visited the domes set on 7th October; see details. One of the children, Chris Noulton, became a model maker and effects designer.

Music

• ITC Music Cue Sheet

Science

• You would not be able to see a faster than light ship- it would be infinitely red-shifted and thus invisible. If you could see it, your first view would be it landing; then you would see the image of it travelling backwards into space as the light caught up with the spacecraft. It covers 8 million miles in 6 seconds, which is 7.2 times the speed of light.
• In Koenig's crashed Eagle, fires are burning. Once the external doors are open for the firefighters, the vacuum would extinguish the flames.
• Diana asks if Tony jogs. It was a relatively new term in 1976, although the English word itself is old. The modern term was popularised first in New Zealand, then in the US by Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike, whose 1967 book "Jogging" was an international bestseller.

Continuity

Chronology:

1912 days after leaving Earth orbit (Tue 7 Dec 2004)

Alpha Personnel:

1 fatality, Clive Kander.

Alpha Technology:

• The fixed laser cannons are seen. They are also in The Metamorph, Seed Of Destruction, The Beta Cloud and The Dorcons.
• The Ellendorf Quadrographic Brain Complex was used to test the artificial heart in Catacombs Of The Moon and also appears in The Lambda Factor.
• The silver firesuits are seen, both in the crashed Eagle and in the Records Lab fire. Note they do not have oxygen backpacks.
• The Records Unit, consisting of technician Clive Kander, films significant events on a small hand-held camera. This is the only episode where Eagle crashes or alien contact is recorded.

Eagles:

Eagle 10 (Koenig, crashed)

Maya transformations:

blue Kreno creature, green lizard animal, kendo fighter, Madagascar hissing cockroach.

Planets:

None

Aliens:

Alien blobs

Props:

• Although the "Medical Center Relay" in Command Center is only seen in this episode, the same medical monitor also appeared in Command Center in Journey To Where.

Cast:

• Stuart Damon first appears as Parks in Matter Of Life And Death
• David Jackson also appeared as Alien Strong in Rules Of Luton

Footage:

• Shot of Koenig and Helena kissing is shown again in a flashback in Devil's Planet

Errors

• If they are telepathic, why do they not know Maya is a metamorph?

When Koenig crashes he has his seat belt attached but he does not have his front pack on. When the rescuers arrive, his seat belt has gone and his front pack is on, although he was unconscious since the crash.

Observations

They have forgotten Journey To Where, in which they found the Earth date was 2120 AD.

Maya transforms into the full armour (bogu) of a Kendoka, and attacks Sanderson with a shinai (a staff consisting of bamboo slats bound together). Her role is performed by sensei Okimitsu Fujii, one of the founding fathers of kendo in the UK. In Testament of Arkadia Koenig and Luke Ferro practice kendo (performed by stuntmen Eddie Stacey and Gerry Crampton). In several martial arts, Maya's short stick would equally effective. Known technically as a yawara-bo or kubotan (the latter form is often sold as a key-chain), it is easily improvised with pens, flashlights or any short stick around 5 - 6 inches long. Techniques include striking, attacking pressure points, and leverage for compliance locks.

David Jackson on his role:
They gave me the script, and I didn't even have to memorise it! 'Your character is actually a 7 foot tent with blood vessels and eyes on the outside of it, and it can grow up to 9 feet.' They had a fellow about my size inside, dressed in a swim suit, sweating like anything, manipulating this thing, more like a teepee than a pyramid. It kept going up and down and sweating blood and I was just off-stage in a T shirt and trousers. It was fun!

Merchandise:

• Novelised in The Psychomorph by Michael Butterworth published by Star (UK paperback), Warner (US), Bastei (Germany) and re-edited in Year Two (Powys, 2006).
• UK video: Polygram volume 24 (1996)
• UK DVD: Carlton (2001)
• UK Blu-ray: Network Bringers Of Wonder Special Edition (2014)
• UK Blu-ray: Network (2015)
• US DVD: A&E set 7 (2002)
• US Blu-ray: Shout! Factory (2019)
• Australia DVD: Magna Pacific (2003)
• 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

• High definition images
• Publicity images
  • General publicity
  • Episode publicity
  • Boats and swans
• Transcript Copyright Martin Willey
• Script to Screen
• Critics comments Chris Bentley, Anthony McKay, John Kenneth Muir et al
• More observations
• Panini story summary
• Costume: Swift jacket

External Links

• Ken Scott's episode guide
• Mailing List discussion