Production GuideObservations: Seed Of Destruction
Production Guide
Mirror clothes part 1. When the Mirror Koenig knocks out the original, it is obvious that while his hair parting and tunic are reversed, his uniform is not. As he touches the original Koenig's shoulder, the end of his left black sleeve can be seen. As he reaches to take the commlock, the stripe on his right sleeve can be seen. As he removes his jacket, the piping is down the left side. All show this is a normal, non-reversed uniform. This is true throughout the episode (he may have switched uniforms as well, but the original Koenig also wears a normal, non-reversed uniform. Thanks to John Day and Mark Spalding.
Note also as he reaches for the commlock, the Mirror Koenig's commlock is reversed so that photo appears on the opposite side. But it is not reversed: alongside the photo there is still a vertical bar on the right on both commlocks. The front of the mirror commlock is also not reversed.
Mirror Koenig takes Koenig's jacket, and he also puts his own reversed jacket on Koenig. Why waste time and energy redressing him?
In the shot where the doppelganger Koenig puts his hand on the real Koenig's shoulder, there is no strap over his shoulder: he isn't carrying his sample bag. It is just visible in the reverse shot of the smiling Mirror Koenig, and is clearly back in place afterwards. Thanks to Thomas.
Mirror clothes part 2. Koenig wakes and zips up his jacket. Then he notices the belt is reversed, and looks at the reversed badges. He could have noticed the zip was wrong - the slider and box at the bottom of the zipper track are on one side (often right-size for men's clothing). Thanks to John Day.
Mirror clothes part 3. Koenig looks at the reversed badges. Special reversed patches have been made for "SAT", "AMC" and "VJC". But the "Planispharium Caleste" is not reversed- although Landau's hand covers it (probably deliberately), part of the normal text is readable ("-harium"). Thanks to Richard Totis.
Mirror clothes part 4. When Koenig meets the Spirit of Kalthon, he's wearing his own jacket, not the Mirror version. Thanks to Thomas.
Mirror clothes part 5. The mirror Koenig is wearing the real Koenig's jacket- but it disintegrates with him. The real Koenig's mirror jacket is unaffected. Thanks to Jason Henley.
On-screen videos were actually filmed on the side of the main set, often against a plain background. When Koenig tells Alan he has"found some sort of cave entrance", the background on Alan's screen is a plain background, not the cave.
Another example of on-set videos occurs when Sandra informs Koenig that "Eagle 1 is spaceborne". Firstly, Koenig is leaning forward in the Weapons Centre, but the video in Command Centre shows him stood upright. In Command Centre, Alan has his arm behind Sandra (apart from the reverse view towards Koenig on the screens); but on Koenig's screen, Alan's arm is not visible. Sandra's hair is also slightly different, with a higher forehead on screen. Thanks to Thomas.
Koenig calls Weapons Section while in Weapons Section (or at least the minimally revamped Life Support Section).
Unusually, Helena isn't wearing her tall boots in this shot.
In Collision Course, like this episode, the Alphans are suspicious of Koenig when he returns. In the earlier episode, they drug him, imprison him in his quarters, and ignore his commands. In this episode, they blindly follow his orders and ignore the obvious dangers to Moonbase's energy. Because he was right in Collision Course, have they inadvertently become too trusting of Koenig? Thanks to Richard Totis.
"Well, there's one way of finding out. Talk to Doctor Russell." says Maya. The formality is unusual; Maya almost always says "Helena" (except for one line in Journey To Where). Alan also calls her "Doctor Russell" (he always calls her "Helena" in Year 2 apart from Mark of Archanon to Etrec). The alternative Koenig calls her "Doctor Russell" 4 times, each time in front of her. It is probably an intentional clue that in the final confrontation, the real Koenig calls her "Helena" while the replica uses "Doctor Russell". The earlier formality is odd for the series. Thanks to Richard Totis.
Koenig's red jacket is normally only worn on planetary missions (The Metamorph, One Moment of Humanity, All That Glisters, Rules Of Luton and New Adam, New Eve). On Alpha he would normally wear his lightweight black or navy jacket. The alternative Koenig wears his red jacket throughout the episode, which could have been a small clue for the Alphans. Also, the final confrontation at the end of the episode required both Koenigs to wear the same style of jacket. Thanks to Richard Totis.
The first Moonbase window to be seen in Year 2. Note the gravity tower immediately outside. The dish is presumably the transmitter dish- although the model version does not have the number "3".
The SFX reflector dish and the dish seen on set are very different. The set version has a large number "3", no visible mast, and a gravity tower in front of it, while the SFX dish has no number, a thick mast and no visible gravity towers in the vicinity.
When Maya examines the rock sample, the initial close up shows her hand on the microscope. There is a cut to a wider angle as she turns to Tony and Helena, but her hand is no longer on the microscope. Thanks to Thomas.
Unusually Maya is not wearing her boots here, perhaps inspired by Helena (see above). After this scene she will change into trousers. Thanks to Simon.
When Tony and Maya board the Eagle, they leave the guard's unconscious body immediately outside the door. When the boarding tube retracts, he will be exposed to the vacuum of space and die. Thanks to John Day.
The guard falls with his head towards the Eagle door. Seen from within the Eagle, he lies across the door.
When Tony and Maya find the real Koenig behind a mirror on the asteroid, he is not in the same position as he was when he was frozen. (He's looking down, and the expression on his face is different). Thanks to Thomas.
No-one on Alpha notices the Eagle returning (although many of Alpha's systems are shut down for the power transfer, so this may be explicable). Thanks to Thomas.
We see the real Koenig leaving the travel tube and running to Command Center, passing the Alpha map. We cut back to the mirror Koenig, and then back a closer shot of the real Koenig, still running. In the second shot he is back by the open travel tube door.
Kalthon is able to trap Maya and Tony, yet not to stop Koenig being released and escaping. Why not create mirrors of Maya and Tony to send back to Alpha? It is not explained how they escape in the end (Koenig took their Eagle). Returning to rescue them would risk being captured or replaced again.
Space 1999 copyright ITV Studios Global Entertainment. Page copyright Martin Willey