Production GuideObservations: Missing Link
Production Guide
The opening scene in Main Mission shows Paul from behind. We then cut to the other side. In the first shot, Tanya was standing to his side. In the second, there is a female security guard.
The number on the Eagle 1 door is "4" except when Alan opens the door after the crash, when it has suddenly changed to "6". (The earlier scene was a re-shoot, the later shot is from the original version of the episode).
One reason for Koenig's injuries is that he and Alan were not wearing seatbelts. They didn't even try to fit them when the Eagle went out of control.
When Koenig lurches forward in the crash, we see the edge of the set.
There are large baffle plates inside the rocket nozzles. The rear rockets of the Eagles are classical bell-shaped de Laval nozzles. For efficiency at different atmospheric pressures, rockets may have stepped cone shapes, or plug nozzles (a more extreme version is the aerospike engine). In space, rocket nozzles should generally have wider skirts. Expanding nozzles have two concentric cones, the inner one for low altitude, and an outer one that extends out for high altitudes. The baffles here would restrict exhaust, which is a problem in space operations. Many rocket designs include baffle plates within the combustion chamber (behind the nozzle) to control turbulence, but baffles in the nozzle make no sense.
Note the second (title) shot shows the left leg pod with a cone on the upper sloped surface- the first shot, showing the right leg pod, doesn't. Only the front leg pods had the cone. The second shot shows the front right leg pod in the position of the back left.
Mathias and Helena check the life signs in Medical after the crash. A reflection of the microphone boom can be seen on the top of the screen. Note the wrinkles in the black tape placed over the screen to separate the top and lower parts.
"Come in, Eagle Four! Come in, Eagle Four!" calls Koenig. How does he know it is Eagle 4? We can assume a rescue Eagle is always ready on a launch pad, and Koenig knows that the current duty Eagle is Eagle 4.
Koenig holds his commlock by his helmet, although in the vacuum his voice would not be carried across the short distance. There must be short range radio microphones in the helmet. The commlock must pick up the radio signals and transmit them over a longer range. Thanks to Richard Totis.
There are reflections on the back of Koenig's helmet of the camera and crew, including a person sitting in the foreground holding white pages (like a script).
We see Koenig waving to the Eagle passing overhead. A little later, Koenig enters the airlock. In both scenes, the lunar landscape behind is identical, with a small crater rim visible. The same airlock and lunar set is used in Alpha Child (the scenes were filmed on the same day).
Moonbase corridors don't normally have windows, or steps (not clearly seen in the episode, but watch carefully in the shot through the Diagnostic Unit doors). The production redressed Koenig's command office set as Diagnostic, and used part of Main Mission as the corridor. These windows are actually in Main Mission, with a curved corner and blank walls along the top of the Main Mission steps.
We also see Koenig alone in an empty Moonbase in the next episode, Guardian of Piri, and Helena and Tony visit another replica Moonbase in One Moment Of Humanity. Thanks to Richard Totis.
The body of the crashed Eagle is a photograph; the nose is a special damaged model. See more photos.
The 44 inch Rescue Eagle lands next to the photo cut-out.
The Cargo Eagle is the 22 inch model; below is the 44 inch Rescue Eagle. While the shot could have been done by filming both Eagles separately in double exposure, it seems these shots are forced perspective, with the 22 inch Eagle closer.
Now the Rescue Eagle is a cut-out and the Cargo Eagle is the 44inch model.
The Rescue Eagle nose cone in the foreground right is fixed without a body.
Again the 44 inch Rescue and 22 inch Cargo Eagles together. The damaged nose cone is this time a cut-out.
When the command module is detached from the Eagle, the interior set still shows the door open to the access corridor.
When Koenig walks down the steps into the deserted Main Mission, a studio light is visible at the top of the frame.
In the scene when Paul says "No one's being callous, just realistic", there is the faint shadow of a boom mike swinging over (just left of by the Lucciola lamp, over Paul and Alan's head). Thanks to David A. Sobral.
Alan Carter argues with Victor and Paul: "he is still the Commander". The contrast is striking between Alan's fierce loyalty and Koenig in the next scene on Zenno, apparently willing to abandon Alpha to live with Vana. In the script, it's a little clearer that Koenig is manipulating Vana so that Raan will send him back, although by this scene he has real feelings for her. This is too subtle to be seen on screen. Thanks to Richard Totis.
After Helena performs cardiopulmonary resuscitation, we see Sandra. She has sensors are on the outside of her gauze. Later shots show them inside. Thanks to Anthony D.
The This Episode segment contains several scenes that did not appear in the episode.
The Rescue Eagle takes off from the crashsite. In the episode, the last we see of the crash site is when the crash Eagle command module is taken away.
A view of the Zennite city with a small Eagle flying above. In the episode, we only see the alien city framed as a projection by Raan, and on the Big Screen in the Zennite Main Mission. This shot is the one seen on the Big Screen.
Tony Allyn and another guard walk into a travel tube.
Sandra looks concerned in Medical. In the episode she never leaves her bed.
Copyright Martin Willey