Flight 104

Infobox Television episode
Title = Flight 104
Series = Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons
Season = 1
Episode = 22
Airdate = March 1, 1968
Production = 25
Writer = Tony Barwick
Director = Robert Lynn
Episode list = List of "Captain Scarlet" episodes
Prev = Treble Cross
Next = Place of Angels

"Flight 104" is the 22nd episode of the Supermarionation television series "Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons". It was the 25th episode to be produced. Its original UK air date was March 1, 1968 on ATV Midlands. It was written by Tony Barwick and directed by Robert Lynn.

Synopsis

When the Mysterons threaten to sabotage a secret conference, Captains Scarlet and Blue are assigned to guard Dr Conrad, the world's top astrophysicist, on his flight to Switzerland. However, it seems that the officers will have to combat more than just unwanted press, as they slowly realise that their airliner has been hijacked by a malevolent force…

Plot

Captains Scarlet and Blue are staying at the Adelphi Hotel with Dr Conrad, a leading astrophysicist. Down the corridor from their rooms, a reporter, and his photographer, Joe, discuss how their editor is becoming impatient for a big news story. Joe is certain that Dr Conrad is at the hotel and is curious why the expert's associates said that he was on a "lengthy experiment". The photographer tried to get a picture of the doctor in reception, but Blue knocked the camera out of his hand and claimed that it was an accident. The reporter orders Joe to investigate the occupants up the corridor.

Joe bribes the hotel waiter to obtain a restaurant uniform and takes a room service meal to Scarlet and Blue's room. The captains are undeceived by his disguise and Scarlet knows that the photographer has taken pictures with a hidden camera. However, when Joe and the reporter examine the film they find that Scarlet has wiped his figure with a concealed device. The reporter is becoming ever more suspicious.

Transmitting to Earth, the Mysterons threaten to sabotage the top-secret conference at Lake Toma, Switzerland. On Cloudbase, Colonel White reminds personnel that the World President will be meeting with scientific advisors to discuss a proposed return to Mars. Dr Conrad will be one of the delegates and it will be Scarlet's and Blue's responsibility to ensure his safety as he flies to Geneva Airport.

Scarlet, Blue and Conrad drive to Novena Airport by car, tailed by Joe and the reporter. Scarlet tells the doctor that they will be using a standard airline rather than Spectrum transportation to keep a low profile. However, they have booked all the seats on Flight 104 under different names so that they will have the plane to themselves. Arriving at Novena, the group meets the head of airport security, Bill Williams, who assures Conrad that the crew are unlikely to question the empty seats because it is the low season.

Joe and the reporter try to book tickets for Flight 104 and are baffled when they discover that the plane is full. While the men ask if there are any last-minute cancellations, Captain Black enters the terminal building and passes into a room reserved for aircrew.

The flight desk radios Williams to inform him of Joe and the reporter. Scarlet and Blue order for the pressmen to be allowed tickets so that they will not be able to print any of their current information. As Flight 104 taxis on the runway, Joe and the reporter are confused why they had so much difficulty in obtaining access when the plane is almost empty, while Black observes the takeoff through binoculars.

The Novena staff are shocked to find the crew of Flight 104 drugged and locked in a storage room. As the airliner gains altitude with the Mysteron force operating the controls, Williams tells Colonel White that the captain has deliriously given a description of a strange man dressed all in black. White is certain that the culprit was Captain Black and realises that Flight 104 has been hijacked by the Mysterons.

Joe encounters Scarlet, unable to find one flight attendant. The passengers become increasingly suspicious as they run into turbulence over the Alps without notification from the captain. The Angels are launched from Cloudbase and Destiny confirms that Flight 104's controls are unmanned. The squadron flies past the airliner emitting red warning smoke and Blue shoots out the lock to the cabin. The Spectrum officers find to their horror that the Mysteron influence has started the plane's descent.

Scarlet and Blue try to pull out of the dive but the console is bound to the invisible force. However, just before the plane crashes into the mountains, the high voltage emanating from a power station negates the effect and the aircraft is brought back under control.

Scarlet and Blue set a course for Geneva airport but the undercarriage is malfunctioning. Blue suggests that a stray bullet from his gun damaged the circuit. Scarlet orders his friend to move the passengers to the rear of the plane so that he can effect an emergency landing. The plane hits the runway and grinds along the tarmac before crashing into a bunker. The four men at the back are unhurt but Scarlet is dead in the flight cabin. Joe is anxious for the officer but Blue is confident that he is all right. Amazed, the journalists reflect on how the non-existence of casualties would make a great news story.

Cast

Regular voice cast

*Captain Scarlet — Francis Matthews
*Captain Blue — Ed Bishop
*Colonel White — Donald Gray
*Lieutenant Green — Cy Grant
*Captain Ochre — Jeremy Wilkin
*Destiny Angel — Liz Morgan
*Voice of the Mysterons — Donald Gray

Guest voice cast

In speaking order:

*Photographer Joe — Gary Files
*Reporter — Jeremy Wilkin
*Dr Conrad — David Healy
*Bill Williams — Martin King
*Airport Tannoy (voice) — Liz Morgan
*Flight Desk (voice) — Gary Files

Goofs

*When Destiny reports that the airliner is unresponsive to Scarlet and Blue, her voice is that of Rhapsody Angel.

External links

* [http://www.fanderson.org.uk/epguides/scarleteg3.html#Episode%20Twenty%20Five Fanderson.org.uk: "Captain Scarlet" Episode Guide: "Flight 104"]
* [http://www.clivebanks.co.uk/Capt%20Scarlet%20Timeline.htm# Clivebanks.co.uk: "Captain Scarlet" Episode Guide]