Production GuideObservations: The Mark Of Archanon
Production Guide
In this one shot, the light picks out the wire pulling apart the "rock" from the stasis cabinet. Thanks to Thomas.
The close ups of Pasc and Etrec while in stasis show them swaying (probably because their eyes are closed). How and why was Pasc able to open his eyes while still in stasis in the intact, as yet undamaged, chamber? Thanks to Thomas.
The glass of the stasis chamber is seen breaking away, with most of the top half including the symbol disintegrated. In a close up we see Pasc slump to the side, with no glass in front. We then see a wider view, with both Archanons slumped, but the glass has reappeared, and most of the symbol is visible again. Thanks to Thomas and Michael Thompson.
As the stasis chamber collapses, Tony rushes to the control panel. The entire rock face wobbles- obviously the rock tunnels are very fragile. Thanks to Fergus.
Alan has to move a large rock slab on Etrec's legs. Fortunately Etrec has no injuries from this trauma. Alan and Tony are also immune to the rocks falling on them. Perhaps it is pumice (a volcanic rock lightweight enough to float in water).
The two newly discovered aliens are left alone and unmonitored. Just because they are sedated with "somnol", they shouldn't be left alone in case their medical conditions changes. If not a nurse, they should use an automated monitor or remote video (as in Bringers of Wonder part 1).
Pasc speaks with an English accent, as does his mother Lyra. Etrec speaks with an American accent (both Etrec and Johnson are clearly dubbed). When the family travels, it is possible for children to pick up a different accent to their parents. Perhaps Etrec got his accent when they visited Earth. Thanks to Fergus.
The Command Center Big Screen shows Koenig and Maya in the Eagle as it sways constantly. The Eagle camera mounted in the wall of the Eagle cockpit would be moving with them, so there would be very minimal apparent movement. Thanks to Marc Abernathy.
"You I know are Commander Koenig." How does he know? He may have heard "Commander", but Koenig's surname has not been used in the preceding dialogue. Thanks to Fergus.
The instrument that Tony uses to scan the Power Unit is the same instrument Helena uses to adjust the expression of the robot Maya in The Taybor
The Power Unit will appear again in Devil's Planet, used by the interrogator.
When Pasc is asked to open the Power Unit in Techlab 3, one shot shows Tony looking at Pasc suspiciously. The close-up of Tony is actually in Command Centre (the coloured computer panels are behind him).
Tony is already suspicious of Pasc, but allows the two aliens to go unaccompanied to Medical. Considering Alpha's history with aliens, they are incredibly trusting of these aliens to let them wander unsupervised through the base. Thanks to Fergus.
Terry Walsh's spacesuit is very dirty- note the knees. Thanks to Fergus.
"Do you want us to launch Eagle Three?" "Good idea, you'd better." They then lose contact. Tony doesn't do anything, which is fortunate for Pasc, as Tony would discover the Eagle 3 pilot is missing, but not great for Koenig. Thanks to Fergus.
Carson leaves Pasc and Etrec in Techlab 3. Pasc attacks Johnson and Alan almost immediately, and Alan hits the alarm. Carson should be the closest guard, but he never returns. Thanks to Fergus.
We don't see much of the computer panels in TechLab 3 before Alan has to hit the "Alarm" button. The publicity photo proves that button wasn't there earlier (there was a wooden step-ladder, however).
Johnson is dispatched very quickly, but Pasc spends a long time strangling Alan only for him to wake up shortly afterwards with no visible marks.
Behind the scenes. Notice Nick Tate has a cushion under his head. The wooden boards keep light away from the sides of the camera. In the background, a female crew member leans against the computer panels, watching.
Tony arrives at Techlab 3 with two guards, Long and Pierce (the latter, played by Quentin Pierre was named Quinton in Year One). After Helena is called, we see jump-suited men run down a Moonbase corridor. The first man, in the blue jumpsuit, is Pierce (Quentin Pierre). We then cut back to Techlab 3, where both guards are still present, examining Johnson.
Both these shots of running Alphans were recycled from earlier episodes- the first (with Quentin Pierre) from The Metamorph, the second (Frank Maher and Vic Armstrong as Rescue and Decon) from The Exiles- it cuts just before Dr Mathias and the nurses follow.
Johnson sustains a "severe head injury". After Helena is kidnapped, we hear no more about him. We would expect Nunez or other medical staff to be treating him, or to hear that he died. Thanks to Fergus.
Shots of Eagle 3 on the pad show it changing sides repeatedly (port to boarding tube; starboard to boarding tube). It moves forwards and backwards, and when the boarding tube connects the edges of the pad are around the red cross section.
Tony orders "Launch Area. I want Eagle One in the air above the pad. Nothing else is to move off the base. Repeat, nothing, but Eagle One to lift off." Eagle 1 is Koenig's Eagle.
Does Pasc know how to fly an Eagle? Where would he fly to?
When Alan shows Tony the recording of Lyra in Medical Centre, the backdrop behind the Archanon screen shows hexagonal boxes- the exact same backdrop seen in Techlab 3.
Tony goes to the communications post to call Pasc in the Eagle. As usual, on the Eagle screen shows a shadow immediately behind Tony's head, although he has Medical Centre behind him. When we cut back to Medical Centre, Tony has leaped back from the communications post to stand by Alan, watching the screen in the exact same pose as before he left.
When Lyra mentions Etrec, we cut to a close-up of the boy. We see Alan standing alongside him. We cut to the Eagle, when Pasc asks to see Etrec. The next shot of Medical Centre shows Raul standing by Etrec, with Alan no longer in sight.
In this sequence, the headrest of the second diagnostic chair is missing. It was present in earlier shots, and later it is back. It is possible it was needed for the Eagle seat that Pasc is sitting on (although it is not visible on the communications post screen). Thanks to Simon.
The Archanons can travel rapidly across space within perhaps a day of Pasc being released. They have travelled to Earth, and presumably know how to get there. Even if the ship is just a small scout ship, they could arrange for transportation to a suitable planet, or to Earth. But the Alphans never think to ask. Thanks to Fergus.
Copyright Martin Willey