The Merchandise Guide
Video: US Laserdisc
Compiled by Martin Willey

The first picture of the Eagle pilots is not from an episode; it is a cut scene from Space Brain.

SPACE BRAIN

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Alpha encounters a deadly force as it heads through space and toward disaster. Whatever the mysterious energy field might be, it possesses a strange and frightening power.

The first indication of a new and unseen danger for the moon as it heads through space is the sudden outburst of strange, rapid, hieroglyphics on all of Alpha's screens. Two astronauts are sent out to investigate and report a spectacular display of light, with a gigantic cluster of gossamer threads suspended in the heavens. The Eagle is gripped in what seems to be like enormous colored snowflakes and disappears.

Moments later, a glowing ball of white-hot substance screams toward Alpha. Commander Koenig (Martin Landau) take it to be a meteorite, but when it lands, its impact is devastating. Analysis of its constituents provides a terrifying shock, as Professor Bergman (Barry Morse) reports that they are the tightly compressed elements of the Eagle and its human occupants.

Meanwhile Carter (Nick Tate) and his colleague Kelly (Shane Rimmer) have set out in another Eagle to search for the missing Alphans. Kelly space walks to investigate, and is caught up in the glutinous foaming substance they have encountered. It seems at first that he is dead, his body floating in space, but life returns and Carter is able to get him back into the Eagle, returning immediately to Alpha. Kelly is behaving like a man possessed, displaying superhuman strength as Carter tries to control him, and then has no option but to turn his stun gun on him.

Back again on Alpha, it soon becomes evident that Kelly's brain has been taken over by the mysterious, intangible alien force. Through him, the computer is taken over, receiving and transmitting messages at a fantastic speed. But he is unable to relay what it is that the strange force is trying to say.

The moon is heading toward the energy field and it is impossible to change course. By now, Koenig has come to realize that, whatever it is, it is an organism and intelligent. Only disaster can lie ahead if they hit it. Desperate measures are required. An Eagle is loaded with an enormous nuclear charge, timed to explode when it encounters the space "brain", but the uncanny forces are stronger than has been feared. Kelly is at last able to make it known that the "brain" is not aggressive. It is trying to defend itself. All it wants is for the moon somehow to be diverted from its collision course.

Koenig immediately orders the nuclear-filled Eagle to be brought back, but it is too late. It has changed course and is now heading for Alpha! Can it be stopped?

MARTIN LANDAU as John Koenig
BARBARA BAIN as Dr. Helena Russell
BARRY MORSE as Professor Bergman
Guest Stars: SHANE RIMMER as Kelly
CARLA ROMANELLI as Melita

Prentis Hancock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Morrow
Clifton Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Kano
Zienia Merton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra Benes
Anton Phillips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Mathias
Nick Tate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Carter
Derek Anders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Wayland

Producer: Sylvia Anderson Executive Producer: Gerry Anderson Screenplay by: Christopher Penfold
Moon City Costumes Designed by: Rudi Gernreich Directed by: Charles Crichton
Series Created by: Gerry and Sylvia Anderson

Color/Approx. Running Time: 52 Minutes

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THE TROUBLED SPIRIT

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A ghost stalks the moon - the ghost of a living man - bringing horror and death in its wake.

An eerie wind, increasing in intensity, sweeps through Moonbase Alpha, when Dan Mateo (Giancarlo Prette) is conducting experiments in the Hydroponic Unit in which he works as a botanist. With him at the time is his assistant Laura Adams (Hilary Dwyer).

Lights dim. A sudden drop in temperature is recorded. Plants, grown in the unit for the studies carried out there, droop and die. And Mateo collapses.

Dr. Helena Russell (Barbara Bain) diagnoses it as severe shock, but what has caused it? Commander Koenig (Martin Landau) and Professor Bergman (Barry Morse) are aware of the background of Mateo's experiments. Mateo believes mankind has some affinity with plants. Both have nervous systems. Certain wave patterns in the human brain correspond precisely to the wave patterns plants send out. Mateo has been attempting to tap those wave patterns at the source, hoping to achieve communication between plants and humans.

Mateo is still in the Medical Unit under Helena's care when he becomes conscious of the shadowy shape of a man. It then disappears, but a little later Helena sees the same strange shape which seems to her to bear a resemblance to Mateo. It is uttering sighing noises, and as it turns its head, one side of his face is seen to be horribly scarred.

Dr. James Warren (Anthony Nicholls), the head of the Hydroponic Unit, has already forbidden Mateo to continue with his experiments. Koenig confirms the ban. Mateo resists and argues with Warren. Then once again the misty figure appears, and a few moments later, Warren is dead.

Koenig and Bergman are worried, now convinced that Alpha is being terrorized by some psychic being. Their fears are confirmed when Mateo secretly continues his experiments. Again the mysterious figure appears - and Laura Adams dies.

It is Bergman who suggests that the only way to fight this thing is to allow Mateo to carry out his experiments under supervision so that they can see what happens. The outcome is terrifying. Mateo's body is gripped in agonizing pain, the wind noise is heard and increases, plants vibrate madly, then wither and die - and the ghostly, mutilated figure again emerges. This time, there is no doubt. It is a spirit of Mateo (Val Musetti).

Whatever thing it is that Mateo has summoned up, it has come back to avenge some terrible death its own death, which has not yet happened! There is only one hope now; some form of exorcism through a scientific approach, to remove the spectre of a man haunted by his own ghost while still alive.

MARTIN LANDAU as John Koenig
BARBARA BAIN as Dr. Helena Russell
BARRY MORSE as Professor Bergman
Guest Stars: GIANCARLO PRETTE as Dan Mateo
HILARY DWYER as Laura Adams
ANTHONY NICHOLLS as Dr. James Warren

Prentis Hancock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Morrow
Clifton Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David Kano
Zienia Merton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra Benes
Anton Phillips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dr. Mathias
Nick Tate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alan Carter

Producer: Sylvia Anderson Executive Producer: Gerry Anderson Screenplay by: Johnny Byrne
Moon City Costumes Designed by: Rudi Gernreich Directed by: Ray Austin
Series Created by: Gerry and Sylvia Anderson

Color/Approx. Running Time: 52 Minutes