Seek and Destroy (Captain Scarlet episode)

Infobox Television episode
Title = Seek and Destroy
Series = Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Season = 1
Episode = 15
Airdate = January 5, 1968
Production = 9
Writer = Peter Curran
David Williams
Director = Alan Perry
Episode list = List of "Captain Scarlet" episodes
Prev = Model Spy
Next = Renegade Rocket

"Seek and Destroy" is the 15th episode of the Supermarionation television series "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons". It was the ninth episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was January 5, 1968 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Peter Curran and David Williams and directed by Alan Perry.

Synopsis

The Mysterons threaten to kill one of the Spectrum Angels. Destiny is on holiday in Paris and is therefore the most likely target. Captains Scarlet and Blue are assigned to return her to Cloudbase, but when Captain Black engineers the destruction of three unfinished Angel fighters, will Melody, Rhapsody and Harmony be able to defeat the reconstructed aircraft and save the trio from an ambush?

Plot

At the Fairfield Engine Company, a driver, Jackson, prepares to transport valuable goods to a warehouse. Fairfield is supervising the loading himself and guides Jackson as he locks the giant crate into position on his articulated truck. Jackson is curious why such precious cargo must be left abandoned but Fairfield avoids his questions.

Jackson sets off from the loading yard and is followed by a car as he travels down a highway. Arriving at the warehouse, he reverses the crate into position and lowers it among the other units that have already been deposited. As the car stops outside, Jackson gets out of his vehicle to check the goods and is approached by Captain Black. After a brief conversation, the Mysteron agent guns the driver down. He then throws an explosive charge into a puddle of petrol and ignites the liquid with a match.

Transmitting to Earth, the Mysterons threaten to kill one of the Spectrum Angels. At the warehouse, the fire is out of control and the explosion rips through the crates. Through the flames, it appears that they contain unpainted Angel fighters.

On Cloudbase, Colonel White discusses the Mysteron threat with Captains Scarlet and Blue. Destiny is on holiday in Paris and is therefore the most likely target. Lieutenant Green cannot reach her at her hotel and White assigns the Captains to escort her back to the safety of Cloudbase.

Scarlet and Blue search for Destiny at the hotel but her room is empty. Scarlet discovers a card for Café de la Paix and Blue suggests that it might be a lead. The Spectrum officers drive to the café in their Spectrum Saloon and find Destiny sitting at one of the outside tables. The Angel is horrified when Scarlet informs her of the Mysteron threat and the three immediately depart for the nearest airport.

Meanwhile, the fire services have managed to extinguish the blaze at the warehouse but the goods inside have been completely destroyed. Fairfield tells the Fire Chief that the crates contained Angel craft for the Spectrum organisation. In the production cycle, his company was responsible for the manufacture of the engine. The unfinished jets were stored in the warehouse before being collected by the last company for spraying, testing and delivery to Cloudbase. The Chief is certain that the fire was deliberate.

Suddenly, a trio of low-flying aircraft zoom over the warehouse. The Chief wonders what they are, but Fairfield believes that they could have been the very same craft destroyed in the fire. In the sky, the unmarked, unpiloted Angel fighters are tracked by the Mysteron rings.

As Blue drives the Spectrum Saloon along a country road, Scarlet senses danger. However, Destiny does not recall anything unusual happening in Paris. Eventually, Scarlet orders Blue to stop the vehicle and the three of them take cover by the roadside. Three Angel fighters fly towards them, but Destiny's presumption of an escort is dashed when the Mysteronised jets open fire. Scarlet informs Colonel White of the ambush and Melody, Rhapsody and Harmony Angels are launched from Cloudbase.

As the assault on Scarlet, Blue and Destiny continues, White radios the Spectrum Angels to confirm his faith in their abilities. Arriving at the danger zone, Melody breaks up the hostile group with a warning shot and Harmony shoots down one of the fighters. However, she is then hit herself and forced to eject as her craft crashes to the ground. Rhapsody destroys a second Mysteron jet and the final enemy performs a suicidal nosedive with Melody in pursuit. However, the Angel is able to pull out of the descent before she crashes.

While Melody reports mission accomplished to Colonel White, Blue looks at the charred remains of the Spectrum Saloon and remarks that it will be a long walk to Cloudbase.

Cast

Regular voice cast

*Captain Scarlet — Francis Matthews
*Captain Blue — Ed Bishop
*Colonel White — Donald Gray
*Lieutenant Green — Cy Grant
*Destiny Angel — Liz Morgan
*Rhapsody 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:

*Fairfield — Charles Tingwell
*Jackson — Jeremy Wilkin
*Fire Chief — Paul Maxwell

Notes

*Destiny Angel's hotel room is the same set used for the accommodation of the Director General of the United Asian Republic in the episode "Winged Assassin".
*Footage from "Seek and Destroy" was re-edited and used in the "Captain Scarlet" compilation movie "Captain Scarlet vs the Mysterons".

External links

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