Point 783

Infobox Television episode
Title = Point 783
Series = Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Season = 1
Episode = 13
Airdate = December 22, 1967
Production = 4
Writer = Peter Curran
David Williams
Director = Robert Lynn
Episode list = List of "Captain Scarlet" episodes
Prev = Lunarville 7
Next = Model Spy

"Point 783" is the 13th episode of the Supermarionation television series "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons". It was the fourth episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was December 22, 1967 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Peter Curran and David Williams and directed by Robert Lynn.

ynopsis

The Mysterons attempt to kill the Supreme Commander of Earth Forces.

Plot

The story begins with a demonstration of the latest in computer-controlled weaponry - the Unitron, an unmanned tank impervious to almost all weapons. It is controlled by an operator or can be pre-programmed to attack a designated target until it is totally destroyed.

After the opening credits, two army officers (Major Brooks and Colonel Storm) are killed in a car crash engineered by the Mysterons and re-created to assassinate the Supreme Commander. At a conference headed by the Commander and Captains Scarlet and Blue, in which Scarlet's "sixth sense" for Mysterons is evident, the Mysterons use Brooks as a walking bomb to try and kill the commander in the same way they had tried to kill the World President. However this attempt is foiled when Scarlet trips the emergency system in response to his sixth sense. This leaves the second Mysteron agent Colonel Storm to kill the commander.

The Supreme Commander is taken by Captain Blue to Point 783, a military blockhouse on a desert test range to witness the demonstration of the Unitron. The meeting is also attended by Storm. The demonstration initially proceeds according to plan with the vehicle swiftly destroying a selection of targets. This is until the Commander decides to step outside the bunker. at this point the Unitron starts to attack the building firing shells from its main gun and then a flamethrower at the blockhouse which starts to crack under the rain of fire. Undamaged by attacks from the Spectrum Angels the tank moves in for the kill.

Captain scarlet requisitions an SPV to remove the Commander from the danger leaving Captain Blue in the blockhouse who leaves the Commander in the charge of Storm. The SPV speeds away from the building as the Unitron closes in, however after ramming the bunker the tank turns off in pursuit of the SPV. It is then revealed that Storm has programmed it to attack himself rather than simply the blockhouse.

Captain Scarlet reasons that this is the case and is held at gunpoint by Storm who shoots him several times at point-blank range. Despite this he still manages to eject both himself and the Supreme Commander to safety leaving Storm in the SPV. The SPV with Storm still in it is chased by the Unitron until both vehicles plummet over a cliff and are destroyed. The Supreme Commander is rescued by Spectrum agents while the wounded Scarlet is taken away for treatment. At the end of the episode Captain Blue explains that the Mysterons will stop trying to kill the Supreme Commander because they have tried and failed once.

Regular voice cast

*Captain Scarlet — Francis Matthews
*Captain Blue — Ed Bishop
*Colonel White — Donald Gray
*Lieutenant Green — Cy Grant
*Destiny Angel — Liz Morgan
*Melody Angel — Sylvia Anderson
*Harmony Angel — Lian Shin
*Captain Black / Voice of the Mysterons — Donald Gray

Guest voice cast

In speaking order:

*General Cope — David Healy
*Captain Hassel — Charles Tingwell
*Supreme Commander of Earth Forces — Paul Maxwell
*Colonel Storm — Jeremy Wilkin
*Major Brooks — David Healy
*MCA Tanker Driver Pete - Charles Tingwell
*MCA Tanker Driver's Mate — Martin King
*Security Bank Voice — Martin King
*Robot Voice — Jeremy Wilkin
*Arab — Martin King

Quotations

*"Where's your sixth sense, Earth Man?" — Colonel Storm to Captain Scarlet
*"The field word is 'Battlemaster'" — Captain Blue to Unitron Control

External links

* [http://www.fanderson.org.uk/epguides/scarleteg.html#Episode%20Four Fanderson.org.uk: "Captain Scarlet" Episode Guide: "Point 783"]
* [http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/Capt%20Scarlet%20Timeline.htm# Clivebanks.co.uk: "Captain Scarlet" Episode Guide]